Confusing Results – Negative or Not!?

[Confused13]

Hello Terri,

Ive had a horrible experience with herpes testing over the past six months.

6 months ago there were two occasions on which I was intimate with someone who is HSV 2 positive. We never had sex, but there was a point that i sat unclothed on his upper thighs and we both gave oral sex.

A few weeks later, I noticed a single hard pimple looking thing on the area between my vagina and my anus. I went immediately to the urgent care and got it swabbed, but they did not break open the pimple looking thing (I did not at this point know it was necessary) and those results came back negative. A few days after that I had an appointment w/ my gyno who took one look at it and said it definitely looked like herpes, and the only thing that made her think it might not be herpes is that there was only one (but at this point there was no fluid left to swab inside, just the healing scab – it never turned into an ulcer).

Ever since, I have had several symptoms- on several occasions I have found cuts in the front folds of my labia lips, I have had strange discharge, once I had a spider bite looking thing on my outer thigh, and now the newest symptom is lots of pimples/pimple looking things all over my butt.

This has been a maddening proccess, since all of my IGG blood tests have come back negative. I tested negative 4 weeks after exposure (HSV1 .18 HSV .10), negative 14 weeks after exposure (HSV1 .14 HSV 2 .11) and now my last results are still negative at one week shy of 6 months (HSV1 .16 HSV2 .12)

I would have considered myself safe after the 6 month test, but my gyno called to tell me that since the numbers for HSV2 are rising, that it most likely means that I have HSV2.

I plan on getting the Western Blot, but this has been emotionally exhausting (getting my hopes up at every test, only to be told still that i probably have it and need another test).

Does the rise in antibodies really indicate that I have HSV2? Will the WB be definitive? Please help!

[Terri Warren]

OMG, how upsetting for you and how wrong. Your values are all very safely within the negative range and tiny changes such as these are absolutely insignificant. The PCR from a new lesion should be positive, if herpes, regardless of whether the bump was opened or not.
Her lack of knowledge about herpes testing also makes me question her opinion that your lesion was herpes.
The western blot should help clarify this for you in terms of HSV 2, if you need to do it, yes. And you have waiting long enough to do it. The only thing that could happen is that you could be HSV 1 positive and the screening test missed it but even then, you would not know if the genital lesion was HSV 1.

Terri

[Confused13]

Terri

Thank you for the response. This has been a rather confusing, taxing six months.

For the follow up i would like to ask – when I was first told I might have herpes, I took Valtrex for seven days. Since that time, I have probably taken the 3-day valtrex regimen probably 4-5 times during my suspected ‘outbreaks’, one of those times being only a week prior to this last 6-month Igg test. Could this give me a false negative at the 6 month point? I have not been taking it consistently or for more than three days at a time.

Also, if not herpes what could be giving me the cuts in the folds of my labia? They have appeared twice in the creases at the front – could it be bacterial problem? I am not currently sexually active, so it could not be from sexual activity in that area.

Lastly, would it be possible to order the WB test through Westover Heights? Im not exactly sure how to get the test, but I would like to have it ordered for a lab around me instead of me handling it myself (I would worry too much about the chance of me messing it up!). Should I wait a few weeks with absolutely no Valtrex usage or can I reliably get the test done now?

Thank you so much, you’ve really helped to calm my anxiety over this and wait for the last test. It just seems like every time I get a negative test and think that this is over, I find out that there are circumstances which mean it may or may not be true.

[Terri Warren]

I don’t think you’ve taken enough Valtrex to impact your test results 6 months out from infection, no. Clarify for me – so you’ve probably taken about 18 days since the initial treatment, is that correct?
Yes, of course, we order about 5 western blots a day, and we can do that yourself. It doesn’t matter if you take Valtrex right before the test (and it takes about a week after our phone consultation to get the test drawn anyway). What matters is the total amount taken. Let’s get the WB and get this settled once and for all for you. You’ve totally been running around needlessly.

Terri

[Confused13]

Terri,

To clarify I think 18-20 days max with Valtrex over the last 6 months. I think that proceeding with the WB would definitely the best option. Just let me know the steps i need to take to get that set up.

Thank you so much for your time, I do feel like Ive been running around and Im very glad to finally start getting some answers and hopefully (for better or worse) an answer.

[Terri Warren]

You just need to call the clinic and set up a phone consultation. They will fill you in on all the details. I believe we can talk next Tuesday if that will work for you?

Terri

[Confused13]

Terri –

As a follow up, I wanted to let you know that I got the Western Blot and it came back negative at 6 months (all they give you is a neg/pos, no numbers?). However, I showered last night and discovered painful patches of red inside my vaginal lips. They are quite irritated and uncomfortable. Is there a possibility that this could still be herpes, after several negative IGG’s and a negative 6 month western blot? Ive also been experiencing some pimple like things outside of my vaginal lips, even though I do not shave.

Help! I thought I was in the clear and now all the fear is back. Please let me know if you think I should get another test done – unfortunately these tests have gotten to be rather expensive, so I don’t want to do any unnecessary testing if you think a Western Blot at 6 months is definitive.

[Terri Warren]

Instead of getting another western blot, I would recommend that you have someone examine you and swab test these spots of they think there is any chance they could be herpes. That would be best. And you should do it right away so you can get the most accurate swab test and the most accurate examination.

Terri

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