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JustOne2

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JustOne2 Honeycomb Member

JustOne2

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Posted (edited)

Hello everybody =) I'm a 23 year old female living in America. So, here is my story... 

I met a great guy and we took things slow. By time I was ready to give up my virginity to him, I was very keen on being safe and being comfortable around him - inspecting him and everything, checking to see if he was "normal." So, the second time we had sex, there was a moment *not to get into details* where his protection came off and I guess that's when it happened.

About three weeks later,  I was sick (sore throat, fever, cough...) and discovered a little bump "down there." I called him on the phone, crying, asking if he knew anything - he told me to rest assured, that it's nothing. Sadly though, I went to my OBGYN who took one look and said, "looks like you got herpes." A culture test confirmed that I had HSV2. I remember sitting in the doctor's office thinking that I deserved this and I regretted everything that happened in the past few months. I walked back to my car, called him on the phone, hysterically crying this time, that I had HSV2 and he should go seek medical treatment.

For about a few weeks, I avoided everything and everyone. I was pissed and didn't want anyone to see me crack. But the more research I did, the more distant I felt from my dark cave: up to ~80% of Americans have HSV1 and ~20% have HSV2, and it's largely asymptomatic transmission due to shedding, and so on...

It's been a little over 2 years since I received the diagnosis. I'm still friends with the guy who gave me Herpes and there are days where the diagnosis pulls me back into my dark cave... but life goes on, not to sound deep/corny. Months passed, and life was pretty much normal again - I graduated early at the top 10% at my university and will be attending medical school in a few months. I realize that this is one of the many stories I can share, that having herpes does not define me, that this is merely one little thing that is a part of an awesome person ;). 

 

Btw, I'm so glad I found this site... We are not alone. 

Edited by JustOne2
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SureWhyNot Acknowledged Support Member

SureWhyNot

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Posted

I just met you in another forum and after reading this post your strength and intelligence is obvious. You would be the Dr. I would want as you have real life experience and a depth of understanding many do not seem to have.

Your story is supportive to others! Cheers!

 

 

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    • KKaren
      HSV 2 Testing

      By KKaren · Posted

      Thank you for your response.  I will ask for that test.
    • WilsoInAus
      HSV 2 Testing

      By WilsoInAus · Posted

      I really suggest that the best thing is for both you and your boyfriend to obtain the Westernblot HSV test. He has a 50%+ chance of being positive and you have a 50%+ chance of being negative. Only the Westernblot can sort this out for you.
    • WilsoInAus
      worried

      By WilsoInAus · Posted

      Hi @kpn the first thing to note is that it is all OK to have HSV-1 or indeed any HSV type. It is not negligence, it is just being human. Oral HSV-1 is not an STD in the sense that the primary transmission is non sexual and the majority of it occurs between parents to children. If any of your children contracted HSV, you would know it. It wouldn't be a silent infection for children. HSV-2 tends not to shed from the oral region for people who have it there in any event. At age 73, about 80% of the population has HSV-1. There is no reason to believe that your mother isn't one of those people. About half of all carriers of oral HSV-1 do not realise they have it and have no living memory of cold sores as they were infected when very young. The most logical explanation is that your mother has oral HSV-1 from her childhood and that your daughter doesn't have oral HSV. Not that it is relevant to anyone but yourself, but your wife might find she actually has genital HSV-1 having had an untyped swab when she was diagnosed.
    • WilsoInAus
      Anyone with oral blisters but negative igm/igg tests ?

      By WilsoInAus · Posted

      Hi @Dylan86 and welcome to the website. First note that you cannot pragmatically become infected with HSV-1 from sharing a drink. If you carry HSV-1, it did not come from that episode. As such it is extremely unlikely HSV-1 is the primary cause of your issues. Can the WB miss a HSV-1 infection? Rarely but its feasible in less than 1% of carriers who test with WB. Note that the WB does not have values, it has positive or negative as you say. It is way more accurate than IgG as it looks for all 30+ antibodies that are in your blood for HSV. Could you have HSV-1? Yes it is feasible, but it would be a very old childhood infection. Could HSV-1 be causing your oral issues? No herpes will not cause the burning mouth syndrome you describe. Could some of the lesions be herpes related? It is feasible if you are a carrier. But it is unlikely to be the primary cause of the issues, but its an opportunistic virus that can cause issues when something else is taxing your immune system. The best thing you can do is the PCR test on a oral lesion and that will be pretty definitive. Either way, in summary. I'd suggest there is <1% chance you are part of about 70% of the population that has HSV-1. Further there is less than a 1% chance that herpes is the primary cause of your issues.   
    • kpn
      worried

      By kpn · Posted

      My wife has had hsv 2 for around 8 years. We have two young children 3 years old and 18 months old. My wife only had one outbreak when she was first infected so we didn't worry too much about passing it on to our children. I understand the risk to be pretty low under those circumstances. I don't believe my wife took antivirals during either pregnancy. My younger child has diaper rashes pretty often and has had what I thought was hand foot and mouth disease. That was going around the daycare a while back. I haven't really given it much concern though.  About a week ago, my mother kissed my youngest on the lips. My kid was congested at the time but they pretty much always are. About 3 days later, my mother developed a cold sore on her mouth. She has never had cold sores in her life and she is 73 and happily married so she is not going around messing with anyone. She pointed to the fact she had kissed my youngest and presumed that is where she was infected. At first I said that's not possible since my child has never had any cold sores but since then I have really started to consider that maybe it is possible she contracted it from my daughter. This has me worried that my daughter does indeed have hsv2 and was shedding in her mouth. Does anyone have any experience with this? I am really losing sleep about this. Two people I care so much about got hsv from my negligence. I am fine if I were to contract it, I am not worried about what others think at this point in my life. I just don't want anyone else to have it. 
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