Dave

@Overthinker2 Again HSV is not, I repeat NOT a big deal.

When I found out I have HSV2 I felt the same way. Then I educated myself about Herpes and realized this is nothing. When you look at the numbers you'll find that it's pretty common. Sadly, this virus has an unwarranted stigma associated with it, especially when it's in the genital area. We can thank the drug companies and the media for that. Think about this up to 80-90% of people that have HSV, don't know they have it because they get little or no symptoms. And roughly 1 in 6 people have HSV, think about that when you're in a crowd. The next time you're in a bar and some guy is telling a herpes joke, he might have it and not even know. Also, there's a reason why some doctors don't include HSV in STD tests...because it's just a skin condition that is an inconvenience at most, for some people. If it truly was a big deal then the medical community would require this testing with physicals. And as viruses go, the flu kills people every year, HSV does not. This video while simplistic, should make you feel better.

I'm going to disagree with Dave and say your mouth is safe if you have a genital infection.And I'll disagree with you, because the OP did not say where HSV2 was on her body. As we know, HSV2 is not just confined to the genital area.

You can only pass HSV from the contact area. So if you're positive that area is only genital then you can't pass it via kissing.

@Bluesy My understanding is that HSV2 provides immunity from HSV1 except in rare cases. There is no immunity. Where do people get this stuff?

Dave- she's had coldsores her entire life. Unless she started oral sex at a very young and inappropriate age, I'd say without a doubt it's HSV1. Or, she got HSV2 orally from a relative who got it from oral sex and then innocently kissed her lips. You can't say without a doubt anymore concerning HSV that Type 1 is oral herpes and Type 2 is genital herpes.

Allyn, I'm confused as to what you're terrified about. You didn't way which type of HSV you have, other than oral. And this doesn't necessarily mean you have type 1.

No

Can he catch it from me if I give him a blow job? What about kissing, can it be caught that way? What about fingering and heavy petting? Chances of giving it to him through that Yes, yes and yes. There is a small chance of giving it to your partner when you are not having an outbreak. Being on antivirals reduce that a little more. Look up the stats on this site. Understand this though, Herpes is not a big deal. It really isn't.

lulu19, to put things in perspective...you do know you can get HSV from kissing someone right? Everyone always talks about sex and Herpes, but rarely about kissing and Herpes. No one ever thinks about asking someone before they kiss them, if they have been tested for HSV and why would they? In the big picture HSV is nothing more than a skin condition that most people have little or no symptoms. Society has let the drug companies and media make this into something worse than it is.

Sorry non disclosure is dishonorable. Lacks integrity no matter how you try to justify. To @Missouri I did test negative directly before this man and tested positive after. He was dishonest about status. I would have had a pretty solid case, but yes if you sleep around it is nearly impossible to source the culprit. I however do not sleep around. I agree with hippyherpy here. Get off the site if you have no intention of being honorable and warning your victims. I totally disagree! You are the one that has no honor, when you make statements like "Get off the site if you have no intention of being honorable and warning your victims". Victims...seriously? We're talking about HSV here, not ebola or Aids. The Flu is more dangerous than HSV, because it kills people every year. HSV is nothing more than a skin condition that wasn't a big deal until the drug companies wanted to make money off it and spreading fear through the media. But even as a skin condition, Psoriasis is more debilitating than HSV. When most people don't know they have HSV because they get little or no symptoms, why is this something to fear? There is a reason why it isn't always included in an STD test, as the medical community doesn't view Herpes as a big deal and neither should we.

But it's still very sad that genital HSV is considered a scary thing, when oral HSV isn't.

First off, this is NOT a "terrible STD". It really is just a skin condition with an unwarranted stigma thanks to the media and drug companies, when the majority of people with it have little or no symptoms. There are many other skin conditions that are much more painful emotionally and physically, not to mention other viruses that are deadly, like the Flu. But yes, I think it's wrong to use someone you're not into, just so you can test your disclosure speech, especially since he's into you.

Very low

Let me ask you this....if you had oral HSV (1 or 2), would you tell someone before kissing them? Do you ever ask someone before kissing them if they have oral HSV? I find it odd that if someone isn't having an outbreak we still feel responsible to disclose concerning genital HSV, yet most don't disclose for oral HSV, without an outbreak. Everyone knows cold sores are contagious but most don't know it's HSV. And yes I know there is a chance (very slight according to the numbers), with asymptomatic shedding of giving it to someone else. I think because of the stigma, we make a bigger deal out of it than it is and education is the key.

You can have it for decades and never know unless you are tested for it. And it's possible after all that time, to have never given it to your partner. Also, no one is a carrier, you either have it or you don't. But just because you have it that doesn't mean you get outbreaks. It really isn't a big deal as most people have little or no symptoms. Think of it this way, the flu virus can be deadly, killing many each year from. HSV hasn't killed anyone, it's just an annoyance.

Well after a couple of months and getting my doctor to read some studies, he finally agreed to give me a prescription for Valacyclovir. He still doesn't think I need it, because I've never noticed an outbreak. But did say he believes it to be a safe drug and if it will help my peace of mind, then he has no problem prescribing it for me. I just think that reducing the odds, goes a long way in reassuring potential partners who have been mislead by the media, drug companies and peers, when in fact it really isn't a big deal.

Clearly this person had other issues, to want to choose suicide. Nobody want's to knowing pass on an STD, but the risk of passing on HSV1 or 2 is extremely low. In some cases you have a better chance at winning the lottery or dying in a car crash than getting HSV. HSV is really not a big deal and I'm sick of all the false information!

The people that fear herpes probably don't realize that they can get it from kissing someone and that person they're kissing, probably doesn't know they have it. And who ever asks before a kiss, if that person has ever been tested for HSV? No one does!

I completely understand, so the best thing you can do is keep educating yourself about HSV. Once you realize how many people have it, you'll feel better. It truly is nothing to worry about.

Why it matters, is for disclosure. I know HSV is not a big deal and really very common. But the uninformed fear it. So when I quote a number, to reassure them and they look it up and find a unfavorable number, it makes me look untruthful. The numbers do matter to reassure them. Plus, it just seem ridiculous when the references doesn't match each other.

Adrial, Yes I have the handouts but even those are different than what other experts are saying. I understand the numbers are different for age groups and sex, but when the numbers are thrown out there, they don't speak of age or sex. So it just confuses the uniformed.

Seems like the numbers are all over the place concerning herpes. I've read 1 in 4 and up to 1 in 7 people have herpes. Up to 80% of people have it and don't know it, and up to 90%. I've read that 99% of cold sores are HSV1 and another that said 90% of cold sores are HSV1. Which is it for crying out loud?

I wouldn't disclose. The reason is because HSV is not a big deal, it really isn't. The stigma (for HSV2), is bigger than the actual virus. An HSV2 has a greater stigma than HSV1, which I find odd since they are almost identical. If HSV was a big deal then it would be included in every STD test, but it's not. It's just a skin condition that is totally manageable in which most people have little or no symptoms. The Flu virus kills people every year, yet HSV has killed no one and everyone is afraid like it's the plague.

That's it thanks! Since Terri Warren is a Nurse Practitioner and not a MD, I hope my doctor will agree with the findings in the article.