Update since November

[Nal]

Hi all,

 

I've gone awol for a good while, and first of all would like to apologise for posting and then not responding. This was a personal thing and I'm sorry to not follow up on my own panicky question.

 

Anyway, I tried to beat the primary outbreak myself but it just wouldn't go away. My doctor proscribed me 5 days of aciclovir sandoz (4 per day) which did not do the trick. So I started taking half of one every day which did seem to help. When I ran out I made an appointment with my doctor to talk about taking them like this. So after I went to my appointment (4 days after I ran out) I got a blister, exactly 2 hrs after seeing him.

 

So I had a conversation with him about suppressive therapy (I know I had a conversation with one of you lovely ladies about this and our Universal health care so this will interest you). So, basically, if you have 5 outbreak or more in a year, suppressive therapy will be suggested to you and paid back. Now, I brought it up myself and my doctor checked and suppressive therapy for HSV is paid back almost fully (like most medication) for 5 years after blood diagnosis. And then they reevaluate whether you van now fight it yourself or need to keep up with the medication. If outbreaks occur again, you can keep taking the meds and they will remain reemboursed.

 

I asked him about my way of taking 1/2 pill a day and he said there isn't a sure fire way that works for everyone so as long as it works for me, it's okay. I also asked for a copy of my bloodwork. It came back at value 80, when a negative would be below 5 for this specific test. though it's just specified as 'herpes simplex', no number added.

 

Anyway, the reason I was so panicky and spaced out at the time was because I was going through some terrible phase with the boyfriend. None of which had to do with HSV. His ex came into the picture and threatened to move continent if he didn't return to her. Which is something she would be able to do, realistically. He was torn and in the throws of all that he got the test and I was scared it could be a reason for him to end it with me if he thought I'd been lying. In the end I decided to take a step back and let him go, told him to just go back to his ex because his son is more important. And I figuren his son will be in his life forever, but so will the mother. If she can't say Goodbye to him, I can't deal with that drama. I love him but he needs to figure out his life before he starts something new. So they moved back in together. And they already broke up again as well. I think they're the type of couple who can't live with nor without each other so I just let them be. I don't want his child to grow up thinking I broke up his parents.

 

Against all odds, I have met someone new, very soon, I know. Also Spanish speaking, and we're facing being long distance half the year as he's in and out the country for 6 months each time. He's kind and considerate. I disclosed to him on our 4th date. I told him he could reconsider dating me, tried to give him all the facts/risks as well as I could in Spanish and told him to take his time to think it through. But he didn't even blink an eye, asked some questions and let it go. I told him that if he went home and then changed his mind, he could still do it, I would totally understand. But he didn't. We're taking it slowly.

 

I'm hoping to stay in touch this time as I'm not expecting any emotional tornados coming my way anytime soon.

 

So basically, to summarize: I still don't know if it's HSV-1 or HSV-2 or maybe I misread my chart. Even though I consider it to be HSV-1, I have told the new guy it could be either. I'm now looking into getting tested again somewhere else, maybe the tropical institute. But my doctor also found out I haven't been vaccinated against hepatitis A and B so I'm sorting those out first.

 

Anyway, long post as usual. How is everyone here doing?

[2Legit2Quit]

Wow, I'm so sorry to hear that and you did the right thing for your own sanity and protection of your heart. So he never went and got tested?

 

I'm so glad that your first disclosure went so well.

[Nal]

He did. He came out positive for HSV-1. Value 60.9. He got 1.90 or something for hsv-2. Positive value being 5 or more.

 

But I feel I need some additional testing since I got a very positive test not more than 2 weeks after being infected (value 80 when positive starts at value 5). Which I read here is practically impossible. Or is it possible to get antibodies very quickly? If not, I got it somewhere else and the only person I can imagine is the boy I gave head to a few years before, but that wouldn't explain why I got a genital infection in September.

 

Anyway, how have you been? I'd been wondering how you've been doing.

[2Legit2Quit]

Ok. Well he is positive for HSV 2. That's because they did a combined test in you, which is wrong. You likely were already positive for HSV 1 and that will cross react w results for HSV 2. In fact of you have any herpes viruses, which every one dies, it can cause it to cross react. He took the correct test and is why his values look as they do. You coukd have gotten HSV 1 as a child. Have you ever had cold sores? Even if you didn't, doesn't mean you didn't have them. Can you go get swabbed next time?

 

I'm doing ok... Herpes is nothing compared to the other shit I have going on w my health, it doesn't really faze me, despite constant symptoms still. You had trouble controlling the virus too huh? You're in your late 20s right? I'm surprised, especially w hoe health conscious you are.

[Nal]

His test results had the word 'negativo' next to hsv-2. Ugh if he's HSV 2 positive I'm going to have to contact me. This is such a mess. My current guy will be thrilled about this.

[2Legit2Quit]

A positive is .90 on a type specific IgG Elissa test. Do you have a copy of his results?

[Nal]

I had a scan but I changed phones so it's buried somewhere deel down.

[Sil88]

If you read the results correctly and he was tested at least 3 months after you met, it's hsv-1 for sure.. grats!

 

I lived a very healthy lifestyle, yet it hit me hard too. Well done for making that difficult decision regarding your ex btw.. must've taken a fair amount of will power.

 

Good to hear from you.

[Nal]

Hi Sil!

 

We met in June but became intimate in September. He took the test in November.

 

I'm going to check if there's another way to take the test or if I should ask my GP for a specific test. But he's so incredibly laid-back about all this. Which in a way is great because there is no judgement.

 

I live very healthily but I'm also very sensitive to many things so I'm actually not so surprised. I have very sensitive skin, many products I can't use, waxing gives me extreme rashes, I bruise like a peach, I get sunburn after 5 minutes in the sun if I don't use spf50+. I'm that person whose eyes water when someone else is cutting leak in another room. Even though I'm generally a very healthy person, I am incredibly sensitive, to temperature changes f.I. as well. Oh well. At least now I know and can warn people about my condition. Though with the possibility of it being hsv-2, my transmission rate might be Slightly above what I told the new guy, which I'm not happy about. At least I'm on suppressive therapy so there's that and I'm less likely to contaminate him than the other way around.

 

Honestly, I couldn't imagine myself living in a world where the mother of the son of my guy hates me and may transmit that hatred on the child. That's not good for me, not good for the relationship and Def not good for the child. Once children are involved, everything else becomes secondary, my heart included.

 

2Legit, you remain an inspiration how you keep chugging along, kudos. I had painful shoots through the lower abdomen region for quite a while, some discharge and kept getting blisters well into November. I decided to self-medicate with the remainder of my meds from my first sibscription and got my symptoms onder control in 2 weeks. But after I ran out and went to get another prescription, I got another blister after 4 days off the meds. Safe to say I won't be testing to see how I do without for a good while. My meds will be paid back anyway for 5 years. Plus with the new guy (who's been tested for everything but herpes, like most), I'm not really willing to run the risk right now.

 

Another positive of all this is that my GP found out I'm not vaccinated against hepatitis A&B, which could actually kill you, as opposed to HSV, so I've now had 2/3 shots for that as well. Turns out I was 1 year too old to get the free shots in school and he forgot to tell my mother 20 years ago. HSV might've saved my life :)

[2Legit2Quit]

I'm so glad you're finding a silver lining in all this! <3

[Nal]

Haha, well, it's true. And hepatitis is actually very dangerous, unlike herpes. And it spreads through hands touching or drinking from eachbothers glasses, etc. Very dangerous. Thank goodness I found out.

[2Legit2Quit]

I didn't realize it was that contagious.

[WCSDancer2010]

Uh - Hepatitis isn't spread THAT easily friend - but it's good to get the vaccine

 

The hepatitis A virus is transmitted primarily by the faecal-oral route; that is when an uninfected person ingests food or water that has been contaminated with the faeces of an infected person. Hepatitis A appears only as an acute or newly occurring infection and does not become chronic. People with Hepatitis A usually improve without treatment.

 

Hepatitis B is spread when blood, semen, or other body fluid infected with the Hepatitis B virus enters the body of a person who is not infected. People can become infected with the virus during activities such as: Birth (spread from an infected mother to her baby during birth) Sex with an infected partner. Hepatitis B is NOT transmitted casually. It cannot be spread through sneezing, coughing, hugging or eating food prepared by someone who is infected with hepatitis B.

 

Hep B is the most common one of the 2 because you can get it from sex and given you have Herpes, your odds would be higher so it's a good idea to get vaccinated....

 

And remember you can still get Hep C :(

 

Hepatitis C is usually spread when blood from a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus enters the body of someone who is not infected. Today, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Before 1992, when widespread screening of the blood supply began in the United States, Hepatitis C was also commonly spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants.

 

People can become infected with the Hepatitis C virus during such activities as:

 

Sharing needles, syringes, or other equipment to inject drugs

Needlestick injuries in health care settings

Being born to a mother who has Hepatitis C

 

Less commonly, a person can also get Hepatitis C virus infection through:

 

Sharing personal care items that may have come in contact with another person’s blood, such as razors or toothbrushes

Having sexual contact with a person infected with the Hepatitis C virus

 

 

[WCSDancer2010]

Glad that you managed to see where the priorities lay - from what you say even if he truly loves you he's got some sort of co-dependence on the ex (outside of the issue of the child) and you would always be stuck in the middle.

 

Also @2legit2quit

 

When dealing with someone who isn't in the US, we have to accept that the tests that they run may not be what the CDC recommends here...so it's not "wrong" in that country - and in a country with Universal Healthcare, they usually just have 1 test - it keeps costs down for something that they consider to not be important enough to have separate tests for... so the only way to get the IgG is to pay privately IF you can find a place that can supply it :(

 

That's the wonders of a Universal Healthcare program - you may be able to get tested for whatever ails you, but it may not be the BEST test that you could get :(

[2Legit2Quit]

Well I'm aware they aren't as thorough w their testing as here and IMHO, that is still wrong, despite the reasons why. Universal healthcare or not..

[Sil88]

I'm confused in nal's case, because she had blisters that could be swabbed to identify type and location, but the doc almost immediately did a combined blood test on a supposed first OB... Have I got that right? Swab's are pretty basic and cost efficient surely, so I don't think it has to do with the healthcare structure this time (although I know that was only regarding the 'wrong test' comment)

[2Legit2Quit]

Yeah, I agree.. I just think it's ignorance on the docs part. From being on a UK forum a long time e ago, the docs seemed even more clueless about H overseas, than here. It was quite strange.

[Nal]

I think he wanted to be sure I didn't get anything else either, I think. Which is silly, because if he was worried about me getting HIV, I couldn't be tested successfully after 2 weeks anyway. He doesn't usually do gyno stuff, I thought he was going to give me a referral, tbh.