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makepeacewithit

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makepeacewithit last won the day on October 9 2019

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  1. @Msdgh Yeah, unfortunately sometimes it can be so confusing--the widely available tests have their flaws, there are complications with testing windows, antibody development, and sometimes certain individuals just have something else going on with their blood and can't get accurate results from these tests. I'm sorry the process has made it stressful and confusing for you!
  2. Tone12 has a good point about the antivirals impacting your results. They slow the development of antibodies so the low test results are likely due to that. Is there any way that you could manage to do a phone consultation with a professional outside of your country? Terri Warren offers those through Westover Heights clinic online. You deserve to have proper medical help with your issues, you deserve a chance at finding help and relief from your symptoms. Also what antiviral meds are you taking, what is the dosage, and will you be able to get more? Edit: Nevermind, I see you said Valtrex!
  3. After researching I realized that the clinic I was dealing with didn't have a clue, and that makes me really sad to say. It would be nice to feel we could trust professionals, but I think this sort of thing is a reason why the CDC doesn't advise testing without symptoms because of all these potential pitfalls with the results (being asymptomatic was *sort of* the case for me, too, I now think I mistook my first outbreak for a yeast infection, and I was *strongly* discouraged from taking the test). When I did follow up testing I ordered it myself online, and then when I figured out my situation I presented the facts, along with CDC print-outs, to my doctor. If hsv-1 is something you feel is possible, and if you receive a future negative on the hsv-2, you might have contracted hsv-1 from your boyfriend (or maybe you had coldsores a long time ago). You could start requesting the test for both, just know that the IGG antibody tests miss hsv-1 30% of the time, and, as I understand it, if it doesn't catch it for you once, it likely won't catch it on subsequent tests. The Western Blot is what I did to confirm my hsv-1. Before that I had 2 low-positive results and then a clear negative result on the Elisas.
  4. I am really happy to see this discussion, I've only recently discovered the important role vaginal flora plays, and I now believe recent a ghsv-1 outbreak, UTIs, and overall discomfort issues could be linked to antibotics I had to take for other issues in the last year. As I'm older and going through menopause I also have to be very concerned about maintaining proper vaginal pH, and I'm hopeful that restoring flora and finding pH balance will help me avoid future H outbreaks!
  5. There is a male condom that is designed sort of like that, with additional material at the base, it's very unusual looking (!) but I can't say for certain that this design actually does provide additional protection. Google "unique condom." I ordered them through Lucky Bloke, but you can get them through the website or amazon.
  6. I meant to say "similar to what that 1st doctor told you." I'm really happy that you had a better informed doctor to turn to! I think uninformed clinicians mess up the discovery process for a lot of us!!
  7. I just wanted to add to the conversation about having HSV-1 in both locations, it's most likely to happen when you initially contract the virus, for instance you might acquire it in both locations at the same time, or in the few months period of time when antibodies haven't developed yet, you can get it in one location initially, and then also in the other a short time later simply because the body doesn't recognize it as established yet. But if you have a well-established infection in one location, the possibility of picking it up in the other location many months or years later is highly unlikely.
  8. I will preface my response here by saying that when I first tested I received a similar low score for HSV-2 and a similar "diagnosis" of it being a firm positive from the clinic that gave me the test. It turned out later I was actually negative for 2 but had contracted 1, which the IGG test completely missed. So, I agree with the other poster, disclose that you are getting testing and that nothing is certain right now, not only because it's the right thing to do (and will be easier than just trying to avoid them in the meantime!) but also because it gives you both the opportunity to talk more about all the things related to this. Just remember, you are not disclosing that you have an STI, you are disclosing that you are a proactive and careful person who is testing and figuring your situation out. This is a good thing.
  9. It's very possible that the bumps are actually ingrown hairs or cysts, or something else altogether. Can you get to a doctor or clinic and have them checked out? Herpes can be mysterious at times, and while it's true that it doesn't always follow the same patterns, what you describe doesn't really fit the way ghsv usually presents itself. When we have herpes we tend to forget about the multitude of other issues that can effect our bodies and blame the virus for everything. I am an advocate for knowing as much about our bodies as possible and seeking to know the truth whenever we find our minds spiraling into worry--you need to be armed with the truth in order to move forward. If bumps are causing you this much worry then spending a little time and money on discovering the truth about them is very important to your mental health. Explain to your doctor how worried this has you, and ask for his/her help in sorting out what is going on down there. If a trip to the doctor is not possible, look into getting an online consultation with a herpes expert (I always recommend Westover Heights online for this, it can be incredibly reassuring to consult with a medical professional who is an expert on herpes).
  10. These are really great points and I want to personally apologize for any comments or posts I've made that contributed to you feeling this way and the divide between the 1/2 designations--I realize that much of my sharing with others dealing with HSV-1 has leaned heavily on the trite "if you are going to have it, this is the best kind to have" statement, I even put it in all caps at one point in an effort to be upbeat and reassuring, and instantly regretted it when I found I couldn't edit it to be tamer. I have absolutely no desire to contribute to the stigma of any variety of H, but I totally see OPs points and will endeavor to keep this in check in the future. There are so many variables, every individual is different, and each experience of this journey is highly individual--but we share a common enemy--stigma. I was initially diagnosed as having 2, spent two years believing that before I had my western blot confirm the variety. It's true that the nurse used the same trite line to reassure me when she told me, but also true that it's not felt very much different to me either way.
  11. One thing to consider if it's taking a long time to get a positive reading on blood tests . . . if you'd had an outbreak doctors will often give you antiviral medicine like Valtrex to deal with the symptoms. Being on antivirals delays the initial seroconversion process even if you have outbreaks, so you have the infection but blood tests like IGG and WB take longer to detect it (or won't show it if you are on a daily suppressive dose). Just thought I'd mention this, in case anyone is awaiting blood tests while also taking antivirals.
  12. I have struggled with this, too. I have GHSV-1, too, and despite knowing (and repeating over and over to myself) that it's pretty minor, I get obsessed with it and let it ruin my fun. While I technically have had this for at least three years, I spent about two years with an initial misdiagnosis of it as HSV-2, so I've experienced the ups and downs of that, too. After I learned it was really hsv-1 I didn't actually feel much relief, there is something about the idea of being contagious that is incredibly unsettling. But there are moments in which I find peace with the situation and right now I am working on figuring out how I am going to move forward with this situation with more grace and certainty for myself. I think the first thing to do is accept and honor where you are at in this moment. Right now you are adjusting to something new in your life, and you have to experience all the overblown fears before you can move beyond them. When you are afraid to get in the pool and it feels "real" to worry about it, allow yourself a few seconds to listen to what that fear really is about, listen to the fearful self for just a moment to get to the heart of it. Then sit on the edge of the pool and put your feet in and kick and splash a little bit, enjoy the water and look at the pregnant ladies and smile at them and at yourself, because your overblown fears are just your incredible caring nature in disguise. Give yourself some credit. You care so much that you over-compensate in the form of fear. I do this, too. Start to ask yourself "what's it going to take to be satisfied that I'm not a walking infection?" Only you can really find the answer to that question. Maybe it's doing more research. Maybe it's filling a journal with facts and figures about transmission, or affirmations that this virus doesn't define you and it's not such a terrible thing (think of how many others have it, too!) Maybe when you are going into a meditation you can use a mantra that opens yourself up to hearing the truths that reside within you: that you are pure, that you are love, and that you are absolutely okay.
  13. If you end up needing additional support, for instance if your therapist or your husband doesn't understand some of the basic facts about how herpes can lurk around for years without you knowing it, Terri Warren, a expert on the issue, can be consulted for a small fee at Westover Heights Clinic's forums, and her or other doctors can explain the truth of your situation for a fee at the forums at askexpertsnow There's a lot of misinformation and misunderstandings about how herpes works, and the internet is a confusing and murky place sometimes, but sites like those I mentioned can be helpful when you need a "straight from the expert's mouth" sort of thing. I consult the Westover forums all the time because I trust the info she provides and appreciate the incredible patience she shows with the paranoia and upset we H folks are always spewing at her. Additionally Terri Warren has written a good book on herpes called "The Good News about the Bad News" that includes the sort of situation you are dealing with. It's possible she might have something about it in the free downloadable Herpes Handbook, too. I can't remember for sure. Good luck, we're rooting for you!
  14. Her taking a daily dose of anti-virals to suppress both outbreaks and shedding would be something to consider.
  15. @LoveLiveLonely, can you talk to your doctor about the symptoms you are having, and also about getting testing that would reveal the type you have? It's really good to have clarity about your status and it sometimes takes some footwork to get there, but knowing your true status should be a right that your doctor will help you with, and then you can more easily figure out what is happening for you and whether it's truly an outbreak or something else. @MarsAttack there are a lot of things that can happen with skin that have nothing to do with H, but if it's an ongoing issue or if it's causing you concern it would be good to have it looked at by a doctor who can help you find clarity. About the leg pain, sometimes H does cause people nerve pain in the leg, but if you have had a hernia from strain I think it's safe to assume it is related to the muscles (I am not sure if H interferes with muscles at all, but I do know that when we have H we tend to focus on it as the reason for a host of physical symptoms when it's not really the problem . . . it's just so mysterious to us that we worry, but our bodies are going to have all the same normal aches and pains, too).
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