confused by my herpes test results

[burnbrighter]

I got my annual STD check up, no symptoms, however I did have a yeast infection due to some antibiotics. I got tested for both HSV1 and HSV2 igG, my doctor's office called stating that I was positive. However when I look at my results it clearly states for both of them that I was <.91 and one the lab result paper work it states that <.91 is negative .91-1.09 is equivocal and >1.09 is positive. Is there something I'm missing how can I be positive if I was at a <.91 which clearly states that I'm negative. Should I be disclosing? I'm beyond confused and also pretty much a train wreck.

[forgivenessandpeace]

Your doctor's office has done you a horrible disservice in the way they've handled this. Can you call them for clarifications? There are lots of posts about test results here you can read up on. Don't panic. You don't have a definitive answer yet.

[burnbrighter]

I called, they provided me more details. Apparently the results I saw were from the previous year, I was above a 2 for HSV2 igG tests. hearing it for the second time was even worse after briefly having a bit of hope.

[PositivelyBeautiful]

I believe that anything above 3.5 is considered conclusive, and that 2 can still fall in the bracket or 40% chance false positive. This would depend on when your last exposure was, since you could also be in the middle of building up antibodies. If you absolutely want to be sure, you can get the western blot, which tests for 14 or so proteins found in HSV instead of one from the IGG test. I think Westover heights clinic is the only place that coordinates that test, and you can call them for more information. They charge $5 a minute, but they are experts and can provide some good advice on your situation, considering all the details.

[burnbrighter]

i scheduled an appointment with my doctor for about a week from today for some more information. Maybe i'll give them a call after that. i'm kind of at a loss. i feel numb and two seconds later i feel like i literally can't go on. i don't know how to deal with this and i can't tell anybody here i live in a tiny town. the idea of having to tell my previous partners immediately makes me sick to my stomach. i want to hibernate, sleep is the only relief, but then i wake up and am hit with the tidal wave all over again.

[WCSDancer2010]

@burnbrighter

 

First - Hello and Welcome! Glad you found us!

 

So first - BREATHE! Honey, whatever the result, your life will be juuust fine. One in 4 or 5 of alllll the people around you have HSV2 ... they just don't go around with a sign on their neck because of the stigma that has caused you so much angst already. This stigma is really quite undeserved ...

 

Yes, Herpes can be a pain in the nether regions for SOME ... and even for them, most of the time it ends up being just a nuisance. And yes, it puts a responsibility on us to disclose our status ... but at the same time, it creates healthier relationships because we won't just jump in bed with anyone (even for a 1 night stand) until there is *some* degree of trust earned on their part. Our Success Story section is a testament to this .... we have well over 100 stories recorded there of people who have found a love they never thought possible AFTER Herpes ;)

 

Now - all that said, don't panic yet that you have Herpes. Your test results are still in the range where False Positive occur. So - do you know if/when you *might* have last been exposed. It will take about 3-4 months for you to have enough antibodies built up to give a reasonable result.... so there is no use in re-testing if your last relationship was inside that time until you are 3-4 months out.

 

Now - if you are outside that period and you test again and your results are under 3.5, you may either want to wait another few months and test again, or get a Western Blot test done through Westover Heights clinic. (Info below.) As @Positive said, it's the Gold Standard of testing and the people at the clinic are some of the most knowledgeable in the world so their advice is golden :)

 

Dr. Lisa Taulbee at the Westover Heights Clinic,http://westoverheights.com/ (503) 226-6678 ... she can order the test for you through Quest Labs. It costs $5/minute for a consult … cheap IMO for clarity and/or peace of mind.

 

 

(((HUGS)))

[burnbrighter]

I'm not sure to be honest I had a UTI recently which resulting in antibiotics and having a yeast infection shortly before I got tested. About 2.5 months ago I had protected sex with a guy I was casually dating, and less than a month ago I had unprotected sex, again (DOH!), with a guy I was seeing before the previous one about a week before my test. I feel as I've had unprotected sex with the most recent guy and that's also when I had symptoms that was most likely where the exposure came from, however I feel like maybe my number was really high for it that last time to be the cause. I also don't know when to start disclosing to them, it's petrifying. I don't want to disclose it and it get around the town and then find out that maybe by some miracle i'm one of the 40 percent of false positives.

[WCSDancer2010]

Well I would wait if you have any possibility that they would tell others. If you can trust them with the info, you may want to tell them sooner ... or tell them that you just found out that people are not automatically tested for Herpes and perhaps they should go get checked out .... that's a way to bring it up without admitting you have it ... then at least you have opened them up to the need for testing ;)

[burnbrighter]

Thank you. I think you're right, waiting until I know for sure is the best bet. I'd love to believe they're better guys than to run a smear campaign across town, but people can do mean things when they're scared. I appreciate all the words of support, I honestly have lived on this forum since finding out, it's amazing how much of a difference just reading others experiences and positive words can make.