Confused??? Herpes test results

[ra1956]

I have continued my HSV saga.

 

But I am now more confused now than I was before.

 

I am hoping someone can enlighten me a little bit.

 

What got me here was unprotected sex with a woman who got tested and found

she had very high reading for both hsv1/2. But no symptoms.

 

Tested negative IGG hsv1/2 via labcorp 1 week after last involvement.

Tested negative IGM hsv via labcorp 2 weeks after last involvement.

Tested positive IGG hsv1 4.43 and hsv2 equivocal at 1.07 via DCO at 6 weeks.

Tested negative IGG hsv2 via labcorp at 10 weeks.

Tested negative IGG hsv1/2 via labcorp at 12 weeks.

 

None of my symptoms really suggest classic hsv1 or hsv2.

What I believed is a cold sore has been ongoing for seven weeks

now - never heard of a cold sore lasting this long and it has nevered hurt.

 

So how do I go from a high hsv1 positive to a negative 6 weeks later?????

Is labcorp testing just not reliable?

 

Thanks - Ra

[WCSDancer2010]

We had someone on here for awhile who was a Med student who could likely answer this better than any of us but my suggestion is you find some place that does the Western Blot and run that one...but I would wait till you are at least 4 full months from the last encounter...part of the problem may be that it's too soon for an accurate result - it usually takes 4-6 months post encounter for the IGG to have a reasonably accurate result.

 

And ignore the IGM result - most Dr's agree it's a pretty useless test.

[ra1956]

Thanks dancer, truly understand the limitations of the igm test, but believed it could have been useful in my situation. Guess my best option will be to wait another three weeks and try to get a Western blot done - just isn't easy in this area. This whole thing concerns me as much for other people as myself - been seeing websites saying negative at 12 weeks and your are good to go. I hate to say it, but starting to understand the CDC position on hsv testing. :-(

 

thank again - Ra

[WCSDancer2010]

12 weeks is definitely too early - 4-6 months is your best bet.

 

Regarding the CDC - yeah - I get it that it can be hard if you come up Positive one time and negative later....but the scare would get a whole lotta people educated and hopefully making better choices, eh?

 

Thing is, they need to put time and money into figuring out a more consistent testing strategy... you can't tell me they have made all these strides with HIV and they can't do similar for HSV (esp as at least half the work is done because they can use the principals for HIV testing and then figure out ho to apply them to HSV). Even more so, they need to get better educational materials out there. Their current thinking has caused what would be termed an epidemic in any other disease with the rates of transmission as they are.

 

Get rid of the ignorance, get people properly EDUCATED, and the stigma goes away. If we had that and they gave us just a *little* better testing (or make Western Blot the Go-to test) we could vastly reduce transmission rates AND make it less stressful on those who are H+ when they get their diagnosis. As it is, they keep hiding this stuff under a rock then Doctors wonder why people are so freaked out when they get their test results back. :(

 

[lt05]

A question regarding test results..

 

I found out in November that i had H. I had all the flu like symptoms, but no blisters yet. when I first got sick thought it was a yeast infection. I did get swab tested, but even before blisters were appearing. i had a deep cut from shaving, the doctor took a look, didnt say anything about the possibility of it being h, and did a swab test to check for any other infections while i was there. didnt hear anything for a few days (by this time the blisters had been forming) called to check, said i had to go in and BAM, my heart dropped. Limped my way to another doctor the same day (which was a very awkward car ride with my dad, who i obviously lied to) she took a look and said "yep, your as sick as a puppy", didnt answer any of my questions and said to come back in a few days if it didnt go away.

 

Then i heard about blood testing. i visited my regular family doctor, when the OB was over, and he told me he couldnt do a blood test for this? i also called the local std healthline and she said the blood test is unreliable, and i may have to pay for it. She also said that i had to wait for another OB to get a second test if i want, and that they would perform the same swab test at an STD clinic. So really there is no point in that in my eyes. I mean if i have another OB then obviously it is certain that i have it. Anyways I am REALLY confused on the whole HSV1/HSV2. the differences, transferring it, and how do i know if i have it orally too?

 

i haven't had an ob since the horrifying, painful, 2 night hospital visit, IV requiring OB.

(I guess thats a bit of venting there)

 

ANYWAYS, the point if the matter, is where in the hell are people finding these blood tests?!?! for some stupid reason i want to hear it again. how insane is that?

[WCSDancer2010]

It05

 

Welcome!

 

I TOTALLY hear your frustration and believe me, if I have anything to do with it, things will change in the future. Right now between the CDC and Insurance companies (who don't want to pay on tests if they can get away with it), as well as mis-informed doctors, well, it's a complete cluster-f*ck IMO.

 

So - sounds like you don't know what type you have, and that is a perfectly valid question that you should get answered. And it looks like you are around the 4 month mark (tho I would wait one more month to be sure) that it takes for this to show up in a blood test.

 

I would say your best bet is to go to Planned Parenthood. You may have to pay out of pocket but they are a lot better at dealing with this stuff than Family doctors are and you can get on a payment plan (I just paid my last visit off...paid $25/month...they never hounded me and if you tell them you may have difficulty with payments they may do a sliding scale too)

 

As for education - start with these handouts and the e-book.... it will give you a lot of the info you need and then you can come back here for clarification:

 

Handouts:

http://bit.ly/h-opp-diagnosis-handout

http://bit.ly/h-opp-disclosure-handout

 

Disclosure e-book:

http://eepurl.com/b4IPP

 

Also the blogs and such are great for info and the discussions here may fill you win with a lot of what you need, but start with the above links then come back and we'll fill you in :)

 

(((HUGS)))

[ra1956]

Hi it05,

 

I truly feel your frustration. I am almost no better off now than I was before I started testing - I still just don't know for sure. Until tests like the western blot become easily available to everyone - a lot of labs are going to continue to make a lot of money on tests that are not reliable. So here I am waiting another two weeks to try to get a Western blot done.

 

Per one on the doctors I have talked to - I am the poster boy of why the CDC does not suggest being tested unless you have "slap in the face" hsv2. Could tell the doc wasn't happy with my decision to hsv test. Heck - up to him - he would have said don't worry about it. (Seems the common suggestions of many uninformed docs :-( ). I for one will allow myself to infect anyone else - especially someone I care about.

 

You are in good hands with dancer and the other people on this site - they are wonderful and extremely caring.

 

Take care - Ra

[IdkWhat2do]

I dont know where you live but in my city we have a place called AnyLabTestNow and they do blood tests for almost anything... I think its like $50 and it will test you for the antibodies againt hsv1 & hsv2. This is what I plan on doing since I am unsure of my status as well. Btw if I post my symptoms and story on here could you guys tell me what you think?

[ra1956]

Hi Idkwhat2do,

 

Using the normal crappy hvs testing has got me to where I am now. One test says I am positive another test says I am not. Which ones are correct - just go with the ones saying I am clean and infect anyone I am with - don't think so.

 

The only testing that is close to 100% is the hsv western blot and only done at the university of Washington. Not easy to get in other locations - can't just get online and sign up for it.

 

Thank - Ra

 

[WCSDancer2010]

Yes - you can start a new discussion ...that's what we are here for.. ;)

 

There are a lot of places that do STD testing, as well as Planned Parenthood (usually will do sliding scale) and many county offices do some tests tho possibly not Herpes.

 

If you have only been exposed to the virus recently (within the last 4 months) the tests may not have a conclusive result unless you have a lesion/blister that they can swab.

[IdkWhat2do]

Wcsdancer2010,

I did post my question... Could you check it out and give me your opinion? I would really appreciate it.

[Peggy]

I feel for everyone with this confusion. I still can't read my medical report correctly. I even brought the records to several clinics and they were not able to clarify. They just looked at the report and said the numbers indicate that you have Herpes...The only true fact that I have is I have had a couple of minor outbreaks. I initially went in because I thought I had razor burn...Anyway this all drives me to do the research and find out the facts...We deserve the facts Right:)

[BTShaw]

Thanks for this site and thread!! I will start a new thread to post my questions as I do not want to hijack this one.