HSV1 positive
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hey all.
My girlfriend just tested positive for HSV1 (I'm a male who showed NO symptoms for genital herpes)
So with that I'm just REALLY confused as to what's going on and what the future holds.
I am her only sexual partner and positive for oral HSV1.
She is feeling really depressed because of it, feeling sorry and dirty. Reading statistics for how common it is doesn't help, in fact it only makes it worse. For something so common there should be a cure.
What and how do we have sex in the future? Is this it? Like is our love life composed of constant fear and worry from now on? If this disease is so common we should all just never kiss. This is a bit extreme.
I read that it can be passed with or without symptoms... so ANY time ANYWHERE? Can we even enjoy sex anymore let alone have it??
0 likes, 4 replies
lauralo1001 ant21344
Posted
Okay so first what test was conducted to give her diagnosis? Was it a blood test or did she have sores that were swabbed? Also if she did have sores were they on her genitals or mouth?
As you are HSV1 positive you already have antibodies against the virus so you both can still have sex safely without the virus passing on anywhere else, there is a very small chance this can happen.
HSV1 is incredible prevelant and stats ranging from 50-80% of the worlds population will have antibodies for it by the time they're 50, she shouldn't feel dirty as she is in the MAJORITY now.
If she's contracted HSV1 genitally this means she may never suffer an outbreak or another one after her first, as it is not in its place of preference, it's not like oral herpes where she will get repeated attacks as genital HSV1 tends to be better well maintained by the immune system.
Never kissing is extreme as this virus isn't a threat to anyone, don't let 'incurable' scare you. You both can have sex as you both have HSV1 and you cannot catch more herpes unless it's the other strain HSV2. This shouldn't bother you and as you're in a relationship the chances of your girlfriend catching your oral herpes is fairly high and expected as oral herpes tends to shed asymptomaticslly about 30% of the year.
Herpes isn't a death wish, the stigma is exaggerated and unnecessary like with any STD but most people have it anyway they just prefer to not know. It's not routinely tested for so most people don't know and it's a very manageable virus which causes very few problems. Good luck to you both
(Had GHSV1 for 4 months now, not had more than 1 outbreak)
ant21344 lauralo1001
Posted
Thanks for your comment. She was tested with a swab from sores in the genital area.
So if I have sex with her, protected OR unprotected, will I get HSV1 on my genitals? (That's HER biggest worry, not mine) Or if I perform oral on her what happens to me? She's in her mid twenties so she feels like she's doomed for life.
What is the "small chance" of passing it elsewhere? I read online, from the CDC website that you CANNOT have sex because of a high risk. So she is worreid that if we have sex then the HSV1 on her genitals will spread to my genitals.
You've been very helpful, thank you kindly!
Cheers!
lauralo1001 ant21344
Posted
Okay so good news, out of the herpes bunch your girlfriend has the better deal. I felt the exact same emotions, I'm 19 and felt I was cursed for life. Absolutely not the case.
Your girlfriends first outbreak may be horrible and painful and, well, just plain ugly but she any further outbreaks will be nothing like the initial one, that's if she ever gets one again! I haven't.
Transmission is a tricky one, as studies are focused on GHSV2 rather than GHSV1 but what I've gathered from a lot of research is that in your first year of contracting GHSV1 you are approximately contagious to equivalent of 7 days of that year (essentially none at all). There aren't documented cases of people transmitting GHSV1 as it is extremely rare, it's still possible but the main way people contract GHSV1 is through unprotected oral sex with someone who has had a history of coldsores.
Unfortunately this means that you most likely gave your girlfriend herpes during oral sex, and this is possible as those who haven't had coldsores during childhood are more susceptible to catching them on their genitals through oral sex when they become sexually active.
Now for good news, in your situation specifically there is almost no way you can ever get HSV1 on your genitals as you already have it orally and your body has built up an immunity to catching it elsewhere. Your girlfriend will not be able to get HSV1 on her mouth and you can't get it on your genitals, it's stuck to where you initially contracted it. You are perfectly fine having unprotected sex but I recommend waiting until her sores are gone to avoid discomfort.
There has been a couple of cases where females have caught both hsv 1 orally and genitally, but according to the study the women had recently shaved their pubic area before being exposed to the virus so caught it genitally even if they had previous oral infections.
The only risk your girlfriend poses is if she were to engage in sex with those who have never had a previous HSV1 infection, but since she has it on her genitals the virus rarely sheds (releases viral particals without symptoms) so this risk is minute. As you're in a relationship and both have the virus there is virtually no risk and neither of you should worry. You're in fact the most contagious of the two of you, and it's easier for men to spread the virus to women than it is for women to spread to men (due to women having a higher proportion of mucous membrane in their genitals)
To summarise, you two sleeping together = no risk of further infection
You or your girlfriend performing sex acts on those who haven't been previously exposed to HSV1 = risk of transmission
lauralo1001
Posted
I forgot to add that in your first year you're considered most contagious but the virus is self limiting so the longer you have it the least contagious you get. Since GHSV1 starts with low transmission rates the longer she has it the more and more it becomes less contagious to the point where it is probably unlikely she will ever pass this virus on to anyone. If she's immunocompressed or is susceptible to frequent outbreaks this would mean there's a higher chance she can pass it on but she'll have to see how her body responds. Just to add this applies to people previously unaffected by HSV1, regardless of frequent outbreaks it's still very unlikely you'll catch it genitally