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Autoinnoculation _ after 13 yrs
I contracted gential herpes type 1 in 1998. The outbreak site was typically on the tip of my clitoris. The outbreaks become fewer and fewer over the years. Then I met my ex-husband and he also had genital herpes. We started dating in 2005 and it turns out he must have had type 2 because I started having severe, frequent outbreaks in different areas. I've struggled for years to get it under control. I usually still have 1 outbreak a month or more even though I'm on suppressive Valtrex.
At any rate, I've become pretty OCD and am paranoid all the time about passing it to new partners or roommates or whatever. I always clorox wipe toilet seats although I know there's no documented evidence of transmission this way. And I'm an obsessive hand washer to the point where my hands are usually dry, cracked and/or bleeding. It also tends to have a big impact on my sex life because I am always pestering partners to wash, or jumping up right during or after to wash and ruining the mood. My last boyfriend left because of the annoyance of my OCD about it, not the disease itself.
I always tell partners now. Today I had a sore spot I thought was from friction and I was physically examining it, touching with my hands and looking in a mirror when I realized that it might be my old type 1 outbreak spot. I washed my hands immediately with soap and water but I had a cut on my thumb. It was mostly healed, just a flap of skin now. But I am paranoid about auto-innocculation. Am I silly to worry so much since I've had this for years? I know auto-innocculation is usually a result of primary outbreak contact.
And how paranoid do I need to be? I know I'm overdoing the OCD and stressing myself out more, it just feels "safer" to be hypervigilant.
Thanks for any insight. I'm tired of HSV having such control over me!
At any rate, I've become pretty OCD and am paranoid all the time about passing it to new partners or roommates or whatever. I always clorox wipe toilet seats although I know there's no documented evidence of transmission this way. And I'm an obsessive hand washer to the point where my hands are usually dry, cracked and/or bleeding. It also tends to have a big impact on my sex life because I am always pestering partners to wash, or jumping up right during or after to wash and ruining the mood. My last boyfriend left because of the annoyance of my OCD about it, not the disease itself.
I always tell partners now. Today I had a sore spot I thought was from friction and I was physically examining it, touching with my hands and looking in a mirror when I realized that it might be my old type 1 outbreak spot. I washed my hands immediately with soap and water but I had a cut on my thumb. It was mostly healed, just a flap of skin now. But I am paranoid about auto-innocculation. Am I silly to worry so much since I've had this for years? I know auto-innocculation is usually a result of primary outbreak contact.
And how paranoid do I need to be? I know I'm overdoing the OCD and stressing myself out more, it just feels "safer" to be hypervigilant.
Thanks for any insight. I'm tired of HSV having such control over me!
I'd cover your bases and go for a type specific herpes igg blood test to see what your hsv2 status is. start with the basics!
over cleansing the hands causes cracks and reduces our protective 'good' bacteria on our hands that are there to protect us. washing your hands after using the bathroom and before eating are really all you have to do unless visibly soiled ( or after touching raw meat while preparing a meal ). hopefully your counseling helps you work through the reasons why you feel the need to wash so much and you get it down to a more healthy amount of hand washing :)
ob's anywhere in the entire 'boxer short' area as we call it are completely normal and not spreading the infection. the virus will reoccur in different areas over the course of a lifetime for most folks. certainly continue to follow up on it all with your provider though to try to make sure it's all herpes going on and not other things. just remind yourself that just because you have genital herpes, doesn't mean that everything that goes on is due to herpes so it's well worth following up on :)
over cleansing the hands causes cracks and reduces our protective 'good' bacteria on our hands that are there to protect us. washing your hands after using the bathroom and before eating are really all you have to do unless visibly soiled ( or after touching raw meat while preparing a meal ). hopefully your counseling helps you work through the reasons why you feel the need to wash so much and you get it down to a more healthy amount of hand washing :)
ob's anywhere in the entire 'boxer short' area as we call it are completely normal and not spreading the infection. the virus will reoccur in different areas over the course of a lifetime for most folks. certainly continue to follow up on it all with your provider though to try to make sure it's all herpes going on and not other things. just remind yourself that just because you have genital herpes, doesn't mean that everything that goes on is due to herpes so it's well worth following up on :)
They did a culture from an open sore when I was originally diagnosed with HSV1. I've never been tested since my ex-husband. I'm just assuming from all that I've read. New outbreaks are above the clitoris in the pubic hair, along the outer labia and occasionally in the panty line. I think also that I may occasionally break out in the anus area.
I really hope I haven't contracted it on my hands. I know that's probably a long shot but I still worry.
I know that overwashing to the point of cracking and bleeding just breaks down your natural defenses and I'm trying to get a handle on it. I just have trouble controlling the anxiety and feel compelled to wash. :( In counseling though and working on getting a handle on the OCD.
I really hope I haven't contracted it on my hands. I know that's probably a long shot but I still worry.
I know that overwashing to the point of cracking and bleeding just breaks down your natural defenses and I'm trying to get a handle on it. I just have trouble controlling the anxiety and feel compelled to wash. :( In counseling though and working on getting a handle on the OCD.
how were you originally diagnosed with hsv1 genitally?
have you been tested since then to see if you contracted hsv2 from your partner?
where are your new ob's located?
it's not likely you contracted hsv on your hands now. fyi - all this over cleansing you are doing is putting you at higher risk of contracting infections in general :(
grace
have you been tested since then to see if you contracted hsv2 from your partner?
where are your new ob's located?
it's not likely you contracted hsv on your hands now. fyi - all this over cleansing you are doing is putting you at higher risk of contracting infections in general :(
grace
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
