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Exposed and scared

Hi Doctors,

My partner just recently shared with me that he has genital herpes and has for 8 years. He hasn't had an outbreak in 2 years. Before I knew he had herpes I felt fine. We slept together on the 23rd of August and on the 27th I started to feel a tingle where I imagine I would have contracted the virus(he gets his ob on the pubic hair area above his penis). I was obsessively looking for lesions and checking my area.  On the 28 or 29 i noticed a very small pimple by my pubic hair. it was not red or raised and looked nothing like a lesion or blister. it was not painful and gone the next day. By the 4th I was feeling intense burning sensation again in the same spot where I would imagine to feel it- on top o my pubic bone mound. I went to the doctor on the 7th she said she was "not convinced" that I have herpes and took blood and gave me a prescription for 10 days of valtrex just in case it was a primary outbreak. She said since my partner didnt have any sores when we had sex the probability of infection is low.(I've read otherwise). I got my test results back on the 10th and I was LOW negative is what she called it. IgG .11 on HSV-1 and .51 on HSV2. My doc informed me that I'm so low that if I were infected on the 23 my number may not be positive range but would be higher than what they are. Is that true?

All my strange feelings have gone away and I should note I never got any lesions.
I'm goin back to the doctor after the one month mark to get tested again. My questions are

1. How accurate is what my doctor said- would my numbers be at least a little higher than .51 if I were infected
2. How probable is it that only burning and tingling occurred in an outbreak and that this lasted for 2 weeks?
3. If I get tested at the 1,3 and 6 month mark will that suffice?
4. How likely is it that once I knew my partner had genital herpes and I was reading symptoms etc that my mind could have caused real pain- real burning?
5. Have my symptoms gone away because of the valtrex? I'm still taking it although my doctor told me i could stop or keep taking it if it was going to put my mind at ease.
6. Typically what order do symptoms occur in? Would having tingle then pimple and then burning make sense? Can a single pimple be herpes?

I'm just looking for clarity. And hoping I can get it from you. Thank you!
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Avatar universal
I think abstinence is best here.

If you have sex with an infected partner there is no need to test as every episode puts you at risk. You'd wait until that relationship is over before considering testing.

Non infected partners would be very much at risk if you were recently infected yourself, it is highly infectious in the first few months post infection.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thank you so much. The best I can do now is just wait to be tested at 6 weeks and again at 12 weeks. You've been so helpful. I really appreciate it!
Should I refrain from intimacy with any non infected partners until the 12 week results come back? I want to be sure and safe to all parties involved. Because I only wish my partner was that honest with me.
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Avatar universal
There is not anything about your symptoms that is beyond what you would now notice since you have increased your genital focus. However you do not have to have typical symptoms once infected.

Whichever way you look at it though, you have had relations with a confirmed carrier. As such, the best you can do for your own understanding and protection of partners is to test at 12 weeks after the absolute last exposure date and believe in those results.

It is true that 50% of people test positive by 4 weeks and 70% or more by 6 weeks. However you are trying to prove a negative here such that from 12 weeks over 95% of people have seroconverted and combined with no outbreaks can be taken as no infection beyond reasonable doubt.
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Avatar universal
Hi, do you personally believe that the signs I am feeling could be herpes?
Do you believe if at the 6 week mark of exposure if I do a blood test and am still negative that I'm most likely okay? Or should I wait 3 months before having any sexual contact with anyone to be safe? I read on the doctor forum that 50% of people will test accurately at 6 weeks. Since the area that would be effected cannot be protected by a condom I should abstain from any sex for 3 months from contact?
Helpful - 0
3149845 tn?1506627771
No they dont. they are in the paid expert forum
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Avatar universal
Will the doctor still respond to this thread? I'm looking for Dr. Hooks input and I'm not sure how frequently they check the site or answer questions?

Thank you!
Helpful - 0
3149845 tn?1506627771
They normally would not last that long. Remember that prodome is more associated with people who already have had  an outbreak and is a sign that another one is coming. If prodrome does not produce a lesion then it should stop after a week or so and is called an aborted outbreak.
Also remember that first time symptoms to a newly acquried infection, often there is a fever and body aches as the immune system is setting up a defense and can be a whole body experience.
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Avatar universal
We are no longer sexually intimate in any way and haven't been since the 23rd. Would it be normal for a first outbreak to last 2-3 weeks with tingle and burning symptoms but no lesions? Everything I've read this far is saying that usually the tingle is followed by the lesions within hours and days. So am what I was feeling prodrome or in my head? I've also seen dr.hook suggest getting tested at 6 and 12 weeks so I will go again at the 6 week mark.

In the meantime is having these symptoms and no lesions etc normal for herpes?
Especially as erratic as mine have been.
Helpful - 0
3149845 tn?1506627771
Hi, low negatives mean 2 things. First that you dont have herpes now or he recently was shedding, you contracted it and you have not built up any antibodies yet. Testing for herpes via blood would be at 3 months post exposure. But the problem that you have is that you should not have any sex with him till you test and if you wait 3 months and come back negative and have sex with him you will be at risk again. Its like a circle. Bottom line is if he has hsv in his genital area you will continue to be a risk or acquiring it.

Since you just tested negative and if you recently acquired hsv in the genital area, with first time breakouts, people can have a fever and body aches as the bodys immune system is putting up a defensive fight building antibodies. If you did not have any body reactions, i would think that your spot is not herpes related.
also when we speak of tingling, these most often refer to prodrome symptoms and are more common with recurrent out breaks, meaning youve had an out break before.
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Avatar universal
Can anyone help?
Helpful - 0
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