LOOKING FOR ANSWERS

I was diagnosed with hsv1 &2 this past tuesday. Hsv 1 was found in my blood and hsv2 on my genital after a swab test was administered. I wasnt sexually active for a month in a half before I found sores down below. I've been with the same guy on and off for the past year. He told me received oral from another girl earlier this year after our first break up. Could it have came from that incident over 8-9 months ago? I'm having a hard time with how this happened. It seemed like it came out of nowhere. Before and during this relationship I was getting tested ever 6 months my results came back negative. I had a baby before I met him and they ran test just about every week and ever time I would be negative. I've been on google for the pass 4 days trying to find out what the difference between the two and how could I have them both? I've never had a cold sore before but I do have sores on my lady parts. The nurse practitioner that diagnosed me said hsv1 can cause hsv2? I'm embarrassed, pissed off, ashamed, scared, anxious, just to names a few emotions that I've been going through. I only told my mom and a cousin that can relate. The only information that I do have on this virus is coming from google and its driving me crazy. Can anyone shed some light during this dark time. Please and thank you.

HSV1 does not cause HSV2. That’s easy enough to answer! They’re similar viruses, but they are two distinct viruses. Just like Burger King and McDonald’s are fast food burger joints, they’re two separate restaurants. Sadly, many medical professionals are woefully uneducated about HSV.

Oral HSV1 is extremely common and most adults have it. Most of us pick it up as children. Only a third of those with oral HSV1 ever have a cold sore, so it’s also very common to be asymptomatic.

If you had a swab test positive for HSV2 but the blood test (hopefully the IgG test) was negative, then you have a new infection. If you haven’t had other partners in the past four months, then it’s possible that your on again/off again boyfriend has HSV2. The oral encounter you described seems really unlikely. HSV2 strongly prefers the genitals, and is quite rare orally, so the chances that someone had it orally and gave it to him genitally doesn’t seem nearly as plausible as him having HSV2 all along and not realizing it.

Most STI panels do not test for HSV, so many people have it, but are completely unaware, making it that much easier to transmit.

Here’s a short handbook written by a clinician who ran her own STD clinic for 30-something years, researches HSV and is the herpes expert at WebMD. (Her full book is fabulous and easy to read too.)

https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/

It’s normal to experience the flood of emotions you described. Education and time go a long way toward feeling normal again. {{{hugs}}}

Thank you so much for replying. I need to find a medical professional that actually knows what their talking about. She did give me valacyclovir and acyclovir and the sores have cleared up. So when I to go to a new doctor will they still be able to test me again for Hsv2 or would I have to have another ob?

A blood test can be done anytime, but you need to be having an outbreak to have a swab test done. Are you concerned that the tests you had done might be inaccurate?

No I'm pretty sure the test that was done was accurate. I read the handbook that you suggested and thank you for that by the way. It did say that since it was my first outbreak hsv2 may not be in my blood just yet. I had a positive swab test for hsv2 but it wasnt in my blood only hsv1. I was confused when she said I had hsv2 but it was cause by hsv1 because they didn't find hsv2 in my system.

The blood tests don’t measure the actual virus like the swab tests do. The blood tests measure antibodies, and it can take a few weeks for your body to make enough to be detected on a blood test when you have a new infection.