Lost and confused – Symptoms and possible blister but negative IGG 1 &2

[OCD07]

Dear Terri, first I’d like to thank you for your services, many would be lost without you. I’ll do my best describing everything in detail below.

Aug 18th I had an exposure with a girl who claimed she was STD free. She performed oral on me for a few minutes, and I onto her, however there was a very potent bad odor down there and I couldn’t continue past a a few minutes, I disregarded that thinking that she may have not showered. We then had protected vaginal intercourse, it was physically very rough and lasted about an hour, about 2/3’rds of the way the condom broke and I didn’t realize it for a few minutes later, replaced the condom and carried on.

I noticed a bunch of painless bumps days after, one on the penis shaft and the rest around the pubic area near the base of the penis where most of the friciton occured. The nurse practitioner who I saw almost 2 weeks after said those were Molluscum, however there was one bump that looked different, I noticed it within days after the exposure and when I popped it there was a watery (though slightly viscous) liquid that I think from memory was mostly clear with a little yellow tint to it. I didn’t think much of it (idiotically), near that watery bump there was another bump (molluscum I believe since it didn’t hurt) that I picked on…what I do remember is a scab had formed that was painful when picked at, what I dont remember is if that scab belonged to the watery bump or the other bump.

After that I read up on herpes, and I couldn’t stop reading (big mistake), all the medhelp forums with the different symptoms that ppl described. I feel like I experienced all the classic symptoms (flulike and lower back ache etc.), but I feel like I could also be tricked by intense anxiety, the NP (saw her 6 times) had told me I seem to be OCD.

I tested only once on Nov 17th (~3 months) with the IGM (-ve) and IGG (1 & 2 less than 0.91 though they wouldn’t specify #’s ). My 1st questions is what is the probability of a false negative?

[Terri Warren]

It looks like you waited about 12 weeks from the exposure to get tested. I think, with about 98% certainty, you don’t have HSV 2. It is harder to say about the HSV 1 because the screening test you had misses about 1 out of 4 cases. I’m not at all clear that back pain is a symptom of new genital herpes. Did the NP see the exceptional bump that you describe? Was any testing done of the bump?

Terri

[OCD07]

I have had lots more to ask, but of course limited by characters.

Am I to understand that the Igg HSV-1 result is only 75% accurate? does that percentage change as a function of time? Because that is somewhat concerning, I feel like I have misunderstood something as this may suggest that I could have HSV-1 genitally. The NP has not seen the exceptional bump, it had almost healed when she examined it though she assured me that I don’t have herpes a couple of times.

As I’ve mentioned, I experienced all kinds of symptoms, but now for the past 2 months I’ve experienced 2 symptoms that are persistent, a constant reminder that something is wrong.
The first symptom is constant muscle twitching, ranging from sub-second to a few, and it is mostly located in my thighs and calf and bottocks, though close in frequency is my right shoulder and tricep and even left eyelid. It is happening throughout the entire day, sometimes multiple times within a minute. It is worth mentioning that I have been sitting alot more often and not as active as I was, because of the stress.

2nd symptom I am experiencing is this “icy-hot/menthol” feeling on the skin, mostly in the thighs, though it is alot less frequent than the muscle twitching,

I’ve read that some people who tested positive identified with the muscle twitching, saying that HSV could induce post-herpetic neuraligia that causes the nervous system to go “haywire”. And one website (healthline)d also lists Herpes simplex as a possible cause…so I am lost…I went to a general doctor and he assured me that it is most likely due to stress…and I am inclined to believe him as I’ve never been this stressed and filled with anxiety before, what is your opinion on those symptoms?

I am planning to retake the same test in a couple of weeks as I am traveling outside the country. The name of the test is called “Herpes 1&2 IgM and IgG Panel” to be specific, do you recommend that or a different route? I’d like to move on with my life.

[Terri Warren]

I honestly have very rarely heard about muscle twitching when speaking with people who have herpes. I have heard people discuss it who are worried that they have herpes but test negative. I would agree, both from professional and personal experience, that eye twitching, in particular, appears to be related to stress.

I’m not clear how to interpret the icy hot sensation, honestly. Post herpetic neuralgia is far more often associated with zoster than simplex but some people with genital herpes do get a pain down the back of the leg when the virus is activating.

Yes, the standard screening test for HSV 1, compared to western blot, misses 1 out of 4 infections.

Terri

[OCD07]

I’ve did a little bit of research and may have found the culprit, I’ve been eating pretty unhealthy for the past 4 months, and lots of diet drinks that are filled with aspartame, and found that some people corralated their muscle twitching to that. I’ll be cutting that and eating healthy and hopefully those will subside

I had a couple of important questions from the 2nd post that you may have missed.

I am planning to retake the same “Herpes 1&2 IgM and IgG Panel” test in a couple of weeks as I am traveling outside the country. do you recommend that to confirm the negative results (primarily for genital HSV-1 fears) or do you recommend a different route (western blot)? I’d really like to put this behind me and move on with my life.

Lastly, is the 75% accuracy constant with time? Meaning, giving more time for the HSV-1 antibodies to form will not change the accuracy of the test? Because I understand the western blot test is a little bit more involved in that blood is drawn and fancy medical techniques are done to it before it is shipped across the country.

On behalf of all of us freaking out, we appreciate your guidance and are very thankful for it, and please be patient (no pun intended) If I continue to ask silly questions. I am a 25 years old international alone in this country and things can be very stressful.

[Terri Warren]

Sorry I missed those questions. I strongly strongly recommend against taking the IgM test for herpes – it has many false positives and these really freak people out and they find it hard to believe the correct test which is an IgG test. If you want the most accurate antibody test for HSV 1 then yes, that is the herpes western blot. You can either order a test kit from UW directly to be sent to you or we at the clinic can order that test for you to be drawn at a Quest lab near you and shipped to UW. Either way works. Please don’t do the IgM test.

Yes, the screening test misses HSV 1 consistently, if it misses it in an individual. The western blot process in the lab is more complicated but getting it drawn at a Quest lab near you is really very easy if we set it all up for you – all you do is go in and have your blood drawn. this does require a phone consultation with us to set this up.

You are most welcome – you can ask me anything anytime. There is no such thing as a silly question here.

Terri

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