Recently diagnosed while in monogamous long term relationship

just wanted to share bc before my diagnosis i was looking at this forum daily to learn so here's my story in case it helps someone else.

I'm 40, I've been in a monogamous relationship for 6 years with no infidelity. i have had my fair share of sexual partners but always used protection. I'm in the middle of my first outbreak now. i was in total denial for a long time bc it's been years since i must have been exposed.

it started with a swollen lymph node on fri/sat, what felt like a few pimples or ingrown hairs on my labia majora Saturday turned into blisters and lesions by Sunday. Monday it got worse and hard to sit. Tuesday was excruciating pain!! both tues and weds it hurt so bad it would wake me up multiple times a night. weds i got my diagnosis and started valtrex. i also started olive leaf extract. 24 hours later and there has been a huge improvement in how it feels, it's minorly uncomfortable still but way better. still looks super gnarly though.

my bf has been wonderful and doesn't hold it against me. we have so much to figure out when we decide to try to have sex again but that's so far from my mind right now.

here's a few pics. first one is when i started feeling some discomfort and would never have thought it was herpes, this was Saturday morning. the next picture is Sunday. and then one from today, Thursday. you can see how awful it looks now that the skin is peeling. thought it might be useful to see the progression.

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