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Just diagnosed with genital HSV 1...

Posted , 4 users are following.

tayler_20553
tayler_20553

Yesterday I was diagnosed with genital HSV1. My doctor said I most likely got it from oral to genital sex from my partner. She said it's not as strong as HSV 2 which is some good news.... I have some clusters of red blisters around my butthole which burn at the moment and some on the lips of my vagina which aren't too bad right now. I just started taking Valtrex (1 pill every 12 hours for 15 days) and my doctor also gave me cream to put on the effected areas. I've done so much research on this type to try and prevent my outbreaks in the future. I am also taking good care of it and knowing when to take my medication, put on my ointment, etc. How are the outbreaks usually for genital HSV 1 patients? I don't have a partner at the moment but I do casually see someone at times and I'm afraid of spreading it to him. I know I have to use condoms, take my medicine and I do NOT have sex or have any sexual contact during an outbreak. Society and mainstream media really makes you feel as if herpes is something you have if you're extremely promiscuous. I had no idea my previous partner had herpes or was even infected (if that's who I am thinking of). And she said I got it from oral to genital which is extremely common. It doesn't really bother me, just more emotionally draining and saddening. I know it could be worse and I am doing my absolute best to treat it and prevent future outbreaks (or reduce the number of them). Does anyone have any tips or advice when dealing with this and taking care of it? I'd appreciate it so much. Thank you so much. 

0 likes, 10 replies

10 Replies

  • cqnkatz
    cqnkatz tayler_20553

    Posted

    I got it the same way you did overva year ago. I have not had an outbreak that I'm sure of yet. I had one red bump once so I assumed it was but it didn't look the same as my initial. I take Valtrex once a day by choice. I've heard i do not need to but I want to do whatever I can to help suppress it.  I read Lysene helps so I take that daily too. I was not promiscuous either. It was such a sad shock. I just don't know what a person experiences if they don't take Valtrex and have GHSV1?

    • tayler_20553
      tayler_20553 cqnkatz

      Posted

      Thanks so much for the help! From what I've seen and read online, I've read that G HSV 1 isn't as strong as HSV 2... but medication works great for clearing up an outbreak and getting rid of the symptoms. I do it to take care of myself in the best way possible so I do not blame you for taking one Valtrex a day! How have they been working for you? I JUST started yesterday. I take one tablet every 12 hours for the next 15 days.. and then I have the ointment that I put on for the next 10 days... so it should clear up. My first outbreak is quite annoying but it's not extremeley painful. Just itchy blisters around the anus area (looks like a rash or an irritation of some sort) and some on the lips of the vagina. I also did have a fever and flu like symptoms. I went to a concert and felt HORRIBLE the whole time.. thought maybe it was my anxiety or that I was getting sick due to the cold weather. When I put all the pieces together, I realized that was the start of it. The day after Thanksgiving...  

  • Rose9308
    Rose9308 tayler_20553

    Posted

    Hey, Taylor. Exactly one month ago, I was experiencing my first HSV1 outbreak. I got blisters around my anus as well (thank God it didn't come out in the vagina). I went to see a coloproctologist, a ginecologist & an ID specialist. All of them told me that the probability of it coming back, since it was HSV1 in the genital region, is very small. But it's basically up to your immune system to deal with the virus. I'm going tomorrow to see another ID specialist to see other opinion as well. I read we can take pills of lysine to help avoid herpes coming back. What can I say? I felt desperate when I got diagnosed. But after sometime, you are going to feel better. It was HSV1, which is a virus that 60% of the world population has - which means that basically one day, you would probably end up catching it. It could be worse if it was HSV2 (only 15-20%) have it and the transmission rates of HSV2 in the genital area is also much higher. Try not to stress too much in order for your body to be able to deal better with the virus and heal the blisters faster. If it never comes back again, your rates of assymptomatic transmission - which is already low for genital HSV1 (around 5%) will decrease over the years and you won't even remember it. After all the stress, I realized at the end this experience was only a God's warning to never ever leave condoms aside. And in the future (let's hope it doesn't come back), you can disclose to people as something that you got once that never came back. Remember that it would be much worse if HSV1 came in the mouth. And also remember to ask future partners for dst blood exams (please, ask him to ask the doctor for HSV1 and HSV2 - which are very important but must doctors don't ask) before leaving condoms. If he also has HSV1 ( which is a high probably since 60% of world population have it), the probability of him catching from you is very lower. Don't worry. You're gonna make it. wink

    • tayler_20553
      tayler_20553 Rose9308

      Posted

      Thank you guys SO much! So positive and helpful. I appreciate it so much. smile I agree. 

      I was more terrified waiting for that phone call than when I actually was diagnosed with it yesterday. I plan on keeping it to myself. I'm only  telling my mother, who has been so supportive and my future partner who I plan to be one day serious with or my current partner who I have sexual contact with every once in a while. (And here of course) 

      I'm so afraid of future partners judging me for having this. That sounds funny I know... but I'm afraid of wanting to be intimate with someone whom I feel a connection with, I tell them that I have G HSV1 and they're like "GOTTA GO!" I know that if they don't understand, they aren't the right partner and person to be intimate with. I keep reminding myself it's going to be okay and I'll just take care of myself to heal the outbreaks and move on with my life. Even my mom says, "Your friends probably have it and they probably don't tell you either." 😹 which is comforting in a way.. not to be rude to them or to anyone who has it. 

    • Rose9308
      Rose9308 tayler_20553

      Posted

      "Just itchy blisters around the anus area (looks like a rash or an irritation of some sort)" = mine was exactly the same! Actually, it didnt feel itchy, it felt more like a rash all the time. I only realized it was something more serious after 4 days of having the symptons and then got diagnosed with 6 days. Sorry to ask and appear a little invasive, but I got really curious now: did you also have anal sex and the guy spit his saliva at the anal region? I guess, in my case, he hurt me (very microscopic wounds) and then the saliva did the job of passing the virus straight to the blood. sad

      I was also afraid of being judged, mainly because it was at the anal area (and anal sex is kinda tabboo and sometimes seen as promiscuous)!

      But more than being afraid of being judged, I was afraid of transmiting it even without symptons! I got terrified because in my case, the guy didnt show any cold sores in his mouth, so he passed me through assymptomatic shedding.

      But you know what? I mean, it's HSV1. 60-70% of world population have it. The probability of the next guy you (or I) will date to have it is very high!

      So, not to feel uncomfortable, I developed a strategy to lower the vhances of being rejected. First, I decided to wait a little more to know the person better (if you dont wanna wait, wear condoms). And when we got closer, I will ask him to do the blood exams, testing also hsv1 & hsv2! If he refuses seeing a doc and having dsts tests, then he's not worth of me disclosing. But if he tests for everything, it will probably show hsv1! And if it shows hsv1, I can say "no problem, look, I have it too!" And then explain the story, but the best part is that he cant say anything because he already has it too. If he doesnt, well, I will have to explain the risks (which are basically not receiving oral sex since genital hsv1 is more rare of sharing genital-genital than oral-genital) and let us decide together the best thing to do. But the probability of not showing hsv1 is so low that I prefer not to even think about it. So you should not worry too! Hehe smile

    • tayler_20553
      tayler_20553 Rose9308

      Posted

      No worries! We are all here to help each other. Makes me feel a little better about this... thanks so much for all of the advice and information. I greatly appreciate it. 

      I used to have anal sex with a guy who was realllly into it. He was the first guy I've had sex with also so I tried out new things with him at that time lol. He would spit there and sometimes use lubrication but mostly spit. I do not think my genital herpes came from him, I think it did come from a partner I had later on a few months later who would perform oral sex on me. I have a feeling I MAY know who it is but I truly don't know/want to interrogate the person and just continue to take care of myself and live my life. Sucks because... no appearance of any cold sores, probably didn't even know he had HSV 1 and probably didn't care to say much if so (which I don't think the person would do...

      Hopefully he wouldn't, I trusted him sexually)

      One thing I've learned from this though is to watch who you have sex with. Of course I do and I was always careful, but more in a way now that I know what other people may have and that I'm careful with condoms. We didn't ask for this and we didn't want this. No one does... it's extremely common and most people have it.. they just don't share it. It's comforting to know that I have people like you to give advice to and get advice from. It makes me feel a LOT better. Thank you so much. I'm here for you also! (wish there was an inbox where we could message, not sure if there is) 

    • Rose9308
      Rose9308 tayler_20553

      Posted

      Interesting! I also used to have anal sex with my first boyfriend as well.

      But wait, did this second guy give you a greek kiss? Because if he only made oral sex on your clitoris, for instance, the probability of him transmiting it to you was very low. I would doubt if it was your first boyfriend who gave you the virus. This is because the first outbreak shows always in the place of skin where you were contaminaded.

      Yeah, in my case, it was the third guy. But after receiving this "gift", I became much more conscient about dsts than before!! I read everything about all of them not to make any mistake again!

      Actually, I also learned that trust in sex is very difficult to have - specially without showing any exams. And even when showing, for instance, imagine you got a boyfriend and you two are together for 3/4 months having sex with condoms. He decides to make a blood exam in order to leave the condoms (because you should make him get it tested before having sex with no condoms) and he's negative for everything (hopefully not for HSV1). You start to have sex with no condoms. After 1 year, he decides to cheat on you with other person and gets an dst - you will probably get it as well.

      So, like, trust in men takes a loooot of time. Even with years of relationship, things like this can happen. So, unfortunately, condoms should always be there no matter what to protect us. We must trust more in our instincts of protecting our bodies than in instincts of reproduction (that make us not feel comfortable in wearing condoms).

      About messaging, this website was created to be completely anonymous since everything is exposed on the net. However, there is a closed facebook group called "Herpes Group Support" with more than a thousand people. I don't personally recommend entering there because people suffer a lot with the disease, so it can be frustating and sad to read these posts right now. You can think things like these might happen to you when it will probably not be your case. However, feel free to join. I'm also there as you see. When you enter, make a post about how you discovered the group and If I see it, I will inbox you. smile

    • tayler_20553
      tayler_20553 Rose9308

      Posted

      Hmmmm, I don't think he gave me a Greek kiss... he just performed a lot orally on me but never anything around the anal area. I did have anal sex with him a few times but I mostly had anal sex with my first on and off boyfriend. I did have 2 other partners in the past year so I'm not sure who it came from exactly... I have an idea but I'm not sure. That sounds terrible and I should know but I just don't want to say much to them because two I don't plan on speaking to again for sake of not wanting to deal with them or want a relationship with them anymore. 

      It's very, very true.  I was just really scared of being judged by the guys I want to date in the future. Especially one I plan to have an actual serious SERIOUS relationship with. But my mom told me if he loves and values me enough, he will understand. But I don't plan on telling any other friends or family members about this. This is my business only... which is the best thing to do. 

      I did hear that there is lower transmission from a woman to a man though apparently? And then also, since I'm on medication and treating it and using condoms, there's like a 2% chance I can pass it over? I read that a lot on the internet and my doctor did tell me that HSV 1 is the less stronger and you don't get many outbreaks as HSV2. Just depends on your body/immune system I guess. 

  • tayler_20553
    tayler_20553

    Posted

    Thank you guys SO much! So positive and helpful. I appreciate it so much. smile I agree. 

    I was more terrified waiting for that phone call than when I actually was diagnosed with it yesterday. I plan on keeping it to myself. I'm only  telling my mother, who has been so supportive and my future partner who I plan to be one day serious with or my current partner who I have sexual contact with every once in a while. (And here of course) 

    I'm so afraid of future partners judging me for having this. That sounds funny I know... but I'm afraid of wanting to be intimate with someone whom I feel a connection with, I tell them that I have G HSV1 and they're like "GOTTA GO!" I know that if they don't understand, they aren't the right partner and person to be intimate with. I keep reminding myself it's going to be okay and I'll just take care of myself to heal the outbreaks and move on with my life. Even my mom says, "Your friends probably have it and they probably don't tell you either." 😹 which is comforting in a way.. not to be rude to them or to anyone who has it. 

  • sydney50563
    sydney50563 tayler_20553

    Posted

    Omg the media &everyday ppl say horrible things for having it when you start to cope with having it they just knock you down 

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