I have posted all of my test results here for you to see and hopefully help me make sense of.. Please take a look and provide some insight.... I am totally confused!!!

Week 11 (Doctor #1):
Pockit test = negative
IgG type-specific Elisa (negative<0.9, positive>1.1)
HSV1= 0.54
HSV2= 4.14

Week 13 (Doctor #2):
Pockit test = negative

Week 15 (Doctor #3):
IgG type-specific Elisa (negative<.89, positive>.89)
HSV1= 0.20
HSV2= 3.44

Week 16 (Doctor #4):
pockit test = negative

Week 17 (Doctor #5):
WESTERN BLOT
HSV1 = negative
HSV2 = negative

If I was confused before, I am even moreso today. Please help me make sense of these results..

hey are you like rich?..hehe

question? what are you taking? OOO or valtrex and when did you contract herpes?

it may be that your body dealt with the virus in it's own way which if true is amazing!!

In response to your question, the encounter during which I believed I may have been exposed occurred approximately 20 weeks ago.

I only took (1) 5-day course of Acyclovir at approx week 12 or 13, when the MD that first tested me (the first ELISA test) gave me the prescription, believing that the general itchiness that I was feeling may have been attributed to herpes (although there were no lesions or rashes present).

Something is very wrong with that picture..

There should be no way that you tested positive 2 times in a row for hsv2 and then tested negative with a western blot.. That sounds very odd.

I agree that something is very odd, and uite honestly, extremely disturbing about my results. When my physician called me yesterday to give me the results of the Western Blot, I had to question him several times as to whether he was sure of this result. I only went to him to get this test done in the first place under the advice of another MD who could not perform the test. I was certain that I would receive a positive result on the Western Blot. The only thought that had even REMOTELY crossed my mind was the potential for cross-reactivity (therefore perhaps I would be positive for HSV 1, but even that thought lasted only 1.5 seconds.

I cannot express to you how frustrated I am....

edited edited

by the way,
i don't THINK Jax is necessarily getting all these tests because he/she is rich, or can easily afford them, but because there is alot of closure that has yet to come. Jax, your not a hypochondriac, your just duely concerned about what the hell is going on with these results and your health. I'm the same way and will spend the money if it means knowing for sure. Peace of mind is PRICELESS.

But, I DO hope you have insurance . HAHA

[This message has been edited by Colbe (edited 06-12-2003).]

Can you explain what all of these different tests are and how much they cost? (roughly)

Hi Giljax,

Those are VERY weird results! I totally understand your frustration! They just don't make much sense. It seems that you do have type-2 but why a Western Blot would show up as negative for both and POCkit shows negative for HSV-2, when Elisa clearly shows positive for HSV-2, is beyond me. Very, very strange.

My suggestion is to go to herpes.org (in this board's Resource Links) and ask Dr. H, a medical doctor who specialises in herpes and runs the site. He would probably be able to shed some light on the results and why they're so inconsistent. It might take him a bit of time to get back to you, but he will.

Please let us know what you find out!

TheOneInFour

I did in fact write to Dr. H, and this was his response:


"Thanks for writing. This is very odd. The fact that you have had a negative Western Blot, though, certainly suggests to me that you are, in fact, negative for both. The POCkit test and the Western Blot tend to go hand in hand with their predictability of HSV type 2. I think that, if you wish to have any further testing, repeat the Western Blot in three months. If it remains negative, then you are, in fact, negative. Make sure that the test is appropriately prepared and stored. Your doctor will hae to do that."

He's probably assuming you were exposed recently. When do you think you were infected (assuming you were)?

1in4

I believe I may have been exposed in Mid January, approximately 17 weeks before I had the Western Blot performed. The first tests (1st ELISA and 1st Pockit test) were performed approximately 6 weeks before the Western Blot (11 weeks post-exposure).

Hmm. Very perplexing. The blood tests usually give accurate results by 16 weeks, but they're not 100% foolproof. Pretty darn close, but not quite.

I think all you can do from here is, like Dr. H suggested, to test again in a couple of months and in the meantime take the usual precautions about having sex with partners.

The only other thing I can think of is to try to contact someone like Veridae in Vancouver, Canada, run by Dr. Stephen Sacks, one of the top experts in the field. They specialise in virus testing. Or maybe the CDC in Atlanta. Either of them might be able to explain the confusing results.

I don't envy you your situation. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif Have you posted the details of how you believe you were exposed to it? Sorry if you have, but I've been away from the board for a while and it could take me until next year to read all the stuff I missed! LOL If you've already posted, I'll look it up. If not, it might help if we knew the details.

TheOneInFour

[This message has been edited by TheOneInFour (edited 06-17-2003).]