Prodrome no outbreaks

By now my outbreaks are very infrequent. The last outbreak I remember having was about 14 years ago. I remember that because I remember the guy I was dating at the time. I do occasionally get prodrome symptoms....I think. It's not a tingling or an itching. It's more like just a "noticing". I can feel a sort of sensitivity in the area where my lesion occurs. Sometimes I wonder if it's just in my head. I read something about "aborted outbreak" but there wasn't much information provided.

[gracefromHHP]

These sensations very well could be aborted ob's or just viral shedding without an obvious external lesion.  

Since you were diagnosed so long ago - have you ever sought out type specific blood testing to see if you have hsv1 or hsv2 genitally?  How often were your ob's in the begining?

grace

[cat515]

Seems like for the first couple of years I had 3 - 4 ob per year. I haven't thought of being tested. How would knowing hsv1 or hsv2 change anything?

[waringblender]

Over half the population is already positive for HSV1. If you become sexually active with somebody, have them get tested, and if they are already positive for HSV1, you don't have anything to worry about in terms of transmitting it to them.

It's important to know which type you have. It's also important to know which types your potential partners have, in addition to any other STDs.

How were you tested originally? Did they even have blood testing back then? Or was it through a lesion culture?

[gracefromHHP]

14 years ago it was still non-type specific blood testing for the most part ( pretty sure they had a herpes WB then but it wasn't used as much as it is now ).  Most of us had a looksee and possibly a lesion culture done and just assumed that if it was below the waist it had to be hsv2.

grace

[cat515]

I remember the looksee and the culture. I don't remember if blood was drawn. I guess I'll have a test done the next time I go to the doctor.

[cat515]

what's the difference between viral shedding and an aborted outbreak?

[waringblender]

I don't buy into the "aborted outbreak" stuff. It sounds like one of those weird urban legends, like "the majority of men are good in bed," or "you'll get herpes sitting in a hot tub." I think it's bunk. It's not like the virus "changes its mind" and then turns around and goes back to the nerve ganglia. What you are experiencing is probably viral shedding.

Most viral shedding occurs asymptomatically so, by definition, you won't know when it's happening.

[gracefromHHP]

viral shedding and an aborted ob are pretty much the same thing.  Viral shedding is anytime the virus is active either with or without obvious lesions present.

an aborted ob is just another name for subclinical ob, prodrome, asymptomatic shedding etc.  They all mean the same thing - viral shedding without an obvious lesion present.

grace

[cat515]

hmm...thanks Grace