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HELP!

Posted , 4 users are following.

Amy1111
Amy1111

Hey all, 

I'm new to this site (and unfortunately) hsv2. Needless to say, it'e been a long, rough, rocky road the last month..

I have some questions.. from your personal hsv2 experience, how long after exposure did you start to notice symptoms? Trying to clarify a few things for myself. The internet is fairly vague as with "2-20 days" etc. so looking for some personal experience/stories. Trying to decipher which of two partners gave this two me (one was a one night stand (1xsex) about 13 days prior to symptoms and most recent was my ex boyfriend (3x in weekend, Friday/Sunday, unprotected & rough sex) My timeline goes a bit like this... 

Friday & Sunday: Potential exposure; I  use the term potential because the person who likely gave this to me might be an asymptomatic carrier and did not know as he was tested several months before and was 'fine' but had been daring someone for about 5 months prior to this 'negative' result who is a likely carrier as I've learned, and I would guess his results which he got two months after starting to see her may have been an inaccurate false negative as I've read... 

Tuesday: slight burning when peeing (1/10)

Wednesday: burning and slight itch (2/10)

Thursday: vaginal swelling, and burning getting worse, and itchy (6/10)

Friday/Saturday: symptoms intensified, walking/sitting was very uncomfortable. Peeing was very unpleasant (8/10)

Sunday: I beleive my sores had opened by this point as peeing was horrendous and I went to the hospital for a swab (which was a horrific and painful experience in itself) which a week later came back hsv2+. Was put on an antiviral. (10/10)

Monday/Tuesday: did not go to work. Pain was 15/10. Walking was painful and caused too much discomfort. Screamed and cried when peeing. Only peed once in Monday  as I was terrified of the pain; almost went to hospital for a catheter.  Lived in the bathtub and bed for multiple days. 

Went to work the rest of the week but still in alot of discomfort and pain but I beleive the antivirals had started to work a bit so the pain and irritation had subsided back to 8/10.

QUESTIONS:

1) I'm questioning the timeline I may have potentially been exposed about 13-14 days prior to these symptoms strutting to show up but symptoms started 2-4 days after a couple sex sessions with ex. FYI: neither had visible symptoms. Which scenario seems more likely and comparable to your personal primary outbreak experience?

2) If someone is an asymptomatic carrier but was recently infected (within 1-4mo) I understand that in the first year/months you're infected you're the most contagious..  If I had contact with this newly infected asymptomatic person 3 times, is it really that likely that it was passed to me?

I understand they viral shed less than a symptomatic carrier but still alot in first few months while body is adjusting to virus and building antibodies. Still waiting on his results (which he has frustratingly delayed getting due to denial and stupidity and 'not feeling like anything is wrong'wink but as the rule of thumb for asymptomatic carrier blood tests is, he might have to wait a while or he if was infected in the last month of two, results could still come back false neg.

3) I've read/heard that if you have a weakened immune system (ie: drinking, smoking, cocaine/pot use, poor diet, stress and lack of sleep) that it can take longer for a bad immune system to start fighting the virus and produce enough antibodies to actually start to show on a blood test to give an accurate result. This makes logical sense to me, any opinions/references?

4) From your personal experience, how long from exposure tillthw time you had an accurate positive test result?

 

Thanks so much, I appreciate any answers and any help... The medical system seems to be of absolutely no assistance and I was given literally no information with my diagnosis. No wonder this s**t spreads like wildfire.

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • katie42587
    katie42587 Amy1111

    Posted

    Hi Amy, 

    As far as I can tell it’s a bit of a minefield if you are trying to work out how and who you contracted if from. 

    My situation was I’d been with my partner for 6 months, we were inseparable from the start and no cheating from either side. I started with symptoms and was diagnosed with HSV2, my partner asked if he should be tested but the nurse at the clinic said there’s no point really as he wouldn’t show positive unless he had an active outbreak. 

    2 options were 

    1. I had contracted the virus from a previous partner and it had lay dormant until my first outbreak started. We were moving House at the time of my outbreak and apparently stress can cause the virus to surface. 

    2. My partner had it already but had never noticed any symptoms as it can be very mild in men especially. If he was having an outbreak or in the prodome shedding phase he could have unknowingly passed it to me 

    I’ve really struggled to find any solid facts about HSV, I feel like there is still a lot of unknowns about it all xx 

  • Guest
    Guest Amy1111

    Posted

    There is no way to tell 100% unless one of them admits they have it or they both go get a blood test to detect HSV2.

    My best guess is the most recent one, because it seems like 13 days is a little long for it to start showing.  When I contracted HSV1, mine was after rough sex as well.  I wondered if that made it easier to contract it due to the physical affects from the rough sex.  I don’t know for sure, though.

    Either way, I’m sorry that happened.  I know the physical and emotional pain it causes, but it gets better!  Antivirals are out there and can be taken daily to suppress it.  The first outbreak is supposed to be the worst!  

    If you have a close friend or family member to confide in, I would.  I didn’t tell anyone for a while, and it was a heavy burden.

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