Confused

[imjustme]

Been to doctor multiple times for symptoms downstairs in the last few months. My primary care doctor doesn’t think I have herpes. The last time I went to see her for a single small bump down there that was itchy and painful and had been there for almost three weeks, she told me it was an ingrown hair but I was hesitant to agree with her because it was in the same exact spot my last bump was at that went away after a course of acyclovir that was prescribed by another doctor. I also have tingling and general nerve pain in my legs as well as some low back pain which I know all of these symptoms can be related to HSV. She filled my rx for acyclovir anyways and then about a week later bump went away completely. I decided to shave down there because I’m more comfortable when I do and then like two days later I got another bump around the same area with itchiness but not as much pain as the last one and a few surrounding small bumps that actually look like razor burn. None of these bumps ever opened up or leaked any fluids. My blood tests for both types of HSV came back negative but I know I have oral HSV because I’ve had a cold sore before so I’m wondering if it’s just false negatives and maybe my issue really is genital herpes? Is it possible to still get outbreaks when you’re on suppressive therapy? I’ve been on acyclovir for quite a while now. Idk anymore. My doctor thinks I’m crazy and I just don’t know what to do now. I’ve been having on and off symptoms of what I believe to be genital herpes for about three months now so I’m getting real tired of it. Every time “the bump” goes away another one pops up a few days later. Wtf. Any thoughts or advice please??

[SPATX919]

What kind of blood test was done? IgG is pretty accurate (according to both doctors I've seen) and can differentiate between types 1 and 2. It can take up to 16 weeks for your HSV antibodies to reach levels that would reflect as positive.

 

If I were you, I'd ask for a copy of your blood test results. If anything other than IgG type specific, I'd go to another doctor and ask for another blood test. Especially if it's been a while since your last possible exposure.

[imjustme]

It was IgG type specific HSV test and oddly enough it came up negative for both types but my first cold sore I ever had was about 3 years ago so my body should have the antibodies by now. Or is it possible for them to go away when the virus is not as active or after my immune system learns how to fight it? I have a hard time believing that the cold sore I had could have been something else but my idiot doctor seems to think that it was not actually caused by herpes. The funniest thing I’ve ever heard her say was exactly this “your body probably wiped out the virus. Other cold sores can be caused by stress” blah blah. it just doesn’t make sense. Herpes is incurable so it’s impossible that my body fought it off completely. She seems to think that the cold sore I had was not oral herpes or something. (Then what is it?) eye roll. She doesn’t even question the test results. Says that I should consider myself lucky but I have heard that false negatives are possible so it doesn’t completely give me peace of mind. Thanks for your input, I’m definitely going to look for a new doctor to get a second opinion.

[HikingGirl]

How about when a new bump comes up, you have it swabbed? (Either the “ingrown hair” or what you believe was a cold sore.) It might also be worth your time to see a gynecologist, who will be more up to speed on things happening in and around the genitals than your primary care provider.

 

While the IgG misses a lot of HSV1 infections (I forget the exact statistic, but it was surprisingly significant), there are indeed many things that would cause similar symptoms in either location.

 

Yes, it is possible to have outbreaks while on suppressive therapy. For some people, outbreaks pretty much disappear. For others, it reduces the number of outbreaks, but doesn’t eliminate them entirely. It’s also possible to have oral HSV1 and never have a cold sore.

 

If I were in your shoes, I’d find a new doctor and get a PCR swab test the moment a new bump crops up in either location. You could also have a western blot done, but that won’t tell you the location (oral or genital).