Aa
Please help. This is driving me insane !
On 7/26 I was tested for HSV1 & 2 with the IgG testing.
HSV1 was negative
HSV2 was positive with a 1.49 value. I had to convince my DR. To let me get retested due to CDC guidelines in which I was in a low positive range with no symptoms. Once tested again on 8/15 my HSV2 was 0.99. She told me that that means I am still positive and that I have HSV2 and that I need to accept that I have it. But according to charts and different articles a .99 result is inconclusive in a sense. I still have no symptoms and I am just stressed and confused. They will not allow me to retest in a couple of months and so my anxiety is sky high and I’m trying to make sense of everything.
HSV1 was negative
HSV2 was positive with a 1.49 value. I had to convince my DR. To let me get retested due to CDC guidelines in which I was in a low positive range with no symptoms. Once tested again on 8/15 my HSV2 was 0.99. She told me that that means I am still positive and that I have HSV2 and that I need to accept that I have it. But according to charts and different articles a .99 result is inconclusive in a sense. I still have no symptoms and I am just stressed and confused. They will not allow me to retest in a couple of months and so my anxiety is sky high and I’m trying to make sense of everything.
COMMUNITY LEADER
First, I'm sorry you are going through this. Your doctor is wrong.
You are interpreting your results correctly, and a .99 isn't a positive.
How long as it been since your last possible exposure? If it's been at least 12 weeks, I'd call it a negative, since your number actually dropped. If you actually had herpes, it would stay the same or go up.
Your doctor can't tell you that you can't test again. They may not want to order it for you, but you can find another doctor, or if you're in the US, you can test on your own. I'll list sites at the end where you can go to get a test.
Any result under a 3.5 needs to be confirmed. False positives happen because the test looks for things in the blood with similar molecular weights as hsv2 antibodies. It can pick up normal blood proteins that have similar weights, causing a false positive.
Anything under a 3.5 has at least a 50% chance of being a false positive, and the lower the number, the higher the chance of it being false pos. A 1.49 has about an 85% chance of being a false pos.
If it's been less than 12 weeks, test again at 12 weeks. If you are still a low positive, you can get a Western Blot test. You can get that on your own, but it's expensive. We can talk about that when the time comes, if needed.
Oh, and find a new doctor. I understand that docs have to keep up with a lot these days, but if they are going to be diagnosing and treating herpes, they also need to keep up with that, too. We've known for years that there are false positives on the hsv2 IgG. Your doc should, too.
You can go to any of these sites to get your own test:
https://www.stdcheck.com/herpes-1-test.php - can test for just hsv1 or hsv2, or both
https://www.letsgetchecked.com/home-herpes-test/ - must test for hsv1 and hsv2
https://www.healthlabs.com/herpes-tests - can nest for just hsv1 or hsv2, or both
https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners/ultdirect/testing/categories/std/herpes - can nest for just hsv1 or hsv2, or both - do not get the IgM test
All the sites run specials at different times. Google for coupon codes, too.
Keep me posted, okay?
You are interpreting your results correctly, and a .99 isn't a positive.
How long as it been since your last possible exposure? If it's been at least 12 weeks, I'd call it a negative, since your number actually dropped. If you actually had herpes, it would stay the same or go up.
Your doctor can't tell you that you can't test again. They may not want to order it for you, but you can find another doctor, or if you're in the US, you can test on your own. I'll list sites at the end where you can go to get a test.
Any result under a 3.5 needs to be confirmed. False positives happen because the test looks for things in the blood with similar molecular weights as hsv2 antibodies. It can pick up normal blood proteins that have similar weights, causing a false positive.
Anything under a 3.5 has at least a 50% chance of being a false positive, and the lower the number, the higher the chance of it being false pos. A 1.49 has about an 85% chance of being a false pos.
If it's been less than 12 weeks, test again at 12 weeks. If you are still a low positive, you can get a Western Blot test. You can get that on your own, but it's expensive. We can talk about that when the time comes, if needed.
Oh, and find a new doctor. I understand that docs have to keep up with a lot these days, but if they are going to be diagnosing and treating herpes, they also need to keep up with that, too. We've known for years that there are false positives on the hsv2 IgG. Your doc should, too.
You can go to any of these sites to get your own test:
https://www.stdcheck.com/herpes-1-test.php - can test for just hsv1 or hsv2, or both
https://www.letsgetchecked.com/home-herpes-test/ - must test for hsv1 and hsv2
https://www.healthlabs.com/herpes-tests - can nest for just hsv1 or hsv2, or both
https://www.ultalabtests.com/partners/ultdirect/testing/categories/std/herpes - can nest for just hsv1 or hsv2, or both - do not get the IgM test
All the sites run specials at different times. Google for coupon codes, too.
Keep me posted, okay?
9 Comments
Thank you so much. I have been researching, crying and stressing about this whole situation. It has been a lot on me especially considering the fact that I don’t feel supported or understood from my Dr.
My possible exposure was 5/28 my first test when I was a 1.49 value was 9 weeks after and my .99 value was the 12th week result. I was told although my numbers dropped since my initial test was a 1.49 value that I still had the antibodies and was still a positive.
My possible exposure was 5/28 my first test when I was a 1.49 value was 9 weeks after and my .99 value was the 12th week result. I was told although my numbers dropped since my initial test was a 1.49 value that I still had the antibodies and was still a positive.
I'm sorry your doctor sucks.
Your .99, as you know, is indeterminate, or inconclusive. The vast majority of these turn out to be negative. Since you had the first one higher, and then it dropped, it's fully reasonable to call this a negative and just move on.
If you had a new infection, the number should have risen, not fallen.
Did you have symptoms? Were you just testing to know? If you had no symptoms and your number dropped, if it were me, I'd call it a negative and forget about it.
What was your exposure?
Your .99, as you know, is indeterminate, or inconclusive. The vast majority of these turn out to be negative. Since you had the first one higher, and then it dropped, it's fully reasonable to call this a negative and just move on.
If you had a new infection, the number should have risen, not fallen.
Did you have symptoms? Were you just testing to know? If you had no symptoms and your number dropped, if it were me, I'd call it a negative and forget about it.
What was your exposure?
Every time I get a new partner I liked to get tested just to be sure. So I did and requested the HSV just to be sure. He also turned about to be a one night stand. He ghosted me after the first night of us meeting in which I had unprotected sex with him which was a mistake and it was just weird how he just ghosted me. So I waited and got tested. Haven’t had any symptoms still don’t have any symptoms. Just was making sure everything was okay being the way he ghosted me.
Ahhh okay.
Well, let's assume for this that he has hsv2, just for the sake of argument. The chances that you'd get it from a one time encounter are low. Even if you were in a long term relationship with him, your chances of getting it over the course of a year, if all you did was avoid sex during outbreaks is 10%.
From a one time encounter, it's far less.
Maybe he ghosted because he's a girlfriend or a wife, or he thought he was bad at the whole thing, or maybe he just likes the conquest, or he's just an ass.
For future testing, now you know your baseline, so to speak. I have a good friend who always tests in the 1.2 to 1.4 range. He never gets a negative result, though all his Western Blots are negative. He knows that if his number ever jumps, he's positive. It would have to jump at least a full point to be considered alarming, though.
Some people just test high, probably because it's detecting normal blood proteins.
Hope that helps. :)
Well, let's assume for this that he has hsv2, just for the sake of argument. The chances that you'd get it from a one time encounter are low. Even if you were in a long term relationship with him, your chances of getting it over the course of a year, if all you did was avoid sex during outbreaks is 10%.
From a one time encounter, it's far less.
Maybe he ghosted because he's a girlfriend or a wife, or he thought he was bad at the whole thing, or maybe he just likes the conquest, or he's just an ass.
For future testing, now you know your baseline, so to speak. I have a good friend who always tests in the 1.2 to 1.4 range. He never gets a negative result, though all his Western Blots are negative. He knows that if his number ever jumps, he's positive. It would have to jump at least a full point to be considered alarming, though.
Some people just test high, probably because it's detecting normal blood proteins.
Hope that helps. :)
Okay , back in March I was also tested because I had symptoms but I came back positive for BV. Even tho I wasn’t active or anything for almost a year prior. But the HSV2 was <91 ( I believe that’s the correct value for negative ) but now today 13 weeks after my July testing I am having symptoms. My buttocks has been very achey and I’ve been having mild irritation in my vaginal area. It’s not uncomfortable nor does it burn when I use the bathroom. There are no bumps , lesions or rashes. So idk if it’s just my anxiety and I’m in my own head or if I am now developing symptoms. My last sexual encounter was 13 weeks ago with the one night stand.
I should note that when I am not thinking about it I have no symptoms and I’m fine. But when I do think about it that’s when I start having all the physical symptoms.
How are you now?
Typically, when we have symptoms when we are thinking about it, and not at other times, it's anxiety. It's very common for anxiety to work like this. Given your testing and your doctor, I'm not surprised you'd have anxiety over the whole thing.
Typically, when we have symptoms when we are thinking about it, and not at other times, it's anxiety. It's very common for anxiety to work like this. Given your testing and your doctor, I'm not surprised you'd have anxiety over the whole thing.
Hello ,
I am still stressed out !! I was doing better but just the last couple of days my anxiety just got sky high and I got worried again.
A couple weeks ago I decided to go to a different clinic to get tested and was once again in the equivocal value a 1.05. So I decided to try again once more and again in the equivocal range of .98. After being tested 4 times I’ve only had 1 positive test. The rest are all equivocal and I am not sure what to make or think of this. I still haven’t had any sores or ulcers or anything of that matter. I’ve also forgot to mention I think, I have an autoimmune disease. And I just started a new medication a few weeks before being tested called Inflixamab. Not sure if that is altering my results. I confided in my dermatologist about everything in which he tested me last. He basically said the same things as you and told me to consider myself negative unless I start having symptoms in which I can go and get swabbed. But he said he’s not definite on if the new medication has anything to do with the results. I guess my question is what do you think? I know I’ve asked previously but just based on these new results and with my numbers not rising back into the positives but not going into the negatives either. It’s just mentally draining I guess. I’m sorry
I am still stressed out !! I was doing better but just the last couple of days my anxiety just got sky high and I got worried again.
A couple weeks ago I decided to go to a different clinic to get tested and was once again in the equivocal value a 1.05. So I decided to try again once more and again in the equivocal range of .98. After being tested 4 times I’ve only had 1 positive test. The rest are all equivocal and I am not sure what to make or think of this. I still haven’t had any sores or ulcers or anything of that matter. I’ve also forgot to mention I think, I have an autoimmune disease. And I just started a new medication a few weeks before being tested called Inflixamab. Not sure if that is altering my results. I confided in my dermatologist about everything in which he tested me last. He basically said the same things as you and told me to consider myself negative unless I start having symptoms in which I can go and get swabbed. But he said he’s not definite on if the new medication has anything to do with the results. I guess my question is what do you think? I know I’ve asked previously but just based on these new results and with my numbers not rising back into the positives but not going into the negatives either. It’s just mentally draining I guess. I’m sorry
The medication wouldn't cause any issues with the test. The only medication that might affect the tests is an antiviral for herpes, like Valtrex.
If it's stressing you out so much, there's always the Western Blot, which is the most accurate test. It's just expensive. Your insurance might pay for it if you can get one of your docs to order it. If not, you can get it through Terri Warren - https://westoverheights.com/getting-a-herpes-western-blot/
What do I think? If it were me, and I had these results, I'd be very comfortable assuming I'm negative, but I'm not you. You have to do what you feel is best.
I'm sorry you're still stressed.
If it's stressing you out so much, there's always the Western Blot, which is the most accurate test. It's just expensive. Your insurance might pay for it if you can get one of your docs to order it. If not, you can get it through Terri Warren - https://westoverheights.com/getting-a-herpes-western-blot/
What do I think? If it were me, and I had these results, I'd be very comfortable assuming I'm negative, but I'm not you. You have to do what you feel is best.
I'm sorry you're still stressed.
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