HSV-2 only: Who else, and how often do you have outbreaks?

Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that! And from Halloween, too. Definitely a horror to deal with and no treat, that's for sure!!

I know exactly how you feel and can totally relate to your position. I'm single, definitely past my 20s and was getting back my "mojo", lol, plus never had an STD, let alone a cold sore, then BAM!! Genital herpes, Type 2. Wtf?!

The "good" news is that you may feel horrible right now and in a lot of pain, and it may seem like you will never return to normal, but once your first outbreak clears, you should feel as good as new. The first week is usually the worst, after which you should start to feel better and completely back to normal by 3-4 weeks at the very longest.

Also, menstruation isn't a trigger for all women, just some. In fact, the (very) few studies that have been done on it apparently failed to show any correlation between menstruation and GH outbreaks, although anecdotal evidence exists. So, don't fret and hopefully you'll be one of those isn't triggered by menstruation.

Fyi, I took emergency contraception as an added precaution and ended up having three periods in one month during my first outbreak (another wtf?! moment, lol), and I noticed no difference, although my manic cycle certainly had me freaking out. My doctor said it was due to upset hormones and the stress caused by my GH diagnosis. In any case, I'm sure hoping that means hormonal changes and menstruation aren't a trigger for me!

P.S. Did you actually test positive for HSV-2, or was it just a visual diagnosis? If the latter, you could have HSV-1, which is sometimes worse during the first outbreak, but usually much better after that.

Thank you so much for your response. TheRe is just no one to talk to about this, it's so humiliating. I had been texting the guy I had sex with prior to going to the doctor when I though it was just a tear. The day I went to the doctor I told him, and he swore up and down he was clean (I swore that too, I had just had bloodwork done with my annual exam two months prior and tested negative for everything, just like every other year). I kept telling him to just get tested, he may be suprised. He then told me this whole thing really turned him off to me, and that was that. I have not received the swab tests back yet confirming the strain, hopefully it will come soon.

Ha, same thing practically happened to me! Well, hopefully you'll get your results soon and better if it's Type 1, so fingers crossed!

Lynn the guy that gave this to me won't admit it either. Before I got any symptoms I asked him if he was tested and he said he was two months ago and came back clean. I know I was clean before him because the last time I had sex was in May and I retested for all STDs in August and all was good. I called him last week and said I've gotten all these symptoms since sleeping with him and he just said I'm sorry you are going through that. Didn't seem shocked, angry that I was basically accusing him, scared that maybe he might have something... So I know something is up. If it's just herpes consider yourself lucky. While I too which I just had chylemedia or gonorheah since those are curable we just need to be thankful it's not worse and at least people are more accepting of this since it is so common. I've told all my close friends and family and they have been extremely supportive. Thank god for that because I mentally can't deal with this. I'm trying to be on the brave front but I won't have definitive answers until January unless I break out again. My initial breakout is not typical or common of herpes so visually no one sees anything and no one thinks I have this but I know my body very well and this has never happened to me and it's not common for me to get yeast, bacterial, UTIs. I never get any of that. I've had one UTI in my whole life many years ago. . I think it's all internally which is quite scary but my cervix seems to be healing. I'm just taking this one day at a time.

If you are currently having symptoms, you can find a clinic that can do a PCR/DNA vaginal swab for HSV-1/2. My clinic was only going to do that, but I pointed out a lesion, so they swabbed that as well.

Did we sleep with the same guy? Our time lines are almost identical, except that I hadn't had sex since February. I appreciate your kind words and I'm very thankful for this forum, I would've had no other outlet because I'm very private. It's such a sad feeling, I've already developed insecurities recently regrading my inability to meet anyone, blaming my age, so now this has just made that prospect seem hopeless. It's so physically painful, I'm really scared it will never heal. I can't even fathom ever having sex again, the thought is mortifying and I've always been a comfortably sexual person. Crazy how things can turn on a dime. Thank you again for the chat.

I think the Valtrex is clearing everything up I seem to be ok right now but I still have the bacterial issue with my discharge. I'm going to go drop that script off now so I can pick it up after work as well as go to his office today to see my own test results. I keep copies of everything I do and have been doing that the last few years to keep records because I have thyroid and stomach issues as well. So get this... I just called the office because I realized yesterday at my appointment that he never mentioned the culture he took of me last Wed when he freaked me out and said I looked like I had something caused by herpes. I assumed he was going to send that off to the lab right to be tested? Wrong!!! Wtf?! I'm just going to ride the storm. I get my period in two weeks so I'm just going to see if my symptoms come back for any rhyme or reason. This doctor makes no sense to me. I visually look like I don't have anything, confirmed by three doctors but you take a swab of my culture see something weird and don't test it? I won't have answers until January or my next breakout. I never wanted to go to medical school but in the last few years I realize we have to be our own advocate because doctors are very textbook. We know our own bodies. Ladies if you are reading this keep copies of everything you test for. Don't go by what they say. Until I have something in writing or a breakout I can test again, I'm just going to wait. I'm waiting for the 90 day window of last intercoarse so I can be confident in what's going on with me. I'm tired of the doctors making their best guess. Why wouldn't he send that culture from last week to the lab?! So annoyed. Then he's waiting on an IGm test which isn't even reliable. If it comes back positive it will mean nothing since it's not a good test to use and has a high rate of giving false positives.

Anytime! I'm glad we can be here for each other and all of us seem to be pretty intelligent based on the posts I'm reading. We screwed up and made a mistake and now have to deal with this but it's definitely not the end of the world. I know several people with hsv1 on the mouth and they are all married or in long term relationships. I know it's different for us because it's genital but this could have happened to anyone with a cold sore just simply going down on the person. I mean it is what is is. When the time is right and when we are healed and can spot the warning signs of an issue we can protect ourselves and be more vigilant. I'm here for you if you want to talk.

Great view on the situation - you're awesome!

Yeah, I totally get that as well. But what happened to Mike? And do you have kids? Pets? The last two are both a good distraction and purpose (and possibly Mike, too, lol), plus you've not known for so long, the only thing that's changed is the diagnosis. Perhaps if you think of it that way, it won't seem so bad.

Stacey, I absolutely know how you feel. I feel like this is the final straw, how could any man accept this? I can't say that I would have accepted this, this has always been the scariest, dirtiest disease on my radar, minus HIV. I guess it can happen, that's what I've seen people say, anyway. My cousin met someone while online dating (she has herpes 2), and told him before they had sex. I guess he thought about it, decided he still wanted to date her, and they have been married about a year and a half. True story. I'm here to talk when you feel blue, I am feeling the exact same way.

No kids

Just a couple of dogs

Mike and i were actually pretty casual

I really wanted it to get serious but he didnt

He has been out of town since havent had the talk

We will this weekend

Hes not in love with me and we dont have a future

He can find a casual realtionship with much less risk somewhere else

I suspect he will take a hike

Even if he didnt

He is not my partner for the future

He is a "for now" thing

Thanks

Thats a hopeful story

It sure seems like the deck is stacked against women our age already

Add a nice case of herpes to the mix and odds get pretty slim

Yep. I'm just going to get a dog and call it a day#