About a year ago I had some vaginal itching and when I went to get tested it came back positive for Chlamydia. Since then I have been tested for every except HSV because I’ve never had blisters or ulcers etc.

However, every month for the last year I have had vaginal itching, not super intense and not constant but itching still. I’ve also had vaginal burning inside my vagina. It often happens during my period but it also happens when I’m not on my period. Sometimes it will burn for two weeks out of the month. It’s not super bad burning anymore but at first it hurt to even put a tampon in. It also seemed somewhat swollen. I went to UCLA for a check up and they said I had a rash on the outside. I asked if it was herpes and he laughed and said no. I also tested negative for BV and yeast multiple times. 

During the beginning of this I also had an abscess on my perineum. It started out as a small hard lump and grew about the size of a grape and then popped and had pus and blood. The doctors said it was nothing and just happens sometimes. I also noticed one time upon examining myself that there was a very small paper cut like cut on my perineum area but it went away in two days without scanning etc. 

I have really bad health anxiety and I have PCOS also which makes my hormone levels shift extremely. My estrogen at one point was below 5 which is in the postmenopausal range. And it constantly goes up and down. I have been on birth control the entire time and I am thinking about getting off but my question is should I be concerned that this is HSV? I haven’t been tested because I know I have HSV 1 orally because I occasionally get cold sores there. However I have never had anything of the sort in my vaginal area. I don’t know if HSV could cause burning literally every month for 14 months but was curious because it has started to freak me out a bit. 

I do have a history of dermatitis and really dry skin in the recent years. Please let me know your thoughts on this

Thank you for visiting our forum and asking your question. Herpes does not present as something that goes on every month for 14 months. I'm sure that during that time, you have been evaluated in person multiple times to try to sort out what's going on in your genital area. If you did do an antibody test for herpes, it would be positive for type I due to your cold sore history. What you would be looking for is your type II status. The IgG test for type II picks up 92% of infections and has about  a 3% false positive rate.  We can sort out false positives by doing a follow-up test called a herpes Western blot.  Or alternatively, you could start with herpes Western blot, the most accurate antibody test for herpes. Your symptoms really don't sound like herpes to me. It sounds like you have some hormonal stuff that needs to get worked on and that may help with your symptoms. But if you do decide to test for herpes, I hope the information I have provided Will be useful for you.

Terri

Thanks for your response. I have been evaluated more times than I can count this past year and all of my doctors have told me that my vagina seems irritated but I have never had nor have they or I seen any lesions, sores, blisters etc. That being said, I know the testing for HSV is a controversial topic. Many doctors do not suggest it without symptoms and many do just to be safe because often there are no symptoms in a lot of people. I have never had any worries before this started happening nor have any partners of mine ever had genital herpes to my knowledge or complained to me about sores, blisters, etc. after sex. 

Do you think I should get tested or wait and see if stopping my birth control etc helps my burning situation? I feel like I may have mild Vulvodynia due to my birth control? But I really have no clue? It’s a very strange burning that seems to occur whenever it wants. I haven’t worn tampons in almost a year because they’re too painful now. It also seems to occasionally burn when I pee but not like something that got in to a cut, more like how it feels after you go swimming. Which is a weird explanation I know and it’s not painful when that happens, more so just odd. Just wondering your thoughts on everything! Thanks for your information!! I appreciate it!

You can ignore my last post. However, I was wondering what you think of the DBS (dried blood spot) test for HSV2? Are they accurate or no? Specifically MyLabBox... I have heard mixed things and am not sure what to think. I’ve heard it’s igG but supposedly different ranges than the normal igG test? Not sure why? Please let me know your thoughts on DBS as a way of testing for HSV2

I have now had at least one person, possibly two test positive on MyLabBox and negative by the western blot.  I have tried to have discussions with them through a third party that know us both but without success.  This concerns me GREATLY.  You don't get an index value with the DBS, I don't think - not sure how you could.  If you are going to test, I would recommend the western blot first, the IgG with an index value second.  At this point, I cannot recommend MyLabBox. 

It is too bad that you cannot find a clinician who will swab your genital area when you have these symptoms.  You don't have to have a lesion to shed virus, we can recover virus from tissue that looks 100% normal.  What city do you live in?

Terri