Reoccurring Problem & HSV-1 or HSV-2?

[Peace_and_love]

Hello everyone!

Ok so I'm new to all this and normally don't do forum chats but here goes...

So 5 months ago I got my first major OB, went to the clinic thinking that I've had too rough sex of just being a bit reckless, but was feeling more uncormoftable than usual, so as I do, I done a little self examination to find some red sensitive lumps (at this point I was freaking out that I have some sort of STI but didn't  really sink in) until I was at the clinic and the dreaded words left the nurses lips after my checkup up: I'm sorry to say that you have contracted HERPES! My heart sank and all sorts of questions and thoughts ran through my mind, thinking back to all the partners I've ever had to unprotected sex (I couldn't believe this had happened to me) not to mention the uncontrollable genital itch (you know that unbearable feeling) making me wish I had never has sex in the first place! 

After that I was sent home with a leaflet about HSV, a course of Aciclovir and a bucket load of emotions.

 

Four weeks after my initial OB I was hit with my second OB, I'm not sure if it was the stress of it all that cause it to come back but I was straight back to the clinic and put on another course of meds.

Fast forward to the current day, and BOOM! I'm hit with my third OB it's so uncomfortable and painful I want to cry, not to mention that I have been travelling around Europe with my partner for the Easter holidays and with no access to any Sexual Clinics. (I still don't want to believe it, but I definitely think it's my third OB, as my general motor skills like walking and peeing shower me in that amazing HSV burning sensation!!)

So now that I've arrived back home after driving cross-country and flying in uncomfortable airlines, I'm heading straight to the clinic first thing to get a confirmation on what's going on.

Now to paint things clearer, I need to find out if it's a reoccurring OB of GHSV-1 (sorry forgot to mention I was diagnosed with HSV-1 on my first OB) or is it GHSV-2?!

And to also go through things with my current partner (we've already discussed HSV and he's fully supportive) but I'm more worried that I'm going to give him HSV (he has mentioned that he hasn't had GHSV symptoms before) or is it him who has HSV and keeps giving it to me.

I'm actually totally confused as to who gives who, what and when (given that here is no visible HSV) also my partner did mention he could feel a spot coming out on his tongue the day after we had "sexual relations". But here goes, let's see what tomorrow brings.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and get this far, I probably should of made two separate posts, but once I ramble, it's hard to stop me.

 

Any advice would be great!

Much love.

 

[WilsoInAus]

How were you originally diagnosed with genital HSV-1? Was it through a swab of the lesions or did you have a blood test?

The source of the herpes is almost certainly, the person you had sex with in the week before your first major outbreak. Both the original outbreak and subsequent activity strongly suggest the primary infection took place at the time of the first outbreak.

Was this your current partner? The source of HSV-1 is most likely an oral HSV-1 infection from a partner who gave you oral sex.

It is very likely regardless that your current partner has oral HSV-1. If this is the case, then he has a negligible, maybe zero, chance of becoming infected with HSV-1 genitally owing to their immune system.

A blood test will now confirm your complete herpes status and give you peace of mind as to what you have and do not. Request am IgG antibody blood test, type specific for HSV-1 and HSV-2.

[Lisajd]

You state who is giving it to who.  You cant give it back and forth. Once you have it you have it.  Outbreaks are caused by a number of things. Friction from sex is one of them. 

[Peace_and_love]

@WilsoInAus 

So the initial diagnosis was done by swab of the infected area during my first OB.

 

So in regards to who gave it to me isn't 100% clear as I had sexual relations with my current partner at the start of November but also had relations with another partner at the end of November (now I am still with the first guy and have been since my first OB but he doesn't know about the other guy as at that point we hadn't made any exclusive commitment). My OB happened at the start of December so it could of been either of the guys, furthermore, during the same time of my first OB the second guys then girlfriend also had an OB within days of my first OB. So yes this is a bit of a promiscuous mess but I've learnt my lesson.

 

In regards to blood tests for HSV here in the U.K. They don't perform them and have said to me they don't really stress to much if it's HSV-1 or 2 because if you have either 1-2 on the genital area the care for it doesn't differ tremendously. If you have it you've got it regardless.

I think the main thing for me now is to find out if my current partner has ever had it and for him to get tested as we had sexual contact pretty much a day or two before the third OB, which actually seems worse than my first OB (worse in the sense of discomfort and amount of sore ulcerations and redness)

Thanks for your time  

[Peace_and_love]

@Lisajd thanks for clearing that up. Agh gosh though, does that mean that if I have regular sex it's going to increase the chances of having more regular OB's?

Damn! Sometimes I wish I never started having sex in the first place.

[Lisajd]

I disagree with your doctor because what is the treatment is the same the strains are different in the terms of the way they re occurred with out brakes and also the risk.  The risk of passing HSV 1 is less than HSV 2 and a person who has cold sores is very unlikely to get HSV 1 genital social future Partners this is actually important in terms of disclosing.  And they should have typed the swap anyway.  You would best just to tell both partners so they can both get tested.  And Lee all an hour lesson sometimes but remember that you more than likely did what you did for a reason and at least as u say you have learnt from that.  I thought I learn my lesson from my one night stand and getting herpes but I've recently done the same thing again and basically felt like a dirty w**** and was kicking myself for not learning

[Peace_and_love]

Yes that is what I  thought exactly, my first OB results were HSV-1 and they have taken another culture swab of my second OB and I will ask my Dr at the follow up which of the two HSV it is this time.

 

Well in regards to telling the guys, during my first OB one of the guys got himself tested a few days after I told him because at exactly the same time (a day or two in between) his then girlfriend had an OB and then he said I should get tested but I actually just came back from the clinic that same morning.

2. The other guy (my current partner) knows I've had a HSV OB in the past and I'm going to tell him that he should also get himself tested as good measure.

Maaaannnn I just hate having this virus, it makes me feel so dirty and I've always been so anal about getting tests multiple times a year and try and be as careful  as I can. Having this just makes me feel like such a dirty hoe bag, I just want my normal vagina back.

[Lisajd]

@Peace_and_love don't feel like you are some piece of trailer park trash and I'm sure I did it's just the outbreaks that it makes me feel worse than you would normally feel but you know what we do things for a reason and So long as yoy learn from those mistakes that is the main thing.  This guy that I've been chatting to online decided he would show me a photo of his penis I said it's disrespectful and I said it's ok to show other slutry girls and I thought about it going I just had a one night stand and I'm not one of those girls?  but my friend said no you just made a mistake

[Peace_and_love]

Thanks @Lisajd yes it's just all the emotions and having to get used to having this virus. I guess it's part of me now and I have to look after it to keep it under control.

We all do things that we learn from, I just don't like feeling like I'm the dirty one potentially passing this on to my current partner.

But we have talked about it and he is fully supportive and helping me through this, but I still can't help but blame myself.

It's just the process and I know I'll get through it.

Thanks