How did you find out you have H??

[MissGuided]

Just curious.  How did you find out you had H?  Did you get symptoms, did you not have symptoms?  Random lab work?  

If you know when you were exposed, how long did it take before symptoms arose, and what were they? 

Meant to hear your stories. 

[100918]

I just found out I have H2 about 2 weeks ago. I found out by way of asking my midwife for a full-panel STI testing because I had finally met someone that I felt had potential for intimacy. I insisted we both get tested before we became intimate, and since I had to go in for my annual exam anyway, I had the bloodwork done while I was there.

I have not had sex (or had any type of relationship) in 10 years, so to find out I had it now, after so long with no sex was a HUGE blow to me...especially since I had been tested at least 5 times (for other reasons) in the past 10 years, and never was told I had it (it was apparently not part of the testing any of those times). Thinking back, I can now see times when I probably was having an OB, but had no idea what it was because it always coincided with shaving, so I assumed it was ingrown hairs or irritation from shaving. 😕 

However, to save my life, I cannot recall any time when I had that dreaded "1st outbreak" that was supposed to be worse than all the others. So, even though I was with my (now-ex) husband for 9 years before I left him, plus 10 years since him, I honestly have NO idea if I got it from him, but I suspect I did because I can't remember any 'ingrown hair' issues before meeting him.

I also cannot recall the last time I had any outbreak, now that I know that's what they were. It's been at least 3 years.

Oh, and you didn't ask, but the guy that I was thinking had all that potential? He hit the brakes, backed up, and now wants to be friends, he says. And as far as I know, he is not going to go get tested because he's convinced that he doesn't have it...yeah, that's what I thought too. Good thing for him that I insisted on testing before sex...he was ready to sleep with me with no testing and no condom...neither of which were going to happen with me.