Hi...I just received my test results after only waiting 9 weeks post possible exposure (I know 12-16 weeks is how long I should wait, but I just needed to take some sort of action) My results were:
HSV1 .17
HSV2 .13

Is this at all promising? I understand that I need to retest and will definitely retest at the 12 week mark, but can I take a few moments of solace in these numbers. I read on mesdcape that 98% of people will show antibodies by 6 weeks. Aren't these numbers pretty low. The symptoms I've been having have not been typical lesions, but have been scarry including pain in my legs and buttocks, pain on one side of my vulva and 3-4 pimples on my buttocks all at different times. Just general discomfort down there which has never happened to me. I feel like my body is betraying me.

Hi Sunnie,

I'm not well versed in the number results of blood tests, but I'm assuming these numbers are within the "negative" range still. So far so good, if so. But I don't know that you can judge what might happen later by what the numbers are now. Talk to your doc about the results to find out if they're positive or negative and retest at the 16 week mark. Relax, de-stress, focus on something else for a while. The stress alone will make your body do weird things. Is there some reason (besides your symptoms) that you think you might have herpes?

1in4

Thanks 1in4. I've been very concerned since I had a one night stand back in June. I thought maybe alot of what I was feeling was a case of the guilts over doing something that I never should have or have done before, but I can't image my mind causing such havoc on my body. I will definitely retest at 12-16 weeks, but maybe i can just relax for the next couple of weeks and deal with it when need be.

"...pain in my legs and buttocks, pain on one side of my vulva and 3-4 pimples on my buttocks all at different times. Just general discomfort down there which has never happened to me."

All of these things could have a perfectly normal explanation. Most of us get pimples and similar skin disruptions at various times, which could change somewhat with hormone levels, food eaten and other influences on our systems, including stress. Pain could be all kinds of things. You don't say how severe, but again there could be a variety of explanations for this.

I think much of this is probably regret and guilt and worry, whether or not it is also herpes. I'd suggest you get a handle on the guilt part while you're waiting to retest, which is a good idea regardless of what your physical diagnosis is.

You might want to ask yourself why you allowed yourself to do something that is apparently so counter to your value system. I think there are reasons why we do things that we later regret, and to get past and learn from it, it helps to understand the underlying reasons in a non-judgemental way. Maybe you're lonely and were vulnerable, in which case you need to find other ways to deal with that which aren't as risky and don't conflict with your value system. That's just an example of what *might* be going on for you, but you get the idea.

Anyway, good luck! I hope this has helped a bit. And I hope it turns out to be just stress-related and you don't have herpes. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

1in4