Got my first "you have herpes" diagnosis but have to wait a month for the results to differentiate between HSV-1 and HSV-2. Doctor really didn't tell me much at all, "don't get overwhelmed" and handed me 7 days dosage of Valtrex and a pamphlet.
I'm certain I picked it up from an encounter a few days before the outbreak, I'm a female and received oral sex from a guy who came out with a coldsore a day after we were together, he's had cold sores before but never genital herpes. I've never had a coldsore before so I'm assuming the virus spread from what was developing on his lip. Doctor agreed here. From what I've read, it sounds like I have gHSV-1.
My doctor never mentioned the two types so everything I know comes from the internet, shocked at how uninformed she left me. I'm finding it hard to figure out what I can expect if the test comes back HSV-1 positive. Am I going to have less recurring episodes than HSV-2 would come with? Are the transmission rates less?
Some of the HSV-1 stories I'm reading seem quite different from my experience, I've got what seems to be near 10 lesions and couldn't sleep for four days with the pain. Am waiting on the "crusting over" stage to kick in at the moment. This makes me question whether it is HSV-1 and, even if it is, whether I'm going to get off any lighter than the typical HSV-2 experiences.
Would love if anybody could enlighten me here, I don't feel confident that my doctor could offer much insight at all judging by how she dealt with the initial diagnosis.