I think abstinence is best here.
If you have sex with an infected partner there is no need to test as every episode puts you at risk. You'd wait until that relationship is over before considering testing.
Non infected partners would be very much at risk if you were recently infected yourself, it is highly infectious in the first few months post infection.
Thank you so much. The best I can do now is just wait to be tested at 6 weeks and again at 12 weeks. You've been so helpful. I really appreciate it!
Should I refrain from intimacy with any non infected partners until the 12 week results come back? I want to be sure and safe to all parties involved. Because I only wish my partner was that honest with me.
There is not anything about your symptoms that is beyond what you would now notice since you have increased your genital focus. However you do not have to have typical symptoms once infected.
Whichever way you look at it though, you have had relations with a confirmed carrier. As such, the best you can do for your own understanding and protection of partners is to test at 12 weeks after the absolute last exposure date and believe in those results.
It is true that 50% of people test positive by 4 weeks and 70% or more by 6 weeks. However you are trying to prove a negative here such that from 12 weeks over 95% of people have seroconverted and combined with no outbreaks can be taken as no infection beyond reasonable doubt.
Hi, do you personally believe that the signs I am feeling could be herpes?
Do you believe if at the 6 week mark of exposure if I do a blood test and am still negative that I'm most likely okay? Or should I wait 3 months before having any sexual contact with anyone to be safe? I read on the doctor forum that 50% of people will test accurately at 6 weeks. Since the area that would be effected cannot be protected by a condom I should abstain from any sex for 3 months from contact?
No they dont. they are in the paid expert forum
Will the doctor still respond to this thread? I'm looking for Dr. Hooks input and I'm not sure how frequently they check the site or answer questions?
Thank you!
They normally would not last that long. Remember that prodome is more associated with people who already have had an outbreak and is a sign that another one is coming. If prodrome does not produce a lesion then it should stop after a week or so and is called an aborted outbreak.
Also remember that first time symptoms to a newly acquried infection, often there is a fever and body aches as the immune system is setting up a defense and can be a whole body experience.
We are no longer sexually intimate in any way and haven't been since the 23rd. Would it be normal for a first outbreak to last 2-3 weeks with tingle and burning symptoms but no lesions? Everything I've read this far is saying that usually the tingle is followed by the lesions within hours and days. So am what I was feeling prodrome or in my head? I've also seen dr.hook suggest getting tested at 6 and 12 weeks so I will go again at the 6 week mark.
In the meantime is having these symptoms and no lesions etc normal for herpes?
Especially as erratic as mine have been.
Hi, low negatives mean 2 things. First that you dont have herpes now or he recently was shedding, you contracted it and you have not built up any antibodies yet. Testing for herpes via blood would be at 3 months post exposure. But the problem that you have is that you should not have any sex with him till you test and if you wait 3 months and come back negative and have sex with him you will be at risk again. Its like a circle. Bottom line is if he has hsv in his genital area you will continue to be a risk or acquiring it.
Since you just tested negative and if you recently acquired hsv in the genital area, with first time breakouts, people can have a fever and body aches as the bodys immune system is putting up a defensive fight building antibodies. If you did not have any body reactions, i would think that your spot is not herpes related.
also when we speak of tingling, these most often refer to prodrome symptoms and are more common with recurrent out breaks, meaning youve had an out break before.