DeMar

Anybody?

Hi Flower, Any news? Thanks.

Hi all, So I am very lucky in that I am in a relationship with my partner who is HSV-, while I am GHSV2+. She knows and accepts she may well catch it from me. I have no symptoms and we have unprotected sex. Last weekend I noticed some spots on the head of my penis and I think this is my first outbreak. They didn't blister and have now receded with barely a mark to show they were there. I'm pretty sure this was HSV by the way they clustered. If my partner and I had sex on Friday night and my outbreak happened on Sunday night, is it likely I was shedding on Friday? My outbreak has pretty much vanished now, so is it over? OR am I still shedding for a week or so? When can we have sex again? My partner prefers unprotected sex and she accepts the risk, but now I have had an outbreak, should I wear a condom for a week or so? Or abstain from sex altogether (for how long)? Or are we good to go? I know there are no guarantees etc, I am just trying to make an informed decision as best I can. Thanks.

But what did the cat treats taste like? 😆

I think you're right Grace. I went to a doctor and he confirmed it wasn't hsv. He gave me steroids and antbiotics and it is going away. My eyesight wasn't affected, it was a difficult angle 🙂

Hi, I'm not sure this is an HSV outbreak. I have HSV2 but (luckily) have never knowingly has an outbreak. Recently I was in the ocean and the next day I noticed a rash around my swimming trunks area. I thought this was my first outbreak. I didn't have blisters. But the rash has spread over nearly all of my body, especially the groin and under the arms. My buttocks are heavily affected including what looks like a blister/pimple but I cannot see very well, and also in the area between my groin and belly button. My face in unaffected and weirdly, neither is my penis. I'm pretty sure the indications are that it's sealice or something like that. It's lingering a long time and is uncomfortable. Is it possible for HSV2 outbreak to spread so far?

Hmmm, half my post was removed. I included a link to a well moderated reddit group focusing on actual treatment research (not hearsay). I'm not sure why that was a problem. I imagine it would be of a huge interest to a lot of people here.

Hi Grace, I find this whole area very muddy, so thank you for the links, but I do find those figures confusing. Can you help me? Re male positive to female negative... Accepting the 10% transmission risk above... if condoms reduce that risk by 96%, then surely that means there would only be a 4% chance of the 10% risk, ie 4% of 10% would be 0.4% And then add anti virals' 50% reduction. 50% of 0.4% would be 0.2%. I am using this to try and assess and manage my risk of passing this to my partner so I hope I am right. In my case I would add regarding the 10% premise, that I do not get outbreaks so I would expect that my initial 10% risk would be reduced further as a starting point. Does that make sense? What do you think?

Hi, There is a lot more reason to hope than there was 10 years ago, but it will take time. Timeframe-wise there is informed hope that a cure may be available within 5 or 10 years, depending on successful results, approvals etc. I know that may seem a long time, but that is how long these things can take. There is a lot of medical progress in terms of mRNA vaccine, gene editing CRISPR (sp?) that wasn't there in the past .

Thank you Grace!!!!! Really appreciate you putting yourself out like this.

So sorry this happened to you Grace. It is hard. I've mentioned my partner before here. She is negative, I am positive. We are in an LDR and got a shock when I found I was HSV2 positive. Even though we are still together (locked out by borders right now) she has really struggled with this so much. It's not easy. I'm extremely blessed to have her in my life but she goes through extreme anxiety around this, around the fear of catching it. It's not a reflection on me as a person, just as this person's response is not a reflection of you. I know you know this, so I'm not telling you anything new, I guess I'm just trying to offer some support. We can't be strong all the time, and sometimes it's ok to allow yourself to feel sad. Take care, be kind.

Hi, a little update on this. I recently found a place in Australia to do a Western Blot test so I contacted my previous pysician (mentioned above) and asked fro a reference. She came back to me and said, oh St Vincents do do the Western Blot and I have your results from September!?!?😡 Anyway, so my result merely said HSV2 positive for antibodies. I thought the Western Blot test gave more information than this. That was why I wanted it, to get a number that might indicate how transmissable I am. Or something. Or am I misunderstanding what the Western Blot test can do?

This is great to read Sumshine. I am a positive male and it terrifies me to pass it on to her. I ready condoms offer even more protection from male to female so I am scared but hopeful. We will be going the same system as you. Thanks for sharing.

@Flowerteacher55 Hi Grace, Just wondering if you've heard back? Thanks,

Hi, I was asymptomatic to begin with but I've had 2 doses of Pfizer and last week had my booster with Moderna. But I've had no change with HSV.

I've only just seen this so hopefully am not too late to ask. Ring of Fire has alrady asked a lot of my questions. But here's a few more. Is is possible to get a Western Blot Test remotely? FOr example, I live in Australia where the Western Blot test is no longer available. Is it possible for me to arrange for blood to be taken and shipped to The University of Washington (or similar)? Shedding: Is there any way to predict when shedding (will) occur(s)? I am asymptomatic but want to prevent transmission to my partner. Is there a way to measure where an infection sheds from (when asymptomatic) Is there a way to measure how old an HSV infection is? IS there a way to correlate the amount of time since an outbreak and the liklihood of transmission between partners? Thanks so much for doing this Grace!! Hope I'm not too late.

Then you are also one of the world's unsung heroes. I am like you. I'm a carrier and asymptomatic, and I will not lie to a partner and risk infecting them. I am lucky as my partner and I are still together after the shock of a positive result (me, not her) and we are moving forward together as a couple. We will use protection, and I will use antivirals, and I will be sensitive to her anxiety about this but we should have a fairly normal sex life. And when (not if) a cure comes in the years to come we will be freer again. It's not been an easy road for us but we're still going and hopefully we will be for the rest of our lives. I hope that gives you some hope. Take care.

Yeah, that's it. It's not chapped or dry skin but more like tiny blisters. Even that's not a very good discription. I'll try and take a clearer picture tomorrow. It's also permanent and there is no itching burning or any other feeling that accompanies it. It doesn't cause me distress but I remember noticingit years ago and thinking, what is that? Has that always been there. Thanks for your reply Grace

Here's my experience... About to start a new sexual relationship my partner asked if I'd get STI tests and she did too. In Australia, the doctor told me he did all tests except some that weren't relevent to my lifestyle (I assumed anal related as I'm herterosexual male). Everything was good as expected but my partner noticed he hadn't tested for herpes. So I had to go back to the doctor and he was very reluctant so I had to insist. I got a blood test and I expected negative but it came back positive for HSV2. I have never knowingly had an outbreak so I didn't know when I'd got this. Anyway, for me the stigma meant nothing, didn't affect me at all. But what did (and still does) affect me was the fear of passing it on. My partner initially said we had to break up as she didn't want to risk it, but then, as we were crazy about each other, changed her mind and we were together for 2 weeks and ended up not using protection. My partner said she was "all in". We live in different states and I returned home. My plan to return was delayed because of covid. But in the meantime, my partner go so intensely anxious that she manifested physical symptoms (except blisters, but everything else). She could not bear going to the doctor because of the shame. She was afraid of passing it on the her parents by touching surfaces etc. I spoke to her calmly about these things but the fear had taken hold and she had a very rough few months until she finally got a negative diagnosis. But this anxiety and fear has eaten away at her. It wasn't helped by a friend of hers who has HSV2 and experiences bad outbreaks, telling her she WILL get it if she is with me etc. So fear and anxiety is playing a big part. For me, the social stigma is nothing. And luckily for me the symptoms are nothing. But I am afraid I am going to loose the love of my life through the fear of transmission. And for my partner, the social stigma and (self) judgement and shame was a very big thing. Personally if I could have the outbreaks but know I was safe on other days, I'd take the outbreaks. But it doesn't work like that.

Hi, I'm afraid I'm of no help, but your pictures did resonate with me. I don't know how I got HSV2 or where I have it. But I do remember having some blisters in my mouth years ago and didn't think anything of it. But I have a white mark on my lips which I didn't always have and am wondering if these could be a sign of oral hsv. Sorry, it's not a very clear picture. I'd appreciate any insight. Thanks

Thanks Grace. There are various places doing research although any cure/vaccination is I think at least 5 years off, and that is presuming it is successful, which it may not be. But it certainly gives me hope. Regarding the 1.3% figure, or even the 10% figure I've heard as a generalisation for shedding. What does that mean. That every time I have sex there is a 1 in 10 chance my partner will catch it? Or That I am shedding? Or is it an annual probability?

I wish I understood this better at least so I could understand the risk, you know, percentage wise. Eg: if I have no outbreaks for 20 years, wear condoms, take antivirals, lysine and olive leaf extract, how likely am I to pass on HSV to my SO compared to being hit by a car (apples and pears I know 😉 )

Hi, I find your post uplifting Lukey, and it gives me hope. Thank you. I have read that the longer you go without outbreaks the lower the chance of shedding. But I' still getting to grips with all this information myself so the waters are very muddy and even every doctor seems to have a different opinion on it.

HI Grace, Sorry to hijack the thread, but you said "Outbreaks can be triggered by hormones". Does that mean outbreaks are less likely or less frequent after menopause? Also, I love what you say about the positive "warning" of prodome symptoms. So if I'm asymptomatic how can I tell if I'm likely to be shedding? Thanks

Hi, I came across this statistic on reddit. Does anyone know how accurate it is. More so, for me, for HSV 2. I caught HSV2 either 2 years ago or over 20 years ago! And I am asymptomatic. BUT I am very worried about passing it to my partner. So how does it work? If I have no outbreaks (for either 2 or 20 years), does that mean that there is only a 1.3% chance of passing it on per year, or every time we have sex? I've seen this sort of statistic before but I'd love to understand it better.... because I'm thinking if that's per year, and I add condom use to the mix and anti virals, that would mean an annual chance of 1 in 5000 chance each year?!?! (based on 50% reduction with anti virals and 96% effectiveness of condoms in male to female). Can that be right? Dare I hope? Thanks.