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Initial Outbreak HSV-1 & medications
Background information and questions follows at end. Sorry its so lengthy.
Day 1: Had oral and vaginal sex with new partner.
Day 3: I broke out with genital irritations which I initially attributed to shaving.
Day 4: Had oral only, me on him.
Day 5: Went to Primary Care Dr, thought was a bacterial infection genital region. Took specimen for culture for HSV, but didn't think that's what it was. Prescribed antibiotic ointment.
Day 9: Went to Planned Parenthood for 2nd opinion. Was told it certainly appears to be HSV, so I was started on Acyclovir for 10 days and awaiting lab results.
Day 10: First lab result was negative.
Day 12: Tingling around mouth, small pimple type blister appeared.
Day 13: Second lab result was positive for HSV-1.
Day 15: Thinking the medication was preventative for additional flare-up and thinking it didn't matter since he was the one who infected me, had another sexual encounter with the same man, mostly kissing, oral me on him, but there was some skin to skin contact genital region although no penetration.
Day 17: Appearance of additional red itching areas in genital region. Finished first round of medications, started another 5 day course hoping that will decrease severity of any additional outbreak/sores. Also notice some whitish areas in mouth, one blister on side of gum, very back of tongue appears blistered, but no irritation, itching or soreness orally.
Day 20: Went back to Planned Parenthood for additional STD testing as precaution.
Day 22: Finished now with total of 15 days of oral medication. Genital symptoms nearly gone, but I feel tingling on my face. Scared to death I'm going to break out with horrible mouth and facial sores.
Questions:
(1) Should I take another 5 days of Acyclovir in hopes of reducing severity of oral aspects of this virus?
(2) Do the 2nd and 3rd encounters with this man on Day 4 and Day 15 put me more at risk of a severe outbreak orally following the severe outbreak genitally? By Day 15, I thought from everything I read that I would probably not be susceptible to oral outbreaks since it started genitally?
Day 1: Had oral and vaginal sex with new partner.
Day 3: I broke out with genital irritations which I initially attributed to shaving.
Day 4: Had oral only, me on him.
Day 5: Went to Primary Care Dr, thought was a bacterial infection genital region. Took specimen for culture for HSV, but didn't think that's what it was. Prescribed antibiotic ointment.
Day 9: Went to Planned Parenthood for 2nd opinion. Was told it certainly appears to be HSV, so I was started on Acyclovir for 10 days and awaiting lab results.
Day 10: First lab result was negative.
Day 12: Tingling around mouth, small pimple type blister appeared.
Day 13: Second lab result was positive for HSV-1.
Day 15: Thinking the medication was preventative for additional flare-up and thinking it didn't matter since he was the one who infected me, had another sexual encounter with the same man, mostly kissing, oral me on him, but there was some skin to skin contact genital region although no penetration.
Day 17: Appearance of additional red itching areas in genital region. Finished first round of medications, started another 5 day course hoping that will decrease severity of any additional outbreak/sores. Also notice some whitish areas in mouth, one blister on side of gum, very back of tongue appears blistered, but no irritation, itching or soreness orally.
Day 20: Went back to Planned Parenthood for additional STD testing as precaution.
Day 22: Finished now with total of 15 days of oral medication. Genital symptoms nearly gone, but I feel tingling on my face. Scared to death I'm going to break out with horrible mouth and facial sores.
Questions:
(1) Should I take another 5 days of Acyclovir in hopes of reducing severity of oral aspects of this virus?
(2) Do the 2nd and 3rd encounters with this man on Day 4 and Day 15 put me more at risk of a severe outbreak orally following the severe outbreak genitally? By Day 15, I thought from everything I read that I would probably not be susceptible to oral outbreaks since it started genitally?
even the best blood tests still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections but I'm guessing this partner was never tested for herpes - either purposefully or because his provider doesn't include it in std testing. either way, doesn't matter at this point.
Totally up to you how you handle this with your partner. they will need to seek out type specific herpes igg blood testing to see what their own status is so that you can make educated decisions together about what precautions to take. Also be sure to properly cover your other std testing bases at the proper times too.
Totally up to you how you handle this with your partner. they will need to seek out type specific herpes igg blood testing to see what their own status is so that you can make educated decisions together about what precautions to take. Also be sure to properly cover your other std testing bases at the proper times too.
Yes, Grace, I actually had 2 lesion cultures done - the first came back negative, the second came back positive for hsv1 genital. The new partner said he was tested and was negative. I'm thinking he just doesn't want to admit it and probably knowingly put me at risk. There's a lot of red flags with this man I wish I had seen sooner. Since I'm definitely not going to pursue a long-term relationship with him and probably won't even see him again, I haven't asked him about the full STD testing.
To make matters worse, I've been in a long-term relationship for 12 years with a man I love dearly. Except for this recent encounter and one other man over a year ago (which my long-term guy does know about) there's been no one else for 12+ years. We haven't been intimate since I cheated and this started with me and I know that I will tell him about this diagnosis before we are again. Its going to be the hardest thing I've ever done. I simply can't tell him I cheated, he would be devastated. There seem to be a lot of people who have this crop up years after being exposed, so I'm hoping that I can let him believe that's what happened.
So do you think the Acyclovir I've already taken (15 days) is enough to help prevent or lessen any oral sores that might appear 22 days after first exposure and 20 days first genital sores?
To make matters worse, I've been in a long-term relationship for 12 years with a man I love dearly. Except for this recent encounter and one other man over a year ago (which my long-term guy does know about) there's been no one else for 12+ years. We haven't been intimate since I cheated and this started with me and I know that I will tell him about this diagnosis before we are again. Its going to be the hardest thing I've ever done. I simply can't tell him I cheated, he would be devastated. There seem to be a lot of people who have this crop up years after being exposed, so I'm hoping that I can let him believe that's what happened.
So do you think the Acyclovir I've already taken (15 days) is enough to help prevent or lessen any oral sores that might appear 22 days after first exposure and 20 days first genital sores?
abreva barely got fda approval to say that it speeds healing of cold sores, it has no effect on genital herpes.
at this point, I'd just wait and see. you've been on enough antivirals at this point that you shouldn't get obvious cold sores.
should you get a return of genital symptoms, be seen again and get proper testing for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally too. should your oral symptoms get worse, be seen for additional work up by your regular provider too. typically white patches in the mouth aren't oral herpes going on.
did your partner also follow up with full std testing too?
also just to confirm - you had a lesion culture that came back as + for hsv1 in the genital area?
grace
at this point, I'd just wait and see. you've been on enough antivirals at this point that you shouldn't get obvious cold sores.
should you get a return of genital symptoms, be seen again and get proper testing for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally too. should your oral symptoms get worse, be seen for additional work up by your regular provider too. typically white patches in the mouth aren't oral herpes going on.
did your partner also follow up with full std testing too?
also just to confirm - you had a lesion culture that came back as + for hsv1 in the genital area?
grace
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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.
