AmeliaP

Thank you for the welcome everyone! I did indeed immediately call Planned Parenthood when I noticed the sores and was able to make an appt for the very next day (today.) I will have my results back in a few days, but the doctor said just going from the visual inspection, she is pretty sure it is indeed herpes. I've been wondering if there are more and less "potent" strains of HSV (beyond just the differences between HSV1 and 2). My boyfriend has only ever had one outbreak (that he was aware of) and that was 4 years ago, when he was first diagnosed (HSV2). This outbreak of mine, while uncomfortable, is not really that bad at all. Hell, I've had menstrual periods more uncomfortable than this! Is it possible that we have a less virulent strain? Or do you guys think it's more likely to have something to do with our immune systems? Neither of us has ever had cold sores. And @WCSDancer2010, thanks for the links! I now have an excuse to take over my bf's bathtub next time I'm over since I don't have one myself! Heheheh.

Thank you for the welcome everyone! I did indeed immediately call Planned Parenthood when I noticed the sores and was able to make an appt for the very next day (today.) I will have my results back in a few days, but the doctor said just going from the visual inspection, she is pretty sure it is indeed herpes. I've been wondering if there are more and less "potent" strains of HSV (beyond just the differences between HSV1 and 2). My boyfriend has only ever had one outbreak (that he was aware of) and that was 4 years ago, when he was first diagnosed (HSV2). This outbreak of mine, while uncomfortable, is not really that bad at all. Hell, I've had menstrual periods more uncomfortable than this! Is it possible that we have a less virulent strain? Or do you guys think it's more likely to have something to do with our immune systems? Neither of us has ever had cold sores. And @WCSDancer2010, thanks for the links! I now have an excuse to take over my bf's bathtub next time I'm over since I don't have one myself! Heheheh.

Thank you for the welcome everyone! I did indeed immediately call Planned Parenthood when I noticed the sores and was able to make an appt for the very next day (today.) I will have my results back in a few days, but the doctor said just going from the visual inspection, she is pretty sure it is indeed herpes. I've been wondering if there are more and less "potent" strains of HSV (beyond just the differences between HSV1 and 2). My boyfriend has only ever had one outbreak (that he was aware of) and that was 4 years ago, when he was first diagnosed (HSV2). This outbreak of mine, while uncomfortable, is not really that bad at all. Hell, I've had menstrual periods more uncomfortable than this! Is it possible that we have a less virulent strain? Or do you guys think it's more likely to have something to do with our immune systems? Neither of us has ever had cold sores. And @WCSDancer2010, thanks for the links! I now have an excuse to take over my bf's bathtub next time I'm over since I don't have one myself! Heheheh.

Thank you for the welcome everyone! I did indeed immediately call Planned Parenthood when I noticed the sores and was able to make an appt for the very next day (today.) I will have my results back in a few days, but the doctor said just going from the visual inspection, she is pretty sure it is indeed herpes. I've been wondering if there are more and less "potent" strains of HSV (beyond just the differences between HSV1 and 2). My boyfriend has only ever had one outbreak (that he was aware of) and that was 4 years ago, when he was first diagnosed (HSV2). This outbreak of mine, while uncomfortable, is not really that bad at all. Hell, I've had menstrual periods more uncomfortable than this! Is it possible that we have a less virulent strain? Or do you guys think it's more likely to have something to do with our immune systems? Neither of us has ever had cold sores. And @WCSDancer2010, thanks for the links! I now have an excuse to take over my bf's bathtub next time I'm over since I don't have one myself! Heheheh.

Hi everyone, I am so glad to have found this forum, and such a wonderful, supportive online community. I am an H- woman, in a relationship with a man that is H+. We have only been in a romantic relationship for a few months, but it is already the healthiest, most loving relationship I have ever been in. That is what allowed us to overcome the circumstances of his initial disclosure. We had been sleeping together for one month before he disclosed to me. Because we are monogamous, I was on birth control, and I have a latex/spermicide sensitivity, we did not use condoms during this time. When he disclosed to me, he was nearly in tears. He was certain I would reject him, either for having herpes or for keeping the information from me. Initially I listened to everything he had to say, asked him questions where I could, and reassured him that I understood WHY it was hard for him to disclose and I could empathize with what he was going through. I told him I would have to think over everything, not so much because of the herpes, but because of keeping it from me. I had a relationship in my past where someone kept a major secret from me - they were married! So in the end, it had more to do with my issues, and my feelings about honesty - and I ended the relationship. I told him I still wanted to be friends (as we were before the intimate relationship started) and that I absolutely did not judge him or think of him differently for having herpes, and that if he needed to talk to anyone about it, I would be there. I strongly feel that the timing of events in my life happens for a reason. Only a few months before all of this happened, a close female friend disclosed to me that she is H+. She had such a positive attitude about it, and had educated herself so thoroughly, that any small stigma I may have had in the back of my mind was wiped out. She was the first person I called after my boyfriend disclosed, and she was a wonderful resource to have. I think my ability to empathize with my boyfriend, even while being hurt by his lie of omission, was because of having my friend in my life. In the end, my boyfriend and I stayed broken up for one week, and we were both completely miserable during that time. In the face of missing him, and the realization of just how much I cared about him, I was able to forgive his keeping his status from me. Talking to my friend, and doing my own research, I know just how hard a journey it is for some people. I understand why he kept it from me, and I know that it is not because he is a dishonest person, it's just because he is still struggling with the negative feelings that many H+ people do. He completely understood and respected my initial decision to end the relationship with him, and never pushed me to forgive him. When I came to a place of love and forgiveness on my own, and let him back into my life, he told me that's how he knew I was someone he would never want to let go of. "The fact that you were able to forgive me is huge to me." I am joining this forum today because I have had a recurrent urinary tract infection that has sent me to the doctor for the second time in a couple weeks. The pain I have been feeling this time around though feels different than past UTIs, and today when I got home from the doctor and did a visual inspection, I noticed what appear to be 3 sores in the vaginal area. I have not been tested yet because I had read that the most accurate test results are had at least 3 months after initial exposure. I checked my calendar where I had made a note of around when to get tested, and it is next week, so I think it is likely that I am experiencing a first outbreak. When I told my boyfriend, he said he felt horrible that I had to go through this because of him. I simply told him that I accepted the possibility of contracting herpes when I fell in love with him, if I have it then I have it, and that everything will be ok. Even if I don't have it now, I accept the possibility of contracting it later, and have made peace with that possibility. To me, this kind of love far, FAR outweighs the potential risk. I really hope that our story gives other couples hope that a loving (and sexy/sexual!) relationship is possible with herpes. I have so much respect for everyone here and the journey they are on. I may one day be on the same road with you, but even if I remain H-, I want to do my part in spreading knowledge and acceptance of this condition.