Anyone Gotten False positive hv1? or Herpes without blisters so worried

I am 36 and super active and healthy. I have what I thought was a raging yeast infection for the last 8 days. I went to the ER over the weekend because I was in so much pain. I was worried about it being herpes. The ER doc told me based on his visual diagnosis that it was NOT herpes. the labs came back negative for yeast, but I had been doing over the counter treatments which I was told could alter the results. I went to see my regular Dr on Monday because there was no improvement after taking the yeast infection pill. I don't have blisters that have liquid in them. I have super painful spots where my skin has deteriorated they are concave but round. I have not had the classic discharge from a yeast infection but most everything else fits. although there seem to be many similarities in the symptoms. I had my Dr run every STD test available and the type 1 herpes blood test came back positive. Now my Dr wants to do a swab test to confirm but I don't have blisters to test. Is a positive test result definitive?

All this not knowing is seriously messing with my mental health. I'm so worried not having answers. It's so hard for me to be positive. I'm super stressed right now in my own life. I'm a single mom with 5 kids and 2 of my girls are struggling with anxiety and depression right now. It's also the anniversary of me loosing my parents. I am crumbling. I just started school full time. I don't know how I can keep up with all of this. It hurts! On top of everything, my boyfriend of 3 months has also developed symptoms. He has not seen a Dr yet because of money issues and waiting on me to find out more.

Any advice/support is greatly appreciated.

The more I research the more afraid all of this is making me.

Hi, @elizabethvictorious. First of all, I’m sorry about the loss of your parents. Whether that happened a year ago or 10+ years ago, it’s understandable it would really weigh on you today. {{{hugs}}}

Do you know what kind of blood test you had done? IgM tests are notoriously unreliable and their results should be discarded. If you had an IgG test done (the right kind of test), and the index value (the numerical value) was over 3.5, then the positive result is definitive. I would start by asking your doctor to see the actual lab report so you can see which test you had done. I would also let your doctor try swabbing the affected area. If the sores are inside, you might get enough for a sample. It’s worth a shot, IMHO.

The blood tests don’t tell you where on your body you have the virus, only that you have it. The majority of adults have HSV1 (more commonly oral, but genital HSV1 is increasingly common). The more I’ve learned—while scary initially—the better I’ve felt. If you haven’t seen this handbook, I think it’s a great place to start for basic, accurate information: https://www.westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/

I sincerely hope you’re able to find some relief from your symptoms soon. Hopefully with the help of your doctor, you can get to the bottom of this!

P.S. If you’re a single mom to five kids, you’re tougher than herpes. :) Whether this is an outbreak or a different issue entirely, it’s hard to be strong about anything when you’re having chronic pain. {{{hugs}}}

Thank you for your kind response! I lost my parents 14 years apart. This is the first year since I lost my Dad.

I am unsure of what the exact blood test was. I have another appointment tomorrow with my Dr. So I will definitely find out more details. I was able to go in yesterday and do a swab that they are testing. I should know more answers tomorrow. For today I have chosen that I have to accept this diagnosis. I feel so broken by it but know I can't stay stuck. My life has to continue. I told my boyfriend and he is supportive. I still have a lot of unanswered questions moving forward. My symptoms are getting better but I'm still super uncomfortable and terrified I will never be able to have sex again. I also don't know how I got it so I have to tell my previous partners too. It's a lot to deal with on top of my already super hectic full life. I'm trying to he positive. But struggling.

I’m so glad you’re seeing your doctor again tomorrow so you’ll be able to get some more information. Pain has a way of feeling eternal....like it will never end....and that can really affect how we psychologically process things. When it’s hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel, just put one foot forward. I’m all for telling previous partners who may have been exposed, but that does not have to be at the top of your list. It can wait until you’ve at least been able to get past your primary outbreak and you’re feeling better physically. It’s amazing how much we can say no to if we need some breathing room! Ask me if I give a crap that I desperately need to vacuum and mop floors. Yeah, it needs to be done, but when I’m under stress, there’s only so many hours in a day, and I have to choose between exercise to keep my sanity or vacuuming, sanity wins every time.

What you’re feeling right now is really, really normal! Most of us hit a slump right after diagnosis. It’s a loss of sorts (loss of control, loss of perceived health, loss of the possibility for attaining perfection, fear of loss regarding partners, future partners, your sex life, judgement, etc.) and it’s common to go back and forth through the stages of grief. I read a book about grief when I divorced a few years ago, I referred to it often in the months after my own diagnosis, and I’m reading it again as I prepare to say goodbye to my 15 year-old golden retriever in a few weeks. The similarities between three very different experiences are uncanny.

I’m not a mental health expert, but I strongly believe that if we don’t allow ourselves to feel sadness or grief over a loss, those emotions will manifest later on or in different ways. At the same time, we don’t want you to stay stuck in sadness forever either! :) You’ll find your own way to move forward, I have no doubt about that. But for this moment, it’s okay to stop and rest for a bit too. My therapist recently told me that hope is a byproduct of grief. For some reason I really found that comforting.

Reading the experiences of others has really opened my eyes to how it IS possible to be happy, life a full life, have great sex, and be loved in spite of HSV. When it’s hard to believe myself, I get a lot of hope and optimism from this community. We’re here to support you, virtually hug you, and cheer you on. :)

I got my lab results and now I am even more confused because the swab test came back positive for hsv 2. Does that mean that I was exposed sooner since hsv 2 didn't show up on my blood test?

I am trying to figure out how I could have gotten this and spread to my boyfriend or maybe I got it from him?!