Aa
primary outbreak and transmission questions
How do you know if you are having a primary outbreak or a recurrence? I've heard that in a primary outbreak, the symptoms are quite pronounced. However, being a female and having had irritating yeast infections before, I'm wondering if what I thought was a yeast infection was actually an outbreak. However, I never had clusters of blisters before like I did just recently. Also, the subject of transmission is just so confusing. Some sources will tell you that you usually get your first outbreak within 2-14 days after transmission, others will tell you that you can get it months or years after transmission. If you have sex with somebody and have an outbreak a week later, is it safe to assume that that person transmitted the virus? Or should you also try to notify the person you had sex with three months back? This is all so confusing.
unfortunately some providers still think you can tell by looking at someone's genitals as to if they have herpes or not. I think they also believe in santa and the easter bunny too.
grace
grace
Thanks again for responding, it means so much as I'm going through this. Am I to understand that even if my partner tests positive, it doesn't necessarily mean I acquired it from him?Also, I thought I heard that symptoms, like blisters, usually show up on one side of the genetalia during a recurrence, whereas during an initial outbreak, they can can show up on both sides? Any info. on this?
Yes it is possible that you both came into the relationship hsv2+ and never realized it. You might never figure out who had it first at this point. herpes is a tricky virus!
Usually recurrences are just one sided. There are exception to that rule but for the most part that's the way it goes. At the same time - initial ob's can be one sided too. You really can't judge anything from the way an ob presents.
grace
Usually recurrences are just one sided. There are exception to that rule but for the most part that's the way it goes. At the same time - initial ob's can be one sided too. You really can't judge anything from the way an ob presents.
grace
Thank you again. I can't tell you how much it means that you respond as I'm so confused and sad about this situation. My relationship with my partner was not stable at the time I got diagnosed and this is just placing more strain on it. I don't have many people to discuss it with as I have not told anyone except him. He is too freaked out to deal with it directly. I did speak to a person at the clinic where I went today and she told me that blood tests are pretty unreliable and that my partner could test negative for the virus, yet still have it. This, I know is going to be too much for him to handle. Are there no absolutes for this virus? Everything just seems so random.
Unfortunately many health care providers don't understand herpes testing. At this point he needs a type specific herpes igg blood test to see what his baseline status is. If he's negative at this point it means you didn't get it from him if your own blood test is + for hsv2. If he's been infected for more than 3 months - it will show up on the blood test.
grace
grace
Have an Answer?
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.
