How likely is it that I got herpes from my most recent partner?

Hi Stardumb,

HSV is very sneaky and can stay dorment in your system for years and years without you ever having any symptoms. For this reason it is often difficult to pinpoint who exactly transmitted this virus to you.

An Igg blood test might be able to tell if you have had this infection for a while or it. It will do this by detecting type specific antibodies. If you have recently been infected then typically antibodies won't be detected, however, if it is over 3 months then they will. It is important to note that it can take up to four months to become positive on an HSV IgG test.

Do you have open lesions? These should be swabbed as well.

There are others who know much more than I do so hopefully someone else will reply.

 

Although HSV can stay dormant for years before the first outbreak, in many cases, I suspect it's because the person failed to recognise their true first outbreak, which could have been very mild and mistaken for something else.

If you have never had HSV before, including cold sores, an acute first outbreak will normally occur within a week of infection. If you do the IgG antibody test now, together with a swab, youcan determine if it's a new infection or not, assuming you even have it. A positive swab (PCR is more accurate than culture) and a negative IgG means it's very recent.

Thanks for your insight, I think that answers my question. I'm typically fairly healthy and know immediately when something is wrong with my body. I've been in so much pain there's just no way I mistook it for something else with a prior infection. I do have a lot of the symptoms unfortunately. I had very rough sex on monday night and about two days later I woke up so groggy like I was hit by a dump truck. The pain got worse down there and that's when I knew something was wrong because if it were vaginal tearing I'd be healing by now. I brought up the pain to my sister and she was the one that suggested that it was something else. I finally had a closer look with a mirror and that's when I noticed the ulcers. I'm crossing my fingers that is something else but considering I was also recently diagnosed with high risk hpv my optimism is not high. Also my partner is 14 years older and has been a dj since 1995 so I assume he's had a lot of partners like myself.

I know what you're going through . My outbreak started on Dec 2nd and finally ended on the 8th seemed like forever. It burned when I peed I think because it was getting on the raw skin . I didn't even know nor think I had herpes because at the time I had just got done nairing so I thought it was pertained to that and I had just gotten a chemical burn .. Even the doctor thought the same and she is suppose to be licensed in that area.

I never did get prescribed medicine and when I did it was to clear up a BV I ended up getting while having the outbreak .. Never had discharge or none of this before all this stuff happened . And it doesn't help none that the person I contracted it from didn't even tell me they were infected ...

I know exactly what you are going through tho . And when you do get your results back rather positive or negative life goes on .. And things will get better . How are you holding up ?

I had almost the same exact experience with my diagnosis of HSV 1. I was in horrible pain and had plans to go away to see an ex boyfriend for the weekend. I go an appointment with my OBGYN on Friday AM before I left town. She did an exam and said she saw nothing, but had asked if I have had shingles in the past. I haven't. She told me it was trauma from rough sex and sent me on my way with a tube of lidocaine and told me not to have sex. She gave me no indication that it could be herpes. I went away and did attempt to have sex, as much as I could due to the pain I was in. By Saturday, I started to feel horrible and felt as if I had a fever and was so tired, but I wrote it off to a hangover. I was in so much pain Saturday night, I couldn't sleep. I cut my trip short and left early Sunday am. By Sunday pm, I had swollen glands and a fever of 102°. .I called the OBGYN and she told me to go to the ER. I was shocked and so embarrassed when they told me they were 90% positive I had HSV, but would confirm in 3 days. I went home and cried, not just because of the pain, but of the diagnosis. I had oral sex about 2 weeks prior to the first outbreak with someone I was dating, so I am pretty sure it came from him. He tested negative within a week, but his dr told him to go back in 2 months to be retested. I am terrified that I may have given it to my ex because I think I was starting to have itchiness, but again,clueless to the fact that it could have been herpes. After almost two weeks of beating myself up and living in contact pain, I came to the realization, that life goes on. Hang in there.....it only gets better from here.