My doctor didn't tell me.

[righttoknow]

Hi. This is my first post in this forum...after reading some other threads, I wanted to post my story and hopefully receive some feedback. I'm pretty scared, and really angry, and I'm not sure how to handle it all.

I apologise that this is so long ...

Back in December, my boyfriend and I wanted to stop using condoms so we decided to get tested. We went to our doctors and asked for a full blood workup for all the major STDs, including herpes. Ironically, two days before my appointment, I had what looked like a canker sore on the inside of my vulva.

My doctor looked at the sore and decided it was a shaving cut, even though I told him I hadn't noticed cutting myself, and it didn't really look like one. He didn't take a swab. I went for my bloodwork and they gave me a topical cream to use on the sore.

The sore more or less cleared up in about five days. A week later I went back to my doctor and he said that the sore was definitely a shaving cut and that all of my tests came back negative. My boyfriend was also told that his tests were negative.

About two months ago, I developed a swollen gland in my groin. It's still swollen today. The doctor told me I was probably fighting a cold.

But then last week my boyfriend came to me and showed me two sores he had on the tip of his penis that looked a lot like the sore that I'd had. We tried to imagine how he could have cut himself there, and reminded ourselves that we'd both tested negative for everything.

But it was hurting him quite a bit, and he was starting to get the aches and pains, which I'd read is a symptom of herpes.

So today I went back to my doctor's wanting to actually see the lab results myself.

It turns out they only tested for herpes, syphillis and HIV. I'd asked to be tested for everything. And, again, no swab.

It turns out that I have HSV1. It reads: "no recent primary infection, evidence of past exposure. Results do not rule out recent activation, if patient is symptomatic submit a swab for culture."

What the hell is that???

I was furious with my doctor ... he said they didn't tell me because people usually overreact. Call me crazy, but I don't think it's my doctor's right to decide what risk my boyfriend is willing to take.

My doctor acknowledged that my swollen lymph node is probably a symptom, and that I've been contagious recently. He said that it is possible to pass oral herpes to genitals through oral sex. Exactly my point! If we'd known that I had this, at the very least the swollen gland might have kept me from performing oral sex on him.

What a terrible predicament. My boyfriend is going back to his doctor tomorrow to read his lab results. If he really didn't have HSV1 before, but does now, well, I just don't know what to think.

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[WaxedWrong]

i would report him.

contact your local info line, to find out the board of medicals info on reporting a doctor.

your test was obviously positive, and considering you had that cut/sore he sould have put 2, and 2 together and figured it out but obviously idiots can get a medical degree

[quietpendulum]

LAW SUITE! HOW THE HELL CAN HE NOT DISCLOSE THE TRUTH B/C "people usually overreact". That my dear is what we call UNETHICAL. I'd sue the hell out of him somehow for medical expenses or something. Geez. The nerve!

[righttoknow]

I've just read on this forum that the IGG and IGM tests are used to determine if the virus is recent or not. These tests are NOT taken to determine if you have HSV1 or HSV2.

This means he lied to me AGAIN today when he told me it 'was only the cold sore kind'! There's no way he knows that!

Geeeees!

[WaxedWrong]

no you read the wrong info. those test dertermine if you have hsv, and which type. its said that one of the test can tell you if its recent or not. but its been proven not to really work. but the point being, you tested positive for herpes which means your antibodies were

there they might not have been enough to say your having a outbreak no or just had one but they were there to get you to have that past exposure line.

pretty much every doctor will say hsv1 is the cold sore kind, because most likely it is. its just the result of doctors not reading info. i have genital type 1 and went to the gyno a bunch of times with my crotch looking like raw meat, and he said i have cold sores... like sorry dude, were here for my crotch not my lips (and ive never had a cold sore0

[bluefrog]

WOW, I would def. report that doctor. That is just wrong for him not to give you the complete information of your test results.

When my doctor gave me my blood test results, he said I have HSV1 and 2, and I am thinking both are genitally, because I have never ever had a cold sore or anything resembling a cold sore.

[righttoknow]

no you read the wrong info. those test dertermine if you have hsv, and which type. its said that one of the test can tell you if its recent or not. but its been proven not to really work. but the point being, you tested positive for herpes which means your antibodies were

there they might not have been enough to say your having a outbreak no or just had one but they were there to get you to have that past exposure line.

pretty much every doctor will say hsv1 is the cold sore kind, because most likely it is. its just the result of doctors not reading info. i have genital type 1 and went to the gyno a bunch of times with my crotch looking like raw meat, and he said i have cold sores... like sorry dude, were here for my crotch not my lips (and ive never had a cold sore0

How does he know it's HSV1, then? There is nothing on the lab report saying what type I have, only that the IgG test was 'reactive' and the IGM test was 'nonreactive'. I thought this only means that I have antibodies of the 'been around awhile' variety, rather than newer ones, indicating that the infection was older.

I will be reporting this doctor for sure, at any rate.

[WaxedWrong]

It turns out that I have HSV1. It reads: "no recent primary infection, evidence of past exposure. Results do not rule out recent activation, if patient is symptomatic submit a swab for culture."

thats what you said im assuming that you read on the paper because then the question is- how do you know its type 1? unless it said type 1.

in anycase, there is usually a code on the lab sheet that will indicated what type it is, if it doesnt directly says hsv1/hsv2.

[thiscantbe]

I would be so mad, too! He should have let you know your results, and if you ask for everything to be tested he left out chlamydia & gonorrhea. I'm very surprised he didn't include chlamydia since many women can have it w/o symptoms.

Some IgG tests can distinguish between the 2 types... I would say I am surprised that your doc didn't do a type-specific test, but then your doc doesn't sound very on top of things.

If your boyfriend's doc is any better you might be able to guess what you have based on what he has. What a terrible way to get answers, though.

[prettyc]

So do you have to ask for a type specific test? I was tested and it came out negative for HSV2 but I didn't think that they could test for HSV1 oral without an outbreak. This is helpful information. Additionally, yeah, your doctor should have tested you for everything like you said. I told mine to test for everything not know it will include HSV but it did and all of the others. I would go back in there and demand the others. That doctor is an idiot!

[WaxedWrong]

first off type 1 isnt always oral. vs. 2 being genital.

seconds, you dont need to have a outbreak at the moment to get tested.

third, the test are all type specific. but your doctor should be smart enough to test for BOTH types and not just assume, oral=1, genital=2. if you arent sure that your doctor will be smart and test for both mention that you want to be tested for both types.

[starphyse]

Another case of doctors messing up... sigh oh well you have friends and support here "hugs"