So confused about possible hsv1 herpes outbreak

[SLM8142]

Hi everyone,

Just want to say hi and thank you, the past month has been very stressful for me and I have actively been reading these posts and I have not only educated myself but found so much comfort in everyone's posts.

 

So for my story. For the last year and half possibly more from time to time I would get small paper like cuts around my labia. I always thought it was attributed to friction or chaffing and I never paid too much attention because it literally looked like a paper cut.

 

4 weeks ago I felt extremely itchy, I am an RN and I first thought it was possibly a yeast infection but with no discharge I self diagnosed myself with BV. Never once thinking herpes! Since it was the weekend and I couldn't be seen I did the unthinkable and googled how to cure bv naturally which was an apple cider vinegar tampon. I did it and hours later I was having what I think is a full blown ob. I took valtrex for the ten days. It cleared up right away. My gyn diagnosed me by sight, no swab or blood work.

 

I went to my pmd and requested to be tested for everything. I got my results, hsv 1 came back at 46.3. And hsv 2 came back at less than .91.

 

So the fact that I have such high antibodies for hsv1 does not surprise me, I've had cold sores orally once or twice as a child and my father, brother and nephew suffer from this orally. I understand If this was in fact an on its was ghsv1 and I most likely contracted by oral sex. My question is could it really be ghsv1? There is only like a 2% chance I could have contracted this if I already have it orally correct? And now it's coming up on a month since last ob and I'm going to begin menstruating and once again I have a small paper cut. Thinking about it I usually get these paper cuts around menstruation. Without a swab test will I ever be sure if this is in fact herpes? The use of Apple cider vinegar exacerbated this episode last month, I have never experienced anything like that before. Could I really have had this for so long and never had a clue?

 

Sorry for the length of this! Thanks in advance!

[mr_hopp]

Hi there! The short answer for you is that yes, the only way to know for sure if that is genital HSV-1 herpes is to get it swabbed. That's the confusing thing about blood tests showing up for HSV-1 since they can't tell you which part of your body HSV-1 might manifest, if at all. (20% of people who have herpes never have any physical herpes symptoms, but can still transmit herpes via asymptomatic viral shedding.)

 

Can you go into the clinic ASAP so you can get the answers you need while you still have physical symptoms?

[SLM8142]

@adrial thanks for your response! I was thinking that's really my only option. Get to the gym so they can swab it, but it's not a blister like OB. Hopefully they can get a fluid sample from this paper cut. Thanks for your help!