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Is herpes the worst STD to have, besides AIDS, HIV, and syphillis?

Im really getting depressed about the situation of having herpes. I just want to know if it is really the worst STD to have. Like in comparison to gonarrhea and chlamydia. Please post your opinions thank you!
Best Answer
897535 tn?1295206435
In fact, herpes is a mere skin condition for the vast majority of folks (45+ million) who have it. It's incredibly common and nothing more than a nuisance at times. Untreated it does nothing but pretty much cause lesions which heal over. Most people never even have recognizable symptoms.

Untreated gonorrhea and chlamydia can cause serious and permanent health problems in both women and men, so both would be considered more serious than herpes.

Become educated about herpes here:

http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn.cfm
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Avatar universal
just a little bit of my back ground. I have a 5 year old daughter, her father and I had been together since I was 15. I left him at 21 and wanted to explore different people. i met someone amazing in the process.. but i should have been more careful. I had what I thought "yeast infections" back to back since early 2014... every time I got it, I went to the doc, they'd prescribe me meds and then id be better in a few days. just 3 weeks ago, I finally decided that I wanted to check and make sure that I did not have any STD etc... so I got checked. I found out last week that I was positive for HSV-2.... I felt sooo sick to my stomach when I got the news.. it felt unreal... I told my current partner of 2 1/2 years that I tested positive for "you know what" on the same day... he was in total disbelief. he was very supportive and told me that everything was going to be okay and that he was not going to leave me etc.. we scheduled him an appointment to get tested.. the test came back positive for HSV-1. he was very upset. this is what I told him. if we have had it this whole time, our lives have not been that horrible. and it's not like it's a  constant thing that I/we have to deal with. just every once in a while... it's not going to shorten our lives. it could have been worse.. like AIDS or HIV etc, I believe that I can lessen the reoccurring infections for me if we lived a healthier life style (my partner has no symptoms). we can still live our lives normally.. because you don't want anyone else, and I don't want anyone else. also, no matter where it came from, we have to take responsibility for our decision of sleeping together... what ever happens, you don't have to go through it alone. SO, whatever youre going through, you're not alone. there are so many people who don't even know that they have it.
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Avatar universal
the matter of the fact is that hsv 2 stays with yiu for life; symptoms or not, you still have it and psoe risk to others, so is a harsh one. Wheter you have symptoms or not.
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Avatar universal
I messed around with a woman that was from slovakia.  I have oral herpes now.  I want to know how careful do I have to be when I touch my eye areas.

I heard having the oral herpes condition could effect the eyes.  and something about if you see a pimple on the tip of the nose that could be a bad sign.  and  i noticed my face is unusually oily.  I also noticed what I thought were herpes bumps on the back of my tounge, but my primary care doctor says those bumps are normal.  and how careful should I be with what I eat?  
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Avatar universal
I recently found out I was "slightly positive" for HSV2, and was absolutely terrified to tell my boyfriend.  Boyfriend....not husband.  I was so sure he was going to break up with me, as he's got a bit of a temper too.  I really didn't want to tell him, but it was eating at me, so I told him.

But, really, after I explained in detail what it was/risk of transmission, etc, he just said, "Okay, this sounds like something we can work around then!"  I was majorly surprised and viewed the experience as 1)  A wake-up call for my sex life and decisions and 2)  A statement to the strength of our relationship.  I don't know if my story helps you or not, but I thought I'd share.  I know you're scared to tell him, but I think you'll feel better knowing what his reaction would be, rather than always guessing or feeling guilty in not telling him.
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Avatar universal
I'm so scared. I think I may have it and experiencing my first out break. It's more embarrassing than anything. I haven't even told my husband. Doctor says that I could have had it since high-school and could just be having my 1st out break. But normally after 2 weeks of getting herpes that when u have your 1st outbreak. I feel that it's gonna be a rough road. And I don't know how to break the news to my husband. He is so tempered already about anything and everything. I just want my vagina to clear up, its so hurting :(
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Avatar universal
Thank you that makes sense! I'll check back up on that! Appreciate your help! :)
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101028 tn?1419603004
if the lesion culture was typed as hsv2, then no reason for a blood test to detect its type. make sense?  Clarify this with your provider to make sure that indeed your lesion culture was typed to know it's hsv2 and not just that it came back as hsv+ and wasn't typed.

definitely your partner needs tested to know his status! assume nothing!

herpes is not a reason to give up sex!  That I'll never have sex again feeling will go away :)

grace
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I did get a lesion culture done about a month ago and it came back as hsv 2. My doctor told me that I should get a type specific blood test in order to detect if it was hsv 1 or 2. The last time I had sex was a month ago when I found out...I really dont plan to have sex anymore just because I find this really embarrassing even though I haven't had anymore problems. I just dont want to spread it to anybody. My partner is still in denial and says that there is no way he has it, but he said once my blood test results come in then he will go get tested as well.

luey
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101028 tn?1419603004
Obviously herpes can't hold a candle to hiv and hepatitis. Not even close.  Unfortunately any time you have 1 std, it makes you more likely to get another if you don't properly treat it. to me, finding out you have hsv2 is a wake up call more than anything that real people do get std's!  You can control your herpes for the  most part to keep it down to a dull roar. it does increase your risk for hiv though so if you have hsv2, it's important to use condoms until you know your partner's hiv status.  

did you have a lesion culture done luey?  how long has it been since you last had sex? has your partner been tested too?

grace
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Avatar universal
Thank you for all of your help! I really do appreciate your time! I'm currently waiting on my blood tests to see if it is HSV 1 or HSV 2
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Avatar universal
England is so backward that half of us don't even know the difference between HSV and HPV.

You should know that most of us have HPV and that visible genital warts are not uncommon.   They do not even test for HPV at most GUM clinics in the UK either for this reason.   Any obvious external warts can be treated very effectively and Dr Handsfield believes that they work their way out of your system just like other warts in anything from 8 months to 2 years.  The warts that are visible and the benign ones.  In a very small number of cases there are strains of HPV which can cause problems.  These can be avoided if you get a Gardasil vaccination.  If you are worried you should think about this.  You should also have regular PAP smears if you are sexually active.
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Avatar universal
how do i get onto this page then
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897535 tn?1295206435
bettyboo622, you're on the wrong forum. HPV is not herpes. It's Human papillomavirus, otherwise known as genital warts, of which your BF clearly has based on your description.
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Avatar universal
i dont know the difference and we did use condoms to start but now we dont i have the implant  im so terriefied havent got a clue
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Avatar universal
If it is HPV you should go to the HPV forum.  HPV is also very common though.  

You need to check that it has actually been diagnosed as that.

Have you been using condoms?  If so, this reduces risk of transmission for most STDs.

But you should get over to the HPV forum.
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Avatar universal
and whats hsv2?? i thought it was hpv
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Avatar universal
If you have caught herpes and it is symptomatic then the lesions can show up anything from 2 days after you contracted it up to about the 3 months mark.  Many have asymptomatic herpes though.
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Avatar universal
we have been together for over a year and it appeared on him in march he lives in england and im currently abroad so i havent seen him since march im so scared!
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Avatar universal
he went to a doctor because he had a white mark on his penis which has been there for  months he first said it was a cut  on a scar from a previous operation! he didnt have a blood test he says he has to have it cut off tommorrow i have no signs of anything is it posotive that i have it too??? thanku for ur reply
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Avatar universal
No - actually.  Good question.  It doesn't necessarily follow that you have HSV2 yet but you might have.  It can take a while for herpes to be passed on.  
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897535 tn?1295206435
Your BF is full of crap basically. Men and women both can get herpes; neither sex is the designated "carrier". How was he diagnosed as having herpes? Indeed, you both should know your herpes status - an IgG type specific blood test is what you'd both want.

Read here to become educated about herpes:
http://www.ashastd.org/herpes/herpes_learn.cfm
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Avatar universal
my boyfriend has just found out he has herpes and he told me women are the carries and he caught it from me ive never had it and had regualr check ups after my ex and he says it takes two months to show i have no sins of anything wrong... is it most definate that now he has it i have it too??? please help as im loosing my mind with worry right now!!! please
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Avatar universal
Are you kidding?  This is so common that we don't even test for it in my country.  You probably had HSV1 since childhood right?  How much grief has that caused you?  Why should HSV2 cause you any more grief than this?  Chin up girl. 1 in 5 sexually active adults has this.  Get your Google out and type in Celebrities with genital herpes.  You will see quite a few familiar faces.  Get yourself a cup of tea and google it and you will see what I mean.  Strewth!
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Avatar universal
my boyfriend has just found out he has herpes and he told me women are the carries and he caught it from me ive never had it and had regualr check ups after my ex and he says it takes two months to show i have no sins of anything wrong... is it most definate that now he has it i have it too???
Helpful - 0
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