Dr Warren, Please review my prior two posts before answering these questions. Yesterday was the first day I didn't had any headaches and feverish feeling. But when I wake up yesterday morning I had some tenderness/pain in my buttocks. I didn't think much about it until I came to work. I realized when I was sitting on my chair at work I felt burning sensation in my buttock and thights, possibly on calves too. I could only feel it on the left side. After returning from work I was laying down on my couch and the burning sensation was still there. Later when I went to bed it intensified and the burning in my buttocks would not go away. I had to turn on the fan to go to sleep. When I woke up this morning the burning has subsided but I have a left lower back pain close to my buttock. When I bend I can feel it. I am still feeling these sensation when I sit on the chair or drive but very mildly. The burning is there but very mild. I don't think I have itiching nor the shooting pain down my legs. I had mentioned about the butt pain in my first posting. But didn't mention the burning sensation I had at that time too. I used to have lower back problem for which I had to go for therapy. But I never had this burning sensation. Question: can it be prodrome ? Should I be expecting some sores in few days. If it is prodrome how long does it last before the first outbreak. 2. I also went for another blood test today after 5 and 1/2 weeks after exposure. If it comes negative in your opinion looking at my symptoms and complains what level of assurance would you have in % that I don't have herpes. In terms of % I just want your opinion. I understand it's not conclusive and is just your opinion based on my postings. I will keep the forum open for few days as I am getting new symptoms everyday. Thank you.

Based on your prior posting and then this posting, there is simply no reason for me to believe that these are prodromal symptoms of herpes.  Most people have some back discomfort from time to time - could you simply be far more aware of the sensations in your body because of your fear of herpes right now than at other times?  I understand that you are having some burning sensation in your buttocks but this is not a reason to believe that you have contracted genital herpes.  For all the people that read about burning associated with herpes and worry that based on that, they have herpes, I would say less than 5% actually end up testing positive for herpes.  If your test is negative at 5.5 weeks, there is a 70% chance it will stay negative at a final test at 12 weeks. 

Terri
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Dr Warren, I got my HSV 2 test results. For HSV 2 both IGM and IGG were negative at 5 and half weeks. I find this result a little comforting. If I was were patient and not that concerned about HSV 2 as I am , referring to my symptoms would you recommend me for another test? Also I know you have 70 % estimate. But again if I was your patient, and with negative test results and no lesions up to this point would you be fairly confident it's not HSV 2 or would there still be questions or questions in your expert opinion? That being said, after I mentioned about burning sensation, I have some pain in my feet as well. My feet seems burning and also I am feel some tingling sensation. As far as tingling goes it's in my feel and sometime I feel like it's in my calfs and things. It just last for literally few seconds. Probably I would not even notice if I was not this concern. Does the HSV 2 tingling feel the same way , very mild ( almost to the point which makes me think it's there since I am thinking about it) Do you think I am overthink way too much then the real symptom would be? I would think with lesions and the fact you are stating every time it's not a symptom of herpes and negative test at 5 weeks mark, it's almost I don't have it? Could IGM negative have any significance at this point. It has to create some IGMantibodies right. The only question is the timing and positive results. Since my test were at 2 weeks and 5 weeks, IGM negative , wouldn't it have any significance or it is still worthless? Thanks 

The biggest problem with the IgM test is false positives, not false negatives. 
I think  your symptoms are really unlikely to be related to a herpes infection.  The vast majority of people who post here and on my other board with simply pain in the legs or lower extremities and tingling eventually test negative by IgG - I would say 95% when the only symptom is those listed above, no lesions, who have had a negative test in the past and have a contact that concerns them.  In my experience, the neurologic pain experienced by some people with herpes is not fleeting like yours is, no.

Terri
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Dr. Warren, thanks for your replies. I wanted some clarification on your comments. When you say "fleeting " what exactly do you meaning. Short lived or moving swiftly. My numerological pain started last week Thursday evening. I felt burning sensation my my butt and thights. Next morning I wake up I had pain in my left lower back as if it was a pinched nerve. Same day in the afternoon at work my left feet started to burn whereas my back pain seemed to subside. For the next two days I had like a nerve pain in my feet. Right now I only have pain my my feet no pain in things or buttock or lower back. My feet pain is like a general nerve pain all over. When I stand I feels pain and needles pain and it's burning. I think it's milder then the other days. Usually it's worse as day progresses. You don't think a resembelence of this pain to the pain the herpes causes? Also when you say 95% do you mean I have 95% change not testing positive by 3 months mark? 

By fleeting, I mean lasting only a few seconds, per your statement.
When I say 95%, I mean that in my own personal experience, when people start describing nerve pain that they worry might be herpes,  only without lesions, 95% of the time they test negative for HSV 2 at the 3 month mark, post some concerning exposure.  In my opinion, the whole issue of nerve pain associated with herpes has just blown up into something way bigger than it used to be.  Yes, some people may experience pain down the back of the leg prior to an outbreak.  I get a pain in the upper branch of the trigeminal nerve before getting a cold sore - I get it completely.  But this has morphed into many people who have nerve pain translating that into genital herpes!  I would like you to realize that while herpes is possible in this situation, it is not at all likely. 

Terri
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