How long after exposure should you test for HSV?

Trying to understand HSV testing timelines because there’s so much conflicting info online.

From what I’ve read:

• PCR swab test: seems best if you actually have a fresh sore/lesion, ideally as soon as possible.
• Blood antibody (IgG) test: apparently antibodies can take time to show up, so testing too early may give a false negative.

Questions for people here:

• If you had a known exposure, how long did you wait before testing?
• Did anyone test too early and get a false negative, then test positive later?
• How accurate was your doctor’s advice on timing?

I’ve seen everything from 2 weeks to 16+ weeks, which is confusing.

Would love to hear real experiences (especially if you’ve gone through the testing anxiety spiral).