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Diagnostic blood test

Posted , 3 users are following.

Talullah
Talullah

I keep reading about people having a blood test to see whether they have the virus but the GP here, in the UK, says you can't see whether you have it with a blood test; the only way they diagnose it is by taking swabs of blisters. Can anyone tell me how they organised the blood test and whether that is in the UK and any other information about it. Thanks.

1 like, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • rosephoebe
    rosephoebe Talullah

    Posted

    That's somewhat true. When I was first diagnosed witb Type 1, they swabbed tbe area. The virus only becomes active when you have an outbreak, so during the rest of tbe time where it's "inactive" or "dormant", you obviously will not have an outbreak so therefore nothing picks up on bloodtests during those times. I had another test to check if I really did have the virus a year later because I never had a breakout after my first so I thought maybe it wasn't the Type 1 virus, but they said pretty much exactly what I just explained.
    • Victoria11183
      Victoria11183 rosephoebe

      Posted

      does that mean someone can be a carrier and pass it on yet never have an outbreak and never know they even have it????
    • Talullah
      Talullah Victoria11183

      Posted

      Exactly! And that is what makes this little bugger so mean; people can have it for years and years and years, never have symptoms, then sleep with someone, have an outbreak and then blame the poor, new partner for infecting them when meanwhile, they are the infectious person!
    • Victoria11183
      Victoria11183 Talullah

      Posted

      thats scary....... im kind of speechless. the internet says 1 in 5 people have it but the numbers must be higher than that. maybe only 1 in 5 is aware they have it
  • Victoria11183
    Victoria11183 Talullah

    Posted

    last week i noticed what i thought was a rash from wearing a pad for too long on a hot day (i usually only use tampons) & i went to the dr she did swabs & told me it was all clear, but today she tells me there is hsv2 in my blood, im so shattered. ive been with my fiancee for 2 yrs & have never in my life had any issue down there besides thrush twice
    • Talullah
      Talullah Victoria11183

      Posted

      How did she find out you have it in your blood? That's what I want to know; I understand that if you aren't having an outbreak, the virus won't show up in the blood test but antibodies should show up. I want to know if there is a blood test to check for HSV antibodies. People on this forum keep talking about a blood test that was done but the UK GP says there is no blood test.
    • rosephoebe
      rosephoebe Victoria11183

      Posted

      About 60-80% of people live with virus but hey have no idea they've got it because they've never had an outbreak. That's why so many people actually have it but don't know and then blame other people for giving it to them. 
    • Victoria11183
      Victoria11183 Talullah

      Posted

      im actually not sure now if it is the virus or the antibodies that has been detected. she says im having an outbreak but its on the outer edge of my underwear, & theres no itching no pain & doesnt look like blisters thats why im kind of struggling to understand it right now
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