[Question #11093] Help!
17 months ago
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Hi,
Thank you so much for your help. I have a complicated situation and would love some help trying to navigate this. I have routinely been getting tested for stds since I became sexually active. I have always tested negative for everything. About 11 years ago I received oral sex from someone, there was no ejaculation and the oral sex didn't last more than 2 minutes. I instantly became anxiety driven and my mind went down various rabbit holes. I developed these these small pimples on my shaft that never popped or crusted over. They went away in about a week but left a light discoloration on my shaft in the same shape as the pimples. It went around my shaft as if it was a ring. I've heard of hsv breakouts on thighs and buttocks. I've had breakouts on my thighs when it gets hot out and I swear a lot from working outside. Same with my buttocks but nothing ever painful or clustered. They were never painful. I took a full panel std test about and everything came back negative. About 3 years later I was tested again and I tested positive for Hsv and it was a low positive of 1.4. countless test later I continue to test negative all the test are blood off test. I did take the western blot which came back positive but I'm continuing to test negative and every other test I take. It's safe to say I'm going a bit crazy and down this rabbit hole. I'm not sure what to do and would love some advice. Should I just stop testing and assume I'm negative? My biggest fear is transmitting something to future partners.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
17 months ago
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You don't indicate if your positive test was for HSV 1 or HSV 2. Can you confirm?
If the western blot was positive (are you sure it was the western blot from UW?) then you are positive, but please clarify HSV 1 or HSV 2
Terri Warren
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17 months ago
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The western blot from the university of Washington came back positive for hsv 1 but all of my blood igg test and PCR test have come back negative. I understand that the blood igg misses 30% but I've taken well over 5 test now and all have come back negative. Ive never had an outbreak that I can remember. Would you consider the possible pimples on the shaft of my penis an outbreak? Or the rash on my leg that happens in the summer when I'm working outdoors? They were never painful and were never oozing. I look forward to hearing from you
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
17 months ago
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If I had to GUESS, I would say the bumps on your penis, more likely, as HSV 1 can be transmitted from the mouth the genitals and then rarely recurs there.
The western blot is way better than the IgG, especially for HSV 1 and I've had many patients who were negative repeatedly on the IgG and positive on the blot for HSV 1.
Terri
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17 months ago
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Is it normal for herpes to cause bumps, not scab over and leave behind a discolored lighter tone of the skin? Is it normal to not have another outbreak in the last decade? Despite constant stressers and various sickness such as the flu and covid. I also vaguely remember when I got mono as a kid I had these white pimples on my lips which took about a week to disappear. I assumed they were cold sores at the time without realizing that meant herpes but now i don't know what to believe because my genital situation may have been something. I'm sorry I'm just very confused with all this. They really need better testing. Thank you so much so far and I look forward to hearing from you.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
17 months ago
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Normally herpes lesions will scab so that's not usual but they often do leave a lighter tone of the skin where they were. HSV 1 rarely recurs genitally.
No need to apologize for asking questions. I can't give you a 100% answer about the genital lesions - just an impression due to the timing you describe after the sexual encounter. If you get another, be sure to have it swab tested, OK?
Terri
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