How can I help my friend?

[mumbersr77]

Dr; I have a friend who got diagnosed that she has herpes. She was rapped 5 years before she got married. But she never knew it after a year of being married. She told me she never sow it on her ex-husband’s body in 7 years together. But is active like every-time she is depress or shaves too much. Otherwise it takes up to 5 or 6 month to get it active. And it lasts for 4-5 days.  She is in a difficult time right now. She is in-love with a new person, and she doesn’t know what to do. He already knows the truth. But he doesn’t have much information about his thing. She really wants to get married a gain and have babies. So how can I help her?

[gracefromHHP]

I totally 2nd whatsok's comment that your friend is lucky to have you at her side :)


Since it's too hard to play 20 questions with you about your friend I recommend this - first off refer her here to the forum so she can post and ask her own questions. Also send her the links to the herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com so that she can download the free herpes handbook there as well as watch the patient counseling video. If you want to also buy her Terri Warren's new book - the good news about the bad news - that too would be helpful since it goes into way more detail about the emotional parts about living with genital herpes. It's under $15 on amazon.

And just keep doing what you are doing - being there to support her :)  

grace

[whatsok]

I'm not an expert, but until one answers, this may be helpful.

Is she on any of the medications for herpes? Those should reduce how often and severe her outbreaks are, and they reduce the risk of a partner getting it as well.

I'm sorry to hear she has been raped, but glad to hear she wants to move on and develop healthy relationships and start a family, which, she can do though she has herpes, and can take her medication through most of the pregnancy.

It's important that they are able to discuss it openly and that he gets tested to find out if he has it (either from her or a prior partner - he should just know his status). It would also be good if he or both of them read and learn more about it so they can make informed decisions about protection.

She's lucky you are there for her to support her and help her through a tough time.