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Herpes clarification
My question is mainly meant for Fleetwood and Grace so I would appreciate it if you could chime in. Based on posts I have seen on here, it seems like you recommend anyone who has protected sex or unprotected sex to have a blood test at 4 months if you have a prior HSV infection. I just do not get this.
I have seen from Fleetwood20 that if you have a prior HSV1 infection, a newly acquired HSV2 infection my go unnoticed, no lesions would possibly appear as the HSV1 antibodies would in Essenes lessen the blow. Is this scare tactics or reality? Are you saying that because I have HSV1, I can never truly know if I have HSV2 genitally after having protected sex unless I have a type specific IgG blood test 4 months after I have sex? That seems crazy. Do you recommend that every time someone who has HSV1 has sex they can never be sure if they have herpes because they won't have the normal lesions?
Can you please clear things up as I am now freaking out. I have never seen in a doctor forum that they take this stance. They always so if no lesions appear after 12 days or so you can be confident that you did not get infected. I have never seen them say that this only applies to people who have no prior HSV. I actually have seen the doctors in the std forum here say that prior HSV1 may actually protect you a bit from acquiring hSV2.
Any further insight you can provide would be appreciated.
I have seen from Fleetwood20 that if you have a prior HSV1 infection, a newly acquired HSV2 infection my go unnoticed, no lesions would possibly appear as the HSV1 antibodies would in Essenes lessen the blow. Is this scare tactics or reality? Are you saying that because I have HSV1, I can never truly know if I have HSV2 genitally after having protected sex unless I have a type specific IgG blood test 4 months after I have sex? That seems crazy. Do you recommend that every time someone who has HSV1 has sex they can never be sure if they have herpes because they won't have the normal lesions?
Can you please clear things up as I am now freaking out. I have never seen in a doctor forum that they take this stance. They always so if no lesions appear after 12 days or so you can be confident that you did not get infected. I have never seen them say that this only applies to people who have no prior HSV. I actually have seen the doctors in the std forum here say that prior HSV1 may actually protect you a bit from acquiring hSV2.
Any further insight you can provide would be appreciated.
It is a common feature of studies of HSV2 that 75% of those with oral HSV1 cannot recall when their initial outbreak was and many claim not to have had one in the 2-10 days after possible infection. This is what they report as fact, but I am skeptical that this scientific fact. It could be that as they are not expecting anything in particular to happen that the lesions are brushed off as other things. Hence if you are very focused on examining your genital area would you really miss an initial infection with HSV2? I really do not have an answer to this, no one does.
We are dealing with a virus here. It is not crazy, it just is. Without full mutual testing before monogamous relations, sex has risks. Like crossing the street, boarding a plane or climbing a coconut tree. But this is all our choice and therefore the consequences are to be accepted and embraced. Blaming the way the virus works and the way our body responds to it, again, just is what it is.
Studies do not consistently support that having say an oral HSV1 infection gives you protection against a genital infection of another type. However, some studies do show this, it just isn't consistently so. Again difficult to interpret for the average person. I personally believe that some, but only some, people do have additional protection afforded to them by an existing HSV infection. However it is best to advise people that no additional protection exists.
We are dealing with a virus here. It is not crazy, it just is. Without full mutual testing before monogamous relations, sex has risks. Like crossing the street, boarding a plane or climbing a coconut tree. But this is all our choice and therefore the consequences are to be accepted and embraced. Blaming the way the virus works and the way our body responds to it, again, just is what it is.
Studies do not consistently support that having say an oral HSV1 infection gives you protection against a genital infection of another type. However, some studies do show this, it just isn't consistently so. Again difficult to interpret for the average person. I personally believe that some, but only some, people do have additional protection afforded to them by an existing HSV infection. However it is best to advise people that no additional protection exists.
I can't answer your question but I thought I would tell you that I am not sure Grace posts on here much anymore. I have tried to get responses from her but do not get replies.
The people posting on here are the ones mostly concerned with the possibility of having it, so I think he says it so they can ease their minds one way or the other.Not knowing can just drive people crazy. Aka, myself. Genital herpes is also just very common, and a lot of people have the disease asymptomatically. However, they never find out much of the time because they have no reason to suspect..Not until accidentally transferring the disease to someone else. The thing is, I think a lot of doctors shy away from herpes blood tests because they can be difficult to interpret and aren't specific to locations. Also, they may feel why cause this emotional stresser when that person could have gone on happily without ever knowing. I hear that 80 to 90 percent of people with genital herpes have no idea. 1 in 4 women, and 1 in 6 men? I believe? So. Basically, it's so common that it's really not a big deal. I mean, it is to an individual personally...but I think doctor's and other experts want us to realize this disease shouldn't make or break you, and it's really okay if you do have it.
If you do not have a noticeable primary episode and you do have the virus, then you can never really be sure who gave it to you..I guess minus the amount of antibodies in your blood test.
You are correct; having one of the two viruses already does make it more difficult to obtain the second virus.
Sorry, I know i'm not Fleetwood or Grace...and i'm not really sure why I replied to this..lol. I'm sure you probably knew most of this information. Did anyway though
If you do not have a noticeable primary episode and you do have the virus, then you can never really be sure who gave it to you..I guess minus the amount of antibodies in your blood test.
You are correct; having one of the two viruses already does make it more difficult to obtain the second virus.
Sorry, I know i'm not Fleetwood or Grace...and i'm not really sure why I replied to this..lol. I'm sure you probably knew most of this information. Did anyway though
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
