Aa
Do cold sores + sex inevitably lead to genital herpes?
Thank you so much for your help with my question. It is so appreciated.
I have had oral cold sores my whole life and get a blister on my lip once or twice a year. After kissing and having oral and vaginal sex with my boyfriend I noticed I had a tingly feeling which soon after became a cold sore blister on my lip. He was concerned that I had given him both oral and genital herpes. I gave him a course of my Acyclovir for five days. He did not get a blister.
After, I was tested for HSV-1 and 2 and I was positive for only HSV-1. He also got tested and was positive for HSV-1, however, he has never had a blister anywhere at anytime. He says he was tested before we met, and was negative.
He is very worried that we will give each other genital herpes (even if there is not a blister present) due to viral shedding. Therefore, we have stopped kissing or having oral or vaginal sex!
The information we have found online is vague and we need facts from an expert. Could you please advise us about this? What is the likelihood of giving each other genital herpes? Does our sex life need to end?
Thank you very much for helping. I can't tell you how much I appreciate some clear facts.
I have had oral cold sores my whole life and get a blister on my lip once or twice a year. After kissing and having oral and vaginal sex with my boyfriend I noticed I had a tingly feeling which soon after became a cold sore blister on my lip. He was concerned that I had given him both oral and genital herpes. I gave him a course of my Acyclovir for five days. He did not get a blister.
After, I was tested for HSV-1 and 2 and I was positive for only HSV-1. He also got tested and was positive for HSV-1, however, he has never had a blister anywhere at anytime. He says he was tested before we met, and was negative.
He is very worried that we will give each other genital herpes (even if there is not a blister present) due to viral shedding. Therefore, we have stopped kissing or having oral or vaginal sex!
The information we have found online is vague and we need facts from an expert. Could you please advise us about this? What is the likelihood of giving each other genital herpes? Does our sex life need to end?
Thank you very much for helping. I can't tell you how much I appreciate some clear facts.
Thank you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It would be highly unlikely for either of you to get genital HSV 1 since you already have it orally. You have an immune response that should keep that from happening. Your oral sex life definitely doesn't need to end! If you did happen to get genital HSV 1, you would probably not know it, since this immune response would likely keep you from getting symptoms. And since HSV 1 genitally recurs infrequently, you also would probably not notice. All in all, the chances of getting it genitally are really low and if you did, it wouldn't be a big deal.
And I would be a little surprised if he actually had a herpes blood test with an STD screen, but it would be worth looking into that via a check of medical records.
My take on this is that if you both have HSV 1, you are home free for sexual activity. I can't promise you there is no chance of either of you getting HSV 1 genitally, but if I were in your situation, it would be on the bottom of my list of worries.
Terri
And I would be a little surprised if he actually had a herpes blood test with an STD screen, but it would be worth looking into that via a check of medical records.
My take on this is that if you both have HSV 1, you are home free for sexual activity. I can't promise you there is no chance of either of you getting HSV 1 genitally, but if I were in your situation, it would be on the bottom of my list of worries.
Terri
I should have mentioned:
-We do not use condoms as we are in a long-term, monogamous relationship---nor do we want to. I have an IUD for birth control.
-The test we both had was a blood test.
-We do not use condoms as we are in a long-term, monogamous relationship---nor do we want to. I have an IUD for birth control.
-The test we both had was a blood test.
You are reading content posted in the Herpes Forum
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.
