Aa
Positive for HSV-2, but want to know timeline
Hi, I read that I should have one post for my story, so here is my attempt. I'm so grateful to have read posts from others, and the wonderful replies. I've felt quite alone for many months now, and it was wreaking havoc on my emotions.
I've only had sexual relations with 2 women in my entire life.
Between Nov 23 and Dec 1, 2008 I had sexual contact with a sex worker, which was my first time (and last) for anything like that at all (biggest mistake of my life, and I'm filled with such regret and shame). I was drunk, but know that a condom was used for oral sex. She was quite adamant that no contact was made without a condom. My penis wouldn't become erect. Then we tried some vaginal sex for a minute or two, but that wouldn't really work either. So, nothing happened, or so I hope and pray. I remember that my pelvic area was very wet, but thought it was mostly from her using a lot of lubrication when she used her hand after the oral didn't work. Sorry, I wanted to be specific and hope that this is appropriate, as I feel it is. I mostly laid there and then cleaned my pelvic area with some toilet paper while still there in bed. I went to my friends and showered there about 20 minutes later, and tried to forget my mistake, and go to sleep.
Then I met the love of my live, who I want to marry. We were responsible and got tested using a standard STD test for 4 different STDS. HIV, Chlamidia, HPV, and one other. I think we got tested around the end of December 2008 or the 2nd week of January. (I don't have the papers with me at the moment to check). The results we got back around 3 weeks later. We were sexually intimate during the meantime, with a gap for her period, but nothing was done without a condom. I never noticed anything wrong with her vagina or pubic region.
The results were negative for everything, and we were overjoyed! She told me she was quite worried because of a mistake she made in her past, and that scared me a lot. But we were so happy to move on with our lives and not have to worry about past actions we would give anything to change.
She is religious and didn't want to use a condom since were were clean and monogamous, and I went with her to go get a monthly anti-pregnancy shot. It was her first one, so we had to wait another 3 weeks of using a condom.
Well, around the end of January we had unprotected sex. Everything was fine.
Then for a few days I was quite sick with flu-like symptoms. I made no connection because I knew nothing about STDs. I thought it was just the summer cold that other people at my work were having. But I never get sick, ever. And one night I layed in bed with a huge fever, and one that I have never felt before in my life. I knew something was completely wrong, but couldn't get to a doctor so just hoped for the best. The bad fever mostly lasted for one lone intense day, then went away, but I still had sore throat and felt fatigued. I thought it was just a bad cold.
Then one day around Feb 1st, I thought I had a cut on the end of my penis shaft. I regularly would trim my public hair, and shave it all off the shaft and around the bottom part that connects to the pelvis. So, it seems to be like a regular cut, and it hurt. My girlfriend was telling me that my penis was giving too much friction or being uncomfortable because it hurt her and she said she had a part hurting her too from brittle hair. So, that little cut on my shaft didn't go away, but got a little bigger, but most shocking I then had a red bump on my pelvis/pubic hair area far away from the first one. That was really strange, but I thought it was just an ingrown hair. Over the next day, these things just got worse, with more red bumps appearing all over my pelvis. There wasn't anything on my penis shaft above the base. Some of these then became what looked like infected, and a doctor said was ulcerated.
Actually, the first doctor I saw at a day-night clinic said that it was just ingrown hair! I knew he was completely wrong, and I was quite upset. I had an intense burning sensation that made me want to cry every time I went to the bathroom. I mean, I nearly fell on my knees it was so intense. He said he tested my urine and no bacteria were present. In fact, he said the burning was probably psychological because I was so concerned at the bumps and ulcers. Well, the next morning I woke up with even more bumps. I mean, my pelvis was full of them, and the shaft one was still there. I went back to the clinic 1 day later and saw a different doctor he thought it might be herpes, but the ulcers were strange. And he gave me a general dose of anti-biotics, and a herpes anti-viral floxacin.
That seemed to help after a few days, though I still had one more new spot that happened. For the first time, I saw a patch off little blisters the middle of my penis shaft (and this scared me sooooo much). They eventually burst and left what I thought were little scars. I was told to use hydrogen peroxide to clean the ulcers and sores. When I still had the sores, and before cleaning them or anything, I got a swab test at a very professional clinic. The doctor sent it to be tested and one test was for HSV.
The redness lasted until the end of Februrary, and I thought everything was going to be okay. I hadn't got the results back yet.
All of this stress, and some other things completely ruined my relationship with my girlfriend and we broke up, which I also regret, but we are back now, and hopefully for life.
Then around April 8th, I went from fine to another round of the sores. Thank goodness this was NOTHING like the severity of the first one, and I had medication left over to use. I used the medication, and the red bump went away, but I could see the area red for another 3 weeks. The strangest part was that the bump was in the EXACT SAME SPOT on my pelvis as the first time. Is this normal? So, it cleared up fine, and I hoped it would never come back!
I got the test results and the doctor said the swab test was positive positive for HSV-2. She said I would always have it, and then I was contagious 24/7. (And that bothered me because I dont want to harm anyone at all in my life). She gave me a prescription for acyclovir.
But, now I have another outbreak again, but more severe than the 2nd time. I was fine, hoping that the future would be great, and then felt a pain in my side hip. So I knew something was up, but I didn't have pain like this before. It's not a lot of pain, but definitely feels sensitive. I've been taking acyclovir 4 times a day for the past 3 days, and don't know if it's helping. This time I have the two main spots developing blisters (but they are healing). For the first time it came back on the same bottom shaft of my penis. It's like it has a memory or something!
What worries me is that I also saw 2 small red bumps on both my inner thighs that I think is herpes too, but am not sure. The one bump cleared up, but then my other thigh had 2 more. They looked like red bumps from a face pimple. How can I keep the herpes from spreading to new spots?
I've only had sexual relations with 2 women in my entire life.
Between Nov 23 and Dec 1, 2008 I had sexual contact with a sex worker, which was my first time (and last) for anything like that at all (biggest mistake of my life, and I'm filled with such regret and shame). I was drunk, but know that a condom was used for oral sex. She was quite adamant that no contact was made without a condom. My penis wouldn't become erect. Then we tried some vaginal sex for a minute or two, but that wouldn't really work either. So, nothing happened, or so I hope and pray. I remember that my pelvic area was very wet, but thought it was mostly from her using a lot of lubrication when she used her hand after the oral didn't work. Sorry, I wanted to be specific and hope that this is appropriate, as I feel it is. I mostly laid there and then cleaned my pelvic area with some toilet paper while still there in bed. I went to my friends and showered there about 20 minutes later, and tried to forget my mistake, and go to sleep.
Then I met the love of my live, who I want to marry. We were responsible and got tested using a standard STD test for 4 different STDS. HIV, Chlamidia, HPV, and one other. I think we got tested around the end of December 2008 or the 2nd week of January. (I don't have the papers with me at the moment to check). The results we got back around 3 weeks later. We were sexually intimate during the meantime, with a gap for her period, but nothing was done without a condom. I never noticed anything wrong with her vagina or pubic region.
The results were negative for everything, and we were overjoyed! She told me she was quite worried because of a mistake she made in her past, and that scared me a lot. But we were so happy to move on with our lives and not have to worry about past actions we would give anything to change.
She is religious and didn't want to use a condom since were were clean and monogamous, and I went with her to go get a monthly anti-pregnancy shot. It was her first one, so we had to wait another 3 weeks of using a condom.
Well, around the end of January we had unprotected sex. Everything was fine.
Then for a few days I was quite sick with flu-like symptoms. I made no connection because I knew nothing about STDs. I thought it was just the summer cold that other people at my work were having. But I never get sick, ever. And one night I layed in bed with a huge fever, and one that I have never felt before in my life. I knew something was completely wrong, but couldn't get to a doctor so just hoped for the best. The bad fever mostly lasted for one lone intense day, then went away, but I still had sore throat and felt fatigued. I thought it was just a bad cold.
Then one day around Feb 1st, I thought I had a cut on the end of my penis shaft. I regularly would trim my public hair, and shave it all off the shaft and around the bottom part that connects to the pelvis. So, it seems to be like a regular cut, and it hurt. My girlfriend was telling me that my penis was giving too much friction or being uncomfortable because it hurt her and she said she had a part hurting her too from brittle hair. So, that little cut on my shaft didn't go away, but got a little bigger, but most shocking I then had a red bump on my pelvis/pubic hair area far away from the first one. That was really strange, but I thought it was just an ingrown hair. Over the next day, these things just got worse, with more red bumps appearing all over my pelvis. There wasn't anything on my penis shaft above the base. Some of these then became what looked like infected, and a doctor said was ulcerated.
Actually, the first doctor I saw at a day-night clinic said that it was just ingrown hair! I knew he was completely wrong, and I was quite upset. I had an intense burning sensation that made me want to cry every time I went to the bathroom. I mean, I nearly fell on my knees it was so intense. He said he tested my urine and no bacteria were present. In fact, he said the burning was probably psychological because I was so concerned at the bumps and ulcers. Well, the next morning I woke up with even more bumps. I mean, my pelvis was full of them, and the shaft one was still there. I went back to the clinic 1 day later and saw a different doctor he thought it might be herpes, but the ulcers were strange. And he gave me a general dose of anti-biotics, and a herpes anti-viral floxacin.
That seemed to help after a few days, though I still had one more new spot that happened. For the first time, I saw a patch off little blisters the middle of my penis shaft (and this scared me sooooo much). They eventually burst and left what I thought were little scars. I was told to use hydrogen peroxide to clean the ulcers and sores. When I still had the sores, and before cleaning them or anything, I got a swab test at a very professional clinic. The doctor sent it to be tested and one test was for HSV.
The redness lasted until the end of Februrary, and I thought everything was going to be okay. I hadn't got the results back yet.
All of this stress, and some other things completely ruined my relationship with my girlfriend and we broke up, which I also regret, but we are back now, and hopefully for life.
Then around April 8th, I went from fine to another round of the sores. Thank goodness this was NOTHING like the severity of the first one, and I had medication left over to use. I used the medication, and the red bump went away, but I could see the area red for another 3 weeks. The strangest part was that the bump was in the EXACT SAME SPOT on my pelvis as the first time. Is this normal? So, it cleared up fine, and I hoped it would never come back!
I got the test results and the doctor said the swab test was positive positive for HSV-2. She said I would always have it, and then I was contagious 24/7. (And that bothered me because I dont want to harm anyone at all in my life). She gave me a prescription for acyclovir.
But, now I have another outbreak again, but more severe than the 2nd time. I was fine, hoping that the future would be great, and then felt a pain in my side hip. So I knew something was up, but I didn't have pain like this before. It's not a lot of pain, but definitely feels sensitive. I've been taking acyclovir 4 times a day for the past 3 days, and don't know if it's helping. This time I have the two main spots developing blisters (but they are healing). For the first time it came back on the same bottom shaft of my penis. It's like it has a memory or something!
What worries me is that I also saw 2 small red bumps on both my inner thighs that I think is herpes too, but am not sure. The one bump cleared up, but then my other thigh had 2 more. They looked like red bumps from a face pimple. How can I keep the herpes from spreading to new spots?
Your thigh issue sounds like either an ingrown hair or a bacterial skin infection. I'd go back to the doctor about that. If it's not all herpes, herpes antivirals can't help.
Your provider ordered you the wrong dose of acyclovir. It should've been 400mg 3x/day for 5 days ( alternate dose is 200mg 5x/day for 5 days but I never recommend that dose because it's so inconvenient ). Suppressive therapy with acyclovir is 400mg 2x/day every single day. I recommend starting on it so that your herpes is controlled and you and your provider can better figure out what is herpes and what isn't.
Your gf should call for her results. They don't take long to come back. Is your blood test back yet?
grace
Your provider ordered you the wrong dose of acyclovir. It should've been 400mg 3x/day for 5 days ( alternate dose is 200mg 5x/day for 5 days but I never recommend that dose because it's so inconvenient ). Suppressive therapy with acyclovir is 400mg 2x/day every single day. I recommend starting on it so that your herpes is controlled and you and your provider can better figure out what is herpes and what isn't.
Your gf should call for her results. They don't take long to come back. Is your blood test back yet?
grace
I am glad that your girlfriend has been very supportive. I am sure that means a lot.
I think it is possible, despite what i mentioned earlier about the nerve pathways, for the virus to break out in spots you haven't seen it before. You don't have to go overboard, just keep the area clean and dry. You should find that the outbreaks will settle down a bit. If they continue to be a monthly occurance though, i really would ask your doctor about going on acyclovir suppressively - you'd take the dose twice a day every day, but that should keep the outbreaks minimal. I know the medication really helped me as i was having nearly constant outbreaks.
I am wishing you the best of luck! :)
I think it is possible, despite what i mentioned earlier about the nerve pathways, for the virus to break out in spots you haven't seen it before. You don't have to go overboard, just keep the area clean and dry. You should find that the outbreaks will settle down a bit. If they continue to be a monthly occurance though, i really would ask your doctor about going on acyclovir suppressively - you'd take the dose twice a day every day, but that should keep the outbreaks minimal. I know the medication really helped me as i was having nearly constant outbreaks.
I am wishing you the best of luck! :)
Thank you so much for both of your replies. I feel comforted in knowing that others are reaching out and helping me by answering my questions and at least even reading my story itself.
My girlfriend was with me when I got my HSV-2 positive results from the doctor. It was right then that I asked if the doctor could take a blood test for HIV again, and also HSV-2 for her. The doctor actually put for both of us to be tested for herpes and HIV again. My girlfriend was great in that she went in and got her blood taken, and she didn't complain or anything. That meant a lot to me.
I pray throughout each day that I don't have HIV and that if I do, that I didn't transmit it to her. My god, I pray so much to not harm anyone. I regret so much my mistake, and then to find my soulmate after it makes it all the more worse I think. I love her with all of my heart.
Yes, for some reason I keep having outbreaks each month. At the moment, the one on my left thigh must be herpes because I put a bandage over it yesterday (to not have sores contact any other skin) and today it was bright bright red with a white/yellow thing in it that came out. The two usual herpes locations seems to be healing, and are just red with a little scab. What I don't like is that it spread to my thighs. I thought I was being very careful in washing very often, and putting bandaids over any sores that I saw to avoid their having skin contact with anything. I'm not sure how it spread to my thigh. I think I must be self-inncoculating myself, if that is the correct use of that term, even with being very very clean and constant hand washing and cloths washing.
I'm glad to know about the shower and the towels! I was worrying so much about spreading this.
I'm on my second last pill of Acyclovir. The doctor said to take 1 pill ever 4 hours, for 4 pills per day for 5 days. The one on the thighs is new so I hope I don't need any other pills right now.
Thanks! Please wish the best for me! God bless us all!
My girlfriend was with me when I got my HSV-2 positive results from the doctor. It was right then that I asked if the doctor could take a blood test for HIV again, and also HSV-2 for her. The doctor actually put for both of us to be tested for herpes and HIV again. My girlfriend was great in that she went in and got her blood taken, and she didn't complain or anything. That meant a lot to me.
I pray throughout each day that I don't have HIV and that if I do, that I didn't transmit it to her. My god, I pray so much to not harm anyone. I regret so much my mistake, and then to find my soulmate after it makes it all the more worse I think. I love her with all of my heart.
Yes, for some reason I keep having outbreaks each month. At the moment, the one on my left thigh must be herpes because I put a bandage over it yesterday (to not have sores contact any other skin) and today it was bright bright red with a white/yellow thing in it that came out. The two usual herpes locations seems to be healing, and are just red with a little scab. What I don't like is that it spread to my thighs. I thought I was being very careful in washing very often, and putting bandaids over any sores that I saw to avoid their having skin contact with anything. I'm not sure how it spread to my thigh. I think I must be self-inncoculating myself, if that is the correct use of that term, even with being very very clean and constant hand washing and cloths washing.
I'm glad to know about the shower and the towels! I was worrying so much about spreading this.
I'm on my second last pill of Acyclovir. The doctor said to take 1 pill ever 4 hours, for 4 pills per day for 5 days. The one on the thighs is new so I hope I don't need any other pills right now.
Thanks! Please wish the best for me! God bless us all!
Definitely your gf needs tested for herpes. Even though you both had std screenings prior to being intimate together, odds are that neither of you were tested for herpes. You should both request copies of your std testing from january so that you can see for yourselves what you were and were not tested for at that time. Since you were having unprotected sex that whole time, your gf needs tested for herpes with a type specific herpes igg blood test at this point regardless.
The herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com is a terrific and free resource to learn more about herpes at for you and your partner. If you don't mind spending some money, terri warren's book "the good news about the bad news" is available on amazon if you can't find it at your local bookstore and it goes into all of it in far more detail and I highly recommend it. It's around $15.
Once you and your gf know who has what, you'll better be able to figure out what precautions to take together. Until proven otherwise, assume she is hsv2 negative and continue on the daily suppressive therapy with acyclovir ( 400mg 2x/day every day ) and use condoms. Whenever you have anything going on in the genital area, avoid sex until it's healed. If you aren't sure what is going on on your thigh right now, go and be seen and have them looked at.
will you ever figure out who you got it from at this point? Probably not. You were ill at the time of the year when most folks are ill. If your gf tests negative for hsv2 on her igg blood test, you know it certainly didn't come from her.
grace
The herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com is a terrific and free resource to learn more about herpes at for you and your partner. If you don't mind spending some money, terri warren's book "the good news about the bad news" is available on amazon if you can't find it at your local bookstore and it goes into all of it in far more detail and I highly recommend it. It's around $15.
Once you and your gf know who has what, you'll better be able to figure out what precautions to take together. Until proven otherwise, assume she is hsv2 negative and continue on the daily suppressive therapy with acyclovir ( 400mg 2x/day every day ) and use condoms. Whenever you have anything going on in the genital area, avoid sex until it's healed. If you aren't sure what is going on on your thigh right now, go and be seen and have them looked at.
will you ever figure out who you got it from at this point? Probably not. You were ill at the time of the year when most folks are ill. If your gf tests negative for hsv2 on her igg blood test, you know it certainly didn't come from her.
grace
Hi scared.
I know this is a very anxious-filled time for you and I'm sorry you have to go through it.
Someone who knows a bit more can correct me here, but the way the viruses in the herpes family work (simplex, zoster, etc) is they travel along nerves. When the virus isn't active it goes through a dormant stage where it "retreats," so to speak, to a little cluster of nerve cells just outside your spinal column. When an outbreak is triggered, the virus travels along the same nerve route from the bundle of cells to your skin. This is why you've noticed the ulcers in the exact same spots. The virus tends to be a bit more contagious in the first year, in which it is more possible to self-innoculate. I noticed in my first few outbreaks the ulcers "spread" a little bit. You can prevent this self-innoculation by being extremely diligent with hand washing if you've been touching the ulcers or trying to explore to see what's going on. It is also a good idea to gently wash the open lesions with soap and water as well.
When visiting family, you don't have to worry about spreading the virus to them by using the shower or toilet or towels. The virus is spread by the friction and heat created during intercourse and skin to skin contact.
Either of your partners could have given you the virus. I would recommend, even though your girlfriend claims she doesn't have it, she very well could and just be asymptomatic. I'd recommend she have the blood test to see. If she is positive, you don't have to worry about "re-spreading" it between you and you two can be better informed about how you decide to proceed with intimacy.
I honestly don't know about the HIV. In generally it takes 4-16 weeks for your body to build up anti-bodies detectable in blood tests. If you are worried, a second HIV test at this stage couldn't hurt and the peace of mind a negative test would bring at this point, may very well be worth it.
Try to remember that the first outbreaks are the most severe with HSV II. And the first year tends to be the most troublesome. Ask your doctor about anti-viral suppressive therapy, as you seem to be having constant outbreaks. This therapy can reduce the number of outbreaks and reduce the possibility of transmitting it to your partner if she is negative.
There are some good links on this site containe in other posts that might be worth having a look at and your girlfriend might want to have a look as well. I hope this helps. It is a condition that you can live with very easily, even though it may seem overwhelming right now. Try to relax, become informed, and inform your partner as well.
Kindly.
I know this is a very anxious-filled time for you and I'm sorry you have to go through it.
Someone who knows a bit more can correct me here, but the way the viruses in the herpes family work (simplex, zoster, etc) is they travel along nerves. When the virus isn't active it goes through a dormant stage where it "retreats," so to speak, to a little cluster of nerve cells just outside your spinal column. When an outbreak is triggered, the virus travels along the same nerve route from the bundle of cells to your skin. This is why you've noticed the ulcers in the exact same spots. The virus tends to be a bit more contagious in the first year, in which it is more possible to self-innoculate. I noticed in my first few outbreaks the ulcers "spread" a little bit. You can prevent this self-innoculation by being extremely diligent with hand washing if you've been touching the ulcers or trying to explore to see what's going on. It is also a good idea to gently wash the open lesions with soap and water as well.
When visiting family, you don't have to worry about spreading the virus to them by using the shower or toilet or towels. The virus is spread by the friction and heat created during intercourse and skin to skin contact.
Either of your partners could have given you the virus. I would recommend, even though your girlfriend claims she doesn't have it, she very well could and just be asymptomatic. I'd recommend she have the blood test to see. If she is positive, you don't have to worry about "re-spreading" it between you and you two can be better informed about how you decide to proceed with intimacy.
I honestly don't know about the HIV. In generally it takes 4-16 weeks for your body to build up anti-bodies detectable in blood tests. If you are worried, a second HIV test at this stage couldn't hurt and the peace of mind a negative test would bring at this point, may very well be worth it.
Try to remember that the first outbreaks are the most severe with HSV II. And the first year tends to be the most troublesome. Ask your doctor about anti-viral suppressive therapy, as you seem to be having constant outbreaks. This therapy can reduce the number of outbreaks and reduce the possibility of transmitting it to your partner if she is negative.
There are some good links on this site containe in other posts that might be worth having a look at and your girlfriend might want to have a look as well. I hope this helps. It is a condition that you can live with very easily, even though it may seem overwhelming right now. Try to relax, become informed, and inform your partner as well.
Kindly.
My specific questions are these:
If I only got the herpes bumps for the first time, which was very severe and the flu the week before it seems, in the last half of January after unprotected sex with my girlfriend, BUT about 6-8 weeks since the sex worker (who I used a condom with and no real sex), who is the most likely source?
Can I still have gotten the herpes from the sex worker and had an outbreak 7-8 weeks later? I ask because my girlfriend says she has never had ANY std or bumps or anything, and she asked her previous sexual relations and they said they were clean too. I believe her, and am so worried of what I may have given her! I'm scared to death, and am having panic attacks.
I'm very worried that if I got HSV-2 from the sex worker, that she may also have given me HIV too. That is scaring me to death. If my mistake only harms me, then I can live with that, but not if it would harm anyone else. I would give up all sex and thought of having children to contain it. If the HIV test came back negative for both of us, and it was taken 6-7 weeks after the mistake with the sex worker, what chance is there that it was 100 percent accurate?
When visiting family, how can I keep from spreading the virus during an outbreak while still using the restroom, and shower? I'm so worried that if I take a shower, I will spread it to a family member, or if I dry off with a towel. Please help with this because it gives me great anxiety. I will do all I can to not carry on my mistake to others!
I've not told all of this to anyone, and hope that someone can help me with my questions. Thank you so much! and god bless!
If I only got the herpes bumps for the first time, which was very severe and the flu the week before it seems, in the last half of January after unprotected sex with my girlfriend, BUT about 6-8 weeks since the sex worker (who I used a condom with and no real sex), who is the most likely source?
Can I still have gotten the herpes from the sex worker and had an outbreak 7-8 weeks later? I ask because my girlfriend says she has never had ANY std or bumps or anything, and she asked her previous sexual relations and they said they were clean too. I believe her, and am so worried of what I may have given her! I'm scared to death, and am having panic attacks.
I'm very worried that if I got HSV-2 from the sex worker, that she may also have given me HIV too. That is scaring me to death. If my mistake only harms me, then I can live with that, but not if it would harm anyone else. I would give up all sex and thought of having children to contain it. If the HIV test came back negative for both of us, and it was taken 6-7 weeks after the mistake with the sex worker, what chance is there that it was 100 percent accurate?
When visiting family, how can I keep from spreading the virus during an outbreak while still using the restroom, and shower? I'm so worried that if I take a shower, I will spread it to a family member, or if I dry off with a towel. Please help with this because it gives me great anxiety. I will do all I can to not carry on my mistake to others!
I've not told all of this to anyone, and hope that someone can help me with my questions. Thank you so much! and god bless!
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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.
