So a few weeks ago I went to OB for Papsmear. I told her I was in some pain to some extremely rough intercourse a couple of nights prior. She said she saw a lesion, ONE lesion on my cervix and wanted to culture it for herpes as well as send me to lab for HSV IgG igM testing. She called a few days later and said the swab was negative, apparently it was "healing" and my IgG was 0.47 IgM 1.51, and it was most definitely a brand new herpes exposure. Well I'm confused and I can't come to grits with it. I have been with my husband for 5 years. We have both been faithful (he says he's never stepped out. I want to believe that) but she said it's a recent exposure. Which makes me feel as if he stepped out bc wouldn't my IgG be higher if I had gotten it over 5 years ago and it was laying dormant? Could the blood work be wrong? I've never had symptoms,hes never had symptoms. I just don't know what to think and I can't come to grits with this. Hoping there is another possible explanation besides him cheating.
This may sound silly. But since I tested negative technically for my IgG, could my IgM be picking up something else? I was getting sick and I am sick, I have had mono and I've also had shingles which I know are somewhere in the herpes family. Possible??
Or does anyone know if it's possible that he's had it the entire 5 years but I'm just NOW exposed and making antibodies against it? Sorry for all the questions i just really want some insight. Does anyone have a similar experience?
Any test any test has a margin of error. Please don't doubt your husband over this. Has he been tested?
He went Wednesday to get labs drawn, so hoping tomorrow they will call and he'll have a super high IgG level and somehow took 5 years to give it to me. I'm really trying not to doubt him I know he wouldn't step out, I just don't understand how else it'd logically be a "recent" exposure.. I just can't come to grits with having this for one, especially not knowing how it's killing me
The maddening and frightening thing is that HSV can be communicated by someone who has the virus and never has outward symptoms. Also, some people get tiny blisters that do not hurt, burn or itch, so they may not even know they are having an outbreak. So you are correct, it could have taken five years to give it to you. I hope this works out for both of you and that you can manage it without further problems.
So, my doctor told me there was no way to see how long that've been infected.
Of course i thought of the last person that i was with, but no one wants to here they have HSV-2. We are all in denial, in ways. We all want to believe that it's not happening.
My advice to you is to follow your intuition ♡
IgM testing for herpes is inaccurate and prone to false positives. Even the CDC does not recommend IgM testing for herpes as a result. Only look at your IgG and swab results, which indicate you're negative. You may retest for IgG at 3 months if you're concerned. Incidentally, the test usually covers HSV-1 and 2 individually. You only provided one IgG score. Did they only test you for one type?
P.S. Do a simple Google search for IgG versus IgM testing for herpes and you will see what I mean. Not only is the latter test essentially worthless for herpes (does not determine type and does not indicate recency of infection, despite what many doctors mistakenly think), it is also inaccurate.
I asked which one, they said it was tested for both 1 and 2. I kept asking well which one do I have?? They said there's no way to tell. A bunch of idiots apparently
Thank you Dora, I am extremely in denial lol
That is good to hear, thank you! He should have results by tomorrow I'm just anxiously awaiting lol
Me too ☺
Ask for a copy of your lab report. They don't seem to know what they're doing or talking about!
You can tell if an outbreak is a new infection or not, but it requires a positive swab and a negative IgG result. There is no single test that can determine recency of infection, however.
Don't base anything on your IgM result. Hope you have googled it by now. Nobody in the know about herpes recommends it at all, so do not let it consume you.
I've had a similar experience and the doctor told me they can't tell if new or if I've had for a long time. Based on talking to other experts I've likely had for a long time since I have only had one episode over 3 years ago... and then nothing till now. I delivered 3 'months ago and battling symptoms every few weeks. I'm also happily married and had my outbreak before I met my husband so I know wasn't him but any doctor I've talked to said most ppl don't know they have so easily transmitted. I think majority or ppl are asymtomatic. I read few studies that when tests were run close to 80% who tested positive never knew they carried the virus.... it's crazy really! I'm really hoping for a cure... I know sounds ridiculous but we should be pushing for research! They come up with vaccines all the time... fingers crossed! Hope all works out for you!
I've got a copy, I wish I knew how to post a photo on here! It says as follows : herpes I/II IgG Ab 0.47
Herpes I/II IgM Ab 1.51 Hf
Then a bunch of other sh*t
Re posting images, see below.
https://patient.uservoice.com/knowledgebase/articles/402861-how-do-i-add-an-image-to-my-post
Seems they used a non-type-specific IgG test, which is pretty unusual and unhelpful! If and when you retest (best at 3 months), insist on type-specific IgG testing, and no IgM test, as per CDC herpes testing guidelines (you can look it up online). Same for your husband, should he go in for testing.