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How long does it take for Herpes to surface

What is the length of time from when a person contracts the disease before it surfaces.  Can a person have the disease for many years or does it surface within days or months?
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101028 tn?1419603004
what testing have you had done so far?  did they do a lesion culture and typing on you? what about a blood test?

can you be infected for a long time and never know it? yes you can. many things can trigger an obvious ob to occur.  can this also be a newly acquired infection? indeed it could be. did they also do any other testing other than herpes?

have you talked to your spouse about this? has you asked him to get a type specific herpes igg blood test done?  there doesn't have to be infidelity going on for it just to be showing up now if that is your concern too.  once you both have your test results back, you'll have better answers and we can help you both more.

grace
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Avatar universal
Hey Jamz,

Check your inbox...
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1220264 tn?1266935934
Have it for a long time and not know it? I don't buy that from when I read it.
1 week and it hit like a tornado! Man was I confused and really upset.
That was 20 years ago and it was also the way I found out my fiancee had extra hobbies outside of us.
If you have been with someone that has it then they may think they are not having an outbreak and that sex is ok but still have a small lesion that makes skin to skin contact with you long enough to transfer.
Safe Sex for Herpes comes through the use of a condom......always.
Good Luck!
Jamz4
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your info.  This is all new and I can't stop crying. It was 4 days after being intimate with my husband that I developed severe pain and burning. We've been splitting our time in 2 different states for the past year.   I've been with the same man for 20+ yrs. and can't imagine having gotten this with my last partner (ex) which was over 25 yrs. ago.  I haven't gotten the test results back yet and I really don't have much hope. I guess this is just another obstacle in life I have to deal with.  I know I definitely can't conquer this one and I'm definitely praying for the strength to get through it.
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897535 tn?1295206435
If you in fact were to become symptomatic, 2-20 days post exposure would be when an outbreak would occur typically.

Personally, my primary outbreak occurred 4 days after I was infected.
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1174003 tn?1308160819
Typically people can have herpes and never know it because they don't know the symptoms or the symptoms are so mild they are believed to be something else.  You can also get the virus and be shedding it without the typical sores and blisters.  

Take a look at http://www.westoverheights.com/ as it has some good information for you to read over.  
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