HSV-1 Support/Advice/Information

[crittle375]

In September I began to see a new guy.  A few weeks after we had intercourse I started having itching in the vaginal area and then had what I thought could be a tear as he is bigger than I am use to. It wasn’t as bad as anything that people have described herpes to be and I had never had an outbreak before.  I went to the OBGYN and she stated that it could just be a tear but she was obligated to test me for HSV just to be on the safe side.  A week later she informed me that I in fact had HSV-1 and that I most likely received it from someone who had given me oral and I contracted it from their mouth.  She did the blood text show and was able to determine I came into contact with this infection within the last 3 months. (How accurate is this test?)  On the side of caution I had my Dr. prescribe Acyclovir twice daily even though she stated that I will likely never have another outbreak.

I was devastated and I had to tell the bf about it.  He took it very well and seemed to know quite a bit about HSV-1 vs. HSV-2.  He stated that he had a cold sore as a child but then never again had one so he couldn’t catch it from me since he already had it.  However, he refused to admit that it came from him and instead claimed I got it from the man I was seeing before him.  This could be true but I was with that guy on and off for 3 years and never got anything from him so I am 99.98% sure that I got it from the new guy.   We have since broken things off for reasons unrelated to this matter and he is in a new relationship with someone else.

What can you tell me is the updated information about HSV-1 and its transmission?

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

It is difficult to know if this is an outbreak of genital HSV 1 now.  You may wish to have it swab tested so you can begin to sort out what is an outbreak and what is not.  

The fact that you had a negative antibody test years ago may or may not mean this is first infection.  It is true that the screening blood test is notorious for missing HSV 1 infection (not true for HSV 2).  However, if, in several months you have a positive antibody test, it suggests that you DO make antibody detectable by this test and that it was your first infection.  In my experience, once the screening test misses and HSV 1 infection, it misses it repeatedly.  

HSV 1 sheds on about 18% of days tested, suggesting it is far more than 12 days a year.  HSV 1 sheds less than this, but I would say we don't have perfect statistics about this because most previous studies on HSV 1 shedding have been done using culture rather than the more sensitive HSV PCR.  

People who are infected but have no symptoms likely shed virus anyway.

Terri

[crittle375]

I know I'm pestering. I have what looks like a paper cut and I'm assuming its a small breakout because I've read post where people say that HSV-1 can manifest that way and it's in the same area as my initial outbreak.  I've been taking my meds but I have also been stressing out a ton this week so I'm not surprised. :-(
QUESTION:  what can I do at home to reduce the pain and length of an outbreak?

[crittle375]

Also my understanding is that most people with it never show symptoms (do they still shed & transmit?) or only have a few breakouts & this is due to immune system deficiencies. Correct?

[crittle375]

I know that I have had HSV testing in the past 3 years and it was negative.  However, my Dr. did tell me that the blood test could always show a false negative. I was told by a friend that she was told that if you are  sexually active now than you have it or have been exposed to it in some way. Either Orally or Genitally.  So I guess if that is true and what you are saying there really is no way for me to know who and where I received this.  I assumed it was the new guy because it happened so soon after we began to be active in that way.

I didn't dispute that I have it.  The swap test showed it and the blood test also confirmed it.  I just am in awe of the recent stats that I have been reading online.  Bear with me and I promise I won't pester you again.  What I have read stated that HSV is only transmittable when there is an active outbreak or "shedding".  Oral HSV-1 sheds about 12 days a year and Genital HSV-1 even lest than that and the fact that I am meds will decrease that chance even more.... Is this correct?  Is it also correct that  there is a slight chance that I can give it to someone orally and an even smaller chance that I would give it to someone genital to genital and that there is a smaller portion of men with genital hsv-1 than there are women with it.

I also find it strange that I didn't get it on my mouth since that is the site of preference and I am certain to have kissed or given oral to the person who gave it to me.  A friend has it orally and gave it to her bf orally.  That is the only person she is aware that she gave it to in all her years of dating.

Thank you so very much for your help with this....It is really appreciated as my mental state isn't all that great over all of this at the moment.  I just want to make sure that I am well informed.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

So what you are saying is that you were definitely diagnosed with HSV 1 genitally through a swab test?  

If that is true, then you have HSV 1 genitally.  The majority of the population in the US has HSV 1 infection.  Most probably have it orally but many also have it genitally.  Once you have it in one location, you are extremely unlikely to acquire it in another location.  

I agree that you don't need to contact previous partners.  However, it is not possible to know if this partner infected you or someone else if you have no previous antibody tests or if you have a positive swab test now and a negative IgG antibody test now.    

HSV 1 genitally recurs infrequently and sheds infrequently.  You will come to recognize this as an inconvenient issue but not dangerous or as difficult as having HSV 2 genitally that recurs and sheds far more often.

Terri

[crittle375]

I do not have a copy of the test results.  She did the swab test first and then after the nurse called to inform me it was type 1 I made another appointment and went into speak with the dr.  Then she did the blood test stating that they could tell if I had contracted this within the last 3 months.  She stated that most of my past partners have already been exposed to this if I already had it or possibly by another partner they had so there was no need to contact them.

I am completely devastated by this...Idk what to do next and I feel as if nobody will ever want me now.

[Terri Warren, RN, Adult Nurse Practitioner]

An important point that I don't have:  was the test that you had done a swab test or a blood antibody test?  It makes a huge difference in how I will respond to your question.  If it was a swab test, we know that you have genital HSV 1 infection.  If it was a blood test, we have no idea where it is.  

The test that she did to determine when you were infected is NOT reliable for determining how long an infection has been present. Also, do you have a copy of the actual results so I can help you interpret them most accurately?

Terri