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Genital Herpes Type 1 outbreak cause?!?!
Hi how are you? I'm a 21 Year old female with Type1 GH. I have only have one major breakout in the past 4 years ( the initial outbreak) and a few small ones (such as one small lesion that only lasted a couple of days) Today I woke up with about 7 and am in a lot of pain. The lymph nodes on the left side of my groin are painful to touch. I am having a very particularly stressful and anxious time in my life right now, could this be the cause of an outbreak this large? I don't see what else could have caused it. If you have any tips on how to minimize outbreaks or get the healing process faster that would be a lot of help. I do not take antivirals because like I said this is such a rare thing for me. They also give me very bad migraines. Thank you.
I didn't mean to start a thread jump, so my replies are brief and I won't be able to respond to other questions. You can also ask additional questions in your own thread.
1) Assuming you have herpes, this is your first infection. But your husband could have had it since before you were together.
2) Many genital HSV infections are entirely asymptomatic. It's quite common.
3) With acyclovir (Zovirax) you should start to improve in a few days, but it often takes 10-14 days for complete healing. You should be treated for at least 10 days.
4) Some experts prefer valacyclovir, but acyclovir is fine.
5) There's never a risk to kids from parents with GH. It isn't passed by hand contact, utensils, towels, etc. Just use common sense hygiene (wash hands after toilet) and then don't worry about it.
6) It takes several weeks for HSV blood tests to turn positive. The test is almost always negative during the first infection, turning positive 3-16 weeks later.
1) Assuming you have herpes, this is your first infection. But your husband could have had it since before you were together.
2) Many genital HSV infections are entirely asymptomatic. It's quite common.
3) With acyclovir (Zovirax) you should start to improve in a few days, but it often takes 10-14 days for complete healing. You should be treated for at least 10 days.
4) Some experts prefer valacyclovir, but acyclovir is fine.
5) There's never a risk to kids from parents with GH. It isn't passed by hand contact, utensils, towels, etc. Just use common sense hygiene (wash hands after toilet) and then don't worry about it.
6) It takes several weeks for HSV blood tests to turn positive. The test is almost always negative during the first infection, turning positive 3-16 weeks later.
Thanks so much! Allow me to ask some questions:
1. My husband or i could have gotten type2 15 years ago or prior to marraige and it is just coming out now?
2. How is it possible that my husband has never had any symptoms?
3. Can you describe the healing stages and duration. Just want to know how mych longer this will be.
Right now blisters are starting to ooze.
4. What has been the most effective medication
5. How do i prevent my kids from getting this. Obviously i wash hands always but is sharing utensils and kissing ok givin i dont have mouth sores?
6. Why is it that blood test is not accurate?
Sorry i am new to this all and terrified.
1. My husband or i could have gotten type2 15 years ago or prior to marraige and it is just coming out now?
2. How is it possible that my husband has never had any symptoms?
3. Can you describe the healing stages and duration. Just want to know how mych longer this will be.
Right now blisters are starting to ooze.
4. What has been the most effective medication
5. How do i prevent my kids from getting this. Obviously i wash hands always but is sharing utensils and kissing ok givin i dont have mouth sores?
6. Why is it that blood test is not accurate?
Sorry i am new to this all and terrified.
It would have been best for you to have a swab test (for culture or PCR) in addition to blood testing. That's by far the best way to diagnose anyone's first epsiode of herpes. If your lesions haven't healed, there may still be time. Relying on blood testing requires an initial plus a follow up test in several weeks, and even then it often leaves the diagnosis in doubt.
Stress is not a plausible explanation for your symptoms. Your story suggests you acquired a new HSV infection from your husband, as donutz88 may have done. Much of my advice may apply to you as well.
Stress is not a plausible explanation for your symptoms. Your story suggests you acquired a new HSV infection from your husband, as donutz88 may have done. Much of my advice may apply to you as well.
Just want you to know that i am now going through same symptoms as you. Monogomous mom suddenly got blisters down there! Husband thought i was cheating. He never had symptoms his whole life. Doc told me it must be type 1 but got blood test for type 2 anyways. Light sometimes spotting and lymph nodes very swollen and my upper back of thighs hurt. On zovirax oral and cream since yesterday. This is day 6 since i noticed blisters. Before that i just thought it was a yeast infection.
Have you had this before? This is my first outbreak and dont know why this happened aside from stress and lack of sleep. What are your meds and how do you cope? Thanks.
Have you had this before? This is my first outbreak and dont know why this happened aside from stress and lack of sleep. What are your meds and how do you cope? Thanks.
Thanks for the additional information.
Your leg pain doesn't sound like a herpes symptom. Could you have an infection that also explains the tender groin swellings? Is your leg tender anywhere? Redness of the skin? Red streak anywhere? Do you have any fever? If yes to any of these, see a doctor or clinic right away. (An infection also might explain why you have a more serious than usual herpes outbreak.)
For the herpes, I still wouldn't rule out the possibility of HSV2. If one person in a heterosexual relationship has HSV2, the averge transmission risk is only once for ever 1,000 episodes of unprotected sex. Therefore, it is common for transmission to first occur several years into a relationship. I still recommend this outbreak be tested to determine virus type.
Both for the leg and the herpes, I do suggest you see a doctor promply, preferably today.
Your leg pain doesn't sound like a herpes symptom. Could you have an infection that also explains the tender groin swellings? Is your leg tender anywhere? Redness of the skin? Red streak anywhere? Do you have any fever? If yes to any of these, see a doctor or clinic right away. (An infection also might explain why you have a more serious than usual herpes outbreak.)
For the herpes, I still wouldn't rule out the possibility of HSV2. If one person in a heterosexual relationship has HSV2, the averge transmission risk is only once for ever 1,000 episodes of unprotected sex. Therefore, it is common for transmission to first occur several years into a relationship. I still recommend this outbreak be tested to determine virus type.
Both for the leg and the herpes, I do suggest you see a doctor promply, preferably today.
Thanks so much for all the info. I am positive that I am not pregnant, and I am married and have had the same partner for over 4 years so I don't see how it would be possible for me to acquire hsv2. I'm guessing this is just a random, possibly stress related situation? I have one more question, it's actually a new symptom that happened since I posted.. My left leg (where the swollen gland in my groin is) is hurting me a lot. Even when I walk on it it hurts. I don't remember if this happened with my first outbreak because it was so long ago. Is this a normal symptom? I'm very afraid. Thank you.
Recurrent outbreaks tend to be quite infrequent with genital HSV1. In that sense, your situation is typical. There are no known triggers for most outbreaks; usually they're just random. You'll find lots of websites and other sources that talk about stress triggering outbreaks, but there's actually no scientific evidence for this.
Two things come to mind for multiple lesions with inflamed lymph nodes, as well as headache. (I'm afraid ou're not going to like one of them, and maybe neither one.) The first is a new infection, which would mean you have acquired HSV2 in addition to your previous HSV1 infection. Second is pregnancy. Sometimes pregnant women have particularly severe outbreaks that act for all the world like a new HSV infection. Are you at risk for a new GH infection (partner with herpes, new partner, etc)? And might you be pregnant?
It could be neither of these -- just worse than usual but otherwise random outbreak. But professional evaluation is the only way to know for certain. You should see a doctor or clinic in the next day or two, so the diagnosis can be confirmed and lesions can be tested by PCR (preferred) or culture to check for the virus type.
Two things come to mind for multiple lesions with inflamed lymph nodes, as well as headache. (I'm afraid ou're not going to like one of them, and maybe neither one.) The first is a new infection, which would mean you have acquired HSV2 in addition to your previous HSV1 infection. Second is pregnancy. Sometimes pregnant women have particularly severe outbreaks that act for all the world like a new HSV infection. Are you at risk for a new GH infection (partner with herpes, new partner, etc)? And might you be pregnant?
It could be neither of these -- just worse than usual but otherwise random outbreak. But professional evaluation is the only way to know for certain. You should see a doctor or clinic in the next day or two, so the diagnosis can be confirmed and lesions can be tested by PCR (preferred) or culture to check for the virus type.
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STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
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