do you know what this means?

[confused_girl121]

hi,

i recently had itchiness in my vaginal area and buttocks..eventually these bumps appeared in my buttocks area.  my doctor told me that the bumps dont look like the classic herpes nor did they hurt....but i got a herpes blood test and this was the test results. i've been reading a lot about igm results and how they might be false positives... now i'm hoping that there might be a chance that it might not be herpes?  it's just hard to see how i couldve gotten it...i'm in a monogamus relationship and i am 100% certain my boyfriend hasnt cheated...and we've been together for 3 years! my last test was 3 years ago which i was negative on igm and igg...
can this truly be herpes?? someone please help!

hsv, igm i/ii combination 1.14 H
hsv i/ii igg       <0.9

[gracefromHHP]

your igg results were negative and the igm was worthless.

grace

[confused_girl121]

Hi Grace,

My boyfriend got all of his blood test results back.

HSV 1 and 2-Specific Ab, IgG are <0.91
HSV 1/2 IgM, IFA  is  <1:20

All negative... so my blood test result was most likely a false positive right?  Do you think I should take another test or is it safe to say that I don't have herpes?

[confused_girl121]

Hi Grace!

Thank you so much for the articles.  Although I couldn't find a free online access to American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, I was able to read a few statements about the lack of validity of igm blood test.  I also checked out the website you suggested which was also very informative.  I feel much better about my situation now.  My boyfriend also got tested yesterday and he will get his results either tomorrow or the beginning of next week.  I will definitely let you know what his results are when I find out....(keeping my fingers & toes crossed)

As for my itchiness, it went away! I didnt end up needing otc yeast treatment but will definitely keep your recommendations in mind if i get it again.

[gracefromHHP]

did you buy the 1 day otc treatment the last time perhaps?  I'd go with the 7 day pain in the butt treatment this time ( who can remember to put something in each night for a week? sigh ).  Your other option is call and ask them to phone you in some diflucan because you are still itchy.  

Perhaps for the time being, soaking in the tubby with a packet of aveeno bath thrown in would be helpful for the general irritation and itching. any excuse for a soak in the tubby is good in my book :)

If you are still itching a week from now or you still have unusual discharge, see your provider again.

You are preaching to the choir about how misguided some providers are about diagnosing herpes :(

www.herpesdiagnosis.com is another website that has excellent info on herpes testing by one of the top herpes blood test specialists in the US on it.  

Encourage your provider to read this article and pay careful attention to the IGM info on page 2 :

Common use of inaccurate antibody assays to identify infection status with herpes simplex virus type 2 .  
American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology , Volume 193 , Issue 2 , Pages 361 - 362
R . Morrow , Z . Brown

I'm pretty sure you can access it yourself free online if you want to print it out, read it yourself and then personally hand the article to your provider for them to read while you are sitting next to them. Perhaps highlight the igm info on page 2 too :)

grace

[confused_girl121]

i'm a bit worried with otc yeast treatments because i bought it once and it actually made it itchier.  it was so bad where i couldn't even walk.  my gyno had to prescribe something for it to go away...but i think i will try another brand this time...

i was wondering if you can help me with something else...

i dont know if i'm just going crazy now or what but my bumps (6 of them) pretty much went away but i still have a little itchiness left (i also just finished my period if that even matters).. today i'm experiencing a burning sensation in my vagina and when i wipe, i noticed a bit of a yellowish discharge.  do you think it has anything to do with the yeast infection or might be another sign of herpes?

my bf finally went to the doctor and got hsv specific blood test today but his doctor still insisted that he take an igm blood test along with igg... on top of that, she said that the chances of my positive igm is most likely true...  i just feel really lost.... if igm tests are so useless then why are doctors so uninformed??  i already have 2 doctors telling me something totally different from this website...not to say that i dont believe things published on this site but i just feel really distraught and lost at this point.  

[gracefromHHP]

She saw yeast - why not just buy otc yeast treatment and treat it yourself then?

I can help your bf with his test results too if he gets the numeric results. Hopefully he gets properly tested the first time :)

grace

[confused_girl121]

My boyfriend is planning to get tested tomorrow.  He never had any symptoms or outbreaks for herpes so I'm keeping my fingers crossed...  

As for the yeast, no she never gave me anything to treat it.  I dont think she believed it was a yeast infection...

Thank you for listening and responding to me.  It gave me a bit of hope after a tumultuous day I had yesterday.  I will keep you posted with the results.

[gracefromHHP]

She saw yeast but you didn't get treated for yeast?  

The igm is worthless and should've never been drawn on you. it means nothing.

The only way you have herpes is if your partner recently transmitted it to you. You didn't mention if he's been tested or not. That said - your symptoms do not sound like herpes.

grace

[confused_girl121]

no i didnt.  my gyno automatically assumed that it was herpes when i told her about the bumps.  she discounted any other causes even though she said saw yeast in my vagina.  

so is it possible to not have herpes even though i have a 1.14 H on my igm result but a <0.9 on my igg?

[gracefromHHP]

You don't have herpes.

Itchiness only is usually vaginitis. did they test you for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally?

grace