Aa
Confusing situation
Hi,
I will try to sum up the story as best possible as it can be somewhat difficult. Basically I met this guy and we decided to hook up. I had talked to him before we did and he said that a few months prior he had been tested and found clean of everything including herpes. I do, however, always practice safe sex. So we did have anal sex which was protected. There were a few points at which our genitals touched and there were times he rubbed his genitals around my anus without a condom but any penetration was protected. After we had hooked up we were talking about previous sexual history and he said that he had been with someone who had later tested positive for herpes. He said that after he found this out, however, he tested for it and was tested negative.
So my question is this. I went to a Urologist yesterday for unrelated issues and asked him about herpes. He said that if I don't show signs (i.e. have sores or lesions) I shouldn't worry and I don't have herpes. But reading other sources online I've found that some say only 20% of people show symptoms. He also said that if there are no sores present on someone else I wouldn't have gotten it. But some online sources say you can spread it without there being sores.
This event occured about a week ago and so far I have no symptoms, no sores, lesions, or anything I think would be herpes, no headaches, pain when urinating, discharge, fever symptoms, or anything like that. Am I being paranoid and worrying too much? What are the chances I could have caught something? I know it takes time for the blood test to come back accurately so I guess I'd just like to know if i should be concerned and when would be the soonest I could test for it and expect accurate results.
I will try to sum up the story as best possible as it can be somewhat difficult. Basically I met this guy and we decided to hook up. I had talked to him before we did and he said that a few months prior he had been tested and found clean of everything including herpes. I do, however, always practice safe sex. So we did have anal sex which was protected. There were a few points at which our genitals touched and there were times he rubbed his genitals around my anus without a condom but any penetration was protected. After we had hooked up we were talking about previous sexual history and he said that he had been with someone who had later tested positive for herpes. He said that after he found this out, however, he tested for it and was tested negative.
So my question is this. I went to a Urologist yesterday for unrelated issues and asked him about herpes. He said that if I don't show signs (i.e. have sores or lesions) I shouldn't worry and I don't have herpes. But reading other sources online I've found that some say only 20% of people show symptoms. He also said that if there are no sores present on someone else I wouldn't have gotten it. But some online sources say you can spread it without there being sores.
This event occured about a week ago and so far I have no symptoms, no sores, lesions, or anything I think would be herpes, no headaches, pain when urinating, discharge, fever symptoms, or anything like that. Am I being paranoid and worrying too much? What are the chances I could have caught something? I know it takes time for the blood test to come back accurately so I guess I'd just like to know if i should be concerned and when would be the soonest I could test for it and expect accurate results.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
It would have saved some time and energy if you had told me you had tested negative recently. You were at zero risk from the exposure described here and therefore do not need additional testing for HSV. Don't do it.
That will end this thread. Stay safe.
That will end this thread. Stay safe.
Just as a comment and not requesting any reply I would like to say that if I did acquire it at all it would have been during this encounter. I haven't been very active after the last question I posted in this forum and after that experience I was tested and negative for all STDs, including HSV-1 and HSV-2. And if it's true that this particular experience didn't carry any real risk that makes me feel a bit better. I will post back with my results but until then I will look for information in other posts.
Thanks,
Matt
Thanks,
Matt
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Since this particular exposure carried no measurable risk of HSV transmission, the timing of an HSV test doesn't matter. You can be tested any time you wish. But if you really insist on 100% assurance you weren't infected during that particular exposure, you need to wait and be tested about 3 months after the event.
There is no basis for being "scared and freaking out". Nobody wants HSV, but the large majority of the population is infected with HSV-1, HSV-2, or both, and most live just fine with it. Anyway, it sounds like you have a pretty conservative and careful sexual style, so the odds are you don't have HSV-2. (Half the adult population has HSV-1 from a childhood oral infection, so a positive result for HSV-1 is to be expected.)
Feel free to return with a comment to post your HSV test result. But until then let's not get into a string of anxiety-driven questions. Almost anything you might ask can be found easily on line, or by scanning or searching this forum, the moderated herpes forum, or the herpes community forum.
There is no basis for being "scared and freaking out". Nobody wants HSV, but the large majority of the population is infected with HSV-1, HSV-2, or both, and most live just fine with it. Anyway, it sounds like you have a pretty conservative and careful sexual style, so the odds are you don't have HSV-2. (Half the adult population has HSV-1 from a childhood oral infection, so a positive result for HSV-1 is to be expected.)
Feel free to return with a comment to post your HSV test result. But until then let's not get into a string of anxiety-driven questions. Almost anything you might ask can be found easily on line, or by scanning or searching this forum, the moderated herpes forum, or the herpes community forum.
The urologist appointment was a follow up on a kidney stone issue. The NGU was resolved after visiting the doctor, having tests done and letting the symptoms subside. There was nothing found as far as infection goes. And honestly right now I'm kinda scared and freaking out a bit. I really am very upset with myself for even meeting this guy or going farther then I should have. I don't have many partners but they have all been male. I am very committed to using a condom when having sex and have never had unprotected anal sex. In this case I was the receiver. When should I be tested? Should I go now or wait a little? Or should I just go to the doctor ASAP?
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome back to the STD forum.
Your urologist's understanding of herpes, assuming you understood him correctly, are behind the times. (It is unfair to generalize about an entire specialty. But in the US, many [most?] urologists are not highly trained or experienced in STDs.) The exact proportion of HSV-2-infected people with symptoms isn't all that clear, but it could be as high as 80%. It's at least 50%, and it may be higher in men who have sex with men MSM) (because anal/rectal infection may be asymptomatic more often than penile). Absence of herpes symptoms is never a guarantee against herpes in people at substantial risk.
Almost every MSM has had sex with someone with herpes. In the general population of the US, about 20% have HSV-2, as Dr. Hook stated in your thread a month ago. Among MSM, it's 50-60%. So every MSM with multiple partners can assume that half were infected. So your exposure to that particular partner recently doesn't have any influence in judging your current risk for herpes. (I don't see that you mentioned the sex of your partners a month ago and Dr. Hook probably didn't realize you have sex with men, which may explain why he only gave the 20% statistic.)
It is also true that most herpes is transmitted by people without symptoms. If you think about it, that makes sense: of course people with painful penile or anal sores are less likely to have sex than people without those symptoms. Therefore, most new HSV-2 infections are acquired from partners with no symptoms -- either no symptoms at all, or at least no symptoms at the time of exposure.
Given your sexual history, it would make sense for you to be tested for HSV-1 and HSV-2. Since I don't know the details of your sexual lifestyle -- no. of lifetime partners, where and how you usually meet partners, consistency of condom use -- I cannot predict the result. But some STD experts recommend that every MSM have an HSV blood test. But this advice is completely unrelated to your recent sexual exposure.
Finally, I'm curious what happened with the NGU problem? Was that part of the "unrelated issues" that took you to the urologist?
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
Your urologist's understanding of herpes, assuming you understood him correctly, are behind the times. (It is unfair to generalize about an entire specialty. But in the US, many [most?] urologists are not highly trained or experienced in STDs.) The exact proportion of HSV-2-infected people with symptoms isn't all that clear, but it could be as high as 80%. It's at least 50%, and it may be higher in men who have sex with men MSM) (because anal/rectal infection may be asymptomatic more often than penile). Absence of herpes symptoms is never a guarantee against herpes in people at substantial risk.
Almost every MSM has had sex with someone with herpes. In the general population of the US, about 20% have HSV-2, as Dr. Hook stated in your thread a month ago. Among MSM, it's 50-60%. So every MSM with multiple partners can assume that half were infected. So your exposure to that particular partner recently doesn't have any influence in judging your current risk for herpes. (I don't see that you mentioned the sex of your partners a month ago and Dr. Hook probably didn't realize you have sex with men, which may explain why he only gave the 20% statistic.)
It is also true that most herpes is transmitted by people without symptoms. If you think about it, that makes sense: of course people with painful penile or anal sores are less likely to have sex than people without those symptoms. Therefore, most new HSV-2 infections are acquired from partners with no symptoms -- either no symptoms at all, or at least no symptoms at the time of exposure.
Given your sexual history, it would make sense for you to be tested for HSV-1 and HSV-2. Since I don't know the details of your sexual lifestyle -- no. of lifetime partners, where and how you usually meet partners, consistency of condom use -- I cannot predict the result. But some STD experts recommend that every MSM have an HSV blood test. But this advice is completely unrelated to your recent sexual exposure.
Finally, I'm curious what happened with the NGU problem? Was that part of the "unrelated issues" that took you to the urologist?
I hope this helps. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
You are reading content posted in the STDs Forum
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.
