could I be symptom free for over a year, then suddenly have symptoms every month?

[kuestions]

My girlfriend (age 30) and I (age 36) have been having unprotected intercourse in a monogamous relationship for over one year. She has not experienced any symptoms of STDs. I experienced no symptoms of STDs until two months ago, in October, when I noticed three large, hard pimple-like lesions spread across the length of my penis. They healed in about two to three weeks.

Last month, in November, shortly after the earlier pimple-like lesions had healed, three separate areas of watery blisters appeared on my penis. Their locations were not coincidental with the previous pimple-like lesions. They healed in about two to three weeks.

When the watery blisters first appeared, I went with my girlfriend to a hospital in Thailand.

She was tested for an Array of STDs including a herpes test. Her doctor, a gynecologist, told us that herpes is very common, it didn't matter much if either of us had it, and that we didn't need to test for it. I requested a test for my girlfriend anyway. The doctor seemed a little confused about which of the tests to administer, especially after I was asking for a test that would distinguish between Type I and Type II herpes.

I was tested for common STDs, but my doctor, a urologist, said that I didn't need to be tested for herpes. He said that from viewing the blisters it was obvious that I had herpes. From the research I'd done online, I agreed with him. Although looking back on it now, it would have been best to get a Type specific test for myself. He also seemed to think that herpes wasn't a big deal and that neither my girlfriend nor I needed to worry about it.

I suspected that my girlfriend had possibly not recognized previous symptoms of herpes in herself and that I had contracted it from her recently when she was shedding. However, I also understood that I could have herpes for a long time without ever having had symptoms, so I was worried that maybe I got it elsewhere long ago and I wanted to prevent the infection of my girlfriend if she didn't already have herpes.

A few days later we received the results of my girlfriend's herpes test as follows:
HSV Ab. Type I&II, IgG negative and IgM negative

Now its December and less than two weeks after the second outbreak healed up, I again have watery blisters in the same location as the previous ones.

Here are my questions:

If my girlfriend doesn't have herpes (as indicated by her test), is it probable that I could have contracted herpes over a year ago and remained symptom-free for at least a year until now when I have new outbreaks of blisters every month?

I can't tell that my girlfriend's test results indicate anything separately about Type I and Type II, but it seems clear that she has neither. Is this test reliable?

I was tested for herpes greater than 3 years ago. Type I was positive. Type II was negative. I'd had no oral nor genital symptoms at that time. Is it possible that my Type I herpes was previously located orally and that I recently reinfected myself genitally with Type I?

Thank you.

[gracefromHHP]

as I said previously, recurrences with multiple lesions isn't likely.  follow up promptly.

[kuestions]

Why is it not likely to be herpes related?

I don't question your judgement. I am interested to know your reason so that I may better educate myself about my condition.

I understand that my gf's negative test is reliable. If this might be why my symptoms are unlikely to be herpes related, I'd like to state that since I tested negative for herpes type II three years ago, I had very brief relationships with a couple of other women. All of this was followed by my current monogamous relationship with my current gf over the past 15 months or so.

Thanks again.

[gracefromHHP]

it's not likely to be herpes related.  follow up if symptoms reoccur.  could be fungal, a contact dermatitis or many other things going on.

I wouldn't bother getting any more info on your gf's testing either. negatives are negatives and the numeric results don't matter when negative.

[kuestions]

Thank you wyg and grace.

A lesion culture sounds like a good idea. However, because this is a recurrence, the lessions appeared >48 hours ago, the lesions are small, and because they are already beginning to heal, I wonder if attempting a culture now would provide useful information. Anyway, other circumstances keep me from visiting a local doctor this week.

My plan is to get a culture quickly if the lesions appear again in the future. Also, after another month or two I am interested in seeking IgG testing for myself and again for my girlfriend.

My girlfriend's previous test results were received in written form from the doctor exactly as I previously posted. I'll see if I can get more information about the test results.

I found this in one of grace's posts and find it be useful in helping me to understand testing options.
http://www.ashastd.org/std-sti/Herpes/testing.html

If I'm able to get some numerical results from my girlfriends test, are there any resource suggestions to help me understand the detailed test results?

Grace, you mention that since I am having multiple lesions, ruling out other causes too would be a good idea since my girlfriend is testing negative for herpes. Do you have any suggestions as to other possible causes? Is it uncommon to have multiple lesions resulting from herpes?

Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

no, you didn't transmit your oral hsv1 to your genital area!!

At this point, be sen today and if they suspect herpes, a lesion culture and typing should also be done on your active symptoms.  since you are having multiple lesions, ruling out other causes too would be a good idea since your gf is testing negative for herpes.

grace

[wyg]

my advice would be to request you gf's results and post them on here because if your doc didnt know much about the test then he might not know how to read the results. you need to deff. get tested. you may have had genital hsv1 and never had it orally being that you say you have never showed symptoms. it is possible to pass hsv from one place to another yourself, although chances are slim. yes it is possible you got it a yr. ago and never showed symptoms until now...im pretty sure. i do hsv1 has way less reoccurances and hsv2 you usually have about 5 OB's the first yr. last-maybe i'm horrible-but if you show to be positive for hsv2 do you think that maybe your partner was unfaithful and just got it within the last 12 wks and gave it to you, if you think thats possible then amybe she too should be tested 12 weeks from the time you first showed symptoms, also if you got it from her at that time remember it wouldnt show up hsv2 on igg until 12wks so the only way to know if that were the case is by getting a culture.