might have been exposed to herpes

[soorahh]

OK let me start off by saying I am very uneducated about herpes. I think I need advice or maybe just an opinion....I'm very confused. About a week ago I had sex (unprotected) with a guy who has herpes, not a very smart move I know. He told me he wasn't having an outbreak and was not showing signs of one so chances of me catching it are slim to none. My first question is, is that true? My next question is when will I know if I have it now too? I've heard it could be 6 months. He says I would have known after the first two days because it doesn't lay dormant. My last question is since I'm not fully sure if i have it, do I have to tell my next partner? I don't want to scare someone off and have it turn out I'm clean.

[mr_hopp]

Sounds like this guy is uneducated about herpes, too. First off, here's a handout you should read about the risks of contracting it (short answer for females: 10% chance with no protection/meds, 5% with protection OR meds, 2.5% with protection AND meds)

http://bit.ly/h-opp-disclosure-handout

 

Most people see signs or symptoms of herpes within the first weeks of exposure, but not all do. Some people get herpes and never have an outbreak (known as silent carriers). In order to get a conclusive blood test, enough antibodies have to build up in your blood, which could take up to 10 weeks.

 

And yes, you should tell your next partner exactly what you know. Don't hold it back. Intimacy is about letting people in. Tell him that your last sexual partner had herpes and there's a chance you could have contracted it and that you won't know for sure until the 10 weeks are up and you get an IgG test. No need to further stigmatize the possibility of you having herpes and I think you should to be transparent around possibly being exposed to herpes.