Ken

Well this is odd. Had outbreak of blisters on penis - foreskin and just until the head - back in late May, went along to GUM clinic where the doctor confidently diagnosed it as herpes. Swab came back negative but told that was quite common and it being the UK they won't do the blood test to type it on the NHS. So I waited a good 5 months post the likely exposure and got a private blood test done, to establish type as it is of relevance to my relationship. Lo and behold, the results come back negative! Like, really clearly negative, not even approaching the borderline IgG score. Following some detailed consultation with Dr Google I find that occasionally thrush can cause proper blisters which look pretty similar to herpes - and I do have recurrent and sometimes quite severe thrush. Is this the explanation? I find it hard to believe that a specialist GUM doctor would so confidently get it wrong - I did tell her about my thrush but she dismissed it. Thoughts, folks?

Sounds a sensible idea to see of therapy can help, and don't be afraid to not go back if you don't get the right feeling from your initial meeting with a therapist. Even more than specialist knowledge, the quality of your relationship with them is crucial. I'm only a couple of weeks ahead of you in the 'diagnosed-with-herpes' game, so I can't pretend to be a font of wisdom on it ;) BUT I entirely agree with others far more expert than I that for the vast majority of us, it is not the physical fact of the virus which is the "issue". Rather, it is how we think others think about it, plus very often a whole lot of stuff in yourself you HAVE to confront along with H. I have found therapy helpful, even though (or perhaps because) most of what we've done is not directly about herpes at all. You're doing sensible things now - though there'll doubtless be bumps in the road, I'm confident it will get better for you. Love, Ken

The thrush and general soreness seems to have alleviated a bit today. Being a British Penis, I suspect the old chap was so horrified at the thought of having to face a frank and open talk scared him into better behaviour! :)

Thanks, for the advice and support. My diet is generally pretty healthy - however, when it comes to stress I'm a basket case (and that was before H!). I do seem to have some soreness in the area of the original OB - perhaps the little blighters are coming back for a second show, rather than it being a reaction to the thrush cream. My penis and I are NOT good friends at the moment!

Had first herpes outbreak 3 weeks ago - small cluster of blisters just below head of penis, with a few more popping up later. With acyclovir it was only really painful for about 3 days, though the skin's still a bit sensitive. I realise the problems of working out exactly where you got HSV from, and don't intend to obsess about it, but I am confused by what is meant when herpes info sites say that the initial outbreak will be at "the site of infection". Does this mean that infected skin must have contacted the area on my penis where the OB happened, or could it the primary infection have occurred anywhere on and around the penis - e.g. base of the shaft below a condom? On more practical matters, I now have thrush :/ (not a new problem) - but is there any danger that the anti-fungal cream could irritate the area where the herpes was, or even trigger a fresh outbreak? Thanks Ken

Thanks Dancer and Herry, for taking the time to reply to me. Your care and good sense is hugely helpful at a time when I'm in danger of falling into a spiral of despair and self-loathing. Whether or not I end up positive for HSV2 this experience is a massive wake-up call for me to make some big changes in my life. I realise not only how disconnected from my wife I've been but from myself - looked away from my own anxiety and depression, buried myself in work etc etc. I WILL change these things; thanks for pushing me along the way!

Hi all I had a protected sexual encounter about a month ago - stupid and selfish I know as I'm married, my only mitigation being that I've been depressed and anxious for some time about a whole bunch of stuff. About three weeks later my wife developed a few small blisters on the base of her middle finger (left hand) which she thought were a spread of cold sores (HSV1) which she has suffered from for many years. She put one treatment of acyclovir on it about a day and a half after they appeared and they had dried up within a day of that. She has not reported any other symptoms and I've not seen any on myself. The only possible sign of new HSV could be I had an upset stomach for a couple of days and a toothache about a week before her symptoms appeared. I'm veering between thinking this is unlikely to be HSV2 to seeing it as almost certain I've infected her. I am waiting for a blood test result but realise this may well be too soon to be at all definitive. I'm struggling to conceal my intense anxiety, but don't want to 'confess' and then find there was no need as we're in the clear. I feel so wretched and ashamed I've even found myself thinking of ending it all. Any words of advice much appreciated. Thanks Ken