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Re-transmission of herpes?
I had unprotected sex with a man who I suspect gave me genital herpes 6 years ago. Back then I came down with atypical looking sores (long slits on vulva that looked like cuts), lower back pain, vulvar redness and pain, and fatigue. I had frequent outbreaks for about a year and a half after that and during that period got tested multiple times for HsV 1/2 IGG. Even months after the infection I only showed positive antibodies for HSV 1, which I always knew I had orally because I had cold sores as a kid. HSV2 antibodies were continuously negative. About a year and a half after my exposure I ceased to have any outbreaks and forgot I even had it in the first place.
Fast forward to now, I decide to have sex with the same person thinking that I'm definitely not at risk for HSV given that I already had it in the past. 3 days later I wind up with chafed, red vulva and fatigue. I subsequently develop a very bad itch and burning, which I later self diagnose as a yeast infection and successfully treat it with Monistat. I finally make it to an Ob-Gyn who doesn't see anything extraordinary but tests me for STD's including herpes (I'm still waiting for results). In the meantime I keep having frequent outbreaks, 3 since I had sex with this person about a month ago. Having same symptoms as the initial ones 6 years ago, and a day after my visit to gynecologist see a long cut on my vulva, reminiscent of the ones I had in the past. My question:
- is it possible to essentially "re-inoculate" yourself with HSV2, given that I never had antibodies for it in the first place, but suspected I had it all along? Or is it that maybe I truly did have HSV 1 outbreaks before whereas now I potentially acquires HSV 2?
Fast forward to now, I decide to have sex with the same person thinking that I'm definitely not at risk for HSV given that I already had it in the past. 3 days later I wind up with chafed, red vulva and fatigue. I subsequently develop a very bad itch and burning, which I later self diagnose as a yeast infection and successfully treat it with Monistat. I finally make it to an Ob-Gyn who doesn't see anything extraordinary but tests me for STD's including herpes (I'm still waiting for results). In the meantime I keep having frequent outbreaks, 3 since I had sex with this person about a month ago. Having same symptoms as the initial ones 6 years ago, and a day after my visit to gynecologist see a long cut on my vulva, reminiscent of the ones I had in the past. My question:
- is it possible to essentially "re-inoculate" yourself with HSV2, given that I never had antibodies for it in the first place, but suspected I had it all along? Or is it that maybe I truly did have HSV 1 outbreaks before whereas now I potentially acquires HSV 2?
No. You can not basically recontract hsv. We didn't you ever get the cuts swab tested for hsv? There are people who never make antibodies. My advice would be to have any vaginal cuts swab tested.
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Every time I tried to get the cuts swabbed the doctors would give me a hard time about it, and I tried many specialists in Manhattan, where there is no shortage in that regard. Also, subsequent to my first outbreak the cuts would be barely visible and would heal very quickly. By the time I made it to the doctor it would be too late. One of the doctors did make an effort to swab it once, but it was a very small cut and it was summer out, two factors I suspect would affect how much virus he got to swab and that it potentially got overheated while in transit to the lab (I read that's possible). Either way, very hard to convince a doctor to do a swab.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
