feeling alone

Posted , 7 users are following.

Hi I'm new to these websites so don't really know where to start. Last year I was diagnosed with herpes, it was my boyfriend at the time that had a cold sore. He obviously touched me and now I'm infected! The shame, embarrassment and pain was unbelievable. I am at a very in denial stage, to be honest I have never really gotten over the fact. I still can't believe it. I'm being very niave and thinking maybe I was misdiagnosed? My symptoms have never really been that bad, I have continous itching but I have never seen any sores. I have a new boyfriend and haven't plucked up the courage to tell him(thinking the doctor might be wrong). I'm feeling very alone and some help would be great.

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • Posted

    Sorry, but the chances of you having herpes are high if your boyfriend has coldsores and you were diagnoses. I'm assuming it's hsv1 though. In terms of telling partners I usually tell them I get coldsores without specifying where those coldsores are. It's the exact same virus and hsv1is actually less contagious genitally than it is orally as it sheds less. As long as you use condoms and avoid sex when you have itching or tingling you're transmission rates are very low. And if your new bf already has hsv1 (80% ish of the world are estimated to have it already) you're even less likely to infect him. It's really not a big deal so don't let it get you down.
  • Posted

    I felt that way too two doctors said I had cellulitis not herpes well I dont believe them and they told me not to push the issue and a culture revealed I indeed wwas exposed to hsv2
  • Posted

    If it is from a cold sore, then it is Type 1, which rarely sheds or outbreaks in most people, hence why you've not been bothered by it since. If you were diagnosed by swab test, it is accurate, but genital Type 1 is also not particularly infectious, so I wouldn't be overly concerned. Double check which type you have, but the odds are extremely high it's Type 1.
    • Posted

      Since being diagnosed I have lots of 'twinges' and extreme itching roughly every couple of weeks. I was diagnosed by a nurse at my gp, swabs were done but couldn't get the results as it was a bank holiday typical. I've been back to the GUM clinic but they can't do the swabs again because I never show any sores. Thanks for the reply.
    • Posted

      I missed the bit about itching in your original post, but such constant/frequent itching with no lesions is not typical. Did you have lesions the first time you were swabbed?

      They should still have your results on file from your original swab test, so just call and ask. Or do you mean that they didn't test the swab due to the public holiday? Surely the latter can't be right! But if so, how were you then diagnosed? Visual diagnoses are not always correct.

      Without lesions, you can ask to do the IgG antibody test (not IgM) for Type 1, or both types, but even if it comes up positive for Type 1, that won't tell you where you're infected, so it could just as well be an oral infection (very common), which can be asymptomatic. Type 2 is nearly always genital, so there's less confusion as to where, but then it doesn't sound like that's what you were exposed to anyway.

    • Posted

      When I first got diagnosed I didn't see any lesions, but apparently the nurse saw them. She took swabs from me and the Friday and on the Tuesday she phoned me and said the results can't come back due to the bank holiday. My confusion exactly. Where do I ask for the antibody test?
    • Posted

      That's rather unacceptable! Are you able to call and ask them to clarify what happened to your results? I don't know about GUM clinics. Some may do the IgG test, but others may not, or else you can go private, if that's an option.
    • Posted

      I probably could ring, I never really thought about it, patient,professional relationship we always have faith in them. I assume she wrote it on my records I couldn't say 100% I haven't been to the doctors since due to embarrassment. I have an appointment on Monday at my GUM clinic so hopefully they will advise me more.
  • Posted

    I seriously think u should investigate what u have, it's gone past the point of being embarrassed and time for you to take care of you. Look at your symptoms and begin treatment. Did they recommend any medication or treatment after the first visit, since you had the itching? It's possible to have type 1 and not 2 and the blood test can verify.
  • Posted

    Firstly, you will not die, or cause death of anybody because of this.. This is not a curable disease (at least for now) but a manageable one, with right life style and right medication. However, it cannot be up to a nurse to diagnose you, only an attending can do that, with the right type of examination and tests. Most of the times, dermatology or venereologyt is the right specialty for that, not gynecology. Seeing the right specialist is the first thing to do. Keep in mind that many people with HSV-2 may not know they actually have it. Those twitches and tingling sensations, as you call them are called prodromes, assuming it is HSV, and would mean that your virus might be active. Please avoid sex during those times, as it may be contagious, but that is not as bad as having blisters. You definitely must be more careful if you have blisters, not just sex but also taking care of your personal hygene. Anyway, you can find hundreds of articles online so I will cut it short. This is manageable and if you follow certain rules (usage of condoms proper anti viral medication, immunity supplements etc), chances of you transmitting it to someone else is very low. Assuming that you have it, your symptoms in the first year will be far severe than the years to come. This is because your immune system will adapt to the virus and will be able to fight it more effectively. Plus, you will learn to listen to your body and take necessary precautions. However, first things first, you should have a proper diagnosis, and to have that, you need to consult to the right physician with the right specialty. 
  • Posted

    Hi guys thanks for all the comments. Today I went to the sexual health clinic, she's had a look, and took swabs for things like thrush, bacterial vaginitis and everything seems to be fine. I've mentioned the itching and told her how frequent it is, she has said that it's nothing to worry about and it probably isn't herpes because that does cause itching!!? I've been told to just wait until it happens again and then go back.
    • Posted

      But what happened to your original swab test?? They must have the results and that's what you need, though I strongly suspect Type 1, but not necessarily as the cause of your constant itching. That is ridiculous if they didn't run the test or lost your results, etc.
    • Posted

      It has been out on my records that I have herpes but it isn't from the original swabs, just from her visually diagnosing me. The results didn't get sent off! I just assumed the itching would be apart of having herpes especially because it only started since be diagnosed.
    • Posted

      Wow, that is appalling of the NHS! The one chance you have had to date to confirm what it was/is, and they didn't even send the swab off for testing due to a public holiday? Smh. I'd be really p!ssed off! You can't trust a visual diagnosis alone, so you could do the IgG blood test, if you can, but like I said, a positive for Type 1 won't tell you where it is. However, besides doing nothing, that's the only testing option you have, until if and when you next have visible symptoms.

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