wordup

Hey @m_USA - I 'm a 25 y/o male with HSV 2 also. I have had herpes for about 14 months. So! In my case I am a pretty active fit guy who has always ate healthy and maintained my health. I had unprotected sex with a girl who told me she had been checked and had no STI's (Doh!). From my experience I had about 2-3 months of constant outbreaks.. Nothing huge just small red marks... However they would clear up for 1 month then come back for 1 week or 2 and so on.. It was pretty unpredictable. Basically after 6-8 months they were completely gone. However I did find scars beneath my pubic hair.. so make sure you look out for that. As I totally wasn't aware that I got sores in the spot until my pubic hairs had been trimmed haha! Anyway man... I ended up dating a girl and giving her the talk. She was great about it and was so amazed and happy I was straight up and honest about it.. I have been seeing her for 6 months now... and we don't even think about herpes. I take my anti virals every day and I wear a condom. There will be tough days and as you stated the best thing is to stay busy. I ended up doing a half marathon to keep my mind off it. The stigma is a joke and at the end of the day it's a skin condition. I am don't even think about it these days.. even when taking my anti-viral medication. Basically life goes on... you can walk, talk, hear see and think and I know people who have lost those basic abilities and would give anything to swap with me and have herpes... You sound like a positive dude, so keep your head high man... Message me if you want to talk or any advice brother! Peace

I'm 25 and male from New Zealand but I am living in Melbourne, Australia! PM me if you are after some good vibes and discussion regarding the H! I am here to help!

It's been far to long since I posted! Life has been great! I am the fittest I have ever been, ran a half marathon and I am am dating a great girl For me acceptance was the key in moving forward with H. I disclosed to the girl I am currently dating, and thanks to this site I was well prepared in answering questions and throwing facts her way. I take valtrex each day, however am doubling up at the moment as I have an outbreak! I have had many minor outbreaks since I was diagnosed, I take lysine and vitamin C daily also. Since it's the first year of having H minor outbreaks are expected, and I do my best to keep watch. I guess the tough part is trying to protect my partner from catching it. She is aware of the risks, but naturally I feel guilty and would rather not pass it on. But that is part of the challenge living with the H. I think for anyone who is new to having H you need to know that acceptance will occur, and once this does everything gets a lot easier. As I said I rarely think about the H now days, and the stats are mind blowing with the amount of people who have it. It has taught me to be thankful and grateful for the life I live... I am not saying the H isn't something to be concerned about... but what I am saying is there are people out there that are a lot worse off and that would do anything to switch shoes with someone who has H.

This is an amazing post! Thank you!

No worries @fitgirl - I will be around from now. Always down on helping others realise that HSV2 is not the end of the world. It's the start of appreciating everything and everyone around you.

@cclife90. @fairlyme Welcome to the forum! I am a 25 year old male who found out I had HSV2 about 2 months ago. (just before my birthday and xmas lucky me!!) Initially I went through all the classic stages of anger, fear and the whole "why me" and constantly questioning myself. Like most people, I didn't really know much about herpes, I knew it caused "sores" but that's about it. I totally wish I knew more about it before hand. But I didn't. Oh Well! I don't beat myself up about it, or get mad at myself because there is no point. It's done, now you must move forward and focus on the positives in your life. Why waste your time and energy on being so frustrated with yourself. It's not worth it. As you said! it's a minor skin condition. I wake up everyday thankful I can walk, talk, eat, see and even type this message with my fingers! Amazing right? Although I am not "over the moon" I have herpes. I say to myself "sheeeeet, if herps is all I get in life then I am a happy man" Life is to short to stress over something so little. I was hanging out my washing during the night yesterday (gets hot in Melbourne, Australia :p) and I looked up at the stars and laughed. I laughed at how small we are and how insignificant herpes is. I looked down at my hands and wriggled them around.. amazing I thought. I then walked back into my house thinking damn life is good. It's good because I am alive and well. I am a social worker and I work with people who have horrific injuries that have caused them to be bed bound, acquire brain injuries, blindness and spinal chord injuries. These people would trade my life with herpes in a second. Herpes is only as big as you make it. As for getting jiggy with someone and getting into a relationship ... If someone rejects you because you have herpes, it is not meant to be. Let me tell you why. Sure herpzzz is contagious, but the chances of you passing it on if you take the right precautions (suppressants, condoms) and being in tune with your body, are highly unlikely. Yes there is a small chance there. But as this site states, use herpes as your wingman. The trust you will find with the person who accepts you for you will be the most positive experience to come out of having herpes.

Hi all, I was told I had herpes HSV 2 about 1 month ago. Like all of you I could not believe it... I had just got out of a 4 year relationship on good terms. My ex partner then got a full STI test, and came back positive for HSV1 and HSV2. Although she never had any outbreaks when I was with her, as we all know you can carry the virus for years and never have an outbreak. I got tested and discovered I indeed have HSV 2. Who's to say that I didn't give it to her? You just don't know, and there is really no point in stressing about who gave it to who. It's done.. you have it, and it's now time to deal with it. Being recently single and 24 then being told you have HSV2 sucks yes... BUT! All of you have to realise is that this really isn't a big deal. I am so lucky that I am mature enough now and that I know this truly is not a big deal. Yes it is a nuisance and can be "embarrassing". But lets ask the guy who is paralysed from the neck down if getting his ass wiped by a nurse or having herpes is embarrassing? Let's ask the person who at 26 has ALS and has been giving 3-5 years to live, during that time loosing all movement of his body and ability to speak if herpes is a big deal? Do you have cancer? No. Do you have ALS? No. Do you have MS? No. Do you have Muscular Dystrophy? No. Do you have a brain injury? No. Are you paralysed? No. Do you have AIDS? No. Are you blind? No. You can clearly see where I am getting at. Life goes on, you can walk to the shop, you can see this computer screen.. life is beautiful.. be grateful, because one day you might be posting on another forum trying to come to grips with having a terminal illness or a disease that actually causes significant damage to your body. I had my first small outbreak not long ago.. a tiny red bump on my D... My skin also tingled on my stomach and lower back. I am on anti viral medication now, and will be taking Vitamin C and Lysine from now on. No biggie. I am about to disclose to a girl I am seeing very soon, and I am not worried about it at all. I have all the facts in my head ready to go (thanks to this wonderful site).. and seriously guys.. you can just tell off the bat if a girl would be accepting or not. If she seriously thinks herpes in a deal breaker... then holy f'n shit... do you think she will hang around once you get diagnosed with something actually serious?.. Hell no.. She will be the first to bail on yo ass once something serious has actually come up. Straight off the bat she is not the right one for you. As this website states.. make this your opportunity to educate people on this matter. I never new a thing about da herrrrpez until I got it. It makes me laugh that it has a social stigma.. seriously people are silly. Use this website to educate yourself, and others. Life is beautiful, be grateful for everything around you.. and do not let this skin condition consume your thoughts ;) If all I get in life is herpes... I will be a very happy man indeed. James