positive for hpv 1 & 2 but no symptoms

[lynn912]

i am 32 weeks pregnant today.yesturday i went to the dr for my torch test...these are my results:

cytomegalovirus igg 5.61
cytomegalovirus igm 0.90
hsv 1 igg 3.04
hsv 2 igg 4.95
hsv 1 igm 0.8
hsv 2 igm 0.8
varicella-zoster igg 2.10

now they said the baby is fine and i am so happy about that but i have had a roller coaster of emotions.first of all i have never had an outbreak i have soarness but no blisters, pimples, cuts,flu symptoms,nothing at all.when i did the test i had soarness but my hsv 2 igm test came out neg.from what i understand is a igm test tell if you are having an outbreak around that time and i had that soarness like i always do.its rare if i get it when i have a lot of moisture in that area i get irritated and since i am pregnant i have a lot of discharge.

now i was in a horrible relationship 5 years ago in 2003 i has some issues and talked to a ex of his and she told me she had herpes from him in 2005.i was checked and the test came back neg.that was after the two year i was with him.

i have also went in to the hospital and had the "soreness" checked 4 years ago the dr said she didnt see anything and my test came back neg.

but now all the sudden im positive.my question is...i am going to have this baby and i have never had an outbreak or even noticed for my igg test says i have had this for a while and my igm test says i didnt have anything active recently if im correct but i had that soreness that always comes up during my torch test.should i ask for a c-section since i have never seen anything?why are my levels so high for the igg?does the cmv virus have anything to do with that and should i not breastfeed because i have cmv?what is cmv?if my relationship has it should i still use protection?i have gone for a long time not knowing or having any signs and my partners dr said i would of had one outbreak and would of known it...so many people say different things im confused...the health care provider said i could get a false positive being pregnant.she said test again after postpartem.im not trying to make this go away i just want to know.thanks for your support

[gracefromHHP]

It could've been hpv or hsv2. It's impossible to tell without testing at this point.

grace

[lynn912]

it happens twice a year and sometimes 3 or 4 times a year.i also have hpv on my cervix.  i had a leap done but what was strange about it is the i had a pap and they said it was not normal.they put a chemical to see if there was anything on my cervix and said there was.after that i never heard anything about it.the bumps went away.could it of been hsv 2?  i read hsv can be on you cervix.what testing can i do to confirm for these problems?

thank you grace.

[gracefromHHP]

It's hard to tell what is going on. How often does this happen? You'll need to follow up on it with your provider and/or a urologist/urogynecologist to try to figure out what is going on.

grace

[lynn912]

okay, i have some more questions.i seem to have painful urination.i have them up to a week sometimes for four days.during the time i drink a lot of water and then it goes away.i have in the past had painful urination and my dr. said it was not a uti.could this be a symtom of hsv?

[gracefromHHP]

suppressive therapy is when you take the medication every single day to help prevent ob's and reducing viral shedding.

grace

[lynn912]

i have read the handbook but im still confused...

Valtrex (valacyclovir)
This FDA approved medicine may be used for first outbreaks, recurrent outbreaks and suppression and is also approved to reduce transmission of genital herpes from an infected person to an uninfected one.


First time outbreaks: 1000 mg twice a day for ten days.
Recurrent outbreaks: 500 mg twice a day for three days.
Suppression: 1000 mg once a day for people who have 10 or more outbreaks per year. 500 mg once a day for people who have 9 or fewer outbreaks per year.

it is also approved to reduce transmission of genital herpes from an infected person to an uninfected one but it does not say if i should take it everyday or is that what supression is?and if so if i dont feel any outbreaks how do i know how much to take?i just want to make sure i learn about this correctly...sorry grace.im assuming the book is more for people who have outbreaks.

[gracefromHHP]

Have you read the herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com? There's lots of info there on how taking valtrex every single day reduces the odds of transmitting the virus to a partner by half.  It's free to read online or print out at home ( 40+ pages last I knew if you plan on printing it out ).

grace

[lynn912]

the babies wonderful.he's such a good boy.hes the highlight of my life :)

yes, i agree. i do need another test.thanks grace.april 7th i have set up an appointment.

supressive therapy is taking medicine right?i have valcotrax i think thats what its called.but to be honest i dont feel anything so i dont take it...should i take it anyways?i thought it was only for pain.if i take it will it make it a lower chance of spreading it?honestly, how do i overcome the fear of spreading it?what helped you?i just have this one obsticle thats holding me down...i need help overcoming it.

thanks grace i really appreciate your time.

[gracefromHHP]

Yes you'll probably have to pay for a WB. If you can find someone who offers the biokit hsv2 igg it'll be cheaper.  Sounds like you just need the peace of mind of one more + test?

It can be hard knowing if you are having an ob or not. Have you considered suppressive therapy for more peace of mind and to reduce transmission to your partner?

How's the baby?  :)

grace

[lynn912]

hi grace its me again.so i had my child and i didnt have an outbreak. my hsv-2 test came out positive .which is fine.i can except it but i still have sooo many questions.first off my dr is not very helpful to talk about this.im changing drs.but he told me to look and see if i have any lesions so i did and everytime it came back neg for hsv-2.how can that be possible?as you know before my hsv-2 test was 4.9 which is definately positive but i want to know if the test is good.it was from specialty laberatories in california but i cant find out if it is.i look everywhere but it does not say anything about it being fda approved.also, in 2004 i took a test and it came out positive (it only says positive)for hsv-2.so my dr had me take another test and it came out neither neg or positive.i showed my dr that gave me the blood test in 2008 and he said it was a mistype and i dont need another test that im positive.now i feel like im fighting a battle to figure out when i have an outbreak or not.what i think is a outbreak isnt and its frusturating.i just want a piece of mind...i feel like if i did have the outbreaks it would be so much easier but i dont....please grace bless me with your wonderful advice.i try to let go and say i have it just drop it but my mind wont let me.im a normal case of the lost sex life in fear of giving to a loved one.i would feel so guilty....

also grace if i take another test will it not come out right sine my last test was from so long ago?i dont want to take the same test...i want to do wb but will it cost me?

[gracefromHHP]

absolutely not a one of your questions has been silly!!!

grace

[lynn912]

im sorry grace the only test i took was a torch test-my amniotic fluid was a little high so they recommended a torch test for me.the results came from the torch test.at this point i am not going to worry...ive worried enough.i will wait till after the baby is born and get a official test...thank you grace.you are the only one who had answered my questions even if they are really silly.thank you.

[gracefromHHP]

As with any test, yes everything that is included in the torch panel can have false positives and false negatives.

The 'torch' panel actually refers to an older test that I'm not even sure that many institutions are still using in the US to be honest. It's a term that's stuck and even though we still call it a torch panel - at this point it's a collection of different tests. You did have a type specific herpes igg blood test done from what you posted with your herpes results.  It's actually just something that originally was used only on newborns but some clinics still call it that when they test for everything in it on the momma.  We have lots of nicknames that just stick in healthcare.  Then there are folks like me who have been in it so long that we still go with the original brand name from when we first started out of habit regardless of what we call things now to boot....he he he  Just makes it even more confusing sometimes for our patients!!!


grace

[lynn912]

hi grace!
i just want to say thank you for all your help!my fiances test came back and he is negative.we have been together for two years and im shocked he does not have hsv2 if i do.we have never used a condom.now i had a torch test done which means Toxoplasmosis,Other (syphilis, hepatitis B, coxsackie virus, Epstein-Barr virus, varicella-zoster virus, and human parvovirus),Rubella,Cytomegalovirus (CMV), & Herpes simplex virus (HSV).in everything i read in this torch test it says:The TORCH screen, however, can produce both false-positive and false-negative findings. Doctors can measure IgM levels in the infant's cerebrospinal fluid, as well as in the blood, if they want to confirm the TORCH results."TORCH" was a useful acronym but led to the use of a poor test."ImmunoDOT TORCH test also includes an HSV IgG dot as indicated in TORCH IgG testing. This analyte is included as part of a comprehensive prenatal screening protocol. This test detects antibodies to both virus types and does not differentiate between them.

also for my test results above it says hsv type 1&2 igg & img abs...my fiances dr said that some tests they test them together and cannot decifer the two.what do you think?at the bottom of my hsv 1 & 2 test it says it is not fda approved...in my heart i have a feeling i dont have it...

[gracefromHHP]

At this point in your pregnancy getting another blood test isn't probably the best course of action to be honest. Sometimes the blood supply during late pregnancy is so dilute that it gives false negatives. At this point personally I"d proceed assuming your hsv2 igg was correct since it's well over the false negative range and if you really, really need the peace of mind, wait a few months after you've delivered and then get a herpes WB.  I know, easy for me to say, not so easy for you to do.  

feel free to keep asking any questions you have :)

grace

[lynn912]

i will be getting my fiances test results wednesday...im very nervous.hes been supportive but i know inside hes freaked out.he had a bump on his lower area and had it checked 6 months ago.the dr said it was nothing and now for me to have those results put up a question.he says i could of got it from anyone and i told him its the same with him.i cant worry about it...i have to move on and i have lived a normal life not even knowing or having any noticeable symptoms.i told him he has but he keeps on going to it could be my first outbreak from you.ugh,i dont care i have been so upset i have to stay healthy.im 33 weeks pregnant and am high risk for a premie.i want another test to just be sure...i know it wont change but i dont know what blood test i had it says igg abs its a torch test thats all i know but can you recommend a good test?its always good to have a secound opinion and all i get is different answers.i wish it was a lot simpler than this.it also makes me mad that they dont give this test and you have to ask for it...its a blood test add it to your std blood test...please!make it a annual test.not a test you ask for.i read info books and i feel my questions are never answered...i ask professional help and i get all different answers.the hardest part is being confused...if you can understand it you can move on but when you cant or cant decide when you have an outbreak it makes it hard.i read forums where people have tested positive and then negative...sigh.

[gracefromHHP]

Once you know your partner's status you can better make decisions as to how to treat your herpes after the pregnancy. No need to treat your herpes unless you want to.  The handbook goes into more details about treatments.

Yes they will check you when you go into labor and if they see any signs of herpes they will do a c section otherwise there's no reason to do one unless you just need the peace of mind.   If you were infected before being pregnant ( which is probably a safe assumption ) and don't have any signs of an ob at the time of labor it's a less than 1% risk of transmitting to the baby at the time of delivery.

grace

[lynn912]

my dr said he will talk to me about my daily suppressive therapy in two weeks-he has not prescribed me anything now nor did he really want to tell me i had this.he had the nurse call and say they got the results but they will see me in two weeks.i forced a next day appointment to get the results.today i called and said to them if i have never had a visiable sore or any signs and i go into labor and they check me and i am active but there are no signs shouldnt i just get a c-section?she said they want to shoot for the vaginal but that worries me because i have never had any signs.if i take the meds do i take it everyday for the rest of my life?how do i know if i need to take it if i never had an outbreak?

[gracefromHHP]

No the igm test won't tell you if you are having an ob at that time or not. No idea why you were told that. We don't recommend that the herpes igm test EVER be done.  http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/248394  this is a link to a prior post by HHH on the std experts forum that goes into terrific detail as to why not.

Your hsv1 igg is +. Statistically that's hsv1 orally.

Your hsv2 igg is +. Statistically that's hsv2 genitally.

Your levels aren't "high" - they are in the normal positive range and they mean nothing other than that you are +.

Your cmv values are only that you've had it at some point which isn't unusual - almost all adults have it. It has nothing to do with your hsv results and it's not an issue for you or baby.


Your partner will need tested to see what their status is. Once you know what they have or don't have as far as hsv1 and hsv2, you can decide what precautions you want to take together. The herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com is free to read online or print out at home to read and goes into how to reduce transmission to your partner as well as it has a whole section on herpes and pregnancy for more reading.  


You actually are far more likely to have a false negative at this point in your pregnancy than a false positive.

Has your provider talked to you about daily suppressive therapy in the pregnancy doses for the last month of pregnancy?

grace