Reply To: Herpes guidance and possibility of transmission

[eaglesboy1982]

So I buy those CVS at home STD tests which test for HSV2 by pricking your finger and depositing droplets on a card. They use Elisa IGG.

two weeks out- negative
one month out- negative
6 weeks out- abnormal positive for HSV2
7 weeks out- abnormal positive for HSV2

When they called I asked what my index values were, they didn’t know. Test just says yes or no. I Asked if they run supplemental testing for low positives, no. Could it be a false positive, absolutely no way they say.

So now I Am spiraling and convinced I have it. I set up an appt with my PCP. She looks at it and said she sees no discharge, no blisters/sores, and if I caught something, it would have been obvious for a first time outbreak. However I have seen mixed guidance on that that sometimes its symptomless.

She did a urethra swab which came back negative for HSV1 and HSV2. IGG from labcorp said negative for HSV2 but HSV1 had a value of 1.23.

I vaguely remember cold sores as a kid but do not specifically recall any significant breakouts on my mouth. Certainly none in the past 20 years. Never seen anything genitally.

Questions are:
1) based on the description of the event and symptoms, would you even have requested I take a herpes blood test in the first place?
2) What confidence do you have in the CVS mail in test (finger prick)?
3) Could the HSV1 of 1.23 be a false positive?
4) Do my symptoms sound like herpes first OB? Should I have seen sores?
5) Now I have no idea if I do have HSV1 is it oral or genital.
6) Do I need to be concerned passing anything to my kids or girlfriend?
7) Should I go on antivirals?
8) what should my next step be?

There was never any discharge, no blisters, no swollen lymph nodes, no fever, no chills. I did have a cough for a few weeks and the tingling/pinching sensations on the penis head, tingling in testicles. would come and go throughout the day and then disappear for a week, then come back for a few days. Very bizzare.