Which test to believe?

[suptalife]

Hello guys, exactly a year ago, I had gotten unprotected oral sex from a woman. In 2 days, i had a lesion just below head of penis and when it did not heal for 3-4 days, i went to a doctor who told it was Herpes 1. After that below are the tests I have done. So, contradicting. Please tell me what to believe. 

1. Swab test on day 5 - negative for HSV 1,2 
2. Local lab - IGG antibody test on day 5 - negative for HSV 1,2 
3. LabCorp - IGG antibody test on day 30 - negative for HSV 1,2 
4. Quest - IGG antibody test on 4 months mark - HSV1 -1.78, HSV2 <0.90 
5. Quest- IGG antibody test on 1 year mark - HSV1 <0.90 HSV2 <0.90 

All through this period, I have constant itching on right thigh region and right part of penis where lesion occured. 

Which test to believe? I have not done Western blot as it is costly

[Sanguine108]

You're cured!

Sorry sorry. but seriously... blood is a bit more dynamic than what we would hope.   

If you needed more proof then get another lab test but the symptoms speak loud and clear.

There's anylabtestnow.com that, if they're in your area, offers hsv1,2 testing for $40.

[WilsoInAus]

There is little point testing, only a swab test can sort this out.

HSV-1 is occasionally in 10% or more of people. If you test positive for HSV-1, then you will not know which location it is in. You will need to assume it is oral given the overwhelming odds of you being infected as a child.

Have you ever had oral cold sores?

At this stage everything points to you not having genital herpes.

[suptalife]

18 hours ago, Sanguine108 said:

You're cured!

Sorry sorry. but seriously... blood is a bit more dynamic than what we would hope.   

If you needed more proof then get another lab test but the symptoms speak loud and clear.

There's anylabtestnow.com that, if they're in your area, offers hsv1,2 testing for $40.

What do you infer by the symptoms? But the symptoms are so atypical.. except for 1 doc, 2 others told it's not. There has never been a lesion or blister after that..it's always just the thigh intersection area gets dark and constantly itches.

[suptalife]

6 hours ago, WilsoInAus said:

There is little point testing, only a swab test can sort this out.

HSV-1 is occasionally in 10% or more of people. If you test positive for HSV-1, then you will not know which location it is in. You will need to assume it is oral given the overwhelming odds of you being infected as a child.

Have you ever had oral cold sores?

At this stage everything points to you not having genital herpes.

They did do swab test initially when lesion was still there. And i am pretty sure I don't have cold sore as a child (which is confirmed by subsequent IGG tests)

[WilsoInAus]

The issue with HSV-1 is that sometimes it is not confirmed by tests. Either way it does not matter, it is very difficult to confirm a genital HSV-1 infection without a positive swab.

As mentioned though, all signs point to you not having genital herpes. 

As Yoda might say 'Testing further required by you not!'

[Sanguine108]

Treatment is part of diagnosis.

try taking some antiviral and seeing if the itch goes away.

[WilsoInAus]

No it is not, there is no confirmed diagnosis here and it is dangerous to take drugs for no reason. Whether the itch goes away or stays is irrelevant to herpes status.

[Sanguine108]

You received oral from a woman. 3 days later had some non healing sores. Doc said herpes. You've had persistent itching in that area.  There was a 1.75 spike in hsv1 antibodies.

Ppl don't need to have a blatant cold sore to be contagious.  

[suptalife]

First time it was not healing in the sense, it wasn't getting worse either do kind of neglected. But still took acyclovir 7 days. Later after couple months, when I felt itching, I just took adducible again but no change in symptom. 

[Sanguine108]

you could try taking St. John's Wort; 1 pill for 3-5 day and see if that improves the situation.  SJW is a nervine that regenerates nerves, it's also antiviral to HSV.   There are some contraindcations like don't take with antidepressant meds and don't go sun tanning while on it.  I like the Gaia Herbs brand bc it's a bit more potent and the quality is really good.

HSV being a nerve affliction can damage/fray nerves.  SJW rebuilds and quells the damage.

There are other things to try but that'd be a good one to start with.

[WilsoInAus]

HSV does not damage nerves, there is no evidence of this in any scientific research. Can you please provide documented evidence that nerves are damaged. If not then please desist or qualify with your comments that they reflect your opinion only.

[Sanguine108]

Post-herpetic neuralgia - this is nerves being damaged by herpetic eruption and this term, Post-Herpetic Neuralgia, proves my point without going any further.

Things that soothe PHN are gabapentin. SJW also soothes and heals PHN. Why, because they heal and regenerate nerves.

Stress (higher cortisol levels) causes nerves, among other aspects of the body, to atrophy. herpes is a stress on the nervous system (esp the respective nerves).

HSV damages and is a stress on nerves.

HSV is an inflammatory nervous system disease.

Just to go further... When people have an outbreak, it's hot, burning and uncomfortable.  That's inflammation and herpes is coming from the nerves...

Viral encephalitis is the inflammation of the nervous system and herpes is one cause of that.

 

[WilsoInAus]

Post herpetic neuralgia is not caused by HSV-1 or HSV-2 but by other members of this loosely defined class. If you have evidence to the contrary then please post for the benefit of curious readers.

There is no evidence that SJW regenerates nerves. If you have evidence to the contrary, please post for the benefit of curious readers.

HSV-1 and HSV-2 do NOT damage nerves, where is your evidence?

HSV-1 and HSV-2 are not inflammatory nerve system diseases, please post evidence to the contrary.

 

[Sanguine108]

Ok Wilso.

it doesn't take much to put together the inflammatory nature of hsv. That's herpes 101.  If you don't believe it then that's fine.   Herpes isn't going anywhere so ppl can consider  whatever ideas they want.  If their perception of this virus' effects on the body is wrong then they'll be looking for answers once again. Hopefully, if they're tired of suffering.  

Youve had this your whole life. Others are just joining the club.  Everyone remembers how they were before and now after.  How can you relate if you don't have that perspective or if you're not willing to experiment w remedies that may affect your for the better.

if ppl want to read evidence then they can go through my post history bc this isn't the first time we've had this conflict of perception.

[WilsoInAus]

It is not a conflict of perception. Whilst people may perceive that herpes causes PHN for example doesn't make it scientific fact. Just because people say that SJW regenerates nerves doesn't make it scientific fact.

You have not produced any scientific papers or facts that support your claims, nor do they exist.

This is simply about factual information, it has nothing to do with perceptions. People have a right to know the facts and make up their own minds.

Again I note that you never disclose that you do not have a confirmed herpes diagnosis therefore you do not have anything to offer in terms of experimentation with supposed remedies, so let's make sure we hear from people with real experience.

[suptalife]

One, I have never had any eruption after that first small lesion which disappeared in a few days (without blistering or crusting). Two, I have been taking SJW all through past year. Gia herbs liquid one to ingest and few times ointment and tincture applied topically.

[Sanguine108]

@suptalife And no difference?

So I have hsv1 oral and genital.   SJW worked amazingly well in the beginning but it seemed like it only worked so well after a certain point.  And I would still get occassional outbreaks on my philtrum, which was kind of annoying.  I don't really like having a mustache but I sported a mild grizzle of facial hair.

One night people were posting stuff and I was researching ingredients.  Someone re-inspired me about homeopathics and I was going to try some of the higher concentration homeopathics like 1M and 50M, as well as buy some more obscure homeopathic items.  I found a distributor site for practitioners and became a member.   In the midst of the homeopathy remedy searches, I decided to just type herpes.   This homeopathic product called Herpetic Nosode by Professional Formulas popped up.  Nosodes are, for lack of a really involved explanation, like a therapeutic vaccine.   I bought it.. It had a lot of herpesvirus nosodes in it with varying concentrations.   I got it, took a dropper of it and I felt a little tautness in my left side (spleen/immune/adaptive-learning immune)...  I usually wake up with a few bumps on my lips that go away after a few hours.   I took these nosodes and I haven't had an outbreak since.   ...Ok, I have had very minor ones but only because I try to push how long I can go without taking it.   At first, I took ~10-15 drops for 2 days.  Things cleared up so strongly that I just stopped to see how long it'd last.  My outbreaks stopped, healed fast and it feels like it helped isolate the activity at the nerve roots.  Instead of feeling tinglings at my tailbone, crotch/perineum, scrotum and shaft, I just felt an occasional, faint sensation at my tail bone.   Oral, the sensations are more apparent.   I feel them at my brain stem/back of my neck. ...Trigeminal nerve root is at the brain stem (*sigh).   But at least the outbreaks are suppressed.

I got into taking the nosodes 1x every 5-7days and things are nicely chilled.   After 2 months, I found another product by the same company called HRPZ Drops that only has HSV-1 and HSV2 nosodes, along with homeopathic chill symptom items.  The concentration of nosodes in HRPZ drops is much lower, 12X, whereas Herpetic Nosode has 60X, 100x, 400X concentration of nearly every herpes nosode.
If you're a health care provider, you can setup an account and order the nosodes for $8.  Otherwise, it's $16 online, which isn't bad.   

I have gotten into the habit of taking a lysine supplement and I think that does help chill the prodromal/tingling.  I use that Super Lysine Plus as a lysine supplement taking 1pill (500mg lysine) a few times a week or so.  There's another product that has lysine and monolaurin, sometimes I'll alternate between them.

Lastly, the thing that has really helped me mentally feel normal is a product indicated for inflammatory conditions of the nervous system. And it specifically states Herpes Simplex Virus, CMV, Lyme's...

We all have pre-existing constitutional conditions that make us more vulnerable/sensitive to things.   So a stressor like herpes comes along and exposes vulnerabilities.   Chinese medicine is a medical system that supplements, nourishes and strengthens one's being rather than the Rx carpet bombing technique.

But ya know, it's hard to play doctor on yourself, which is why we seek outside opinions.  But there aren't too many competent practitioners out there.  Or, once we taste the field, and are treated by one person and have a bad experience then we dismiss the entire field.   But health care practitioners, all over, don't know what will 100% work.  I used to work in a pediatric clinic and was blown away by all the kids that came back with adverse reactions to meds for the doctor to say, "Oh, ok well cross that one off the list and let's try this one!"   We can get cerebral all we want but if the patient disagrees with the book/studies/research then listen to the patient, not the book. And treatment is part of diagnosis.

Edited February 9, 2016 by Sanguine108
@suptalife

[WilsoInAus]

That's all fine, but it is critical to add that you have never tested positive by blood or swab for HSV. I think that's an important point to raise.

[suptalife]

On 02/09/2016 at 0:07 AM, WilsoInAus said:

On 02/09/2016 at 0:07 AM, WilsoInAus said:

That's all fine, but it is critical to add that you have never tested positive by blood or swab for HSV. I think that's an important point to raise.

 

 

[suptalife]

I will get tested again in a few weeks in the same lab

Edited February 11, 2016 by suptalife

[Sanguine108]

or just get a western blot for hsv1, since that's the one that's in such strong question here.

[WilsoInAus]

 

A Westernblot can only be completed on HSV-1 and HSV-2 together as the process integrates removal of the impact of potential cross-reactivity given a lysate of the full virus signature is introduced to the blood.

If positive for HSV-1 and negative for HSV-2, this will simply confirm an oral infection and again reaffirm that you do not have genital HSV.

[Sanguine108]

not that I want to get into a discussion about nonsense...

-But guy said he had a genital lesion

-Doctor said it was herpes

-you reject his story?   

You haven't personally experienced him?  Medicine is not a black and white art.  I know I'm wasting my breath here but how can you give a response like this with the information he gave?   

[suptalife]

Oral is something I can rule out straight away. I have never had cold sores in life. So the question is just whether genital or not. Of three doctors I visited. One made no diagnosis and just swabbed.  One told herpes. Other one was after 3-4 days by which lesion was completely gone who told initial outbreak would be much more   significant.