Reply To: Prodrome Symptoms

[questionsabouthsv]

I went to urgent care and had a part of my tongue swabbed that was a little red, numb, and tingling— I had been picking at my tooth because there was food stuck in it I think that’s why. The provider also swabbed my lips with the same swab— she barely touched my lips and I had Aquafor on them but she said that it should be fine and anything there will be detected. Is this correct? I’m just hoping she swabbed it enough.

I got my results. My swab was negative for both HSV1 and HSV2. Since I have been to this urgent care multiple times, the provider wanted to check my antibodies and did a blood test also.

The blood test came back positive for HSV1 at 34.70 (normal range 0-0.90)

Could you just reassure me that the swab was taken correctly? And since the swab was negative I’m not actively shedding right now correct? but because the blood test was positive that means I have had an infection in the past, correct? I am still just worried the tingling is there and I’m shedding even though the swab was negative.

I can take the antivirals for a week and see if the tingling goes away if you still think I should. I am just afraid could it cause an outbreak by starting and stoping the med abruptly?