Couple both with genital hsv1

[ConcordantCouple]

Hi guys,
I have a question I have been searching for an answer for on these forums for a while and haven't seen anything so please help!

Both my gf and I had an outbreak of genital hsv1 about 3 months ago. At the time I didn't know I had ghsv1 but I realize now that I must have gotten It a couple years ago and mistaken my initial outbreak for jock itch. My outbreaks were very very mild I have a very good immune system and rarely get sick. Unfortunately my gf has a terrible immune system and had a miserable initial outbreak that took 3 weeks to heal. She was understandably freaked out.

We have resumed our normal sex life except that she is scared about either of us performing oral sex on each other and infecting ourselves orally.

I have done hours and hours of research and fully understand that having either type greatly helps  against contracting the other. More so I have also read here that if both partners have hsv 1 orally it is pretty much impossible to transmit it to the others genitals.

What I haven't seen is if it is possible to give your partners oral hsv 1 when you both only have genital hsv 1. My worry is that it might still be possible since the virus would be moving to its site of preference.

I would love to be able to go down on my girlfriend and not have her have to worry about then kissing me. Please help :(

[Bigtimeworried55]

Thanks for sharing. I ask because I personally believe I have HSV1 myself, but my blood tests all say I'm negative. My sores were similar in that they looked like big bites. The most I had at one time was 3 but they were all spread widely apart.

When you say weep, you mean weeping fluid and scabbing naturally without you picking it? My sores never weeped any fluid. If I squeezed it, mostly blood and maybe a little fluid come out. Mine are painless. It's very odd. Add that to my neg blood tests you can see why I would be confused.

Regarding your situation, most people that get HSV1 in multiple locations are those who contracted both at the same time. This is quite simply because the body hadn't generated any antibodies to prevent the virus from surfacing at multiple locations.

With an established infection like yourself, worrying about catching HSV1 orally should be a moot point. I wouldn't worry about that as it's extremely unlikely to occur. Likewise with your girlfriend, as she also has developed antibodies due to her genital infection.

Hope this information helps.

[ConcordantCouple]

It is very possible that this was in facts initial outbreak and I had just kept the virus dormant for a long time. Like I said at the time I was extremely stress had gotten less than 20hrs of sleep on the last 4 days and had cold/flu symptoms that kept me out of work for 3 days. Normally I believe I have a very strong immune system. I haven't gotten anything more that the sniffles in years.

[ConcordantCouple]

Thanks for the reply! I am going to assume you meant WOULDN'T be susceptible, haha. This was my inclination as well. The only thing that made me nervous is that the virus would be moving to its site of preference which would make me think the odds of a genital to oral infection would be higher than a oral to genital. Have you heard of any stats on this? Or even similar situations? In my girlfriends case how long do you think it would take for her antibodies to build up a sufficient resistance to a new infection? Obviously I would be okay since I have apparently had the virus for years but since hers is relatively new how long til she would have diminished risk?

In terms of this outbreak it started out in my pubic region and I mistakened the sores as maybe a dozen mildly in grown hairs or irritation from the rough sex my girlfriend and I had had the day before. To be honest I might not have noticed them at first. However I masterbated the next night and the next day I had 5 tiny sores appear on my lower and mid shaft. This is when I went into the doctor. The looked like tiny bug bites slightly red and raised. No bigger than 2mm across. At this point my gf had a large rash and red bumps covering her labia. Over the next 7 days my sores weeped slightly then scanned over. Completely healed in 12 days while taking valtrex 1000mg 2x per day. My girlfriends took over 3 weeks to heal while taking valtrex and using tea tree oil and lysine.

[Bigtimeworried55]

I highly suspect you would be susceptible to an HSV1 oral infection if you both have a genital infection established. As you know, simply because the body has already developed antibodies.

Theoretically speaking, is it possible? Yes, but I'm sure the odds are greatly in your favor of this not occurring. At this point, with both have HSV1, I personally don't see why you both would change a thing sex life wise.

PS: So you recently discovered you had HSV1? You stated you believed you got this years ago. I am assuming you figured out you had HSV 3 months ago during an outbreak. Could you describe your outbreak? Maybe look back and describe your initial one you described as mild or confused with jock itch? Your response here would help me personally.

Did you outbreak consist of a single sore, bump, or multiple sores? Were they blisters turned ulcers? Let me know as I try to find guys on here with HSV1 to describe their symptoms.

[ConcordantCouple]

I will also add that I know both my partner and I have been completely monogamous throughout our 18 month relationship

[ConcordantCouple]

I got both the swab and the blood test about  4 days after first recognizing the sores.  I know that I was the carrier not my girlfriend because she got a negative blood test earlier this year while we had already been dating for a year and was still negative.

At the time of my outbreak I was already very sick and very stressed out which is why I believe I had a second outbreak

[Bigtimeworried55]

How long after exposure did you test via blood when it showed a positive? Same with the swab? How long after exposure?

[ConcordantCouple]

I was diagnosed with ghsv1 with a swab test and a blood test. From what I have read it would be rare to have a genital outbreak of hsv 1 if I already had oral.

I cannot describe my initial outbreak because I didn't really notice it. My sores were limited to the pubis, not the shaft or glans. Because of this I believe that I mistook the initial outbreak as in grown hairs or jock itch.

[Bigtimeworried55]

Can you describe your initial outbreak and why you presumed it was "jock itch."

How were you diagnosed? How are you so sure you don't have HSV1 orally, as many of the adult population does...