IgG herpes test results

[LookingForAlaska]

I believe I was was exposed to H about a year ago. At the time of what I think was an outbreak, I tested negative for 1 and 2 with a swab test. I had my annual physical and asked my doctor for a blood test. I kind of had to insist on it with her because I don't think she thought it was a big deal. If they were positive, I wanted to know as well as which type for all the reasons everyone gives for wanting that info. Anyway, my results for 1 were 1.62, and 0.12 for type 2, with the top end of the range being .89. The results were posted to my chart with no explanation. Do they mean I have type 1 only? Both? And should I have them redone since they're so low? Thanks ☺️

[WCSDancer2010]

Well, it means you *could* have type 1 (but it *could* be orally and not genitally because 80% of people have oral HSV1).... Anything between 1.1 and 3.5 without a definite OB has a 40% chance of being a "false positive".....

 

And you are pretty equivically negative for HSV2.

 

I suggest that you do the Western Blot test as it's the Gold Standard... you do a phone consult (Well worth the $5/min they charge) with the practitioners at Westover Heights (so you can explain what made you thing you had H a year ago) and then they call in the script to Quest to do the test....

 

http://depts.washington.edu/herpes/faq.php#faqCat-3

Westover Heights Clinic,http://westoverheights.com/ (503) 226-6678 ..

 

And time to get a new Dr if they don't at least *try* to explain test results to you ... :p

 

(((HUGS)))

 

[LookingForAlaska]

@WCSDance2010...Thank you for the suggestions! I will definitely pursue that, bc I really want to know for sure.

What makes me think I have it is that last year (actually a year ago this weekend) I was feeling really sick...fever, fatigue, and got a UTI over the course of 2-3 days. I got Bactrim and had taken about 3 of the 6 pills and also noticed I had several painful, white, pimple-like bumps all over my pubic area & had some watery discharge that almost looked like it had blood in it. I went to the clinic and the Dr. said it looked like H, and did the swab. That and all my other STD tests (which I did maybe a week later at my Dr's office) came back negative. In spite of that, both Drs said I definitely have it and put me on valtrex.

My BF at eventually admitted that he "may" have been exposed by a previous partner who supposedly told him after they had been sleeping together that she had it. Supposedly, she at first accused him of infecting her, but later said she had really known she had it but was "taking medicine every day." As you can see, there are a lot of "supposedlys" in the story, which is bc I don't really know what's true, but the story seems unlikely given what I've learned on here. And really it doesn't matter. My symptoms combined with his story made me believe I was positive despite the lab results. I know type 1 can be transmitted gentially, and if I'm positive for anything it seems like it would be that.

And...my BF has made huge steps to change after all this mess (bc at the same time I found out he had cheated, and I believe THAT is really how I was exposed), he was truly devastated about what he did, and I do love him. But, I would be lying if I didn't say that there's a part of me that has stayed with him bc I didn't think I would be able to find anyone else. So as messed up as it sounds, a definitive answer would help me with some pretty big decisions I need to make.

[WCSDancer2010]

Well actually if you have HSV1 genitally odds are actually higher that you got it from oral sex than genital sex simply because it sheds a LOt less down below and the H Experts are now saying that they are not sure if it is getting passed on at all when it's genital because most, if not all of the cases they get in with H1 genital figure out in the end that they got it from oral ... so unless he had an open lesion (which is basically shedding on steroids) if he was to he HSV1+ and didn't know where he had it, I'd put money on him having it orally... like 80% of the population :)

 

And honey, the result shouldn't determine if you stay with him. Look inside your heart. If you are staying because you are afraid that you won't find anyone else (with OR without H), do yourself a favor and get out and work on loving YOU for awhile. Take it from someone who took 3 yrs off dating (in my later 40's) because I realized I wanted to WANT a man, not NEED a man and that meant working on myself ... and it's the best thing I ever did for myself. You don't have to take 3 yrs off ... just take the time you NEED to work on loving yourself for awhile ... and I promise that someone WILL come along when you are ready :)

 

(((HUGS)))

 

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/2886/herpes-yoga-and-self-love

 

[LookingForAlaska]

@WSCDancer2010 I talked with my Dr today. I mentioned the whole "under 3.5" thing. She basically said that positive is positive regardless of how low the number is. She said "your body must have just done a good job at clearing it," and the Valtrex must be helping. She literally said "that's just bad luck," but at least it's "ONLY HSV 1." I don't know that she really knows what she's talking about or not.

 

So could it be possible that he got it from oral then gave it to me? I've never seen him have a cold sore, but there have been a couple times where I thought I might have noticed a small bump on his penis. He's type 1 diabetic which I'm sure increases his risks of contracting all kinds of things. And if someone has it orally, they couldn't later get it genitally, right? Sorry, so many questions.

 

I know that the results should have no bearing on what I do with my relationship. But fear is for sure a part of it. If I do break up with him, I at least want all my facts straight about my own status so I can know how to handle things in the future. I think some time off is probably a good idea.

[WCSDancer2010]

Well, I think it's fair to say it's time to get a new Dr. Is she a GP or an OBGYN ... if it's the former, that's the problem. If she's the latter, she needs to start reading up on the latest Herpes info :(

 

*IF* you have it odds are he got it as a kid from sharing drinks with a kid who was having an OB (kids get it more easily because they tend to share things when they have OB's and their immune systems are just too weak to fight it off). And some will get it from kissing someone in their early ventures in exploring their sexuality. 40% of young people have H orally by the time they are young adults...

 

Bumps on the penis can be a lot of things - folliculitis is very common for instance ... and totally harmless to others. And though he may have it orally, he still *could* get it genitally but the odds are a lot lower (depending a lot on the health of his immune system in general.). But given you have may have it genitally (where it sheds less) the odds would be relatively slim....

 

If you need time off, take it. You have a lot of things to think about and clear in your head. Perhaps this is the best time to do it, so you can work on taking care of you for awhile :)

 

(((HUGS)))

[LookingForAlaska]

@WCSDancer2010

I know it's been forever since I started this discussion but since my question relates to all the stuff above I figured I would continue rather than have to have you read the whole story over again.

So, the BF decided to sleep with someone else. Again. Which I'm sure is no surprise to anyone who has read this thread. Incidentally, while he recently changed his story about giving it to me, and flat out denied having it, he apparently told this new girl I gave it to him. Which is kinda funny since he told me he never had it. To this day he hasn't been tested bc he's convinced his Dr would have "noticed something like that" in his blood work for his diabetes. Umm...no.

Anyway...My issue now is how exactly to proceed if I want to engage in a relationship (or anything else) with someone new.

I stopped taking Valtrex around the time I started this disc., so mid-late April. Since then I have had no symptoms, or at least nothing clearly recognizable as such. In fact, since my initial "outbreak" I've never had another as far as I can tell. My initial symptoms were genital, swab tests were negative, blood tests a year later 1.62 for HSV1.

Obviously there will be condoms involved, but I also know they aren't 100%. This may be a weird way to ask this, but given the test #s, am I "contagious?" Should I resume Valtrex anyway? I feel so uniformed if I have to have "the talk," bc things seem so sketchy. "Hey, I MAYBE have a little bit of herpes" doesn't seem like the way to go.

[WCSDancer2010]

Well, I'm going to first go back to the fact that there's a REALLY GOOD chance that you don't have Genital Herpes ... If you didn't do the Western Blot and talk to Westover Heights I suggest that you do that first. AND .. given that your + result was HSV1, I'd say odds are FAR higher that you have it orally, esp given you had negative swab tests at the time of your "OB".

 

Your Dr's comment that "your body did a good job of clearing it" tells me she doesn't know crap about Herpes and that you need to talk to someone who can give you good advice like the people at Westover Heights... So please, do that first, because I'm not at all sure you are "contagious" ... and least not genitally ....

 

You certainly don't have "a little bit of herpes". It's like being "a little bit pregnant". Either you are or you are not. I'd get to the bottom of that first. Then worry about how to deal with it if you are HSV1+.

[2Legit2Quit]

@WCSDancer2010 I know it's hard to pass ghsv 1 genital to genital, but we have a couple guys on here who did. One in fact stuck w me, ad he said he got it wearing condoms and he got it on his balls. I know you know this, but just wanted to throw out there it's still possible.

[WCSDancer2010]

But again, the swab was negative and the blood test is in the very low positive ... and genital "symptoms" can be something non H-related... bottom line is that her case is too questionable IMO right now which is why I strongly suggest WB to get a definite result... I never said she doesn't have it but what I am reading makes me strongly question her "results" and certainly the Dr's diagnosis given the comments from the Dr ...

[WCSDancer2010]

I've had several people on here who were told by their Dr that they had H, whose story/symptoms seemed too questionable to me, that I've advised to do WB and most were H- ... so I'd just rather get a conclusive result first before she lives her life believing she's H+ with such unclear results.

[2Legit2Quit]

totally agree