I have been misdiagnosed twice for having herpes

[Unregistered]

it has been a very very long road to finally getting a CONFIRMED diagnosis of Fungal Infection on January 6, 2010!!! This was one of the happiest days of my life. It has really changed my outlook and the way I feel about myself. I don't have to suffer the shame of Herpes.

It all began for me in July 2003, when I was first misdiagnosed with herpes. I went to my former primary care doctor, with this "mysterious red rash." The doctor immediately said, oh you got genital herpes. She said it with such glee. She scolded me for not being careful, etc. I felt so ashamed. She took a cotton swab and wiped the rash and sent it to a lab for confirmation. It came back with both a negative and a positive. I ask her why. She said, "sometimes it takes two tests to get a positive read.
I was devastated. She tried to give me Herpes meds, i refused. My partner is clean. I went to get a second opinion. I never returned to the First Doctor I saw in 2003. The next outbreak occured in 2006. I went to a different clinic, one that specializes in std's. I thought this would be better. Of course, the doctor at this clinic, looked at the rash and said oh this looks like genital herpes....she wanted to give me meds, i refused. She did submit a sample to the lab and it too came back positive.

I still didn't think i had herpes because my partner TESTED negative for herpes and all other stds. That was my clue that i was being MISDIAGNOSED. So in 2008, i got a rash the exact same rash in the same place as always, i went back to the same doctor i saw in 2006. She took one quick look and said NO, absolutely that is NOT herpes rash. I was shocked. This is the same doctor who said I had herpes in 2006. I reminded her of the 2006 positive herpes test. she said no, not possible. you are mistaken...i would never call this rash a herpes rash. i ask her to take a culture to be absolutely certain. she refused. i argued with her and she said no, you may leave. she said go and see your primary care doctor and get a diagnosis. I was so distraught and confused that i decided to wait until the next outbreak which occured on January 6, 2010.

My primary doctor took a quick look and said, "oh nothing life-threatening, you have a fungal infection." I will prescribe a topical cream that should easily clear it up. If it returns the same cream can be applied twice per day for 14 days. The Cream is Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream USP, manufactured by Actavis.

The cream did the job in less than 14 days!!! So far no re-occurrence. I am very pleased and relieved not to live my life with herpes. Mis-Diagnosis are dangerous.

Please get a second and third opinion if necessary.

[TenseBulla2]

What is it with doctors and herpes?
I swear, if I hear one more person report that their doctor took a passing glance at their rash/canker sores and diagnosed them with herpes— a highly stigmatized, incurable venereal disease— I don't know what I'm going to do!

I've gotten this casual "diagnosis" several times, because I've suffered from canker sores since forever (which, btw, are COMPLETELY different from cold sores; honestly, it's just not that hard to tell the difference, even at a glance!). The first time I got it, it just didn't seem right, but I took the stupid pills anyway. Of course they didn't help. The doctor took back her diagnosis. Can you believe that? She was just like, "Oh, the Valtrex didn't help? Well, maybe you don't have herpes. *shrug* Never mind, I take it back."

What the...?
And I know exactly what you mean about the seeming glee with which they pass down this diagnosis.
What is that about?

By the third passing-glance, no-test herpes "diagnosis," I was like, "prove it." The tests were negative. Blood tests, biopsies, you name it, they're always negative. Okay...? So, it looks nothing like a duck, it walks nothing like a duck, and it fails the duck test. But you're telling me it's a duck?? Meanwhile, my actual problem is going undiagnosed.

I mean... really?
Genital herpes is the kind of diagnosis that can make a person suicidal.
You'd think they'd be a little more careful about slinging it around.

It's like if you have any kind of rash anywhere near your mouth or crotch, it's, "Herpes! Acyclovir! NEXT!"

[Unregistered]

I just wanted to say that I'm glad I found this thread because it encouraged me to get retested . . . where I learned that I DID NOT have herpes. In February, I had sex with a good friend of mine. A few days later I noticed that I had some sores on my labia minora. I started freaking out, doing all kinds of research. I had NO symptoms, just sores and the sores were not at all painful or "oozing." I began to believe that I did in fact have herpes at which point I went to the doctor and did every freakin' test in the book, including a culture test which came out positive. Here's the thing though, I told the nurse practitioner who did my culture that I had put Vagisil on the sores and asked would that have an effect on the outcome of the culture. She said, "Ummm, I don't think so." She was wrong. IF YOU PUT VAGISIL ON YOUR "DOWNSTAIRS SORES" AND YOU GET A CULTURE TEST FOR HERPES, IT WILL COME UP POSITIVE. I did not have a single symptom of herpes, no fever or flu like feeling, no sore throat, no swollen glands/lymph nodes, no fatigue, no headaches, no anything that says, "This chick has herpes." Nonetheless, I called my friend and told him that he needed to get tested because I was pretty sure that he had given me herpes. He was irate with me, but went through with it. He called me a week later and told me that ALL of his tests were negative, including the IgG tests for herpes one and two. Not to mention he had never shown of any signs/symptoms of having herpes either. When I informed my doctor, she told me that I would have to wait at least four to six months before I would be able to retest my blood for herpes antibodies. So from February until just three days ago (now August) I've believed that I had genital herpes. It was extreme mental turmoil. I racked my brain trying to think of when I could have caught it seeing as how I was in a seven year relationship prior to sleeping with my friend (my ex and I dated from the time we were 15 until we were 22, I'm now 25.) I know my ex didn't have it because he and I had been tested together. So anyway, one week ago I decided to go to a STD clinic and get my IgG levels tested for herpes one and two. On Wednesday I got a text message telling me that my results were available. I was terrified, I had not had ANY sores appear in the six months between tests, and the sores that I did have initially disappeared literally 3 days after I went to the doctor. I had accepted the fact that I had herpes, as painful as that was-especially for someone like me who considers herself pretty cautious sexually. When I logged onto the website for the clinic, I held my breath while scrolling down to look at my results, what I saw sent me into a state of complete disbelief; the results for both herpes IgG tests were NEGATIVE. I was in shock! I was suspicious that I didn't have herpes when I had never had any outbreaks in those six months between tests, as I have heard that is one of the key signs for being certain that you do in fact have herpes. I, once again, DID NOT have any classic herpes symptoms when the sores appeared on my labia minora. I did some research and now believe I had a bacterial infection or yeast infection that DID come as a result of me sleeping with my friend since I had not slept with anyone for about two years (I told you, I'm a sexually cautious person!) and probably disturbed the chemistry "down there." PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE if you truly believe you do not have herpes, get retested. I'm will forever be grateful that I am one of the lucky few who does not have it when they were suspicious they didn't. My herpes culture was positive due to the yeast infection and the vagisil combination. For your own sanity, test again when in doubt. ~God bless~

[very sad]

What is it with doctors and herpes?
I swear, if I hear one more person report that their doctor took a passing glance at their rash/canker sores and diagnosed them with herpes— a highly stigmatized, incurable venereal disease— I don't know what I'm going to do!

I've gotten this casual "diagnosis" several times, because I've suffered from canker sores since forever (which, btw, are COMPLETELY different from cold sores; honestly, it's just not that hard to tell the difference, even at a glance!). The first time I got it, it just didn't seem right, but I took the stupid pills anyway. Of course they didn't help. The doctor took back her diagnosis. Can you believe that? She was just like, "Oh, the Valtrex didn't help? Well, maybe you don't have herpes. *shrug* Never mind, I take it back."

What the...?
And I know exactly what you mean about the seeming glee with which they pass down this diagnosis.
What is that about?

By the third passing-glance, no-test herpes "diagnosis," I was like, "prove it." The tests were negative. Blood tests, biopsies, you name it, they're always negative. Okay...? So, it looks nothing like a duck, it walks nothing like a duck, and it fails the duck test. But you're telling me it's a duck?? Meanwhile, my actual problem is going undiagnosed.

I mean... really?
Genital herpes is the kind of diagnosis that can make a person suicidal.
You'd think they'd be a little more careful about slinging it around.

It's like if you have any kind of rash anywhere near your mouth or crotch, it's, "Herpes! Acyclovir! NEXT!"

Wow!!!! sounds the same as me, I do not see how i have herpes!!! I hope and pray that the er dr was wrong. He just looked at it and said , yep its herpes!!! I was devastated. I am going for blood work and tests from my family dr. She will make sure it is a proper diagnoses. I can trust her.

[Unregistered]

it has been a very very long road to finally getting a CONFIRMED diagnosis of Fungal Infection on January 6, 2010!!! This was one of the happiest days of my life. It has really changed my outlook and the way I feel about myself. I don't have to suffer the shame of Herpes.

It all began for me in July 2003, when I was first misdiagnosed with herpes. I went to my former primary care doctor, with this "mysterious red rash." The doctor immediately said, oh you got genital herpes. She said it with such glee. She scolded me for not being careful, etc. I felt so ashamed. She took a cotton swab and wiped the rash and sent it to a lab for confirmation. It came back with both a negative and a positive. I ask her why. She said, "sometimes it takes two tests to get a positive read.
I was devastated. She tried to give me Herpes meds, i refused. My partner is clean. I went to get a second opinion. I never returned to the First Doctor I saw in 2003. The next outbreak occured in 2006. I went to a different clinic, one that specializes in std's. I thought this would be better. Of course, the doctor at this clinic, looked at the rash and said oh this looks like genital herpes....she wanted to give me meds, i refused. She did submit a sample to the lab and it too came back positive.

I still didn't think i had herpes because my partner TESTED negative for herpes and all other stds. That was my clue that i was being MISDIAGNOSED. So in 2008, i got a rash the exact same rash in the same place as always, i went back to the same doctor i saw in 2006. She took one quick look and said NO, absolutely that is NOT herpes rash. I was shocked. This is the same doctor who said I had herpes in 2006. I reminded her of the 2006 positive herpes test. she said no, not possible. you are mistaken...i would never call this rash a herpes rash. i ask her to take a culture to be absolutely certain. she refused. i argued with her and she said no, you may leave. she said go and see your primary care doctor and get a diagnosis. I was so distraught and confused that i decided to wait until the next outbreak which occured on January 6, 2010.

My primary doctor took a quick look and said, "oh nothing life-threatening, you have a fungal infection." I will prescribe a topical cream that should easily clear it up. If it returns the same cream can be applied twice per day for 14 days. The Cream is Clotrimazole and Betamethasone Dipropionate Cream USP, manufactured by Actavis.

The cream did the job in less than 14 days!!! So far no re-occurrence. I am very pleased and relieved not to live my life with herpes. Mis-Diagnosis are dangerous.

Please get a second and third opinion if necessary.

Hi there, thankyou for this story it really helped me. I got a rash a few months ago and it didnt go away. so i went to the doctor and she automatically said i was likely to have genital herpes. However i knew this wasnt possible as both my partner and i had tested negitive to it in the past. We have only been sexual active with each other, so that also made me believe it was hardly possible. I have since been looking for cases like this on the internet where other women have been told it was hepes but believed it wasnt. I can only imagine what i had/have is a fungal infection which i now have cream to treat it with. All i can say is i would be devistated to find out i actually had it. but you give me hope when im in the same boat as you.

[Unregistered]

I was misdiagnosed as a teenager. I thought I had it for 20 years until I took a blood test to try and determine what type I had. I was negative for both types. I actually had them test me again and later went in and had a culture on what I thought was an outbreak. All the results were negative. I have some kind of occasional skin outbreak near my genitals but I have no idea what it is, all I know is that it's not Herpes. I was young when I was misdiagnosed and I took the doctors word as gospel. I never got a second opinion I just lived feeling like I was damaged goods. I was always honest with my partners and never got rejected but it weighed heavy on my self esteem because of how stigmatized it is...it's a shock and relief to learn I don't have it but it also ****** me off how doctors are so cavalier about telling someone they have Herpes, especially when they are WRONG!

[unregistered]

I have just recently been diagnosed with herpes. My partner and I have sex for 8 hours striaght and then the next morning I was in severe pain. I woke up feeling as if I had a UTI and a yeast infection. Later I realized my lymphnodes in my pelvic were swollen. I immediately saw a doctor and she said I had herpes and eight million other STD's ( I've been with the same person for 8 months) she gave me valtrex and I refused to take it. I went to Wal-Mart and got Monistat 3, and it was gone in two days. I just got my results back and they said everything came back nornmal accept genital herpes was detected. I've been so sick to my stomach and Idk what to do. I'm devistated, I'm not a girl that sleeps around. What do I do?

[Unregistered]

For those testing positive for herpes and their partners not having it, that is normal. Herpes can only be spread during an outbreak like when children have the chicken pox. You can have it all the time, but not easily spread it depending on the circumstances. Both myself and another friend slept with people who had herpes without protection and never got it, not to say you should ever do this, but it is not always that easy to spread. My friend lived with his wife for 15 years had unprotected sex with her and had two kids and never got it. Another thing about any disease out there is that is can be taken care of by the body. If you get herpes you can have it for life, but your body, like with anything else, can fight it off and eliminate it. Not so easy for the second one, but it can happen. Most times though herpes remains dormant and comes back and stays for a few weeks and goes away. It is not life threatening and it doesn't mean you are dirty in any way. Did a lot of research on this. If you test positive twice you most likely do have it. Having it go away after another cream is used is probably not likely due to the cream, but due to the herpes just going away. It just does go away on it's own. My doctor says herpes doesn't hang out that long and anything that does is usually something else. I have a bartholin's cyst that never goes away. Had it tested many times. You are all good people and you shouldn't let anyone give you a hard time. Most people out there are pretty mature about the whole thing so not to worry.

[Unregistered]

Im so confuse on how they can tell you that you have herpes but they barley understand it there self my
Partner has been tested an nothing came back postive but my first test was negative then a year later i had sex from the fist scare when the doctor told me with a smile im 100% sure that you have herpes an test come back negative this time they said it dont look like nothing yet my test come back postive i was reading alot of yall articles an i seen sombody said they use yeast infections medcine an it mess with her results i had been taking pencillin an with any antibotics i got a yeast infection so i took medcine for it so i wonder if it mess wit my test i hope my results are wrong casue this is not nothing easily to live with like anotha article i read she got two postive an then all sudden they said she has a fugi infection they feel as though its so common now they can say you have it like its a common cold this is people lifes here

[Mg1]

I have also had an awful experience after having a rash. I didn't know if it was fungal or bacterial to went to a walk in GUM clinic. The Nhs said they will test anyone whether sexually transmitted or not. That was good news for me because I have been celebate for 15 years but really didn't want to be examined in that area by my GP who I know well. I wish I swallowed my pride and went to see my local doctor now. The moment I entered the clinic I was a number in their giant system. They told me they were fairly sure I had herpes and even gave me pills to take! You can imagine my distress. The last and only person I had sex with was my LATE fiancé. So that would mean he cheated on me and gave me an incurable disease! I was told to 'come back and get the results' like it was some sort of formality. After a couple of weeks **** I went back and was told all the scrapes were negative. They said they now needed to exams me again (for the things I asked for in the first place.) Yep, it was a bacterial infection that cleared up quickly after changing to an antibacterial shower gel. A consultant who examined me the second time and sent off for the results confessed that my symptoms and rash didn't look like herpes to her. Why do the tell everyone they have herpes?

QUOTE=Unregistered;247011]Im so confuse on how they can tell you that you have herpes but they barley understand it there self my
Partner has been tested an nothing came back postive but my first test was negative then a year later i had sex from the fist scare when the doctor told me with a smile im 100% sure that you have herpes an test come back negative this time they said it dont look like nothing yet my test come back postive i was reading alot of yall articles an i seen sombody said they use yeast infections medcine an it mess with her results i had been taking pencillin an with any antibotics i got a yeast infection so i took medcine for it so i wonder if it mess wit my test i hope my results are wrong casue this is not nothing easily to live with like anotha article i read she got two postive an then all sudden they said she has a fugi infection they feel as though its so common now they can say you have it like its a common cold this is people lifes here[/QUOTE]