Aa
Herpes or not herpes? That is the question!
My saga begins in early September. I had sex with my boyfriend using spermicides and latex condoms, and three days later I noticed itching, redness, swelling, and little red spots around my vagina. Horrified, I booked it to the student health center at my college. The doctor examined me (I had no lesions or blisters), and said it looked like I was allergic to spermicides. She perscribed a 1% cortisone cream which did jack to help with my symtoms
However, 10 days later, I was examining my vulva with a mirror, and I noticed a cluster of three very tiny lesions in between my inner and outer labia - about 1/10 of an inch in size each. I again hustled it to the health center. The doctor said it looked like irritation, not herpes (and I never noticed any blisters, I was examing it every day since my allergy attack). I insisted on a herpes culture anyway - which came back negative. The nurse gave me a 2.5% cortisone cream, which worked an absolute miracle for me, and the lesions were gone within two days.
I read on the internet, however, that a negative herpes culture is actually false 76% of the time, so I decided to get a blood test. Well, the blood test came back HSV-1 negative and HSV Equivocal, at 1.0. And I am very, very confused.
Possibly significant information: I am a 19 year old female. I have used condoms every time I had sex. I have never been diagnosed with another STD. I have been monogamous with my boyfriend, who is a virgin (no oral or vaginal sex, also no genital symptoms), for 4 and a half months. I had contact with another guy 5 months ago, but this was only hand-genital contact - although he touched his genitals and then shortly after he fingered me. I had cold sores as a child. I have recently gotten over mononucleosis. I am also definitely allergic to latex condoms - this is an allergy that has built up over time.
The nurse who gave me my results said I should wait a few weeks to retest, but since I have been monogamous with a virgin for 4.5 months, I figured this would be enough time for antiboties to show up (my only high risk encounter was 3 and half years ago). Also, I CANNOT bring myself to get tested again. I will have a nervous breakdown.
I badly need some advice. My instinct is that i do not have genital herpes, but i'm not sure. Please help.
However, 10 days later, I was examining my vulva with a mirror, and I noticed a cluster of three very tiny lesions in between my inner and outer labia - about 1/10 of an inch in size each. I again hustled it to the health center. The doctor said it looked like irritation, not herpes (and I never noticed any blisters, I was examing it every day since my allergy attack). I insisted on a herpes culture anyway - which came back negative. The nurse gave me a 2.5% cortisone cream, which worked an absolute miracle for me, and the lesions were gone within two days.
I read on the internet, however, that a negative herpes culture is actually false 76% of the time, so I decided to get a blood test. Well, the blood test came back HSV-1 negative and HSV Equivocal, at 1.0. And I am very, very confused.
Possibly significant information: I am a 19 year old female. I have used condoms every time I had sex. I have never been diagnosed with another STD. I have been monogamous with my boyfriend, who is a virgin (no oral or vaginal sex, also no genital symptoms), for 4 and a half months. I had contact with another guy 5 months ago, but this was only hand-genital contact - although he touched his genitals and then shortly after he fingered me. I had cold sores as a child. I have recently gotten over mononucleosis. I am also definitely allergic to latex condoms - this is an allergy that has built up over time.
The nurse who gave me my results said I should wait a few weeks to retest, but since I have been monogamous with a virgin for 4.5 months, I figured this would be enough time for antiboties to show up (my only high risk encounter was 3 and half years ago). Also, I CANNOT bring myself to get tested again. I will have a nervous breakdown.
I badly need some advice. My instinct is that i do not have genital herpes, but i'm not sure. Please help.
Thank you so much, grace! They really have to stop telling people the equivocal result. There seems to be a lot of other people in this forum with similar questions x___x I just wanted to pose my own question because of the genital symptoms - which turned out to be straight-up latex allergy.
Your hsv2 result is negative - don't let the equivocal part confuse you. If you are the only person your partner has been with ever then no reason to repeat your herpes testing
grace
grace
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
