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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.
First thing you need to do is get tested with an IGG Herpes Select Test and go from there. If you were recently infected, it will usually come out within a few weeks. It is possible to not show any signs forever or to get symptoms every month. The variation of this disease is different for everyone who has it so get tested and stop reading and from there we will work this out...
Studies have shown that about 1/2 of all presumed new herpes infections are actually just the first obvious recurrence of a prior infection. You really can't rely on the severity of symptoms or anything like that as to if it's a new infection or not. As slacker said - if you get a type specific herpes igg blood test at the same time as your symptoms you can better help narrow down if it's a newly acquired infection or not. Same as if you test + on the blood test but your partner doesn't then you know it's not a new infection for you.
so who do you tell? Well really the only people who matter at this point is you and your partner. All past partners are responsible for their own sexual health and should be requesting regular std testing to keep an eye on their own status. If you want to tell past partners then by all means do so but you don't have to since there's no way to figure out who you got it from if you didn't get it from your current partner. It's totally your choice.
grace
so who do you tell? Well really the only people who matter at this point is you and your partner. All past partners are responsible for their own sexual health and should be requesting regular std testing to keep an eye on their own status. If you want to tell past partners then by all means do so but you don't have to since there's no way to figure out who you got it from if you didn't get it from your current partner. It's totally your choice.
grace
Thnak you so much for your comments. I did recently test positive for HSV2 on a culture test about two weeks after having sex. Are you saying that I should now get ann IGG test too to see of it was a new infection?
I should also say that I started having the severe symptoms a few days after having sex which is what prompted me to go to the DR.
The blood test needs to be done at the same time as the initial appointment for it to be helpful in determining if it's a newly acquired infection or not. About 1/2 of folks will seroconvert to test + on the blood test by 2 weeks so at this point I recommend your current partner getting a blood test to see what his status is.
grace
grace
Thank you for your message. My partner is awaiting the results of a blood test. But, I have to tell you I was surprised by what his Dr. told him. He apparently checked him for symptoms, didn't see any, and told him he didn't think it was necessary to get a blood test since he had no symptoms. He did get one, but I thought the advice was strange since I just tested positive. I know if the tables were turned, I would get tested and would expect the Dr. to tell me it would be a good idea. I don't know. maybe I'm missing something. What do you think?
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
Is it normal for herpes symptoms to last for approx. 4 weeks? I feel like I'm definitely healing, but still have irritation, discharge and sensitivity.
I'd return to your provider and get tested for yeast and bacterial infections. Don't guess and self treat - go be seen and get properly tested. Still having symptoms at this point means it's likely that something else is also going on and it sounds like it might be vaginitis for you.
grace
grace
Been reading a lot in this forum which is so helpful. Thanks to everyone who contributes. All my symptoms seem to have subsided, yet I am so tired all the time (have had a cold for the past two weeks, though). I am on suppressive therapy with Valtrex and am wondering if anyone has experienced lethargy and loss of appetite (lost 5 lbs.) due to this medication? I suppose it could also be due to the emotional roller coaster I've been on since being diagnosed. I'm also wondering about herpes and cervical cancer. Is there any link?
Concerning the link of Herpes to cervical cancer. An interesting study of women with cervical cancer reported that 44% had cervicitis and an associated infection of HSV-2. However these data were reported by an epidemiologist in a small group of women.The importance of this is still uncertain. It was also noted the women infected with Chlamydia or gonorrhea also had higher incidences of cervical cancer. It is also interesting to note that part of the HPV genome is being used to treat head and neck cancers and neuroblastoma tumors in children. Maybe there is some good to be found in the Herpes virus.
herpes has not really been associated with cervical cancer on its own. Hpv is more of the culprit there. It's not unusual to have hpv and also hsv2 though.
Have you had your hpv vaccines yet? Do you get regular paps?
grace
Have you had your hpv vaccines yet? Do you get regular paps?
grace
I had my last pap smear in Dec. and was diagnosed with HPV, however, I believe the Dr. said it was not a dangerous strain and that it would probably go away on its own. I have to get retested in June. So, I guess the vaccine is not an option. I'm 41 anyways. Not sure what age they suggest it for. Does the dual diagnosis pose a risk? Any thoughts on the tiredness and Valtrex? Maybe just a remnant of the virus?
Low risk hpv is not associated with cervical cancer anyways.
Currently the hpv vaccine is only approved for women 26 and under though by the end of the year that will probably change. Hopefully by the end of next year it will be approved for males too.
Some folks do feel tired when first diagnosed and on antivirals ( plus you seem to have that nasty cold that's going around right now too from the sounds of things ). It will get better.
grace
Currently the hpv vaccine is only approved for women 26 and under though by the end of the year that will probably change. Hopefully by the end of next year it will be approved for males too.
Some folks do feel tired when first diagnosed and on antivirals ( plus you seem to have that nasty cold that's going around right now too from the sounds of things ). It will get better.
grace
Thnak you for your comments. It seems I have a million scary thoughts running around in my head. This in addition to trying to accept that I've acquired this virus and how it will affect my life. I've heard it doesn't matter who gave it to me and I'm trying to accept that, however, part of me really wants to know. Especially since I don't feel my last partner waws honest with me about his test results. I suppose it's one day at a time. Thank you for being a sane source of support.
I notice that you often mention that studies have shown that 1/2 of presumed new herpes infections are actually just the first obvious recurrence of a prior infection. I was wondering if you could list the names or titles of those studies. I'd be interested in reading them. Thanks for all your helpful knowledge.
I have no idea at this point which particular study that stat came from. Just one of those stats that stuck in my head. I've read way too many studies over the years to remember where each stat comes from specifically!
grace
grace
If you wanted to see a doctor who was an "expert" on herpes, would it be more beneficial to see an infectious disease doctor, ob/gyn or dermatologist?
I'd check the westoverheights site and see if there are any doctors in your area on the lists they have there for other providers. Those on the list usually are folks who have attended Terri's talks and hopefully aren't trapped in the older ways of thinking about herpes and are fairly up to date on it all. There is also a doctors list on the herpes homepage too and I believe you can call asha's herpes hotline and they have lists too. no guarantees you'll get superior care from anyone on those lists but it's a start. Another option is to look for a herpes support group near you ( the asha help groups or even check out yahoo groups ) and ask them for recommendations.
I personally get all my herpes care from my regular doctor. I've trained him well over the last 21 years I've been treated by him....he he he Some obgyn's are much better than others - some of the worst herpes info I've gotten has been from obgyn's unfortunately. Makes no sense since 25% ( or more ) of their patients have genital herpes...sigh. Fortunately herpes isn't that hard to deal with. It's getting into the proper mindset that is the issue most times for providers - not being afraid of properly medicating your patients, not getting stuck in the "oh it's just your herpes, deal with it" mindset as well as remembering that just because something is going on in between the legs doesn't mean it's herpes so rule out everything. Also sometimes they have a hard time putting aside their own bias's and reminding themselves that just because someone has herpes doesn't mean that they must have every other std in the book. Ok rant over!!
grace
I personally get all my herpes care from my regular doctor. I've trained him well over the last 21 years I've been treated by him....he he he Some obgyn's are much better than others - some of the worst herpes info I've gotten has been from obgyn's unfortunately. Makes no sense since 25% ( or more ) of their patients have genital herpes...sigh. Fortunately herpes isn't that hard to deal with. It's getting into the proper mindset that is the issue most times for providers - not being afraid of properly medicating your patients, not getting stuck in the "oh it's just your herpes, deal with it" mindset as well as remembering that just because something is going on in between the legs doesn't mean it's herpes so rule out everything. Also sometimes they have a hard time putting aside their own bias's and reminding themselves that just because someone has herpes doesn't mean that they must have every other std in the book. Ok rant over!!
grace
No family doctor is going to refer you out to an I.D. doc for herpes. That's overkill. Like grace said, you should be dealing with your family doctor/ObG, or whoever does your regular routine care. A dermatologist is also a specialist, and you won't get referred out to them unless your family doctor can't figure out what it is you have. If you already know you have herpes, you'll be dealing with your primary practitioner. (For a lot of women, that's an ObG; for others, it's a G.P.)
If you want medication, ask for it. If I were you, I'd just get up to speed as much as possible on the virus, how and when it's transmitted, using the medication, etc., and then just deal with your family doctor armed with your information. Frankly, all I need from my doctor is medication. I don't particularly care whether he's up on anything herpes because I don't really need him to be. This website (and the doctor's forum) gives me all the information I need. As long as I get medication when I want it, I could care less how much my doctor knows about it.
If you want medication, ask for it. If I were you, I'd just get up to speed as much as possible on the virus, how and when it's transmitted, using the medication, etc., and then just deal with your family doctor armed with your information. Frankly, all I need from my doctor is medication. I don't particularly care whether he's up on anything herpes because I don't really need him to be. This website (and the doctor's forum) gives me all the information I need. As long as I get medication when I want it, I could care less how much my doctor knows about it.
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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.
