1) I took a PCR test on Friday night.
2) The doctor told me Friday afternoon I had HSV.
3) I took 2 acyclovirs between clinical analysis and the test.
4) The worse day of my symptoms was Twelve days after exposure. The clinic appointment, the test, and the two acyclovirs were all taken on Day Fourteen
5) the doctor told me that the lesion was very apparent, even from a distance, but it was not as wet or completely fresh.
My PCR Test result: TARGET NOT DETECTED
Question:
Was this chain of events enough to affect my PCR test?
or
Is my doctor incorrect?
or
Other possibility or grey area?
None of those things would affect a pcr test, although I don't understand the way your results are stated and interpreted by your doctor. To me your results would seem to indicate negative, surely?
He thinks that maybe it would have affected it. He also says that after 5 days of medication, including vitamin c and multivitmans, that it got better.
There is only one area where the ulcer appeared, and that is on the side lip of my urethra. There was only one ulcer. It's healed apparently, but i can still feel the stinging/cut like pain from it. I honestly think I damagaed membrane from hot water, soap, and even seeing a dirt particle inside. he says that is possible, but there was still an ulcer there that is HSV.
Sorry for the double response. The result means there is no detectable DNA of the virus in my area. Which means the antiviral medication (two pills at the time) plus my body repressed the virus into a dormant state again. Is that even possible?
No, I think it means you are negative. The pcr test is very accurate and sensitive. If you had enough virus to cause a lesion, you had enough virus to be detected. Pcr swabs can even be done on healing lesions or in the absence of lesions (internal swabs). Far superior to viral culture swabs. Do the IgG test at 3 months for assurance.
Sorry, my reply had a link in it. I was going to say that there are many scholarly articles that state the lesion area must be active. If the lesion is in the process of healing, then there may not be enough DNA to test, therefore resulting in a negative.
My doctor is 100% adamant I have HSV. He thinks the lesion is healed to the point where I can have sex again normally and not give anyone the disease. I'm on my 5th day of acyclovir out of 7. Do you have an opinion on this? I know you're not a doctor. The conversation just helps me mentally, so thank you for your response.
Nope, my only opinions on the matter are as already stated, plus your exposure was pretty negligible, if I recall correctly. Not sure why your doctor seems so dead set on you having herpes. I would just relax but remain vigilant and do the IgG test at 3 months.
This becomes an ethical question. So I ask if you could please indulge me and put yourself in my shoes as if this were a hypothetical situation (think ethics class lol). I see my girlfriend tonight. I will have completed 5 days of acyclovir treatment, with an already healed mild ulcer. She will demand unprotected oral and vaginal sex. I love this woman to death and the last two weeks have made me realized how much she and our relationship means. I will never do anything to jeopordize this relationship AGAIN.
Do you 1) Tell her you have a possible risk of HSV? or 2) Proceed like everything is normal?
Tsk, forgot you have a gf, otherwise it would be simple! Well, since it still kind of stings and if you want to err on the side of caution, whatever it is, then I would not have sex until it stops stinging. I wouldn't want to have sex when something stings down there anyway.
Yeah, I ruined everything pretty much.
I just masturbated for the first time in 7 days. The urethra part flared up for a little, especially in the shower. Went away after drying off. Shaft is achey, kinda feels swollen over that "line" (i'm circumsized).
I don't know how this helps us figure out what i have or not. All i know is that if I am to avoid sex, I will have to tell her what happened. It's a blue pill red pill kind of thing now.
Just tell her you're feeling under the weather. I wouldn't divulge more than necessary, since I don't even think you have it, plus worst case scenario it's Type 1, which isn't commonly spread via intercourse. However, I still wouldn't have sex while sore there, whether it's due to Type 1 or not.
I know my girlfriend and I haven't seen her for two weeks. All she is going to want is sex.
Could I give her Type 1 from my penis into her mouth?
In theory, yes, if you have it. Type 1 prefers the mouth more.
I see. Could you please direct me to some scholarly or trustworthy articles online that talk about this? Meaning, contracting hsv from performing oral sex, not receiving. Can't seem to find anything else.
Also, in theory (or even actuality), if the DNA of the virus is not there, then I am must at least be passed the period when I can transmit HSV to someone, correct?
Also, the pain in my shaft is pretty much gone. The area where the ulcer was supposedly no longer flares up in pain. The PCR shows no DNA available. If there's no DNA and everything has stopped hurting, does that mean my symptoms are gone and my healing phase is over? Is this a period where I can transmit the disease or has it gone dormant for now?
Apologies, but I must correct something! I re-read your original post just now and realised it was two weeks when you had the pcr test done. Yes, that is late, even for pcr, so the results could be impacted. Not sure how I missed that earlier. :s
It is hard to study transmission for ethical reasons. The few studies done have involved existing discordant couples (which may bias results), where one partner has genital Type 2. Genital Type 1 transmission seems rarely studied, if at all.
Assuming the worst -- that despite almost negligible circumstances, you managed to acquire presumably genital Type 1 -- it is hard to say what is safe now or not. On the one hand, Type 1 is not typically transmitted via intercourse. On the other hand, new infections are more infectious and shed more (certainly the case for Type 2), and you have only just recovered. Personally, I'd err on the side of caution.
That's a shame then. I feel let down by my doctor.
The entire first week I thought I had nothing because he said it was an abrasion. Then the second week, it's suddenly an ulcer that is healing. I'm not even in the denial stage anymore. I just feel angry now.
The logic I typed above is what my doctor told me today: "Based on the fact that the ulcer was healing already whe I first saw it, it looks healed now, your PCR coming up negative, and you're on five days of acyclovir while still on antiviral drugs, I say it is safe for you to have sex again"
I don't know what to do anymore. I feel defeated and the worst part is I feel like I can't bounce back from this. I've ruined the most perfect relationship of my life. I see my girlfriend in five hours. I don't know what I'm going to do. Tell her. Not to tell her. I don't know anymore...
If you have been faithful to her, then you most likely got it from her and she needs to know (if she doesn't already). If you cheated on her, well... Karma is a bitch. Not sure what else to say. If you cheated on her and you don't tell her and then you infect her, I think there is a special place in hell for you. Just saying. I think you know what to do.
I hear you. Thank you.
This is the only case that could have given me this condition. I have been faithful to her up until two weeks ago. During our relationship, we have had oral, vaginal, and anal sex all in one session, including vasts amount of lubrication. Nothing has ever happened to me or her.
I even followed up with the girl I got the handjob from. She does not show any signs of herpes either, although she most likely has it and just doesn't understand the disease.
There are a lot of layers to why I did what I did and what is wrong with me. I'm not going to say what I did wasn't wrong, but I think I understand why I did it.
What baffles me is that this isn't just some bad luck. It has to be a call from God honestly. The risk of transmission in my conditions is so low, doctor's just brush it off like it is nothing. Yet, here I am.
So, I have the talk with her in a few hours now.
Good luck... if she forgives you, keep her! You are very lucky. If she doesn't, you've learned a very powerful (and expensive) lesson.