Anybody with hsv 1 but still unsure if the location is in the genital area???

[Sunshine77]

Hiya,

Just wondering what would happen if you say had a swab in the genital area that tested negative, and any symptoms were minimal e.g. papercut/irritation but no blisters. How would you know if the herpes was in the genital area for sure and you were not asymptomatic in terms of oral cold sores. How do you deal with future partners etc and disclosure?

I just wondered if there is anyone in this situation and would be interested in knowing how you dealt with it??

Thanks,

sunshine xx

[fever4]

i have the same problem i have no lessions,but i have pain and i dont know what to do....i had oral hsv before but i dont now the pain is genital hsv1 or not

[Sunshine77]

Hey,

Must be really diffficult, as it might not be genital at all. Do you tell all your partners that you're unsure of location?? Sorry, just wondered how you would deal with this without an actual diagnosis in that particular area??

[fusion]

Have had oral herpes since I was a little girl. About 3 wks ago went to the dr w/ burning, itching, small bump in genitals, swollen lymph node. Dr thought it was a blocked bartholin gland, gave me antibiotics. 3 days later, a small cluster of bumps and lots of pain. So back to the dr. Doctor now sees small cluster of blisters and says it's herpes, probably spread from oral sex. Swabs the blisters and sends it away for culture. 12 days later I call the office and nurse says it's negative! Later that day my dr calls me and says yes, the test was negative but I still think you have herpes. So now I don't know what the hell is going on!

[Kitty123]

Fusion: it could probably be a new infection and you just haven't seroconverted yet.

[Denise 07]

I wouldn't think a new infection would interfere with a swab test. They are testing a fresh outbreak so it would show negative or positive even if it's a new infection. The blood tests are the ones that if you have a new infection it will say negative because you haven't built up the antibodies yet to the virus. I have heard though that swab tests have been known to show false negatives maybe because people wait to long to get it swabbed.

[ScaryJimmy]

Sunshine: How do you know that you have HSV-1? Did you get an IgG blood test? As Denise mentioned, the swab tests can be tricky because of false negatives. If you can recall having cold sores as a child it would be increased evidence that the negative swab is correct. People with oral HSV-1 have considerable immunity from acquiring it genitally.

And, if you were to have HSV-1 genitally, any partner with oral HSV-1 antibodies would then have considerable immunity to catching it from you.

[SEBASTIAN1965]

I was positive from the swab, but negative on the blood test. Just like Denise07 said "my body has not created antibiotics for it", my Doctor said this to me too.

My bf is prositive for both of the virus, but never had a sore or discomfort in his penis or any toher place but the lips very seldom.

There has to be BO pictures out there that are not so dramatic like the one in here. I had only two little sores, no pain at all. Right now I am clean, but I check my penis everytime i go to the bathroom.I am always worry them coming back, and my sex life with partner is not the same (sex is not the frequent) because I want to have the feeling that there is no herpes and do not want to see them again, but I know I am wrong. It will come back again.

[Sunshine77]

Hey,

Yeah it can take up to 3mths or even longer for antibodies to show and it does seem that getting the swab as early possible makes the results more accurate.

Hi scared Jimmy, I have had a swab taken from a papercut which came back negative....although It might have been there for ages. I've not had any blisters or itching, but slight soreness near the papercut and to be honest it's not felt right all the time pretty much for 6 months. I did have some weird muscle sensations in that area about three months after the time I may have possibly contracted herpes.

I've had a few internals and checks by about three different doctors and been to the sexual health clinic many times and they say it's not herpes. The trouble is that they don't really do blood tests over here, so I'm thinking of getting a private IgG test. It's just that if it came out as hsv 2 it would definitely be genital, but if it's hsv 1 how would I know that it was a genital location??

I can't remember having cold sores, but my ex long-term boyfriend did...so there could be a possibility that I would have asymptomatic oral herpes.

Sunshine xx

[ScaryJimmy]

Ah - now I get it.

If you went for the IgG test and it only turned up positive for Type 1 then it would seem likely that you do not have it genitally, given:

A physical exam by three doctors;

A negative swab; and

An 80% chance that you already have it orally.

Plus, there is reduced shedding, fewer outbreaks and a high chance that any future partners will already have antibodies to HSV-1. I would just assume the best in that situation until I had reason to get another swab.

Of course, your logic is right in the other direction - if you test positive for HSV-2 then almost assuredly you have it genitally.

[Sunshine77]

Hey,

Yeah.....I kinda keep changing my mind about the antibodies gG test and then had an idea I'd definitely have a test if I meet someone, as I'm single at the moment. Then I think, should I just trust in what I've been told by doctors and move on. Although, on the other hand somethings not quite right and I hate the thought of someone contracting herpes from me when I could of prevented it or informed them first.

Are you unsure of the location too??

Sunshine x

[ScaryJimmy]

Hey,

Yeah.....I kinda keep changing my mind about the antibodies gG test and then had an idea I'd definitely have a test if I meet someone, as I'm single at the moment. Then I think, should I just trust in what I've been told by doctors and move on. Although, on the other hand somethings not quite right and I hate the thought of someone contracting herpes from me when I could of prevented it or informed them first.

Are you unsure of the location too??

Sunshine x

No, when I tested negative for HSV-2 it started occurring to me that maybe I had HSV-1 orally and genitally (cold sores as a child). I refused to trust my doctors and kept going around trying to find a doctor who would agree that I had it. None did.

I don't know. There is something about HSV that makes some people (read: me) want to keep searching and searching for evidence that they have it. At a certain point, you have to believe the doctors and the tests.

If you only test positive for HSV-1 then I think you have probably done your due diligence and should forget it, assuming no other outbreaks.

[Sunshine77]

Hey,

Yeah, I know what you mean......I keep reading loads on herpes too and I guess In my head I'm kinda preparing myself in case I do have it. I know I should listen to doctors, whilst I also know that herpes varies so much from person to person in terms of symptoms and you can have anything from sores, blisters cuts to rashes so it's difficult for me to gain piece of mind.

Do you think I should have a blood specific test to find out way or another....I keep putting it on hold and the fact that I live in the UK makes it easy to do that as I have to go private?

I hope you don't mind me asking...but what makes you think that you might have herpes genitally?

sunshine x

Sunshine