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I just recieved a positive test for HSV-2 but haven't had an outbreak

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rwd1107
rwd1107

im currently in a tough situation. I'm away at college and have had the same girlfriend now for over a year. We had sex almost everyday, sometimes multipe times. I started to get some lacerations on my penis from the friction but they would go away after we would take a break. I just found out however that my ex-girlfriend has herpes. I thought this could of been a rumor since I'm in college but my girlfriend insisted that I go and get tested for everything.

Since i'm postingin this discussion you can geuss what came back postive. HSV-2.

The worst part was having to tell my girlfriend that i had this and she probably does too, BUT ater she went and got tested her results came back NEGATIVE.

So now I am left here, told that I have HSV-2 without ever having an outbreak and with my girlfriend, who i've made gentail open wound contact with  ( the lacerations ), that is negative and don't know what to do.

I am an out of state student so i was tested through the student health services and probably going to try and find another doctor to get tested again.

I guess my qeustion here is: is this normal ? Could there have been a mistake in my diagnoses? Can we continue to have sex like we have been doing ?

 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • FelizCastus
    FelizCastus rwd1107

    Posted

    Herpes does not always have symptoms and does not always pass each time you have sex, because it does not shed in sufficient quantities all of the time. However, it does shed on average between 15-30% of days, at random, and not always with symptoms, so you can't always tell when that is happening, but when it is, you can pass it on.

    A lot comes down to luck, sort of like Russian roulette. I got it from one occasion. Others get it months after being with someone. In new relationships where it was not known that one partner had HSV-2, around 4 months of sexual relations was reportedly the average for passing it on.

    So, to answer your questions, yes, it falls within the realm of "normal"; I would consider yourself positive and manage your relationships that way, unless proven otherwise (err on the side of safety first); and if you and your current gf (or future gfs) both do not want her to contract it, then, no, you should not continue to have sex like you have been. You need to wrap up and consider daily suppressive meds, otherwise it will always be a gamble for her.

    For your future reference, too, genital HSV-2 puts you at increased risk for acquiring HIV if ever sexually exposed, regardless of whether or not you have symptoms, lacerations, etc. Safe sex is a must for you, too.

    Out of interest, how long ago was your relationship with your ex, and how long did it last? Just trying to gauge how long you could have had it, if you definitely do have it. I'm assuming the sex was unprotected, and since it's rumoured she has herpes, she must have known her status. Smh. Are you able to "report" her to campus sexual health services or whatever? When you and your current gf tested, which test did you both do? IgG, IgM, something else? How did you score on the test?

    • rwd1107
      rwd1107 FelizCastus

      Posted

      Its hard to even call her my ex. We would have drunk sex basically on the weekends and sometimes during the week. This lasted halfway through a semester, a break over the summer becuase i went home, and then the entire fall semester. She did not inform me that she was positive, she still hasn't. I haven't told her I have it because I'd rather not have her talk about with her friends and I might just freak the F#$% out on her. I'm still having trouble taking this all in and a little embarrased. I was told she slept around even when i was with her and continues to do it i'm sure. I'm not sure if I can "report" her or not but I will find out. 

      As for my girlfriend getting tested, she has been getting cold sores on her lips her whole lip (none since we have been together) so she her gyno told her they wouldnt be able to do blood tests becase she would come back positive for HSV-1 and possibly HSV-2. So they swabbed the inside of her vagina and had that tested. 

      I'm confused about your last question, what test?

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus rwd1107

      Posted

      I don't know if they can really do anything, but if she's knowingly engaging in unsafe sex with gHSV-2 and recklessly exposing/infecting other students, they should probably be informed. Just an idea.

      If your gf has Type 1 orally, she can still test for Type 2. Yes, the Type 1 may cause a false low positive, but if she scores a high positive (e.g., over 3.5), it's likely true. And that's what I was asking about your test. Did you test for IgG antibodies, and if so, what was your index value? Most herpes antibody tests give a score, not a simple pos/neg. If you don't know how you were tested and diagnosed, ask for a copy of your lab report.

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus

      Posted

      Also, your gf testing negative by swab means nothing. A person with genital herpes only has outbreaks or viral shedding *sometimes*. If you test by swab outside of those times, when the virus is latent, it will of course be negative. But that doesn't mean a person is not carrying the virus, just that it's not currently active. The IgG antibody test tells you whether or not it's in your system, latent or not, because it is not looking for the virus itself, but the body's immune response to having the virus.
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