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looks like herpes, acts like herpes, all tests negative.
An_244077 posted:
A timeline:

Summer 2008: one-time sexual contact with only questionable partner (claims to have neither HSV1 or 2), used a condom, which broke

June 2011: last sexual contact with current partner before initial outbreak

August 2011: caught a cold, then noticed genital symptoms. Went to doctor, who said it looked exactly like herpes. Cuture was negative, doctor tested for IGM and IGG. IGG was negative, IGM positive, so doctor said I had a recent infection, despite my repeated claims that I could not have acquired herpes that recently. From what I've read online it seems like I can discount the IGM as an unreliable test; I simply make plans to get tested again a few months later.

September 2011: again, got sick and then had an outbreak, much worse than the time before. Went to my gyn very early on; she said it looked like nothing she had seen before but could possibly be herpes. Put me on acyclovir, which didn't really seem to do much.

November 2011: Went in for a blood test to follow up (3.5 months after first outbreak, 5 months after last sexual contact, 3.5 years after contact with only "questionable" partner), came back negative. Gyn suggested it may have been some sort of fluke yeast/bacterial infection (which was never tested for) and that I shouldn't worry about it unless symptoms reoccurred. My SO also got tested and was negative.

March 2012: flulike symptoms, followed by another outbreak. Had to wait a few days to see gyn, but culture came back negative, as did swabs for bacteria and yeast. Visually she said it definitely looked like herpes.

Basically, I'm at a loss for what could be going on here. I know the virus can be latent for years, but I don't understand why it wouldn't have shown up on a blood test if I had it. Are there other things that cause recurrent symptoms like this? I don't have the money to keep testing and retesting, and I don't want to take antivirals if I don't have the disease, but I'd really like these outbreaks to stop and to avoid infecting my SO or autoinoculating myself in another location.

Basically my questions are: at what point do I stop assuming it's herpes? Are there other things which would cause identical symptoms? What steps do I take from here to achieve a concrete diagnosis?
abe648 responded:
To rule out herpes the next time you get what you think is an ob go and be seen in 48 hrs of less and get the area swabbed/cultured. If you are going to do a swab it has to be done within 48 hrs or less from when you first notice symptoms for best results.

The other alternative is to get a Western Blot test done and that can be done through Quest labs. If you gyn does not know the correct test just get her to order it and when you go to quest labs tell them that you want a Western blot test done. This is the best test for times when herpes is not showing up. If the western blot comes back negative then you can stop worrying about herpes and look for other solutions as to what is causing this issue.
wonderingwth responded:
I just wanted to let you know you are not alone.All my test are negitive also(7 of them) I have been going thru this also for a few years now.I too would like to know what is going on and can not afford the test.The medicine does not work for me ither.It seems to come like a period and I do not get those aanymore.I am 52yrs and wonder Why!!
Anon_2000 replied to wonderingwth's response:
This does not realy sound like herpes but it could be. Talk to your provider and set up an agreement the next time you get this issue make sure that you can be seen in less than 48 hours from when you first notice it and get it swabbed/cultured/typed so you know what it is that is giving you the problems. The culture should tell you at that time if it is herpes or something else that is going on down yonder.

If you did get a type specific igg blood test done then get a copy of your igg blood tests and post the numeric values here so someone can confirm if it is herpes or not.
mhscard replied to Anon_2000's response:
Where do you list your test for herpes at I have been told my 4 different DR I do not have herpes but I hurt down past my waist sometimes it fills like something crawiling on me
helpinghand123 replied to mhscard's response:
gonorrhea has all the same symptoms as hurps, and the good new is there is a cure for that so ask your doctor it check for that
helpinghand123 responded:
If you do not have herpes ask to get checked for the clap it has the same symptoms, and the great news is there is a cure for the clap

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how do you feel towards the ONE WHO GAVE YOU HERPES
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