1. Community
  2. Infections
  3. Genital Herpes Simplex

HSV-1 Transmission Questions

Posted , 4 users are following.

vtamm
vtamm

I have some questions about HSV-1 that I'm hoping someone can answer.  Back in November, I was diagnosed with genital HSV-1.  My doctor said I probably was infected via receptive oral sex.  Lucky me.  My culture was positive for HSV-1, but my blood test was negative...pointing to a recent infection.   I'm still trying to gather facts to provide to anyone I should date in the future...if anyone will want me after I disclose my status to them.  I’ve only had one outbreak thus far, and I’m on Valtrex.  Anyway, here are some questions I have:

 

 - If my partner has ORAL HSV-1, is it possible for me to spread the virus to him genitally even though the virus is already present in his body?  And...can he spread it to me orally?  Or...does it just show up in only one area of the body once you're infected?  ***After I told my ex-boyfriend about my diagnosis, he only half-ass admitted to infecting me and acted like it wasn't a big deal.  He didn't seem worried about having unprotected sex with me after telling him.  I have a bad feeling he already knew he had this issue and has perhaps infected other women. 

 

- Is it possible for either one of us to cause "reinfection" to each other?  At one point he blamed me for giving him a cold sore on his mouth. 

 

 - Even though I have HSV-1 genitally, do I need to worry about spreading it to someone orally?  I feel self-conscious about even kissing someone.   Should I worry?

 

-        Are there any statistics out there on the spread of genital HSV-1 via genital to genital contact? 

 

My apologies if these seem like stupid questions.  However, I need to have all of the facts so I can explain this to potential partners.   Since HSV-1 is so common orally, I'm wondering if anyone testing positive for the HSV-1 antibodies and may have had a cold sore on their mouth at one point in their lives can be infected genitally.  My ex-boyfriend and I broke up about 5 months ago and I'm so ready to move on from him, but I'm afraid to because I'm so ashamed to tell people about this which saddens me.  I wish I never dated him. 

 

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks so much! 

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • alejandra53512
    alejandra53512 vtamm

    Posted

    Hey there, so i was diagnosed with GHSV1 january of this year so i am also new to the virus. I have only had one OB (the initial OB) and maybe a second OB that is questionable but it was only one sore if anything. But i was in your position so id like to give you some information i have aquired and i hope it helps!

    If you have ONLY have GENITAL HSV 1 you CANT spread it by kissing someone. The virus is spread from direct skin to skin contact. So unless you have the virus orally you wont be spreading it by kissing someone.

    If someone already has oral HSV1, they have SOME protection if you could call it that against getting genital HSV1. Since their bodies have already formed anti bodies to the virus. But again this isnt yo say it isnt possible that someone who already has oral type 1 cant get type 2. But its less likley.

    HSV1 site of preference is in the mouth not genitals, therefore people with GHSV1 tend to have less or almost no OB at all. And the virus sheds less as well so your chances of spreading it to a future partner so long as protection is used is very very low.

    Now to get personal if this may help gove you an idea of how easily GHSV1 will spread...

    I have been with 3 total partners since being diagnosed.

    I was honest and told each one i had it prior to intercourse. All but one were actually fine with it...and even the one that initially said no ended up still having sex with me. So peoplw are actually more accepting to the virus than we think so long as your are honest and up front. The third partner is my current boyfriend whome i have had un protected sex with and he has not aquired the virus. So i think that sheds a little light on how contagiouse GHSV1.

    But again everyone is different and you should always use protection.

    Good luck with all and sorry for the long post

    • vtamm
      vtamm alejandra53512

      Posted

      Thank you, Alejandra!  Your response has been very helpful!  If you don't mind...could you tell me exactly what you said to they guys that you dated when you told them that you had genital HSV1?  Basically, can you give me a script I could follow?  Haha.  Any advice that you can offer would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks in advance.

      The very thought of having to have this conversation with anyone is a huge source of anxiety for me. I'm someone who is pretty happy not being in a relationship.  A relationship isn't where I seek my main source of joy...however, it is my desire to find the right person to share my life with and grow old with.  So when something like this happens, you feel like your chances of being able to find that type of relationship have greatly decreased.  Technically, HSV isn't a big deal or the end of the world since it's  very, very common and won't kill you or make you infertile, etc.  It's basically just a skin disease that can be a nuisance. However, there's a huge social stigma attached to genital HSV which causes the worst symptoms of this disease (the emotional and psychological symptoms).  Again, thanks in advance for any advice you can provide.

    • alejandra53512
      alejandra53512 vtamm

      Posted

      Hey no problem like i said i like many other was in your position and had the same concerns and questions. But for the most part it seems like you have done your research. It is the negative stigma that make GHSV1 "bad".

      So with the first person i told, it was through a text. Just to mention this guy ended up telling me he has hsv1 oral. So i knew where the situation with this guy was heading so i decided to write out a text. Unfortunatley i cant remeber word for word but i knew i mentioned this : i said i have hsv1 , also known as cold sores, but instead of having it around my mouth were most people do i have it in my genital area. I then proceeded to say i just wanted to give him a heads up before anything and that if he didnt want to continue i would understand his position but if he did i could further provide him with more facts about my virus.

      So he was particularly nice about it at first and thanked me for being honest but would not have relations with me. And then proceeded to tell me has hsv1 oral. He kind of them acted like a bit of a jerk fearing that i had given it to him from a previouse time we kissed. Needles to say the next time i saw him he began to ask me questions about it and i think once he was given the facts he was ok with havinf relations. This was a one nightbstand situation btw.

      The second guy, would also be a one night thing..but with a friend. We were in his apartment and i already had this feeling my friend liked me. So i always het very nervouse and anxiouse as well like you dont get me wrong. But its a liberating feeling once you tell them.

      So the way u went about it with guy 2, we were kissing when i noticed he wanted ro take things further. So i stopped him and told him just to let you know...i have hsv1 what people know as the cold sore virus but i have it in my genital area. And he then asked me so thats like herpes? To which i replied yes. He then asked me if i could pass it on to him. To which i said there is a possibility butnit is very small. And i told him how hsv1 isnt likley to transmit from the gential arear and why. In like a nutshell though. And then he was like oh well thats ok then as long as i use protection.

      Guy 3 who i am seeing, a long time friend, i knew he liked me and wanted to take things further. The forst time i denied him...nervous to tell this long time friend what i had. But come the second time we were also kissing and the moment i realized he wantes to go further i stopped him and gave him a similar repsonse to guy2. Saying i have hsv1 and to which he replied asking what it was and i told him its what people know as the cold sore virus , herpes ( i said it more up front with him) but i have it down there from a guy who gave me oral. Its hard to pass it on through genital contact unless im having an OB and. I havent had one since my first. I got it through someone giving me oral. And he was said that sucks what he did to you ( the guy who gave it to me) but i can just use a condom right? I told him yes. And then things proceeded from there lol

      And now i am still wih him and we have unprotected intercourse and he has not yet contracted the virus from me.

      I feel like the pattern here is that i kinda wait to say it just before the heat of the moment....which in a way might not be fair cause they are already a bit horny on that sense. But i try and be very up front about it before ANYTHING sexual. Anyways those are more or less how the conversations have gone. As you can kind of see people are more accepting of the virus than we may think.

  • sam0101
    sam0101 vtamm

    Posted

    Does anyone still use this forums I do have some questions.  But however see that these last posts are pretty old
Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.