What should I do?

[letmeknow123]

Hi,
I’m a MSM. On Nov. 1, I went to get tested for my yearly physical and got tested for STDs. I didn’t realize they tested for HSV 1 and 2.

I’ve never had an OB or any real symptoms, so I was shocked and confused when I had tested positive for both.

They just told me that herpes is common and to let them know if I have an OB and I should be fine in terms of having sex, as long as it’s not during an OB.

I told them I’ve never had an OB and they said that I would know if and when I have my first OB.

I had an appointment with a health clinic to renew my PreP and I told them about my diagnosis and they basically said the same thing as my other doctor. I also stopped taking Prep at this point because my doctors think it might be contributing to high triglycerides.

I was still freaking out over the herpes diagnosis so I began to do some research and realized they had done the IgM test by Quest.
HSV 1 IGM – 1:40
HSV 2 IGM – 1:40
I now know how unreliable and useless this test is, especially since I’ve never had an OB and decided it was probably a false positive.

I met up with this guy on Jan. 5 and we kissed a lot, I gave him oral sex (penis and anus), we did some frotting and a lot of naked contact. He told me a week after that he had tested positive for strep throat. I was asymptomatic but still got tested and tested positive so I began taking antibiotics for strep on Jan. 14. While taking antibiotics for strep, same guy told me he had tested positive for chlamydia. Got tested for all STDs on Jan. 19 including including herpes with IgG.

They called me on Jan 25 and told me I had tested negative for everything except HSV2, I’m not sure about the index value but it might have been either 1.20 or 12.20 since they told me on the phone. No symptoms or OBs.

Qs: Should I get the WB test? When should I get tested again?
Could the antibiotics for strep throat impact my index value?
How likely is it that I have transmitted HSV2 to that partner I mentioned?
Do I have it?

[letmeknow123]

I finished my antibiotics for strep on Jan. 23 and for chlamydia on Jan. 25. I reached out to the University of Washington and they are sending me the testing kit. I have an appointment with a new primary care doctor who understands this more on Jan. 31 and will ask him about all this.

I have another appointment with my other doctor regarding my triglycerides Feb. 2 and I won’t ask them to test me again for IgM.

I’m abstaining from sex until I get further clarification on my HSV2 status but I’m mostly concerned about having given it to someone after I knew my IgM test results. Should I be worried about that?

[Terri Warren]

well, there is a huge difference between an index value of 1.2 and 12.2! The 1.2 needs confirmation 100%. I have seen false positives at 12+ but not often – perhaps 5 times.

But if you are positive, and I hope you do the blot if you had a 1.2, the information you received is incorrect. The majority of new cases of HSV 2 are transmitted when someone has no symptoms present – that is called asymptomatic viral shedding. Daily antiviral therapy and condoms reduce transmission greatly. I hope your new doctor is far more informed.

Antibiotics would not change your index value
I don’t feel that the contact you had with that partner was at all high risk for transmission of HSV 2, no.

Terri

[letmeknow123]

So I got the actual test results and it was as follows:

HSV 1 and 2-Spec AB, IgG w/RFX (164922)

HSV 1 IgG Type Spec <0.91 index – Negative no antibodies

HSV 2 IgG Type Spec [H] 12.20 index

I still haven’t had an OB and I have no idea when I even got it. I’m still skeptical about it but I have begun to accept the diagnosis.

I wasn’t born in the US and immigrated to the US in 2009. I’ve read that you have seen some false positives on asymptomatic people with high index value.

I talked to my new doctor and he calmed me down and explain how common herpes really is. He suggested I don’t do the Western Blot and I might still do it but not at this time. Next time I talk to him, I’m going to ask about
suppression therapy because my biggest concern, even with condoms and disclosure, is that I transmit it to someone

I’m still worried about having unintentionally exposed the guy I mentioned on the original post but I know, with the things we did and no symptoms, the risk was very low right?

Should I just move on with my diagnosis until I can afford the Western Blot? Or should I just accept the results?

[Terri Warren]

If you were not born in the US, I would still suggest the blot, definitely. The three people I’ve seen with false positive results in that range have all been born outside the US. But until you can afford it, you should certainly behave as though you are infected with HSV 2 correct.

Terri

• This reply was modified 1 month ago by Terri Warren.

[Author]

Posts