WCSDancer2010

Sounds like you are overthinking things. Maybe he had a bad day at work. Maybe a friend was diagnosed with something scary. Maybe he was just tired and needed to reflect inwards. Maybe he just had a day of being scared of his vulnerability and the thought of marriage ( it IS pretty scary sometimes! LOL). AND It almost sounds like you have been waiting for this to happen, and when it did you saw that as proof that things will always head south... that maybe you don't feel you "deserve" this man, whatever. Be careful friend. Because if you jump on him every time he has a "cave man moment" where he needs to pull back and isn't all gooey and lovey-dovey, you will create the reality you fear. Have a look at this video... and maybe you will understand what just happened a little more. :) If that one speaks to you the whole seminar is here:)

@forwards First - well done on your first disclosure. See! It wasn't all that bad. AND ... I think as you get more comfortable and learn how to deliver the talk in a way that is open and honest and allows the woman into something you wouldn't share with her if you didn't CARE about her you will find that you have more success than failure. To us women, when a man lets us into something we know is kinda scary for them and lets us see they can be vulnerable, well, that's sexy as hell! It tells us a LOT about him. It tells us that when it's important, he will stay in his integrity even though he's risking upsetting us ... that he values giving us choice and honors our right to know certain things that could have an effect on us and the relationship. If the woman already thought that you were a REAL possibility as a partner, odds are she will at *least* get informed before making a decision about the future of the relationship. If she runs without considering the situation completely, well, you dodged a bullet because she either didn't like you that much, or she isn't up for dealing with scary situations in a mature manner. And yes, the odds are far more "against" us for getting it, but we women are far more likely to stay in relationships with someone we see to be "imperfectly perfect" than you give us credit for. If we like you enough, it will take a LOT more than H to shake most of us.... now, if the woman is a hypochondriac/germaphobe, if they are uber conservative in their sexual views, or if she has immune issues, well, you may strike out. Shit happens. AND you can be rejected for plenty of other things too. At my age (55) I really don't want a guy who doesn't try to take *reasonable* care of his health. Smokers are a no go for me. I want someone I can play with for as long as possible in my future at this point. And kids are another no go. I'm done with that part of my life and I'm enjoying being a grandmother. All these are "rejections" ... and none of them reflect on the other person. It's just something *I* don't want to live with, but plenty of others will. And that's ok :) When you can face H with that perspective, you find that rejection (while it sucks) isn't the end of the world. Sure, it isn't fun. We would rather not have to deal with disclosure. But it's important to not blame H for everything that goes wrong including rejection. The way I look at it, if they left *that* easily, I wasn't *that* important to them. :) Oh - and guys run just as easily as women. Many are FAR more concerned about their junk than you realize and the thought of anything marring it or causing the horrid sores that they found on Google (because they go straight to Google images...sadly) scares them off .... so we have just as difficult a time with it. For me, if a guy reacts that way, rather than asking me for trusted resources, odds are we won't be a match anyway. I want him to trust me and the info I give him enough that he will at least consider what I give him along with anything else he comes across. I'm going to include a few links from other guys below... we've had some great success stories from guys on here as well. And as for your point about only having "positive" stories... we have plenty of stories of rejection too... that's what brings many people to us.... wondering "what went wrong" or how they will ever manage to disclose again. :) http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3439/tonight-is-my-night NSgreenville (male) (READ TO THE END!!) https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7145/i-plan-to-disclose-but-the-fact-is-heavy-on-me-any-success-stories-to-share Male success story 19 yrs http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3983/successful-disclosure-male-to-female xrcb 8/12 male to female rainyfeather http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/6239/10-years-of-herpes-chats-male-experience http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/4879/when-to-disclose male to female success http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/5369/well-that-was-a-mess-but-success Male to female https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7493/an-extended-nyc-herpes-disclosure-experience male to female https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7530/33m-here-second-disclosure-second-success-feeling-well-normal Male to female

Patience is very important with disclosure. It's often a new experience to get disclosed to because I doubt many people do it. Also the information can be an overload for one moment and the person might need time to process. Doesn't mean it's a no, ....there is a good chance that they will come around after a while. Herpes disclosure can definitely be like slamming in the breaks in a romantic encounter, but you have to just expect that and it becomes not a big deal. Definitely agree with you there! This is the most important thing for people to get.... that patience and a willingness to let the other person move at their own pace will usually pay off... and if it doesn't, it's not about you... it's just their own unwillingness to take a risk....even though odds are that they have and will encounter H plenty of times if they are at all sexually active. :/

Uh - @hippyherpy You have a lot to learn about life friend. It's all fine and dandy that you can sow your wild oats now and come here to brag about it but out in the real world, there's a thing called AGE that eventually catches up with you.... so enjoy it while you can.... There's a LOT of reasons that guys can't perform as they get older. Around age 40 - 40% of men have at least *some* ED issues ...it increases by about 1% per year after that - mostly due to hormonal drop but also some have "plumbing issues" - the blood vessels that engorge can't close off to keep the blood in the penis. And then there's the results of Big Pharma - you have no idea how many guys are beign put onto Statins in their freakin 40's nowadays - and more every year as they get older... which can really mess with sexual function. Add emotional head fucks from bad experiences and you now have a large contingent who have at least *some* ED issues....

If you put shame in a petri dish it needs 3 things to grow exponentially - secrecy, silence, and judgement. If you put the same amount of shame into a petri dish and douse it with empathy, it can't survive.

I am GRINNING from ear to ear here!!! You go Chica! You hit the nail on the head.... if people discussed herpes like we do sex, it wouldn't have the stigma that it has. Sure, a smaller number of people would still hold onto their Holier-than-thou attitude, but fuck them ... (or rather, don't... there's too many other great people out there to fuck...lol). But the shame and blame and self-loathing would evaporate or at least it would lessen to a much more managable level. I'm 100% out... I came out in a blaze of glory on FB one day when I had read one too many posts form someone who was suicidal on here and I just couldn't stand the ignorance surrounding H any more.... and you know what? NOT ONE person was ugly. Many said I was "brave". Many thanked me for the info I included in my "coming out" post. Several have sent their friends to me who were recently diagnosed and freaking out. The only person who was uncomfortable with it all was my then 24 yr old daughter (My then 28 yr old daughter was mildly uncomfortable but accepted it a lot faster)... and while I wish I had let them know what I was doing first, it wouldn't have stopped me from doing what I did. So congratulations on coming out of your "closet" ... AND ... make sure to take care of yourself. Be ready for the few who are ugly people to show their colors. Remember that their reactions are a direct reflection on THEM and not on you. If you take a hit and it throws you off, pull back and regroup. Work on finding your center again. Don't let them get to you.... we can only reach so many, and if we can educate the 95% who are open and willing to hear the truth, and be informed, that 5% won't matter. (((HUGS)) Ash Beckhams Closet Ted Talk

@Hawhaw First - Hello and Welcome... and glad you joined us! I actually moved this to the "My partner/loved one has herpes " category ... you are not the first one here but we don't get many and it's an important group of people that we reach out to 🙂 I suggest you send him to us... tell him you found a great forum of people with H - and that perhaps we can help him to understand the risks and what he can do to minimize them. His reaction is sadly VERY normal. Send him these links, and our link. If he doesn't want to join he can lurk. And @Adrial is a great Life Coach and Herpes Advocate who could do a private session with him or he could purchase the Lifestyle guides. We have many options for people here to help them through 🙂 You are a good woman. Give him time and patience. Men especially often need to go into a cave and process things. Just let him know you are outside the cave, with your hand outstretched and waiting to welcome him when he's ready to come out... 🙂 Oh - and I suggest you get retested in about 4 months post when you last saw him... with that much sex, right before he had an OB, there is a small chance you may have got it anyway...so it would be prudent to double check.... (((HUGS))) http://projectaccept.org/who-gets-hsv/ Handouts + disclosure e-book: https://www.herpesopportunity.com/lp/ebook Herpes facts video http://herpeslife.com/keeping-your-partner-herpes-free-can-be-super-sexy/ http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/5807/list-the-ways-to-protect-my-partner-from-getting-herpes-hsv2 Safe alternatives to sex http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3439/tonight-is-my-night - the tale of a man who was where your fellow is right now and how he found love.... And a few entries in my blog: http://supporttruthanddialog.com/diagnosis_it-isnt-the-end/ http://supporttruthanddialog.com/blame-the-millstone-around-your-neck/ http://supporttruthanddialog.com/hopelessness-turning-adversity-into-opportunity/

@Whyme77 Hello and Welcome! So - Why you? Why not you? Herpes doesn't give a jot if you are a "good" or "bad" person. If it's your first time having sex (that's how *I* got it... go me!!!!) or if you are a "man-whore". Even wearing condoms won't necessary protect you. And you could be in a multi-year relationship with someone who has no symptoms who manages to give it to you unwittingly because they were not tested. These are the facts - they suck, and there's nothing we can do about it (other than eventually starting a campaign to get everyone tested... but that won't help things right now). I've had HSV1 oral since I was 4, HSV2 genital since I was 17. I'm 55 now. Sure, it's caused some pain and some bumps in my romantic life.... but I've also had an ectopic pregnancy, nursed my ex through suicidal depression, seen my mother dies slowly after a horrid stroke (took her 8 years to pass away). There are FAR worse things that can happen to you in life. Believe me. So - first - what were your values on the test? If you had a value under 3.5 and you have never had an outbreak then there's a 40% chance of it being a false positive. In which case you need to re-test in few months and if it's still under 3.5, we suggest you do the Western Blot. It's the current Gold Standard of Herpes testing and is far more accurate than the IgG that you had. Once we have that info, we can guide you about what to do next... but in the meantime, I suggest that you read the Success Stories on here. We have tons of them and they will show you that many find BETTER relationships after getting H... because H tends to help you to weed the asshats out faster :) (((HUGS)))

One thing I've observed: Herpes has a way of making all of your insecurities come out in a way that you just can't avoid them any more. No amount of make-up, jokes, "self medication", etc will make them go away. You have to face them. And therein lies "The Opportunity". This is your time to reflect, to observe, to question, and to grow. Some of this will be self-led. Some you may find here. It wouldn't hurt to find either a Therapist or a self help group or whatever to help to guide you. @Adrial is an AMAZING Life Coach.... and he has a great series of Lifestyle Guides that you can do on your own time. I have a code that can get you a reduction in price... I'll put it below. #1 may well help you out right now :) You sound like the kind of person who will come out amazingly stronger from this. You are already looking inward to see what is yours. That is HUGE. Keep going. It won't always be pretty, but as one of my favorite quotes says: The Truth Will Set You Free... But First It May Well Piss You Off! (((HUGS))) https://herpesopportunity.com/lifestyle-guides.html ... and here are short descriptions of each guide: Guide #1 Self Care and Self Image: shows you how to not only feel better about yourself and your future, but shift into a empowered and realistic mindset. Guide #2 Dating and Relationships: is all about discovering how to make dating fun and free again (actually, even better than it was before H!). Guide #3 Having “The Talk”: covers disclosing in a way that makes “the talk” something that brings you closer together instead of being a dealbreaker. Guide #4 Sex and Intimacy: fulfills your desire to still have true, deep and profound connections (and shows you how). Coupon codes: P25 is for 25% off and P50 is for 50% off their entire order. Just put it in on the "coupon code" box to get the discount :)

Yup - and the older the demographic, the less likely that they want to use condoms because, to be honest, the male anatomy just doesn't perform as well with them... even with Viagra :) And many are terribly under-educated about it...esp if they were in really long marriages. :(

Suppressive treatment is an entirely individual issue. I only take it when in a relationship... especially int he early days when I'm seeing where it's going. Once it seems "solid" then if the guy is ok with me going off them, I may taper off. Depends also on how I think they may deal with if if they get it, or if they have an autoimmune issue, etc. So it's really totally up to you.... but it's safe and works well for many... and you can always go off it later ... just taper off so the body has a chance to step up ... going cold turkey sometimes causes OB simply because the body isn't expecting to deal with the full viral load that fast.

I have to get off here (been on for about 2 hrs so I have to get back to my life...LOL! But these links may give you some perspective... and I'll try to check back in soon and add my own thoughts 🙂 And he may well come back once he's over the initial shock ... if he REALLLLLLY likes you, he will get educated so he will know if he made the right choice. And if he walks after that, it's not because of you... it's because HE is more concerned about a VERY small chance of getting it from you than he is about the relationship.... because with precautions and education, the odds of him getting it from you are pretty low.... about the same as his risk of being hurt or killed in a car accident. If he *gets* that ... if he *gets* that life is about taking risks for the things that may bring you joy, he'll be back. (((HUGS))) http://supporttruthanddialog.com/rejection_its-all-about-perspective/ (my blog) http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/4699/first-real-disclosure-first-real-rejection Rejection as your teacher….. https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-squeaky-wheel/201307/10-surprising-facts-about-rejection http://supporttruthanddialog.com/disclosure-its-not-just-about-herpes/ And if he comes back and wants info, these are great links http://projectaccept.org/who-gets-hsv/ Handouts + disclosure e-book: https://www.herpesopportunity.com/lp/ebook Herpes facts video

@Akin Hello and Welcome! Sadly, thanks to the gross lack of proper STD education in this country, your story is FAR from unusual. Diagnosis often brings a lot of insecurity on both sides... who "cheated" on who? (Even though you may have had it for years). How could this have happened to me? Did I have this for years and not know it? Did I give it, unwittingly, to someone else? etc etc etc. So - it sounds like you were diagnosed by swab alone....which unfortunately just adds to your confusion... if they had done a blood test at the same time and it was negative, you would have known it was a recent acquisition (under 4 months). And as you said, you didn't see his results but the fact that he wanted to use condoms does make me think he had a negative test. Sadly the way he handled it just added to your insecurity. It's easy to take it personally when someone wants to suddenly change the rules of play. In a perfect world you would have gone together and both got blood tested. You would have talked - TOGETHER - to a health care professional about your options. And then you would have talked about your options for the future. So it sounds like your communication was already compromised and perhaps this was the thing that forced you to see that maybe *something* was missing in the relationship... not that it wasn't fixable, but you won't know and there's no use in obsessing about that now... what is done is done. As for his POF exploits.... guys OFTEN go straight to the dating sites when they are in a break-up - it's how they avoid their feelings - it's how they try to regain their sense of their manhood - take it from an old fart who has been the "rebound chick" too many times (I won't date a man who is fresh out of a relationship any more). So it may well have been a harmless reaction to the break-up. And it was soo easy for you to take that as "proof" of cheating when you were already reeling from the diagnosis.... AND... I tell people to never ask questions or look for info that they are not prepared to deal with! "Finding" that info means you "looked" for it ... (lets just call a thing a thing here!) and then you used it against him as "proof" that he cheated ... and he may well have... but that kind of "proof" wouldn't stand up for 2 seconds in a court because there's no evidence that he was on there before all this happened.... point being... you jumped on something you didn't have all the facts on and there's no way we will ever know if you were right or not... and obsessing about that won't make anything any better at this point. If you have had time for things to cool down between you, maybe you can ask him to meet you for lunch... just to try to find closure. You were upset when you "found" that info. He was confused and thoughtless (in the WAY he did it) when he brought condoms into the relationship. You BOTH made mistakes. What is done is done... and maybe you can at least end the lunch as friends and with a better understanding of how to deal with these things in a future relationship... and *perhaps* you will have your closure.... (((HUGS)))

This is ... Beautiful ... Thank you for sharing. I know this will mean so much to so many... 99% of whom you will never realize because we have at least 50k hits on this site every month and most just lurk ... they read and find solace but don't join and reply. So know that your post will likely help MANY to make it through the first few days or weeks or months after diagnosis.... and even more who have suffered for months or years and just found us and will see the first light at the end of their despair-filled tunnel when they read this.... so.... Thank you. And that's just it. The reality of things. The bitter sweet experiences of being an Adult. Congratulations on being an adult. *･゜ﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*･'(*ﾟ▽ﾟ*)'･*:.｡. .｡.:*･゜ﾟ･* Making choices- Alanis Moressette plays in the back ground- if it wasn't for life and it's experiences. The ups and downs there would be no jagged little pull cd. Your ex is married. Your friends are engaged(some or most) You're single and now have herpes wondering if you should have settled for those people in your past that wanted to date you, but you just didn't feel the connection. We grow old, friends marry, you get married, divorce happens, cancer happens. will have to burry our parents, siblings, friends. People get cancer, MS. Someone wins the lottery.Shit really does happen, but that's the beauty we don't recognize in life when it comes to the human experience "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson YAaaaaaassssss! Shit really does happen... some stinks more than others.... but without shit, we wouldn't have the flowers and the trees and the beauty that is our world. When a cow drops it's load on a flower, the flower doesn't blame the cow for life becoming dark and smelly and nasty. It regroups, starts again, takes the nutrients from that shit and comes back bigger and stronger than ever. Along the way that shit feeds beetles and birds (who eat the beetles... which is pretty shitty for the beetles...lol!) and one day you look down and you wouldn't know that the shit was ever there. Except for the flower. It's still there, standing more beautiful and stronger than ever. All thanks to a really "shitty" day..... (((HUGS))) PS - I LOVE RWE ... such a beautiful quote.... here are some of my favorites: "The good news is that the moment you decide that what you know is more important than what you have been taught to believe, you will have shifted gears in your quest for abundance. Success comes from within, not from without." And - for YOU: "To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children, to leave the world a better place, to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived, this is to have succeeded."

And "The Villages" in Fla was the epicenter of the largest increase in STD's ever seen in Fla a number of years back.... "The Villages" is a retirement village ...LOL ... and this was before Tinder .... What was really sad is that this huge retirement complex has everything you could ever want as a retiree.... except for a decent Sexual Health program ... half the people there have lost a partner after 25-50 yrs of marriage and they know NOTHING about STD facts... most likely believe that people in their age group don't get these things... until they get something... and they are less likely to discuss it than we are. We had a 80+ yr old woman come on here from that area who was just diagnosed... got it in her first fling after her hubby of 50+ yrs died... I don't know which sucks more... getting it when you are young and can adapt or when you are that age and are convinced that the little bit of life you have left is now "over" .... :(

Sounds like this is going to be used more as a sterilizer/cleaning agent.... which is great for things like Ebola but NOT good for us because Herpes (contrary to some people's beliefs) is not spread on toilet seats .... Great science though... and great for countries where things like Ebola runs amok..

I would say for most that knowing the type DOES matter for the reasons @seeker1960 stated... if a potential partner has the same one you do, then it means no problem... if you have H2 and the other person has H1 they have a *small* amount of immunity... but you can at least try to educate them that they already have 1 type of H... We're all cheering you on @Seeker1960... just speak from the heart :)

Well, yes, part is the body image ... most I find is the ongoing sexual stigma issues brought over by our forefathers, which still has a stranglehold on our sexuality. In Europe sex and Herpes and the like are not nearly as stigmatized as they are here. People here are really good at "slut shaming" themselves after diagnosis... FAR more than most the people around them ever would if they knew. That's all thanks to our Puritanical heritage and many sub-cultures and religions that teach that if you dare to enjoy sex or have sex before marriage, you "deserve" to get an STI. That, and getting H tends to rip the lid off of all the insecurities and suppressed negative self images that people have. Any un-processed hurt/abuse/etc often comes screaming out with diagnosis...... and THAT is where the "opportunity" lies - because now you can no longer avoid it... you HAVE to face it to move forward.... and most people end up making better friend and sexual/life partner choices once they work through all that crap...because that crap is what made them make bad choices in the first place... :)

..... I always feel like I'm being dishonest or something when I'm flirting with them, like I'm selling a fake version of myself to be crushed when they know the truth. Never really know when to make the disclosure so I end up quitting before I even get started. I wish it wasn't so difficult. I need to review some of the materials here and what you have posted. Going to make a point for you here....because I see this fear all the time... that not telling immediately is akin to "lying" or being "fake": When getting to know someone - for casual sex or otherwise - you unravel the layers of yourself one at a time. Granted that it's faster for casual sex and many things that would be deal breakers for a "Serious" relationship don't come into the casual sex "getting to know you" talks. But I see this exact same fear/belief in BOTH worlds....that not telling is being deceitful or dishonest. However, in the casual sex world, there are other things that might be "deal breakers" that are not the other person's business until it's pretty obvious that they are about to get up in your...er...business :) Super large Penis Micro Penis Erectile Dysfunction ANY STI Kink/Fetish/whatever that you might "have" to have Kink/Fetish/whatever that you might LIKE to have And I'm sure there are plenty more. Point being: don't let the belief that you are being dishonest stop you from pursuing someone, for serious OR casual purposes. For one thing, the other person may be waiting for the right time to tell YOU that THEY have it too.... and again, if someone is in the casual scene, they are damn stupid if they don't realize that they are upping their risk factors for getting a STI and they should be GLAD you were honest and that you are doing what you can to not pass it on. As you said, there are plenty of asshats out there fucking anyone they can and not telling.... when you tell a woman you give her CHOICE ... and there's nothing sexier to us than a man being vulnerable and allowing us into something that could be thrown back at them. I dated a guy with ED and HE had far more insecurity about it than I did... (he more than made up for it with his oral skills!). But he was scared to death to tell me about it when it was obvious that things were working towards the bedroom. And yes. Sometimes a person can be insensitive or even nasty when you disclose. Remember that those people are doing you a FAVOR ... because who wants to date OR fuck someone who may well turn around and be nasty to them about something else down the line.... they just showed you their true self, and you dodged a FAR bigger bullet than a rejection over H. These links may also help you... more links from the male POV :) (This will keep you busy for awhile! LOL) http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1716/a-question-for-men-with-herpes http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/6071/lack-of-success-stories-of-men-disclosing-greater-difficulty-in-finding-partners http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3439/tonight-is-my-night NSgreenville (male) (READ TO THE END!!) https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7145/i-plan-to-disclose-but-the-fact-is-heavy-on-me-any-success-stories-to-share Male success story 19 yrs http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3983/successful-disclosure-male-to-female xrcb 8/12 male to female rainyfeather http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/6239/10-years-of-herpes-chats-male-experience http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/4879/when-to-disclose male to female success http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/5369/well-that-was-a-mess-but-success Male to female https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7493/an-extended-nyc-herpes-disclosure-experience male to female https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7530/33m-here-second-disclosure-second-success-feeling-well-normal Male to female And some casual sex threads http://www.womenshealthmag.com/sex-and-relationships/dating-with-herpes Ella http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/2749/casual-hook-ups-one-night-stands-with-the-h http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/70/herpes-disclosure-and-casual-sex general discussion http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/6484/another-great-interview-with-ella-dawson-includes-great-info-on-how-she-deals-with-casual-sex https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7106/two-totally-separate-success-stories (casual sex) http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/2056/semi-success-i-dont-know-just-read-it thiisgoingtobeok (Casual Sex Successful Disclosure) http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3271/first-disclosure-was-a-success-i-can-breathe-now- Rogue1313 (casual friend) http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3368/my-one-night-wonder Casual sex Willow

@Shetalkstoangels You won't necessarily "know" - 80% of carriers are asymptomatic OR have symptoms that they don't recognize as being Herpes (ie, they think it's razor burn, rough sex, etc.) Under 3.5 with no symptoms has a 40% chance of being false positive. Western Blot runs about $250 I believe ,http://westoverheights.com/ (503) 226-6678 ... they can order the test for you through Quest Labs. It costs $5/minute for a consult … cheap IMO for clarity and/or peace of mind. But first I'd restest the IgG esp if your insurance will pay for it So right now I'd question the HSV2 results... and it's VERY possible to live with someone for years with HSV2 and never get it from them... I have a client who had her first OB after 30 yrs of marriage and her hubby hasn't got it from her. :)

Why did you get tested? Have you had symptoms? IgM is a useless test so those numbers mean nothing. Without symptoms, it's possible you have a false positive. I'd redo the IgG in 3 months.... then Western Blot. I *personally* haven't seen anything to tell me that the Rational Vaccine test is passed by the FDA and ready for release,,,, so right now my advice is retest IgG and if it's inconclusive and you have no symptoms, try Western Blot

Sounds like @MMissouri is right - you likely were hearing of the IgG results which test for Antibodies.... AND... the numbers don't mean much once you are diagnosed... they don't reflect viral loads ... how much you are shedding can change from morning to evening, and even 1 hr to the next... so the blood tests are not helpful there.

I wonder if you had something else causing the blisters... an allergic reaction, etc? I've tried Gold Bond and while it soothed things for awhile, it usually came right back. Almost sounds like a yeast or bacterial infection or at least an exacerbation of whatever started it.... And then again, ya never know with H.... So the Bactine wasn't helping you any more? And I still say get Ammonium Alum in and use that ... it's controlled mine for over 35 yrs :p http://amzn.to/1CHUzZE Link to Alum

@MMissouri I am waiting to send in my blood for my Western Blot which will be my fifth blood test. I have tested negative on igg 4 times but I know it is not right because my symptoms although not classic are indicative of an HSV infection. Wait - FOUR negative IgG's? Hmmm - so what are your symptoms? We have had several people on here who were convinced that have Herpes and they don't.... including after Western Blot. There ARE other things that can come up that can make you think you have H.....

If I go to Vegas I have to remember that bit about how to get free drinks...LOL