Hello.

[menotme]

Hello everyone,

Let me start with a bit of background.

I am here because I have contracted h2.I am male and a musician by trade,if you are american,you would recognize my songs and maybe my face.The myth persists that if you are "male" and a popular "musician" that you will have many sexual partners in a short period of time.The same for any medium to high profile entertainer,be it sports,music,radio ect.I am here to tell you....It is NOT true for ALL of us.Yes,it is rampant,yet there is a percentage of us that remain loyal,resist outside temptation and are monogamous.That small percentile is where I speak from now.

I was with the same beautiful loving woman for 14 years while touring in support of radio play and album sales.I was gone most of the year,EVERY year we were together.There were beautiful girls everywhere,basically "throwing" it at us.I DID NOT have sex with any of them for fear of "this thing" that has entered my life.I loved her dearly then and still feel the same.Unfortunately,we split 2 years ago and my life has gone in many different directions since.....NONE of them focused.

6 months ago I met a sweet woman who honestly didnt know who I was and we did not like each other at first.....but eventually something sparked and we dated,Its a long story.

We eventually became very close and one night drank too much and had "un-protected " sex.Here I am ,6 months later,telling my story and dealing with h2.

(we are still together) It turns out that she is a-symtomatic and in denial and I am adjusting well to this life change.

Let me explain some things...

I have NOT been to a doctor for diagnosis,I have been interested in medicine(among other things) for years and am a voracious reader as such.That having been said,I KNOW WHAT I HAVE and refuse to pay a stupid sum of money for a 20 minute visit to the local doctor so he can agree with me.My symptoms are "classic" h2.

Long story short.....I see alot of anger here,There is nothing to be angry about short of rape.Nor is there anything to fear,it is NOT life threatening,it is life CHANGING.

So please calm down and realize that your life will not STOP here,it will only be different.

I may not post after this,I just felt compelled after reading alot of them.

[JRTJRT]

I DID NOT have sex with any of them for fear of "this thing" that has entered my life.

Me too. Turned down plenty of sex for a loooong time, then got it from a rather innocent contact. I do feel a bit cheated overall in that respect.

I'd still get blood/culture tested if I were you. Just knowing if it is HSV1 or HSV2, plus there's always the chance that it's something else... that's just me though, I gotta be sure of things, 100%.

Are you avoiding testing because you think you might be "outted" and make the tabloids? Just wondering because I'm not 100% that the testing is anonymous, so it makes me nervous. And I'm not even famous. Yet.

[menotme]

correct.

Ok,I will. I will get examined and pay a stupid amount of money for what I know now.I will pay for it and post the "professional" results here.

anybody willing to compensate?

[gutted.]

Ok,I will. I will get examined and pay a stupid amount of money for what I know now.I will pay for it and post the "professional" results here.

anybody willing to compensate?

stupid amount of money?? and your a musican?

i live in england and here we have a National Health services so dianosis and stuff is free...

but money shunt come into the equation surely? whats if its sumfin worse then herpes???

i earn £20,000.oo a year sterling, not sure how many dollars that works out to be, but id happily pay 500,000.oo to be rid of this virus, so surely a few hundred dollars to be sure its whats u have is nothing.

[menotme]

diagnosed.

Yes,its hsv2!! BUT.......my (highly respected) doctor said to me today: "in all the cases Ive seen,and there have been far too many,when my patients follow the perscribed treatment at the perscribed intervals and at the first signs of an out break,the virus can be weakened to the point of being almost non-existant.

"but ill have it for the rest of my life and still be contagious" I said.

"no,not at all. You may send it packing so far into remission that it ceases to be a problem" he replied.He went on to say : "Out of the cases Ive seen,when people follow instructions well and arent suffering from weaker immune systems,they have seen the virus all but dissappear after two to three outbreaks"

"and not even be contagious?" I asked.

he replied " thats been my experience".

he went on to explain all the variables in follow up visits,patients recent sexual partners being tested after the fact and showing negative results,patients who continue to suffer because of other immune problems found later ect.In all the years Ive seen him,hes only been wrong once and that wasnt WRONG,he just didnt know and reffered me to a specialist.

He also said that it may NOT be gone,yet it may be too weak as to be contagious or problematic if treated correctly(i.e low instance of shedding and/or outbreaks ect.)

in essence,there IS hope people,so TRY what the doctor says VERBATIM.....

and to "gutted"...yes,Im a musician and I had two minor hits in america in the 90s.That does not mean Im rich.I also have no health insurance and health costs in america are so high as to be financially restrictive.

[Caliope]

It's cool that you have confidence in your physician and that he gave you positive feedback.

I've always been a healthy person and may have had hsv for 10 or more years without an ob but then things changed. Overnight a healthy immune system can take a hit and there you are with an ob and possibly infecting someone you love.

Now you know the truth about your hsv status - try not to get overconfident and risk someone elses health just because your dr gave you hope.

"He who ignors discipline comes to poverty and shame, but whoever will heed correction is honored." Proverbs 13:18

[JRTJRT]

Every doctor/nurse etc... I have spoken to has told me not to even worry about herpes because it is so common. My fear was about infecting others.

If it's so "common", doesn't that mean it is rather easily spread? Meaning I should worry about infecting others.

Every doctor out there will blow you off or blow sunshine up your ass. The only real way to know is to research it yourself and come to your own conclusion.

Of course full disclosure to partners is still necessary for them to decide consent to the risk of catching your HSV2. That is their choice, not yours.

Hope it all works out.

[hopingseeking]

Good job for seeing the doc. It's encouraging to hear how optimistic you are

[menotme]

Do I sound too confident? or as if Im not worried about giving it to someone else?I may be a confident person but STUPID Im not.