1) does herpes present itself with bumps that don’t become fluid filled sores/blisters?
Not usually, no.
2) I often hear people associate rashes or itching with herpes. Do rashes or redness precede an outbreak? Would a rash mean that an outbreak is on the horizon?
What you would call a rash, I might never call a rash so that’s tricky. Normally, I would not call herpes lesions rashses
3) do atypical bumps happen for some people with herpes? Meaning do some people just get it more “mildly” to the point that there’s no open wounds or blisters and more like flat dull red bumps?
Not usually, but that is possible.
4) in the past I tested negative for HSV2 and 1.2-1.65 for HSV1 with the last test being equivocal at 1.01. I remember as a teenager I had herpes in the nose only, for a couple years frequently (I don’t anymore for many years), why wouldn’t my index value be higher? Could it be false positive?
If you truly had herpes lesions in your nose, then you have HSV 1 orally. Your index value is not important in that situation.
Terri