Herpes

I found out on Monday night after visiting a clinic that I indeed have GH. I first noticed something going on down there last week. I confused any symptoms as being a reaction to the birth control that I had just started a week earlier, NuvaRing. I continued to have sex with my boyfriend thinking that my vagina was just being sensitive to whatever was new inside me. I ended up at the ER last Thursday because the pain was intolerable. I sat in the ER from 2 in the morning until 8:30 a.m. and was never seen. I called my family doctor (I have no medical insurance, but just started an excellent state job that will eventually lead to benefits). I went to my family doctor and immediately she told me I had lesions down there. She took a blood test for herpes, gave me no medicine, no advice, no help at all and sent me on my way. I was hysterical and equally was my boyfriend.

He's been absolutely fantastic though. We're still not sure where this came from yet, but we decided never to point fingers at each other. He took me to my appointment on monday where I finally got medicine (valtrex and I'm taking lysine) and the doctor told me I have no new sores and it should be cleared up by Friday (yay!).

I wanted to know, beacuse I believe I've recently contracted this (I was tested last august and was clear and that was a year and half after my last sexual partner)....how long does it take for this to show up in your blood test? Is it true that if you have never had an outbreak that it may not show up because what it tests for are the antibodies that your body creates to fight it off?

I'm wondering if my boyfriend has it now or if he could have given this to me. We had sex last Saturday, Sunday, and Monday when I was in the "prodrome" phase. The only thing he notices is a dull pain in his lower back and he is more itchy than normal....could this be a symptom? He is going to be tested next week, I'm just afraid that if I did give it to him, it won't show in his tests yet (or mine for that matter).

We're doing okay, both scared, depressed and just plain exhausted (I'm having trouble sleeping and eating and I know it's because of my stress over this, I have panic disorder and anxiety but am taking medication to control it)

I feel blessed that I do not have to go through this alone, I have a wonderful family and friends who are supporting me as well as a boyfriend who will stand by me no matter what, i realize how lucky I am....pray for us, please.

Hey Bnjo,

So glad that you went on to the clinic and just curious, what test did they do there?  I am assuming, since you got the results relatively quickly, that they did the swab test.  Now, what we have to do is help you learn to deal and control this.  I am wondering now, if the nuvaring caused your herpes to become "active" and that you have had this for some time.  I don't remember, but I think you said that you had not been with anyone but your current bf since your test in August, right?  Remeber, we talked about false positives and negatives with the blood tests?  I am thinking that perhaps that was the case with your test in August.  So it's completely possible that you have had herpes for awhile but never any outbreaks, but the nuvaring, and the possible hormones, caused the 1st outbreak.  I don't know.  But at this point, that is what I am thinking now.  I really wish it had of been an allergic reaction, but I promised you that if you in fact had herpes, we would help you learn to cope :)

Herpes antibodies begin to show up anywhere from 3 days to about 4 weeks after exposure.  It depends really on the immune system of the person.  So if you bf friend is going to be tested now the test should detect antibodies.  But remember, again, the blood tests do have a higher rate of false results.  Of course, if he never haves an outbreak, then the blood test is the only way to test him.  Repeat tests are recommended to confirm or deny the diagnosis that way.

Some people report a flu-like feelings and achiness with first outbreaks, so the lower back achiness he is experiencing could very well be the sign of an upcoming outbreak.  Check with his doctor to be sure, but it is okay, barring any ailments that he may have, that he go ahead and start taking the L-Lysine to help reduce the severity of an outbreak if he in fact does get one.  Then he can go to the doctor and be prescribed Valtrex as well.  And Valtrex can be taken only during an outbreak OR it can be taken as a suppressive therapy, daily, to help ward off outbreaks.  Also, remember, we talked about stress, smoking, drinking and proper diets and rest.  So ya'll both could look into how you can begin to be more healthy that way.

I know it's hard right now, but in time, and with education, you will learn to deal with this and not be so stressed about having herpes.  Most people report, over time, that they begin to view herpes as a skin nuisance.  And remember, it can be controlled!  You have a great bf and I think if ya'll research this together, learn together, that you will both get passed this "shocked, emotional" state rather quickly. 

Whatever questions you have, please, come and ask and we will do our best to answer them.  Oh yea, to you and everyone, iVillage is going to combine this board with the STD board in the next week or so, so that is why I refer to "we".  I have a wonderful co-host on the STD board, Megan, and she will soon be helping with herpes questions as well.

Hugs!

   

   

 

My doctor called me this morning. It turns out that I came up positive for type 1 and NOT type 2. I've never had a cold sore on my mouth, so I'm fairly certain that this is what is happening to my bottom. I knew I was lucky because I only broke out in these sores last thursday and by yesterday I was feeling much better (today just some mild itching from the healing process, I can pee with virtually no pain whatsoever).

I know it's still an STD and it's not good but I do feel relieved that there is a greater chance that this wont come up every month and I won't need to take the medicine every day. I'm still going to talk with the people at planned parenthood to find out more about what this means and my boyfriend is going to be tested also as well. I'm also planning on getting a retest in about two months just to make sure it hasn't yet built up in my system.

I'm not near as devestated as I once was and in a strange way I'm a bit relieved.

Thanks for this board and for Kimi for all the information and support!

That is good news in the grand scheme of things, that it's HSV-1.  As I told you before, HSV-1 tends to have far fewer outbreaks and less severe outbreaks than HSV-2.  You probably contracted HSV-1 genitally by receiving oral sex from someone that did get cold sores.  So many people do not contribute cold sores to herpes, but that's exactly what it is.  And it is transmittable through oral sex. 

See, I told you that you would learn to cope, and you are doing that!  I am so glad that we are here for you!

Hugs!