Aa
Still Worried
Hello, I took your advice and have been meeting with a psychologist. Unfortunately, my symptoms have not completely gone away. Since November to present, I have had intermittent leg and buttocks pains. Not as often or as bad. I had burning sensation in urethra and on penis in Nov, Jan, Feb. They were only for a few days each. Feb 24 my wife woke up and had a small fluid filled blister on top left lip area. This popped after a day and remained , healing for 12 days. It is almost gone, however, she has a small faint red circle with a faint red scar that is about half inch long from left to right above her lip where the blister was. I guess my nightmare has finally came true. I infected my wife with oral HSV1. I still believe it is a recent genital infection and that she got this from oral sex with me. She had no fever, not sick, no swollen glands, and blister didn't really hurt or bother her. On day two with blister she went to ID DR. that has tested me before for swab and blood test. We are waiting for results. I'm so confused if this was new for her why no other symptoms. My exposure led to atypical symptoms that you believed could not be from herpes. The facts are, I have herpes and she most likely does now as well. I need info on what are the chances I will give her genital HSV1 if this is only new infection. How long before she will be safe from acquiring this in second location? If new oral infection, how can we protect our two young children from getting this. Obviously she didn't kiss the kids with the sore. But now 15 days since the blister can she kiss them on face or lips? How often will she be contagious if new infection? I guess my mistake has caused all of this and I guess I beat the odds and was hit by a meteorite. You mentioned I had better odds of being hit by a meteorite then have gotten HSV1 genitally from my exposure. Any info or suggestions is greatly appreciated. Thank you
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Oops -- I didn't remember that you had a positive HSV-1 WB. Sorry. Yes, you'll be fine. You are correct: you have HSV-1 (which still has nothing to do with your symptoms) and therefore are immune, or at least highly resistant, to a new HSV-1 infection from your wife or anyone else. You and your wife may have been sharing the same HSV-1 infection since you first paired up, or you might have each had it independently before you met. You'll never know and it doesn't matter.
As per last post. I mentioned that my WB came back as positive for HSV1. If this was from past then I should be ok.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
My opening reply to your last thread on this forum, last October, started with "I'm afraid I cannot help very much. It remains crystal clear to me that you do not have genital herpes, due to either HSV-1 or HSV-2, and that something other than herpes explains your symptoms." There is nothing in these additional questions that changes that. Herpes is never a cause of symptoms like yours and you don't have it. You're going to have to continue to look elsewhere to explain your symptoms.
Accordingly, you can be sure you didn't infect your wife. If her diagnosis of oral herpes is correct, it has nothing to do with your symptoms. The mild nature of her oral oubreak indicates it was not a new infection -- she probably had been infected for a long time, perhaps many years. Half of all adults in the US (more or less in other countries and cultures) have oral HSV-1 infections, so it stands to reason she could have been infected a long time, probably since childhood.
If your wife does have oral herpes (regardless of the source) then she could infect others by kissing them or preforming oral sex during an outbreak. The kids are not likely to be at risk, however, as long as she avoids kissing them during an outbreak. Of course your kids could catch HSV-1 from other children at any time, in school or elsewhere. That's how most people with oral herpes catch HSV-1, and it's probably what happened to your wife.
Finally, since we know you have NOT had HSV-1, you are susceptible and your wife could infect you by kissing or oral sex. However, if you avoid such contact when she is having an outbreak, the risk will be low.
Do your best to stop worrying about all this. It isn't worth all the anxiety you have been having about it.
Regards-- HHH, MD
Accordingly, you can be sure you didn't infect your wife. If her diagnosis of oral herpes is correct, it has nothing to do with your symptoms. The mild nature of her oral oubreak indicates it was not a new infection -- she probably had been infected for a long time, perhaps many years. Half of all adults in the US (more or less in other countries and cultures) have oral HSV-1 infections, so it stands to reason she could have been infected a long time, probably since childhood.
If your wife does have oral herpes (regardless of the source) then she could infect others by kissing them or preforming oral sex during an outbreak. The kids are not likely to be at risk, however, as long as she avoids kissing them during an outbreak. Of course your kids could catch HSV-1 from other children at any time, in school or elsewhere. That's how most people with oral herpes catch HSV-1, and it's probably what happened to your wife.
Finally, since we know you have NOT had HSV-1, you are susceptible and your wife could infect you by kissing or oral sex. However, if you avoid such contact when she is having an outbreak, the risk will be low.
Do your best to stop worrying about all this. It isn't worth all the anxiety you have been having about it.
Regards-- 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.
