Need help/Want to do Western Blot

[Perplexed]

Hi Terri,

I got an IGG test done in Aug 2021 not because I had symptoms but because someone I’d been with said they’d been with someone who had herpes. (We didn’t use protection and they told me after the fact). My test said I was negative for HSV-1, but positive for HSV2 – according to my doctor. This is what my test said my level was:

HSV2 IGG HERPESELECT SPEC AB 1.45 H

After listening to your podcast i heard you say it can be a false neg if it is less than 3.5. I asked my provider about this and asked if I can get the western blot test and ordered a kit, but the doctor said she’s not sure the hospital lab will process and send results off to another place. But she’s going to try. I don’t have a lot of hope though.
My provider did say I could have a false negative. (I haven’t had symptoms). If my provider lab won’t send off the kit to Univ of WA for processing, how can I find out for sure if I’m negative? Can I go to
place that will process for western blot and pay out of pocket? I’m willing to pay for it out of my own pocket to have the piece of mind. I just don’t know where I can go to get confirmation. It’s causing me a lot of anxiety and I’ve been disclosing the info that I’m HSV-2 to partners to protect them-which is very stressful, as we know. I also take Valtrex daily. Those results I sent above from my initial test in aug before I took the meds.I had another IGG done but it still had the same levels.

[Perplexed]

Edit: I mean my provider said I could have a false positive, not negative.

[Terri Warren]

I can definitely help you with this. And you will need to pay out of pocket, yes, unless you live in the state of Washington in which case they will bill your insurance. Just go to “get a western blot” on this website and make an appointment. We know of locations all around the US where we can arrange blood draws.

Terri

[Author]

Posts