› Forums › Herpes Questions › Peace of mind that it wasn't genital herpes that’s been on my mind past 20 years
- This topic has 12 replies, 2 voices, and was last updated 2 years, 10 months ago by Terri Warren.
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April 16, 2019 at 7:33 pm #34467PeaceofmindneededSpectator
20yrs ago I was scarred for life.Had a very bad “outbreak(OB)”of something in my Genital area that wasn’t going away.I’ll try to recall the best I can, the trauma and fear make it hard to recall all exactly.Scared and embarrassed I tried to self remedy with Vaseline, cortizone10, lotion, ice, baths, anything I could think of and it just kept getting worse.finally went to the school health clinic 1-2 weeks later.The Dr diagnosed me visually w/ HSV I Made him swab.He did but said it wouldn’t matter since it was not immediately after the OB & they would call if it it showed +, Prescribed me some Herpes medicine.I never received a call and was too traumatized by the Dr to even follow up, so I just kept taking the medicine for what felt like forever.The OB continued for what seems like a month or 2 longer before finally getting better I don’t recall if it was 1 long OB or back to back.I have had OBs a couple times on my shoulder and 1 on inside of my elbow prior as an child/teenager that the Dr referred to as crud or possibly impetigo I get cold sores on my mouth prior and still do couple times a year.I never had OB in my genital area since.My GF at the time,Nor the 2 other long term relationships after that had OBs or systems even though we continued to have unprotected sex.I had multiple std tests since all clear but not Herpes testing.Trauma still sets in anytime the slightest mark show up down there.I went for a swab swab test a few of those times, all clear. I explained to my Dr 1 1/2 yrs ago my trauma and needing peace that I was “clean” I requested igg blood test. Came back + Hsv1(obviously) & – for HSV2.Based on my igg test it couldn’t have been hsv2. I’ve been told if you have hsv1 oral very unlikely you would get Hsv1 Genital(is that true?) I’ve been told that it was HSV1, passing Hsv1 genital to genital doesn’t happen (is that true?)paired with the fact none of the 3 long term unprotected sex partners I had with 0 symptoms or OB should be enough evidenc
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April 22, 2019 at 11:35 am #34695Terri WarrenKeymaster
I believe I answered this elsewhere?
Terri
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April 22, 2019 at 12:05 pm #34707PeaceofmindneededSpectator
I have not seen an answer. No
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April 22, 2019 at 2:35 pm #34728Terri WarrenKeymaster
The HSV 1 antibody is likely from your cold sore history. Herpes outbreaks do not last 2 months. I also doubt that what happened on your shoulder was herpes or inside your elbow, but if you get that ever again, you should have it evaluated and swab tested, if appropriate. It is extremely unlikely if you have HSV 1 orally that you would acquire it genitally, correct, and if for some wild reason you did, it certainly would be a very limited presentation.
terri
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April 27, 2019 at 3:25 pm #35005PeaceofmindneededSpectator
If it were the extremely uncommon case and it were HSV1 genital while already having HSV 1 oral then
What are the chances of passing HSV1 genital to genital if other person does not have HSV1 genital or oral?
What are the chances of passing HSV1 genital to genital if other person aleatory has HSV 1 orally?
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April 27, 2019 at 7:28 pm #35012Terri WarrenKeymaster
We do not have data on HSV 1 genital to genital transmission.
Again, if a person has HSV 1 in one location, it would be extremely unusual to get it in a new location.Terri
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April 28, 2019 at 11:17 am #35027PeaceofmindneededSpectator
Okay so we are 92% sure I don’t have type 2 according to the igg blood test and according to you, it’s highly unlikely (less than 1% I assume) that I have HSV1 genital because I have it orally. I just can’t seem to Move past not knowing what other medical explanations there would have been for such a large outbreak in that area that was resembling of HSV. I’ve tried to search for something that could be and that’s where I’m stuck. What other possible skin conditions/disease could be blistery and last for that long in that area?
Can my anxiety and constant focus around this cause weird feelings in the pelvic region? -
April 28, 2019 at 2:08 pm #35033Terri WarrenKeymaster
I have most definitely seen bacterial infections (staph and strep) last a long time in the genital area and look exactly like herpes. I had a patient referred to me by her ob/gyn because she had herpes (positive swab test for HSV 2 from a lesions years ago) but now had had an outbreak for almost a year and she was up to taking 2 grams of Valtrex every day with no resolution. Without even looking at her, I strongly suspected this was not herpes 1) because it lasted so long and 2) because Valtrex was making no difference. When I did her exam, I understood why the doctor had been confused – the blisters looked so much like herpes and they were profound. But when I went to swab one (wondering if she had resistant herpes virus), the surface of the blister came off in a way that herpes lesions do not and then I realized that this was likely bacterial. Sent off a bacterial culture, it grew out large quantities of staph, treated her for 2 weeks with an appropriate antibiotic, and it was totally gone.
Now just to clarify – your cold sores in on your lip – not in your mouth, right? They are not canker sores?
Terri
- This reply was modified 3 years, 9 months ago by Terri Warren.
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April 28, 2019 at 3:37 pm #35070PeaceofmindneededSpectator
100 percent on my lips usually in the exact same spot bottom outer lip for everyone to see. Use of abreva at the the time the tingling occurs and it’s gone with in a week. I’m
Pretty sure I had these prior to the scare. Would it matter if the oral sores were before or after the the scare ? To me from what you are saying either way It would be extremely rare have it in both areas no matter which incident was first, correct?My anxiety is getting the best of me like it did 20 years ago as I don’t even know what if anything I should be sharing with potential partners about this or how to cope with this. What could cause such bacterial infections?
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May 3, 2019 at 11:19 am #35428Terri WarrenKeymaster
I’m sorry, you are out of questions
Terri
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March 10, 2020 at 9:38 pm #69554PeaceofmindneededSpectator
U helped me with the western blot test about a year ago. Results: – for HSV2 and + for HSV1 (which I assumed based on if my memory served me correct I had cold sores on my lips prior to that encounter 20 years ago). Also, I have confirmed that I have oral HSV1 through a swab test of a sore on my lip after taking the WB test. Based on the appearance of the outbreak on my penis shaft 20 years ago and the way the doctor at that time was so quick to presume it’s diagnosis at first look, I’m Still perplexed and am in desperate need of an answers to what this was so I can move on. I know the say WB test is considered to be 99% accurate, I also know You have said it is highly unlikely to have HSV1 in both spots. Despite that, I am still haunted with the anxiety and filled with fear of what if I am the 1% that was missed by the WB for HSV2 or what if I am the outlier that has HSV1 in both spots. It is holding me back. I continue to push away any potential long term relationship or any casual sexual encounters opportunity. I lose sleep over the fear that I would infect anyone I have sex with. I need to find a way to assure Myself I do not have HSV genitalia and have no responsibility to inform potential parters of anything other than the fact I have oral HSV1 prior to oral sex. What other testing could be done to assure me and help give me peace of mind?
If the WB missed detecting HSV2 the 1st time would it always miss it or would another test provide me with additional assurance of my – status for HSV2?
Can you expand what highly unlikely looks like in regards to the # that were found to have it both spots in relation to # cases studied? And Just in case I my memory didn’t serve me right and I didn’t have HSV1 prior to the outbreak on my genitals 20 yrs ago would it matter if some one had genital HSV1 first on determining the likelihood be infected in both places? ie should the fact I am 100 100% certain of oral HSV1 now should assure me it wasn’t HSV1 genital?
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March 15, 2020 at 3:06 pm #69579Terri WarrenKeymaster
- This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Terri Warren.
- This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Terri Warren.
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March 15, 2020 at 3:10 pm #69582Terri WarrenKeymaster
It is possible that you acquired HSV 1 orally and genitally at the same time if the timing fits for you, developing oral sores for the first time at the same time you developed genital lesions for the first time. But from your earlier post, it sounded like you had HSV 1 before this genital rash. In any case, if you have HSV 1 genitally, after 20 years, you are unlikely to be shedding much if any. After someone has had HSV 1 genitally for two years, they shed, on average, 4 days out of an entire year. You would be shedding orally far more often than that.
In regards to the western blot: it doesn’t miss 1% – it misses 0.1%.
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