High positive for herpes 2

[Never54]

After a great intimate night with my husband of 8 years, which includes oral sex, I woke up very sore and extreme burning when I urinated. I went to the doctor since I never experienced anything like this. They did a culture and blood test. I’m still waiting for the culture results but blood tests came back Igm negative and Igg 6.67. Does the high result give any indication of the timeframe in which I could have contracted this std? Is it likely something recent, or could it be from 5+ years?

[Terri Warren]

Is that your index value for HSV 2 that you are quoting here at 6.67. If yes then this indicates that you have indeed been infected for a good while – it is not new. You could have acquired it 6 weeks ago or 15 years ago, no way to know at all. Has your husband been tested? Also, the UTI symptoms may or may not have anything to do with herpes – could be a simple UTI?

Terri

[Never54]

Hi Terri,

Thanks for your response. I do have another question, but believe I probably need to give you more context. By the way, my husband has not yet been tested, but will be doing so today. Prior to our marriage in 2007, my husband cheated on me with a prior long term girlfriend. Following that incident in 2006, I had a blood test done at my OBGYN for all STDs. I had no symptoms of anything. My results were negative. Unfortunately, my OBGY has destroyed all records since it has been so long.

Up until July of this year, neither of us have experienced any recognizable symptoms. Then, one day in July I started getting extreme dry mouth, and one person noticed I had a build up of white saliva in the corners of my mouth. For a week or so I had to constantly wipe the corners of my mouth. Then, I ended up with some redness in the corner of my mouth that was tender. Eventually, the corners of my mouth were extremely dry and cracked. I though it was just due to the extra saliva I was experiencing. I eventually had to use an anti-fungal cream to clear up the cracks. They returned a couple weeks later, at which time the anti-fungal cream did not help. I used a natural bees wax first aid cream, which cleared it up. Again, I assumed it was chapped lips or something like that.

Over the past month (August), I have had a sore throat and annoying cough that basically made me constantly clear my throat. I would also say that in general I have felt feverish at times but had daily headaches that caused me to take Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen several times a day. The June-August time frame had been an extremely stressful time for us, which is what I thought was causing my headaches. Prior to this, I never took medicines for any headaches. In looking at some of the symptoms of HSV2, I do now in hindsight recall having some shooting pain in my hip/leg, but attributed that to possibly a rough work-out at the gym.

Finally, all of this led up to the night when my husband performed oral sex on me for at least 25 minutes or so, followed by intercourse. The next morning, as I stated initially, I was in extreme discomfort, but initially thought it was from the extended oral sex. When it didn’t get better the next day, I went to the OBGYN. I did have a sore, which appeared to be healing. She punctured it and took a culture, of which I am still awaiting results.

I just obtained a copy of my blood work which reads HSV 2 IGG = 6.67 and HSV IGM = 1.06

QUESTIONS: (1) Since I tested negative back in 2006, is it reasonable to assume that I contracted this virus sometime between the first test and now? Or, is there a chance that the 2006 blood test was a false negative? I assumed that since he cheated on me with a long time girlfriend, and we had already been together for over 1 year when I got tested the first time, that enough time would have passed to show up on the blood test. (2). Does the HSV IgM test = 1.06 mean anything? Does it indicate that the sudden onset of symptoms I have experienced could be due to coming in contact with the virus within the past several months? (3). Or, is it really possible that he could have given this to me years ago and the extreme stress we have been under caused the first outbreak? (fyi.. I say he gave this to me because I have not been with anyone since the first day we started dating in 2005, so if my 2006 test was accurate, it’s the only explanation)

Appreciate your time.

[Terri Warren]

QUESTIONS: (1) Since I tested negative back in 2006, is it reasonable to assume that I contracted this virus sometime between the first test and now? Or, is there a chance that the 2006 blood test was a false negative? I assumed that since he cheated on me with a long time girlfriend, and we had already been together for over 1 year when I got tested the first time, that enough time would have passed to show up on the blood test.

I would not assume, if I was you, that you were tested for herpes in 2006. It is not a routine part of STD testing in most places. However, you could call him and ask if he included herpes testing in his STD screens back then. Also, you could try getting your results from the laboratory, they may well have those results

(2). Does the HSV IgM test = 1.06 mean anything? Does it indicate that the sudden onset of symptoms I have experienced could be due to coming in contact with the virus within the past several months

It does not mean anything, no. You know that you have an old case of HSV 2, and IgM is intermittently generated even in recurrent disease.

? (3). Or, is it really possible that he could have given this to me years ago and the extreme stress we have been under caused the first outbreak? (fyi.. I say he gave this to me because I have not been with anyone since the first day we started dating in 2005, so if my 2006 test was accurate, it’s the only explanation)

It is possible, yes,, certainly. Or you may not have been tested for herpes to begin with.

Terri

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