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Dear Terri,
Thank you for taking the time out to answer my questions, I greatly appreciate it.
I will try to describe my situation in as much detail as possible for you to answer.
Approximately 15 weeks ago, I had unprotected sex with a partner whose status I was unaware of. About 3 weeks after that possible exposure, I started experiencing strange symptoms in my genital region and inner thighs such as: tingling up and down my legs, on my genitals, itching on and off, and a “pins and needles” type of feeling that has continued chronically for the past 3.5 months without subsiding. I took a Herpes Select type specific IGG test 4 weeks post exposure and it was negative for both HSV 1 & 2. I continued feeling the above symptoms with no relief, so I took another Herpes Select IGG test 12 weeks post exposure, and it was still negative for both HSV 1 & 2.
I know that HSV directly affects the nervous system, so it seems to me that this is the only viable explanation as to what is causing these chronic neurological symptoms, especially considering the fact that these symptoms all began after unprotected sex.
My question(s) are as follows: 1) Is it possible that it would take longer than 4 months to sero-convert given the fact that I have already tested negative twice on Herpes Select IGG tests? (Just to give more info. I did both of these tests through Quest Diagnostics, in which the test results are either positive, negative, or equivocal).
2) I will take another blood test 17 weeks post exposure..If this test is negative, can I be confident in my results even if I am still experiencing symptoms that haven’t yet been explained, or should I then consider a Western Blot in order to confirm results?
Thank you again for your help!
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I think given that you are negative for HSV 1 and 2 at 12 weeks, it is highly unlikely that you will be positive at 16 (or 17) weeks. As you have probably read, a person who is negative for both types of antibody will seroconvert slightly more quickly than the person who has HSV 1 and has recently acquired HSV 2.
The symptoms that you are describe MAY be something that people with herpes experience from time to time but there are some acute differences for you.
1) you have had no skin symptoms, only unusual nerve sensations. This is unusual for someone who is carefully observing for skin symptoms and is worried about herpes. It isn’t that most people with herpes don’t have symptoms, it is that they don’t recognize their symptoms as herpes. Also people often have recurrences in areas outside the genital area and people often miss those. But in your situation, I think you would certainly have noticed any genital skin lesions that would have occurred.
2) Your nerve sensations have been constant. The person who has herpes has intermittent symptoms, not continuous symptoms as your describe yours to be.
3) you had a single, one time exposure, as least that’s what you describe. Even when someone is having sex with a person known to have HSV 2, the odds of contracting herpes in that situation , with no antiviral medicine involved, is very low indeed.
4) your antibody tests continue to be negative. That’s a very good sign AGAINST you having herpes.
I hope this is helpful for you.
Terri
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smiris87 – I have the EXACT same issue after protected sex back in April with my HSV2 still showing up as negative. Were you able to get an answer ? Did this ever go away ? The anxiety is killing me !
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This person cannot respond to your question, whatisthis88
Terri
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