Aa
Doesn't make sense...
I was recently diagnosed with HSV-1 of the genitals. My gyno suggested that my guy get tested. He was tested, and his tests came back negative. We'd only been seeing each other (& having sex) for a little over a month when it happened. I've read in numerous places that you typically get your first outbreak within a couple of weeks of exposure. But I swear on my life that I hadn't been with anyone since December of last year - and that guy only performed oral sex on me once for a couple of minutes. How could this be??? The breakout came a couple of days after we had had kind of rough sex. I'm questioning the accuracy of the tests (his & mine)... His doctor suggested that he be re-tested in 3 months to see if he's built up any anti-bodies. The ulcers that I had have since healed, but should I somehow be re-tested?
We recently broke things off because he can't get past this. I'm doing everything possible to prevent future breakout (on a daily prescription, take vitamins C & D, take lysine, and take a multi-vitamin), but he still is afraid. I'm devastated... He's a great guy, and I would like to make things work, but I don't know how to ease his mind. Is there any literature that might help explain things?
Please help...
We recently broke things off because he can't get past this. I'm doing everything possible to prevent future breakout (on a daily prescription, take vitamins C & D, take lysine, and take a multi-vitamin), but he still is afraid. I'm devastated... He's a great guy, and I would like to make things work, but I don't know how to ease his mind. Is there any literature that might help explain things?
Please help...
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
"I understand that the blood test misses 10-15%, but I would think that the at least one of the tests would have shown it if he had it." That's wrong. It isn't the test that gives an irregular result. Some people do not produce antibody that the test can pick up. If someone tests falsely negative one time, usually s/he continues to have negative test results.
And your partner was told wrong about HSV-1 transmission. It is true that oral herpes is most transmissible if an overt cold sore is present,but many infections are transmitted when entirely asymptomatic.
You and your (former?) partner need to simply accept the evidence. Sexual transmission from him, probably by oral sex, is the only plausible explanation for your infection. There is no getting around it.
That will have to end this thread. Take care.
And your partner was told wrong about HSV-1 transmission. It is true that oral herpes is most transmissible if an overt cold sore is present,but many infections are transmitted when entirely asymptomatic.
You and your (former?) partner need to simply accept the evidence. Sexual transmission from him, probably by oral sex, is the only plausible explanation for your infection. There is no getting around it.
That will have to end this thread. Take care.
Hi again...
I'm still very disturbed about this. He told me that he has been tested previous to this, and both times his test was negative. Is it possible to have hsv-1, but never have the antibodies or an outbreak? I understand that the blood test misses 10-15%, but I would think that the at least one of the tests would have shown it if he had it. He was told that in order to give it to me, he would have had to have had a cold sore, and he hasn't.
I know that I should move on, but that's what ended it for us, and I'm the one stuck not knowing where this came from and having to deal with it. He said he's scared out of his mind that he's going to get it from me, even though I've told him the stats about the likelihood of anyone else he might sleep with having it (or worse!). And I was tested for everything else, and the only thing is the hsv-1. I am not blaming him... I'm just trying to figure this out.
Thank you!
I'm still very disturbed about this. He told me that he has been tested previous to this, and both times his test was negative. Is it possible to have hsv-1, but never have the antibodies or an outbreak? I understand that the blood test misses 10-15%, but I would think that the at least one of the tests would have shown it if he had it. He was told that in order to give it to me, he would have had to have had a cold sore, and he hasn't.
I know that I should move on, but that's what ended it for us, and I'm the one stuck not knowing where this came from and having to deal with it. He said he's scared out of his mind that he's going to get it from me, even though I've told him the stats about the likelihood of anyone else he might sleep with having it (or worse!). And I was tested for everything else, and the only thing is the hsv-1. I am not blaming him... I'm just trying to figure this out.
Thank you!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
No, it is not a realistic possibility that you caught HSV-1 during the hair removal. Genital herpes, whether due to HSV-1 or -2, is caught only one way: sexually.
Your partner probably is being truthful. As I said, the HSV-1 blood test misses 10-15% of infected people. In other words, 1 in every 9-10 people with HSV-1 have negative tests. And most people with HSV-1 have no symptoms of it, at least none that they recognize. Despite his negative test, your story makes highly likely your partner is just one of those infected people with a negative blood test.
In other words, it is entirely like that he is both the source of your herpes and truthful in having no knowledge of having HSV-1. Until now, that is. From now on, he has an obligation to any other future partners to assume he is infected and could transmit it to them.
I hope you can make him understand. Good luck!
Your partner probably is being truthful. As I said, the HSV-1 blood test misses 10-15% of infected people. In other words, 1 in every 9-10 people with HSV-1 have negative tests. And most people with HSV-1 have no symptoms of it, at least none that they recognize. Despite his negative test, your story makes highly likely your partner is just one of those infected people with a negative blood test.
In other words, it is entirely like that he is both the source of your herpes and truthful in having no knowledge of having HSV-1. Until now, that is. From now on, he has an obligation to any other future partners to assume he is infected and could transmit it to them.
I hope you can make him understand. Good luck!
Thank you again for answering my questions. I have been trying to figure out what happened since I first found out that about the hsv-1. Yesterday something came to mind that I was hoping to run past you... Since November I've been having laser hair removal done - brazilian bikini. The last one I had done was just short of 2 weeks from when I started feeling the symptoms. Is it possible that it was transferred by the equipment from someone who had it done before me, who was maybe having a breakout? That's the only thing I can think of that happened "down there" in that time frame.
He's a great guy, and I believe he's telling me the truth. I want to be able to work this out, but I'm still struggling with how I can put his mind at ease.
Thank you again.
He's a great guy, and I believe he's telling me the truth. I want to be able to work this out, but I'm still struggling with how I can put his mind at ease.
Thank you again.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Here is the link to another thread that goes into detail about genital HSV-1. Nobody wants genital herpes, but if it happens, HSV-1 is definitely preferable to HSV-2.
Http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/969931
Http://www.medhelp.org/posts/show/969931
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Thanks for the follow-up info. This sounds like a typical first infection with HSV. Therefore, almost certainly your new partner has HSV-1 (probably in the form of oral herpes, but possibly genital) and is the source of your infection, despite his negative blood test.
No scientific data support lysine in preventing outbreaks or otherwise helping herpes, despite claims by some websites and other sources. And I'm sorry to report that vitamins do not "boost" peoples' immune systems and also have no effect on herpes. However, most people with genital HSV-1 have few or no recurrent outbreaks and don't need ongoing treatment. You probably don't need to be taking the antiviral drug (presumably acyclovir or valacyclovir) either.
No scientific data support lysine in preventing outbreaks or otherwise helping herpes, despite claims by some websites and other sources. And I'm sorry to report that vitamins do not "boost" peoples' immune systems and also have no effect on herpes. However, most people with genital HSV-1 have few or no recurrent outbreaks and don't need ongoing treatment. You probably don't need to be taking the antiviral drug (presumably acyclovir or valacyclovir) either.
Thank you for answering my questions.
When I initially went in to see my gyno, I thought that I had a bad yeast infection. I had had them before (diagnosed by a physician), and that's what it felt like - itching and burning of the genitals. I also thought that it was just irritation from the sex. A couple of days before, we had sex several times in a matter of about 9 hours, so it was only logical that there would be some irritation. The doctor took a culture of the area, which only made the pain worse. At that time, she said that she believed that it was HSV and prescribed the medication and numbing gel for the pain. One agonizing week later, she told me that it was HSV-1.
Regarding the lysine and vitamins, I have been told that lysine may help with breakouts... Should I just be taking it if I feel something coming on?? And the vitamins to help boost my immune system.
Again, thank you for your answers. I will definitely be showing this to him...
When I initially went in to see my gyno, I thought that I had a bad yeast infection. I had had them before (diagnosed by a physician), and that's what it felt like - itching and burning of the genitals. I also thought that it was just irritation from the sex. A couple of days before, we had sex several times in a matter of about 9 hours, so it was only logical that there would be some irritation. The doctor took a culture of the area, which only made the pain worse. At that time, she said that she believed that it was HSV and prescribed the medication and numbing gel for the pain. One agonizing week later, she told me that it was HSV-1.
Regarding the lysine and vitamins, I have been told that lysine may help with breakouts... Should I just be taking it if I feel something coming on?? And the vitamins to help boost my immune system.
Again, thank you for your answers. I will definitely be showing this to him...
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the STD forum. I'll try to help.
I'm really sorry your relationship ended over this. Herpes usually isn't a valid justification for that sort of thing.
There are several potential explanations for these events. First, your diagnosis might be wrong. Can you describe your symptoms and how the diagnosis was made? Second, maybe this wasn't actually your initial genital herpes infection, just your first symptomatic outbreak despite longstanding infection. Again, details of symptoms and diagnosis might help. Third, maybe it's really HSV-2 not HSV-1 (but this probably is unlikely). Fourth, 10-15% of people with HSV-1 have negative blood tests, so your partner might be infected (and the source of your infection) despite his negative blood test.
In any case, I believe your partner is overreacting if he "can't get past this". If he infected you, he can't get it again. And if you were infected previously, it is unlikely you would ever transmit the infection to him. Unlike HSV-2, the risk of genital-to-genital HSV-1 transmission may be quite low. In any case, it would be especially unfortunate if a potentially committed, longterm relationship were to fail on this account if, in fact, he is the source of your infection--which is a pretty good bet. (On the other hand, if he views this as just a good reason to end a relationship that, from his viewpoint, didn't have a future, perhaps it's just as well. But of course you're a better judge of that possibility than I can be.)
So please discuss these things with him, perhaps by printing this thread as a framework for the conversation. And answer some of my questions above, and we'll take it from there.
And by the way, lysine and vitamins won't have any benefit in preventing future outbreaks or the potential for transmission to future sex partners.
Good luck-- HHH, Md
So my hope is that you will show this reply to him
I'm really sorry your relationship ended over this. Herpes usually isn't a valid justification for that sort of thing.
There are several potential explanations for these events. First, your diagnosis might be wrong. Can you describe your symptoms and how the diagnosis was made? Second, maybe this wasn't actually your initial genital herpes infection, just your first symptomatic outbreak despite longstanding infection. Again, details of symptoms and diagnosis might help. Third, maybe it's really HSV-2 not HSV-1 (but this probably is unlikely). Fourth, 10-15% of people with HSV-1 have negative blood tests, so your partner might be infected (and the source of your infection) despite his negative blood test.
In any case, I believe your partner is overreacting if he "can't get past this". If he infected you, he can't get it again. And if you were infected previously, it is unlikely you would ever transmit the infection to him. Unlike HSV-2, the risk of genital-to-genital HSV-1 transmission may be quite low. In any case, it would be especially unfortunate if a potentially committed, longterm relationship were to fail on this account if, in fact, he is the source of your infection--which is a pretty good bet. (On the other hand, if he views this as just a good reason to end a relationship that, from his viewpoint, didn't have a future, perhaps it's just as well. But of course you're a better judge of that possibility than I can be.)
So please discuss these things with him, perhaps by printing this thread as a framework for the conversation. And answer some of my questions above, and we'll take it from there.
And by the way, lysine and vitamins won't have any benefit in preventing future outbreaks or the potential for transmission to future sex partners.
Good luck-- HHH, Md
So my hope is that you will show this reply to him
You are reading content posted in the STDs 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.
