Jump to content

HerryTheHerp

Members
  • Posts

    584
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Recent Profile Visitors

The recent visitors block is disabled and is not being shown to other users.

HerryTheHerp's Achievements

2

Reputation

  1. BTW, The information that I picked up at Planned Parenthood on H was interesting. Not a peep in it about suppressive therapy under the "how to protect yourself and partners" section. Condoms, yes. Don't screw while having an OB, yes. Limit sexual partners, yes. Take antivirals? Nope, nowhere in the pamphlet except under the how to treat an OB. And, I'm utterly baffled right now. Finally got the numbers, and all I know is that they came in at under .9 for both. I'm at a loss right now especially at 9 months when antibodies should be easy to detect. I had the primary, had a visual diagnosis at the time, even had a nurse practitioner look at the pictures I took of the primary and say "Yep, that sure looks like H to me." PP's best guess is maybe Shingles, or maybe I'm in that 10% that has a false negative on HSV1. She wasn't sure and suggested I retest in another month. I think I can say it's not 2 because the test is 98% for that at this point, but I'm hesitant to say it's not 1. I've had oral shingles outbreaks before and they were nothing like this.
  2. That's how I feel right now. Getting the test? No problem, I knew the result, just wanted to see it on paper so I knew if it was 1, 2, or both. I'd seen the blisters. Felt the pain. Classic presentation from incubation to prodromes to healing to auto-inoculating my bloody ankles and blisters popping up there. I had no doubt, and quite frankly, still don't. I'm 9 months out from what I am certain was an OB. An hour ago Planned Parenthood calls with the herpes select igg results and says "negative" with 90% accuracy. You know? My mechanic has better diagnostic testing. It's a sad day when I can go to the mechanic, plug my car to a machine, and get a more reliable result than I can from a blood test. And, rant over. I'm gonna go have a drink. Sure, it's 11:45 in the morning. That means it's past 5 in London and good enough for me.
  3. Hi everyone. I have 3 inboxes full of emails right now so I thought I'd just put a note up on the forum as a band-aid, and I promise I'll get back to everyone when I have 3 seconds to breathe sometime in the next week or two. First, there are a lot of rumors circulating and so I thought I'd dispel just a few of them. No, I have not run off and joined the circus. It is a nice thought, but I don't quite have the courage to share a bed with the bearded lady or the cadre of midgets that seems to float around carnies these days. I also have a strong aversion to clowns. No, I have not found a love interest and run off with her. Plausible, but alas, sadly not the case. I wish it was because right now my you-know-what's are as blue as a Smurf. Plus, some intimacy and fabulous conversation would be greatly appreciated. No, I have not been abducted by aliens, I am not wasting away in Margaritaville, and I have not disappeared into a South American jungle and changed my name. I have also not been drafted into the French Foreign Legion, I have not suffered a horrific skiball incident, and, no, I have not fallen into a coffee induced coma. I have however been dealing with 2 rather serious family/personal crises, and an OB YAY! :( These made me very cranky. I was so cranky that grumpy ole' men in nursing homes refused to speak with me. Imagine Walter Mathau with a stick up his arse and it's a pretty good summation of my state of mind this month. Plus, I am simply writing. I'm very busy writing. 80 hours a week of...writing. It's been a very busy month that has seen me working on 6 short books about H, plus about 400 articles for editors who haven't quite grasped the phrase "I'm busy, leave me alone, and no, I can't get a 3 page piece on the mating habits of Peruvian fruit flies researched and written in the next 45 minutes." The only good news is that I'm finally getting caught up and getting back on a regular schedule. In regard to the personal stories I was collecting about the personal tales on living with H that I'm writing, I have decided to put publication of that book back a couple of months into the fall. It's about 1/3 done, but there are so many other time sensitive projects I'm working on that I wanted to push it back until my plate is a little more free and I can dedicate more time to that specific project. So, in conclusion, I'm ok. I haven't suffered a nervous breakdown (amazingly), I'm not dead, and while I pray every day for an alien abduction (ET, please return my call), I simply find myself sitting in front of my keyboard typing 80 words a minute just trying to keep up. Hope everyone's doing well. I'm looking forward to August when I'll have more time to be back on the forum.
  4. Have you been type tested? You say you have genital herpes, and HSV1 (the type that causes cold sores) can cause genital lesions as well. My advice if you haven't already, is to get tested to determine whether you have 1, 2, or both. As far as your roommate, well, you can't make him do something, or make him see something the way you want him to. Is he ignorant in his beliefs and perception? Yes. Is that your problem/responsibility/anything you can change? Nope. So, don't stress over it. You have your own things to deal with. You've done your part to educate him, and he's chosen to remain ignorant. Unfortunate? Yep. Wash your hands of it. As far as the dating sites, well, if you have HSV1 or HSV2, or both, why limit yourself to an STD dating site? Seriously. Those places are like leper colonies. Yes, it makes it easier to get past the disclosure discussion. I understand that, but really, HSV1 and HSV2 are so common that the odds are that if you put it on POF or one of the "regular" sites, you'll find somone there.
  5. Yeah, totally normal. I get mine on my ankles, my shoulder, and my, well, you fill in the blank. Give it some time. It'll settle down and you'll hardly ever notice it.
  6. Yes, having the body talk was very helpful. We had a work session today. So far, everyone's getting along rather well. Love you all!
  7. Even if you don't "score" with this guy, well, you've already won the game. Congratulations not only on having a successful disclosure, but more importantly, conquering your own fears. That's enormous and it's something that will take you far in life. Good luck, best wishes, and keep on keeping on.
  8. I get so emotional baby, every time I'm thinking of you eww eww. I get so emotional baby, ain't it shocking what love can do. Thank you, thank you, I'll be performing Whitney covers all week. Tip jar by the door. I got pretty emotional during my prodome. I mean, emotional to the point where I was sitting around consuming massive quantities of Rocky Road, trolling internet forums, watching reruns of Gossip Girl, and spending hours on the phone with my girlfriends. Was it herpes related? No...and yes. Herpes won't cause hormone spikes. Two different bodily functions; however, if you focus on the herps, that can cause you to get stressed, and like the Dancer said, the next thing you know you're blistering up like a tomatoe in the sun (I'm from the south, we spell it with an "e", any grammar hounds want to come at me tonight, I double dog dare you!). So, how does it work? Your immune system keeps everything in check. When you get stressed, your immune system feels it and its capacity to protect you is diminished. What happens? That means you have fewer CD4 and CD8 cells running around keeping Charlie Herper in check, and voila! the next thing you know, you're having an outbreak. H is strange; but it's not hard to keep it in check. Avoid drama, exercise, learn to meditate, yada yada yada.
  9. Deep breaths. You're going to be ok. Dr.'s are not always up to date on the info, and sometimes they can be rather harsh in their advice and recommendations. You're not a walking biohazard. You're human. The HSV1 will settle down, and you'll be thrilled when it does. For now, keep breathing. Keep smiling. Relax. HSV1 is so common that there's an 80% chance any guy you'll date already has it.
  10. Sweating at night? Well, one of two things: Either the sex is so athletic that you're turning your room into a gym, or you should turn the air conditioner on. Sweating at night isn't something to, well, sweat over. If you talking night sweats, there are a thousand causes of that. But, I'm willing to bet in the summer heat, it's as simple as needing to put on a light blanket, open a window, or turn the ac on full blast.
  11. Sounds like a primary, and those can be a lot of fun. About as comfortable as buying condoms and discovering your girlfriend's mother is a pharmacist. Try some aloe cream, maybe some melissa baum. That should relieve the itching quite a bit. Mine and many others lasted a few weeks, too, so you're not out of the norm. Get lots of rest, try the other remedies Dancer suggested, and try and relax. HSV1 does tend to settle down and not bother you too much in the long-run.
  12. Yep, about 80% of the population ends up with HSV1 by their mid-30's. It's that common. In fact, your boyfriend should get tested, too, because there's a very good possibility he has it as well. If that's the case, there are absolutely no precautions that you need to take to prevent transmission. So, that's the good news. The great news? It's really not going to impact your life all that much. HSV1 doesn't like to live below the belt, and it remains pretty quiet for the vast majority of people. It can cause cold sores if you have it orally, but when it's down below, it tends to show up rarely if ever.
  13. Hi Stressing, Relax. Chill. Take a breath. First, we're all walking germ factories, HSV or not. That's Biology 101, so don't consider ending your life over something as trivial as this. You can hug, kiss, touch your grandchildren all you want. You are not a walking biohazard. Are there precautions you can take? Sure. Don't kiss your grandkids or share a soda or food with them while you have a cold sore. That's about the only thing you need to know, because, other than that, your grandkids have absolutely no risk from being around you. Don't be ashamed. Hold your head high. You're a grandmother. Your grandkids are going to look to you for leadership as they grow older. So, go ahead. Put on the granny panties. Reach for the glasses. Learn to bake. Learn to sew, and enjoy watching your grandchildren grow into strong people who love their grandma and are proud of their family's strength. So, here's your Grandmother's Bill of Rights: 1 - I have the right to spoil my grandchildren. 2 - I have the right to ignore you when you criticize me for spoiling my grandchildren. 3- My grandchildren are, and will always be cuter, smarter, funnier, happier than yours. 4 - My grandchildren can do no wrong. 5 - Grandma's are the grandchild's backup and arbitrator in disputes with mom. These disputes may include but are not limited to extended bedtime, extra dessert, and summer camp. 6 - Grandpa is irrelevant. What grandma says is the law of the land.
  14. Rambling is good sometimes. It helps get everything out, clears the fog, and helps you see things in perspective. So, why can't you be intimate? Why? What the hell is stopping you? Fear of a skin condition? Fear of two common STI's? I've chatted with you, and I know there are some strong feelings there between you two. My advice is still the same. She's been your rock? Be hers. Be the goddamned Rock of Gibraltar. Put that mountain in Nepal to shame. Forget K2, show the world who you are and what a real rock looks like. It's not going to be easy, and that's why we're here for you. Let her lean on you, and you lean on us. She'll never even have to know. There are always emotional blades in relationships. Many times, we wield them without realizing it. I'd bet dollars to donuts that is all that happened. She didn't mean it to hurt you; from what you've told me, she's not that kind of woman. Are you damaged? No more than any other mortal being. We all come into this life with a sticker on our forehead that says "Fragile: Do not break." And, lo and behold, we end up breaking something at various points along the way. That's the beauty of life and when I get up to the Pearly's, I'm going to turn to St. Pete, bumps, bruises, and all and say "Damn, what a rush!" Is there a risk she could get HPV or herpes? Yes. She could also fall madly in love, get pregnant, and become the best friend you've ever had. Lots of risks in life. Some of them are worth taking. For a real shot at lifelong love? Well, the fires of hell and Oprah marathons wouldn't deter me in the slightest.
  15. Assuming you and your partner have the same HSV (i.e. 1, 2, or both) then absolutely, you can shag away without any worries in the world. You can have as normal a sex life as you want. Once a day, twice a day, 14 times a day. As much as you want. Heck, even if you don't have the same HSV strains, you can shag away. This virus doesn't need to stop you from having sex. Can you have kids? Absolutely. There are some precautions you'll need to take when that time comes, but honestly, doctors are pretty darn good at preventing neonatal transmission, and the only real risk comes as the baby passes through the birth canal. So, relax, light the candles, put on the Tom Jones, disconnect the phone, put the dog out, draw the blinds, brush your teeth, pull the sheets back, and, well, you figure out the rest.
×
×
  • Create New...