HikingGirl

I can't tell you that, I'm sorry. I know you're looking for answers, but the reality is that herpes symptoms really vary from person to person. Further, there are a ton of things that can present symptoms similar to herpes and what you described could be many things, or nothing at all. What your doctor can do, that no one on here can, is swab any current lesions and do an IgG blood test to tell you for sure.

Hi, @Marie89. Another way of looking at it might be to ask yourself, "Would I trust this person with personal/sensitive information NOT related to herpes?" Has he demonstrated the ability to have a serious conversation, or is everything made into a joke? Do you get the sense he's just trying to be funny and herpes is an easy subject for jokes, or have you noticed he uses a lot of humor to make jabs at others and at you? Personally speaking, someone who made a herpes joke probably wouldn't be a deal breaker because most people just don't realize how common it is. Sometimes a joke is just a joke and the person is trying to use humor to impress or gain social acceptance. The other side of the coin though is that sometimes people use jokes to mask pain or deep insecurities, or use it as a tool of aggression. How this person handles other serious topics may give you the best clues, but either way, always trust your gut. My favorite book of all-time, "The Gift of Fear," talks a lot about honoring our intuition and explains how it works. Our brains notice everything, even if we're not aware of it consciously, and synthesizes all of the information it has absorbed in our lifetime to give us feelings of intuition. So even if I can't articulate why I feel a certain way, or feel stupid or silly for it, it's still worth listening to. Good luck!

No, it's not possible to acquire herpes in those ways. Seeing your doctor is the best way to figure out what's going on.

@Jessieandjuice I don't blame you for being frustrated. I don't know if test results are typically abbreviated when sent electronically, so it might be worth a call to the doctor's office to ask if the index values were listed for each type on the original report. A western blot is most helpful when you have an index value between 1.1 and 3.5 (low enough to potentially be a false positive). Otherwise, it's probably easier and cheaper to do another IgG elsewhere. I did my western blot through Terri Warren as part of a research study and paid about $250. I have no idea what's typical. If you're frustrated by the lack of knowledge about herpes with most healthcare providers--your experience in that regard is not uncommon--maybe either a video chat or text/forum chat with Terri Warren would be helpful? More info is available at www.westoverheights.com. The clinic is closed because she retired from full-time practice, but Terri still does some consults online. There are fees, but there may be value in speaking to a nurse practitioner that ran an STD clinic for 30 years, specialized in herpes and researches herpes. I'm guessing she'd want to know the index values of your test results. She can also order the western blot for you if you need help getting it. Another poster on this forum said he just ordered a kit directly from the University of Washington. At the time I had mine done, there was no kit and the instructions were confusing as hell. {{{hugs}}}

Welcome, @Sammi. I'm also 44 (there was such a sharp drop in the birth rate in 1973, so I actually get excited when I "meet" someone my age!) and have had my share of yeast infections. They suck. I'm so sorry you're dealing with that and a herpes outbreak at the same time. (FWIW, my naturopathic doctor introduced me to boric acid for yeast infections and that has worked really well for me. Likewise, he has sometimes written me a scrip for a prescription probiotic when I've had a bad yeast infection and when I've had to take antibiotics. Thankfully, I haven't had much trouble for a couple of years, but it's amazing what a great probiotic [the VSL3 high potency packets] can do.) Everyone seems to have varying experiences with primary and recurring outbreaks. Sounds like you went through hell and back with yours, and I sincerely hope with time your body will get used to the virus and won't react as severely. From reading others' experiences on this forum, it sounds like future outbreaks are usually less severe. Because I acquired HSV 18-25 years before ever getting diagnosed with it, I did not go on antivirals right away. (I had no idea I had it all those years.) I'm taking acyclovir now because I wanted to (a) find an antiviral I tolerate well for when I start dating again, and (b) to see if there was any effect on my very mild outbreaks. In hindsight, think I at least some of my past yeast infections were actually herpes outbreaks. Since starting acyclovir 7 months ago, not only have I not had an outbreak, but I also haven't had a yeast infection and the itching I always attributed to yeast infections has disappeared. How are you feeling now? Any sleep or good food, I hope?

@sp0 I've been thinking about your question about resenting your boyfriend for giving you HSV. I don't know who I got it from, so I'll be up front by stating I haven't been in your situation. That said, I think it would help me (if I was in your situation) to do my best to separate the virus from the person as much as possible. I can think of instances in my own past where I was quick to blame someone near to me when I was really frustrated about someone/something else (or several things). God knows when I was first diagnosed, I blamed doctors for not routinely testing for it, I blamed my nurse practitioner for including it in my routine STD panel, I blamed myself not being better educated about HSV and for getting it in the first place, I blamed society for its ignorance and judgment, I blamed my ex for not getting it after 15 years of marriage when I only had a handful of short-term relationships before him, etc. I carried all of that blame with me and since I couldn't just go yell at my nurse practitioner or society in general, I took it all out on myself. The other day I posted a link about blame where it was described as the discharge of discomfort and pain. That makes me wonder if we can reduce blame by changing how we discharge pain. (Maybe that looks like crying, talking things over with a trusted friend or therapist, journaling, or exercising.). I don't know for sure, but might be worth a try and is interesting to think about. And, as @optimist said, you may very well feel less angry and resentful when you're no longer dealing with the pain of an outbreak and you've had some time to digest this diagnosis. Thanks for letting me ramble a bit. :)

Good news, you won't overdose on vitamin c. Whatever your body doesn't need, it'll just get rid of through diarrhea!

Symptoms vary widely for HSV in general, and the degree of severity can be very different from one person to the next. You may find this handbook helpful for basic information about herpes, including symptoms. https://www.westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/

You're very welcome, @It_doesnt_define_us!

Hi, @newguy10. Your IgG index value (the number) is not definitively positive or negative. It's in a gray area. Since you only had one partner since your last test and she tested negative, I personally wouldn't lose any sleep over it. The general recommendation I've read is to retest in a few months. It'd be really rare to get two equivocal results back-to-back. The blood test measures antibodies your own body produces, not the virus itself. Because of the way the test is run, no one ever gets a zero. Finally, it is possible to get oral HSV1 from kissing or genital HSV1 from receiving oral sex, so if any of that happened from another girl, it'd be all the more reason to retest in a few months. Hope that helps and I hope whatever has been causing you irritation clears up!

Tell them you'd like to get a hard copy of the results. Do not let anyone give you the runaround. This is a basic request and YOU are paying THEM!

Hi @It_doesnt_define_us, you can find out by calling the receptionist at your doctor's office and asking to get a copy of the labs done on X date. That part is super easy!

Hi, Nikki, and welcome! You are definitely not alone. I think most of us can relate to how you are feeling right now, which is very normal. I found it helpful to spend some time literally going through the grieving process, but after seven months I knew I was feeling stuck in it and reached out to a counselor, which was also immensely helpful. One of the things that really helped me was to know how prevalent HSV is.... http://projectaccept.org/who-gets-hsv/ ....and to learn more about the virus. This handbook is a great place to start (although I also highly recommend Warren's full book).... https://www.westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/ These forums, of course, are also a godsend. Nothing beats hearing from others who are dealing with the same thing. Aside from time and education, taking good care of myself (exercise, eating well, reducing stress, doing activities I enjoy, practicing gratitude, etc....all of the things that help me manage any kind of stressor) have done wonders for helping me bounce back emotionally. It's an ongoing process, but I can tell you that the way you feel today is both normal and won't last forever. {{{hugs}}}

I think this is just awesome! What a great opportunity (not your last, I'm sure) to help get some facts out there. I'm envious of you being in the medical field in a way....if I sounded that knowledgeable at work, surely everyone would know why! The fact that you were able to mentally separate the gross comments and see them for what they were, rather than taking it personally, also speaks volumes to how far you've come since your diagnosis. :)

Oral HSV2 is rare. The virus can exit the skin anywhere in the boxer shorts region. To the best of my knowledge, there is no way to know where the original site of infection was. But if, for example, a woman only had vaginal sex, it's still possible she might have outbreaks around her anus or buttocks or even thighs. While those with recurring outbreaks tend to get the outbreaks in the same place, they can and do move locations sometimes. Your best bet is to go back to your doctor and specifically ask for herpes testing. If you think you're having an outbreak, the doc can swab the lesion. Otherwise, you need an IgG blood test. Keep in mind it can take up to 16 weeks post exposure to test positive on a blood test. The test is measuring antibodies your body produces in response to the virus. How long it takes for each individual to make enough antibodies to test positive is highly variable. Since you've stated concerns about acquiring herpes, you may find these two links helpful. One is an infographic showing its prevalence, and the other is a short handbook talking about basic facts, including transmission. Since the majority of adults have at least one form of herpes, and the majority don't know they have it because they have no symptoms and it's not routinely tested for, it's highly probable you will encounter it again in the future. http://projectaccept.org/who-gets-hsv/ https://www.westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/

Hi, @Qwerty123, and welcome. First....{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}. Many of us have been exactly where you are now, feeling like our life is definitively over. I know I felt that way at first. Have you seen a doctor since returning home? If not, it could be helpful for them to swab the sores in order to see which type you have, and also to prescribe you antivirals to help with the outbreak. (Or perhaps a swab test was already done on your trip?) Many others have mentioned other remedies on here that they've used during their primary outbreak (which tends to be the worst, if it's any consolation). It's okay to be sad, upset, angry, afraid, etc.....it's good to just get it out, and it won't last forever. I encourage you to spend time reading these forums as you'll hear from countless individuals who can not only relate to what you're experiencing, but are also now living life and enjoying it!! Learning more about HSV also does wonders to reduce the initial panic. I think this handbook is a great place to start (https://www.westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/) as is Adrial's site. Visiting with a counselor can also be *really* helpful when you feel like you don't have anyone you can talk to. Plus, you have a group of folks right here you can always reach out to! :)

I am so excited for you!!!!! Thanks for letting us know how it went!!

Hi, @HJ89. An IgG index value of 4.77 is indeed positive. Yes, you can absolutely pass the virus, even without symptoms. It's called asymptomatic shedding. Most health care providers are woefully uneducated about herpes. For a basic primer, I recommend this short handbook: https://www.westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/ There are two main reasons to take anitvirals: (1) to prevent or treat an outbreak, and (2) to reduce the chances of transmission with an H- partner. If you'd like to try antivirals because of #2, I'd probably go find a different doctor.

Yes, call me the crazy Brene Brown fan, that's okay. :) I saw this short clip earlier today and loved how it described blame, whether you're on the giving or receiving end of it. I loved how she described it as a way of discharging discomfort and pain. I never thought of it that way before, but it makes a lot of sense. I know blame has definitely been a part of my own journey with herpes, so I thought I'd share in case someone else finds it helpful. https://www.mindful.org/two-lessons-on-blame-from-brene-brown

I'll be thinking of you, @Lollyann76, and sending positive vibes out into the universe for you. It inspires me to read that you're going to take a risk for something that's important to you, rather than sit back and wonder what if. Confident or scared, single or coupled....I think you're a rock star.

He remembers. :) Plan a trip and go have some fun!!

I swear I've read within the first year of infection, but I can't think of the source. I'll check my Terri Warren book to see if I can find reference to it.

Anything is possible. Maybe it's nothing, maybe it's herpes. There's only one way to know and that's an IgG blood test. I understand that it's scary to go get the test for fear of the ramifications, but no amount of speculation from any of us is going to give you the same peace of mind than a visit with your doctor. Herpes can exit the body anywhere in the boxer shorts region. It lives in the ganglial nerves at the base of the spine so outbreaks can happen anywhere in that boxer shorts area. Sometimes it's obvious, as in the case of an outbreak, but there's also "asymptomatic shedding" where the virus sheds the body with no symptoms whatsoever. 87% of people with herpes don't have any symptoms, or they're so mild they're mistaken for something else. You are always potentially infectious to others (with asymptomatic shedding you can't tell when the virus is shedding), but very much so during an active outbreak.

One way to bring it up is to tell him about the symptoms you're having, and that the doctor tested for it at the time you found out about your pregnancy. I don't see a way to confirm whether or not he gave it to you unless you tell him and he tests negative. It's possible this was an existing infection for you as condoms do not prevent HSV transmission entirely since there's often genital-to-genital contact before it goes on. Having herpes doesn't mean you cheated. I was married for 15 years and when I was diagnosed after my divorce, I told my ex and he tested negative. Whether or not he chooses to believe you is a different story. Please don't tolerate accusations of cheating from him. Any comments from him on that topic aren't credible. If he walks, he walks. As a veteran of divorce, I can tell you that nothing gets better after the wedding ceremony.

Ditto to what @Lollyann76 said! And pay no mind to your doctor's comment. Mine said that too. Most doctors are clueless about asymptomatic shedding.