Herpes HSV1 or HSV2

[Vic12]

I have had literally a handful of sexual partners - never had any problems. My last two relationships were 5 years and then 4 years.

4 months ago I started seeing a guy who had been a friend of mine, he too has had long term relationships and I know believes he had no form of an STD.

Six weeks  ago I went to the doctors and they diagnosed genital herpes, it was horrific - so painful. I was so shocked when they said it definitely appeared to be Herpes an took a swab...

The guy who I had started seeing -I hadn't realised but he gets cold sores- he certainly hadn't had an obvious one since I was with him, so I wasn't aware.

I have been away since the test the doctor did - will the swab show if I have HSV1 or HSV2, and do you think its more likely its HSV1?? Or may he also have HSV2 and have passed that to me, or could it even have been one of my two ex boyfriends from years ago?? Or is that less likely?

Please give me any advice you can.

I am so paranoid of passing this to someone, and wanted to take a daily antiviral from the second I found out - but the doctor told me unless I have recurring attacks they won't prescribe this to me.

Thank you in advance

[Vic12]

Can I ask one more thing, I went back on the pill- can this make things worse?? Or is that unlikely? It seems to have made things worse not sure if its my imaginiation but I seem to have had two mild outbreaks within a month, and know this is more unlikely with HSV1.
I am also taking Herp-eeze, is this helpful?

[auntiejessi]

Here is a good article for you -

http://www.herpes.com/hsv1-2.html

And another - http://blogs.webmd.com/genital-herpes-intimate-conversations/2006/02/type-i-herpes-transmission.html

I'm glad your second isn't nearly as bad.  :)

AJ

[Vic12]

I went to my doctor this morning and from the swab a postive result came back HSV-1. Which makes sense seeing as the guy I had been seeing had a history of cold sores.

A.J. you are completely right about future outbreaks not being so bad - I have one now and its absolutely nothing like before, infact I probably wouldn't even have thought much of it if I hadn't been diagnosed already....

They have given me some tablets to take again, and some in reserve for any future outbreak

I am just reading up as much as I can so I'm fully aware of everything...

[auntiejessi]

Yeah, getting a blood test in the UK is tricky.

However, your results will be back soon.  If the culture comes back negative, insist that your doc do the blood test.  It can be done in the UK, you just might have to get insistent.

And the nurse at the STD clinic was right - at the end of the day, it is just a cold sore.  If this is herpes, I can promise you that no other outbreak you get will be this bad.  My primary outbreak was hell on earth, and I haven't had any nearly as bad since.

You WILL find out what's wrong with you - its just going to take a few days.  Even if you got the blood test, you'd still be waiting for that, too.  

AJ

[Vic12]

Firstly I went to the doctor (who I have phone appointment with in a week) and they did a swab test - she said it was classic herpes and she would be extremely shocked if I didn't have it....

Then I went to STD place who tested me for everything else and it was clear.

I called STD place for results this morning and asked about the herpes and they said they didn't test for it because the doctor had. I said should I come in and have blood test to check if its HSV1 or HSV2. She said they don't do that and although its not nice at the end of the day its a coldsore down below and very common.... i am furious, I need to know whats wrong exactly or I just can't rest. And it's hardly as simple as it sounds I was in the worst pain of my life.

I hope my phone appoinment with the doctor that did the swab can be more specific.

I am not sure if this is an American site, I think because I live in the UK, they don't do blood tests unless you go private because we have free National Health Service and they obviously want to keep costs down which is ridiculous considering we all pay our tax so are in effect paying anyway....

[auntiejessi]

I responded to this in the STD forum.

AJ

[Vic12]

Can they tell from a swab test result (which they did) if its HSV1 or HSV2?

[waringblender]

Ask your current partner to get tested for both types, IgG blood test.

People who never get cold sores can also have either type 1 or type 2. Some people never notice symptoms orally or genitally. At this point there's no telling who is came from. Once you know what type you have, and what your partner has, you guys can figure out how you want to proceed, if you'll even need medication, etc.  

[Vic12]

Thank you...I hope so, I just hope it hasn't been lying dormant in my system from one of the others - I know from what my doctor said it is most likely I caught it from him for the reason he gets cold sores. I guess I will find out - I am nervous to actually

[slacker101]

Sounds like HSV1 if he gets cold sores. If so, thats not that big a deal! It doesn't recur as much as 2 does and the virus doesn't shed as much so if you are going to have HSV, 1 is the one to get.