Scared and feeling alone..

[Citygal24]

I just found out yesterday, offically, I have HSV 2. I had the feeling for about a week that it may be herpes, flu like symptoms, sores, pain... Thus far my partner (we have only been together just over a month) has been supporting me however he still feels there is no way it could be from him as neither he nor his ex before me has had any symptoms. My only other thought is that is may be from someone I was dating around December.

This is such a complicated disease, some people never get symptoms, some have it for years before they get an outbreak...it goes on and on.. My current partner was tested and will not have his results until Monday. I am scared shitless that it is not from him and then he will leave me. I feel terrible for putting him through all of this, then I will have to call the guy I was seeing around December. I have heard that once you sleep with an infected person it is 2-20 days before your first ob, then I have heard you can go years w/o an ob.. I don't know what to believe, this is my first ob and it was awful. I am feeling very alone, my friends have been telling me the usual, cheer up, it could be worse...type of things but this is such a life changing experience. I think I will feel much better once I know his results but I don't know if I can handle the news if his results are negative...then it will be back to square one.

[Theo]

I understand how you feel. I would hope that your new guy is cooler than that. Like I wrote in my first post a few minutes ago, so many people have this. When I told my friend, she gave me a lis tof names of people we know who have it. I felt really alone too. NO one understands how this feels unless you have it. I feel like my sex life is over...and it probably should be because I was so promiscuous.

I had my first outbreak a year ago, it was small, lasted about a week and my next one was shorter and less painful. Now I actually feel like I am in another one, but it is even less painful. I think we are all different and it feels different because of where it is located. Where did you hear the 2-20 day thing?

[BoxofRain]

The 2-20 day time frame is a guideline for symptoms occuring after initial exposure. However, for over half the people who get herpes, they get it asymptomatically and it can just slip into the body and lay silent without visible outbreaks or signs so minor (like redness, a slight itch, a little weird pain, dryness, etc.) and people often do not even associate those symptoms with herpes. So the 2-20 day time frame is correct for many people, as is the getting it without symptoms, while a partner never had any visible symptoms or idea they had it. Both are completely accurate and true desriptions about how this presents when people contract it. There is no "one" description or guideline.........same goes for type of symptoms, duration, and the way it affects individual bodies. It is so varied and that is what is so hard about it......nothing is for certain with it.....it is such a diverse type of virus.

[Citygal24]

Thank you for your posts.... This is a very hard time, I am young, only 25, and I have been very selective with my partners only slept with 7 guys and only ones I am in a relationship with. I know it sounds cliche, but I can't help but think, "things like this don't happen to people like me". Then I stop to think how common it is and how many people I probably know who have it, it is just not something anyone talks about.

[Theo]

When I told my friend i had it, she said...I think I have it too. We've known each other for over 5 years. She never mentioned it. I didn't want to tell her because I was embarrassed. I am sure she was too. It is definately something taboo to talk about, but i guess this is why we are talking about it now.