And I also thought that if you’ve had the virus in your body for so long that you had a better chance of fighting it off in other areas of your body. Is there any truth to that?
yes!
How big of an impact could my diet/stress level have on the frequency of this?
Probably very little
Do you believe this sounds like herpes?
Not HSV 1, that’s for sure.
I know HSV tests are notoriously awful but what’s the best test you think I should try in order to really figure out if this is officially HSV?
Probably a western blot could tell you if you have HSV 2 but being a virgin, you don’t have that. Otherwise, swab tests of lesions are the best.
Would a PCR test help in this determination?
PCR testing for herpes should be done from skin lesions, never blood. And you’ve already done that.
I’ve asked a couple doctors’ offices about this test and they never seem to offer them. Do you know of any online/at home versions that offer a HSV PCR swab test?
Yes, at 24-7 lab online, they will send you swab tests. I would assume some of the swab tests that you’ve had done are PCR swabs.
How long does it typically take before people start to see real results with this medication if they tend to have frequent outbreaks?
5 days
I was prescribed 500mg and went up to 1000mg with not much difference. So I’ve since decided to stop taking them and I sometimes may incorporate it when I feel a cold sore coming on. Are you aware of any alternatives to assisting with HSV healing or lowering the frequency of an outbreak?
are we talking now about your cold sores or your genital symptoms? I don’t believe your genital symptoms are herpes. Oral antivirals are the best treatment for reducing the frequency of outbreaks and the duration
Is it possible to have spread the virus this way?
no, not after you’ve had a well established infection
One of the doctors I had did say this is a possibility. How would I know if I could possibly have herpetic whitlow?
You would have nasty blisters on your fingers.
If this is gHSV1, what’s the transmission rate for female to male?
Extremely low but not impossible, but I really don’t think that’s what is going on here.
Or how likely do you think I would pass this to a future partner, given my specific situation as explained as is?
AGain, extremely low
I think you are traveling on way the wrong path, thinking that somehow you have genital HSV 1 in spite of long standing oral infection, negative swab and virgin status. Sorry
Terri