Recent Herpes Infection Questions

[zztop]

Hello all, I had what appeared to be H back around the beginning of December 2014. My then girlfriend and I had just reconciled after about a four month split. My infection was a "textbook" time frame of @ 2 weeks after we were together again. I went to my pcp, and had a specimen swabbed, had a blood test taken, and started on valacyclovir. I got the results about a week later.. The swab was inconclusive, and the blood test was negative.. mind you It was about 2 weeks into the o/b when I went to the doctor. I scheduled another blood test two weeks later, and of course it came back positive. My gf swears up and down that she had been tested during her annual pap, and that she didn't have H, but I think the my first negative blood test tells a different tale. My last gf was 5 years prior, so I guess it would be possible to carry this for years before an initial o/b.. also could taking valacyclovir affect the blood test results either way? I may still be in shock and denial, but It's all good.. life does go on! Thanks for any thoughts on my situation.

[OutOfWit]

It is very rare that they test for Herpes on a routine annual (for your girlfriend)!

[fitgirl]

Yes I agree. If you don't ask for the test, you won't get it. In Canada they don't even want to test when you ask!! You can have the virus for years before an outbreak so it's hard to be sure where you contracted it. In the US there are more testing options. Review this site and you will see all the ways to test and how much insight they can give you. Bottom line.... some people never have symptoms and never know, others will have regular outbreaks. You girlfriend may have herpes and not know.... she should get tested (for real).

[WCSDancer2010]

Pap smears don't test for HSV (*some* test for HPV but that's a different STD) so if she didn't SPECIFICALLY ask for it it's unlikely she was tested.... she should call her OBGYN and ask for all of her most recent test results to be mailed to her (and I tell people to ALWAYS ask for a hard copy so you can double check your results and have them for future reference :) ).

 

However, it's very rare to come up with a positive IgG test at 4 weeks - it usually takes 3-4 months for it to show up in the blood ... SO .. it's *possible* you got it elsewhere if you were sexually active during your time apart ....