Pinpointing time of herpes infection

[meya]

Hello!

 

First of all, I want to say I am new to this forum, and I'm so grateful for finding this website. Already I've learned so much, so I thank you in advance!

 

I'm currently experiencing my first OB (as far as I know! And the Doctor said it looked like an initial OB), and I have a question regarding when I could have been infected.

 

About 2 years ago I had unprotected sex with my then-boyfriend, and after becoming paranoid from what I thought was a yeast infection (and the Doctor said so, too), he went to get tested and discovered he had HSV-2 (symptom-free).

I got tested about 2 months later and then 7 months later (blood tests), both of which returned negative.

 

Fast forward to the present, I had unprotected sex with a man I've been seeing (about 2 weeks ago), and on pretty much the next day I felt like I had a UTI and a couple days after that I started feeling extremely fatigued. It is then that I discovered a growing blister on the inside of my labia, and needless to say, 1-2 days later I noticed several more (itched, burned).

 

I went to the Doctor the next day and she indeed said I was having a herpes outbreak, she took a swab of one of the lesions, and I will find out in about a week and a half if it is either HSV-1 or HSV-2.

 

My question is = Is it possible that I was infected from 2 years ago and never experienced any blisters until now? Or is it more likely I was infected by this new person (who, as far as he thinks, does not think he has it, though I know he had unprotected sex one other time between testing). Could the blood tests I took have been wrong?

 

Thank you so much to anyone who can offer feedback. I'm just confused because I've heard different things - that it can lay dormant, and then I've also heard that I wouldn't have the kind of outbreak I'm having after so long of it supposedly being dormant.

 

I would like to have as much information before I tell this new person about my OB.

[SunnyDays]

Hi Meya :)

 

First, I'm sorry you're going through this! My initial (and only so far) OB was not fun, so I hope you're feeling better!

 

I have a similar story to you. My doctor said there is no way to tell for sure, but that based on my symptoms she felt that I was recently infected by a new partner (the one I suspected all along) and not someone from the past.

I first came down with body aches, fatigue, fever and sweats and the next two days very sensitive and swollen lymph nodes in my groin. All classic of an initial outbreak.

 

I think the fact both your blood tests came back negative is important and you should try to have confidence in them. Do you recall what kind of tests they were?

[meya]

Hi SunnyDays,

 

Thanks for writing back.

 

Yeah, the thing is I don't think I really had those "classic" symptoms of an initial outbreak this time, except I was extremely fatigued for one day.

 

I actually don't know what kind of tests they were! The first one that I got (at about 7-8 weeks) was a test I got in NYC by one of those STD clinic places where they expressly test for herpes. The second one I got was while I was in Belgium, and when I look at the lab results it just says "Herpes IgM and Herpes IgG - negative" - I'm not sure if that qualifies anything?

 

Anyway, I guess I have to have the talk with the "new" person, and I'm a bit terrified. I don't know how to basically tell someone they may have given me herpes. I know there's a lot of literature on how to tell someone you have herpes, but - yes. It will be tough. I also am waiting on my final results (on whether it's HSV-1 or HSV-2) to tell him so that I feel like I have more information to give him. (Or should I tell him now? The earlier the better?) I'll find out in about a week.