AboutMark Behar Expertise Almost any question or concern about sexually transmitted infections, abnormal Pap smears, anal cytology (anal "Pap smears"), gay men's health issues.
There is no such thing as “d/d free” or “clean” (free of infection), so why do so many of us deceive ourselves into thinking that some people are indeed totally free from a potentially infectious disease, like HIV, herpes, hepatitis, syphilis, chlamydia, warts, gonorrhea, etc., just because they say so? Clinical laboratory tests are not perfect, and having a “negative” or “nonreactive” test does not mean that a person is free from infection. Perhaps at the moment the test was taken, the person was uninfected; or, perhaps, the test wasn’t sensitive enough to detect presence of the infection. There is really no way that anyone can determine that they are truly “disease free,” and there are over a hundred of infectious conditions that can be spread without your knowing anything.
Rather than trying to “prescreen” or “serosort” a potential sex-mate with deceptive questions that are impossible to know by today’s technologies, a wiser option may be to consider everyone infected with something, and either use appropriate protective measures (“safer sex”), or accept the responsibility and conseqences of possibly “catching” something from someone who’s hotter than expected (pun intended!).
There is much research that supports the contention that an HIV positive person reliably taking HIV medications, and having an undetectable viral load, presents a lower risk for transmission of HIV than people who may think or say they are HIV negative, but are not. Food for thought!
Experience Family Practice PA since 1981;
Volunteer Clinician for Brady East STD (BESTD) Clinic, Milwaukee, since 1977; answer STD questions submitted to their web site.
Professionally lectured at national and regional Physician Assistant and Nurse Practitioner conferences, and at national gay & lesbian health conferences on topics including HIV/AIDS, herpes, hepatitis, STDs, human papilloma virus (the cause of venereal warts), abnormal Pap smears, gay and lesbian health issues, among others.
Organizations Co-Founder, Lesbian, Bisexual, & Gay Physician Assistant Caucus of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, Inc.;
Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants;
American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP); Board of Directors, National Association of Black and White Men Together: A Gay, Multiracial Organization for All People (NABWMT)
Publications Journal of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (JAPA)
Education/Credentials Physician Assistant Certified, since 1982;
Masters in Physician Assistant Studies;
Colposcopy Recognition Award, American Society of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP);
Awards and Honors Colposcopy Recognition Award (CRA), from the American Association of Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology;
Distinguished Fellow, American Academy of Physician Assistants;
Fellow, Wisconsin Academy of Physician Assistants
Past/Present Clients Brady East STD Clinic, Milwaukee, WI
Question QUESTION: I've been monogomous for over three years and recently my husband had his lab work done and we requested for herpes blood work and they all came out negative. His doctor told him that according to his blood work, that he's never been exposed to HSV2, is that possible?
Any way so last night I started to have an itch on the inside of my vagina near the lower right lip. I started scratching and by the end of the night I can feel that it was swollen compared to the left lip. I don't have any discharge. There is no tingling just itchy. I read that herpes can be misdiagnosed as yeast infection? Again I have no odd discharge.
I am worried because I don't have insurance right now.
ANSWER: Hello Katie,
It sounds more like a vaginal yeast infection, than herpes. Yeast can cause itching and swelling without discharge. Herpes almost always causes a blister, ulcer, or sore of some sort-- sometimes unnoticeable.
You may wish to find a local Planned Parenthood, who may be able to provide you with low cost, high quality care.
Good luck!
--mark
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thank you for your quck response Mark. You've really put me at ease. I am so glad that there are people like you who do good for strangers.
Actually my symptoms have subsided overnight. It's still a bit tender in that area but I assume it's because of the scratching.
Do you still recommend that I get tested if my husband is negative? If according to his doctor he's never been exposed to HSV2, then that would mean I don't have it right?
If I do need to get tested, I'm thinking of doing it with one of those labs online. Do you know of any reputable tests or companies?
Thank you
Answer Hello Again, Katie,
No, I do not recommend getting any antibody tests for herpes, because the tests are difficult to interpret. What if your antibody tests are positive? What does it really mean? It won't tell you when you may have previously been infected, or how it happened, or anything else that is useful!
Unless you develop an actual sore, ulcer, or blister I would not waste money on an antibody (blood) test. As far as I know, there are NO REPUTABLE labs online. Counseling is a necessary component of any testing; such internet labs cannot do effective counseling.
