Aa
Help!
Dr's, first of all thank you for what you do.
Background of me- have had quite a few sexual partners both in and out of relationships. However, I get tested normally a couple times a year and never have tested positive for anything. I up until the last couple of times got herpes testing but did not continue to test for this as per your recommendation as well as others as it is not believed to be that beneficial being used on a purely screening basis.
Situation- Last night I made a mistake and slept with a woman I had just met who also said that she had been diagnosed with hsv2. We were in the shower and rubbing briefly our genitals against each other (unprotected)and then she told me she had been diagnosed over 5 years ago and that she was not having an outbreak at the time. She also said that she takes valtrex daily and to my knowledge has been taking it since she was diagnosed.
We were both intoxicated at the time but felt as if it were little risk. We had protected sex but she did give me unprotected oral. She reassured this morning that she does take valtrex and has not had an outbreak in some time.
My questions- why do Dr.'s normally recommend against routine herpes testing?
What are some statistics in terms of transmission risks for situations like this?
What should I look out for? Timetables of symptoms? I'm an anxious person so I have been obsessingly looking "down there"
Does this situation warrant herpes testing? Should I continue normal std testing down the road excluding Hsv testing?
If she did have symptoms last night how much higher of risk would I be at?
How should I approach moving forward from this occurrence regarding sex in future relationships? I.e. do I need to tell new partners?
Thank you again!
Background of me- have had quite a few sexual partners both in and out of relationships. However, I get tested normally a couple times a year and never have tested positive for anything. I up until the last couple of times got herpes testing but did not continue to test for this as per your recommendation as well as others as it is not believed to be that beneficial being used on a purely screening basis.
Situation- Last night I made a mistake and slept with a woman I had just met who also said that she had been diagnosed with hsv2. We were in the shower and rubbing briefly our genitals against each other (unprotected)and then she told me she had been diagnosed over 5 years ago and that she was not having an outbreak at the time. She also said that she takes valtrex daily and to my knowledge has been taking it since she was diagnosed.
We were both intoxicated at the time but felt as if it were little risk. We had protected sex but she did give me unprotected oral. She reassured this morning that she does take valtrex and has not had an outbreak in some time.
My questions- why do Dr.'s normally recommend against routine herpes testing?
What are some statistics in terms of transmission risks for situations like this?
What should I look out for? Timetables of symptoms? I'm an anxious person so I have been obsessingly looking "down there"
Does this situation warrant herpes testing? Should I continue normal std testing down the road excluding Hsv testing?
If she did have symptoms last night how much higher of risk would I be at?
How should I approach moving forward from this occurrence regarding sex in future relationships? I.e. do I need to tell new partners?
Thank you again!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
These are not herpes symptoms. Your anxieties are influencing what you see or how you interpret various minor variations in your skin. You don't need to examine yourself closely for subtle symptoms. This information doesn't change my opinion or advice.
Dr. So it has been 5 days now since I had the sexual encounter I described above. I have been looking rather closely for any signs of any symptoms and have not seem any other then two very small bumps that look like ingrown hairs (they have little white heads on them) however am having some discomfort in the area between my pubic region and my thighs where the small pimple like bumps are, (kind of in the crease area) I have also have had some discomfort in the pubic region but have not noticed anything there. Just wanted to get a final follow up on your medical opinion on this and if it changes your thoughts or opinion on whether I could have possibly contracted hsv2 from this exposure. I know from previous threads that you state it is unlikely to have symptoms in the pubic area or in the area more commonly associated with jock itch but just wanted to ask more precisely to my experience.
Thanks in advance.
Thanks in advance.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
New HSV infections rarely show up on the skin of the scrotum or pubic area. HSV infections generally require the virus to be massaged into the exposed area -- so that initial HSV infections generally occur at the sites of maximum friction during sex. Simple contact of secretions with skin probably results in transmission only rarely.
There really are no data on efficiency of transmission of oral HSV-1 infections, but all evidence suggests it is quite low.
There really are no data on efficiency of transmission of oral HSV-1 infections, but all evidence suggests it is quite low.
Thank you Dr. For your quick response. Couple of follow up questions. How much concern or how susceptible for hsv2 to be transferred to the testicles or pubic region?
Also unrelated but figured I would ask real quick. How efficiently is Hsv 1 transferred orally both with and without symptoms?
Thanks again!
Also unrelated but figured I would ask real quick. How efficiently is Hsv 1 transferred orally both with and without symptoms?
Thanks again!
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Welcome to the forum. Thanks for your question, and for your kind comments about our service.
In long term couples in which one person has HSV-2, who take no precautions and have unprotected sex 2-3 times a week, only half the partners ever become infected; and other statistics work out to about one transmission for every 1,000 episodes of unprotected sex. In your case, the risk is even lower, since your partner was taking Valtrex -- which reduces the transmission risk by at least 50%. And on top of that, you had condom-protected vaginal sex. (The oral sex is essentially zero risk; HSV-2 is rarely transmitted from oral infection to genital.) All things considered, there is virtually no chance you were infected with your partner's HSV-2. To your specific questions:
1) "why do Dr.'s normally recommend against routine herpes testing?" Because the available tests are far from perfect, often giving misleading results.
2) "What are some statistics in terms of transmission risks for situations like this?" Discussed above.
3) "What should I look out for? Timetables of symptoms?" Typical symptoms are blisters/sores of the exposed area (your penis, primarily the base not covered by th condom), usually starting 3-5 days after exposure and almost always within 2 weeks. You don't need to examine yourself closely; you'll know it if you develop herpes lesions without having to inspect yourself.
4) "Does this situation warrant herpes testing?" No, not in my opinion. "Should I continue normal std testing down the road excluding Hsv testing?" Yes -- all people who are sexually active outside mutually monogamous relationships should have periodic testing (maybe once a year) for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV -- but generally not for HSV. In the absense of herpes symptoms, the main reason to consider future HSV testing would be if you began an ongoing relationship with a partner with herpes.
5) "If she did have symptoms last night how much higher of risk would I be at?" It seems pointless to speculate about something that didn't happen. You may as well ask what the chances of dying were because you didn't wear a seatbelt during a drive the day before. It has nothing to do with your actual risk today.
6) "How should I approach moving forward from this occurrence regarding sex in future relationships? I.e. do I need to tell new partners?" You shouldn't mention it. Nobody ever needs to tell partners about possible exposures, only about their own actual infections.
I hope these comments are helpful. Best wishes-- HHH, MD
In long term couples in which one person has HSV-2, who take no precautions and have unprotected sex 2-3 times a week, only half the partners ever become infected; and other statistics work out to about one transmission for every 1,000 episodes of unprotected sex. In your case, the risk is even lower, since your partner was taking Valtrex -- which reduces the transmission risk by at least 50%. And on top of that, you had condom-protected vaginal sex. (The oral sex is essentially zero risk; HSV-2 is rarely transmitted from oral infection to genital.) All things considered, there is virtually no chance you were infected with your partner's HSV-2. To your specific questions:
1) "why do Dr.'s normally recommend against routine herpes testing?" Because the available tests are far from perfect, often giving misleading results.
2) "What are some statistics in terms of transmission risks for situations like this?" Discussed above.
3) "What should I look out for? Timetables of symptoms?" Typical symptoms are blisters/sores of the exposed area (your penis, primarily the base not covered by th condom), usually starting 3-5 days after exposure and almost always within 2 weeks. You don't need to examine yourself closely; you'll know it if you develop herpes lesions without having to inspect yourself.
4) "Does this situation warrant herpes testing?" No, not in my opinion. "Should I continue normal std testing down the road excluding Hsv testing?" Yes -- all people who are sexually active outside mutually monogamous relationships should have periodic testing (maybe once a year) for chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis and HIV -- but generally not for HSV. In the absense of herpes symptoms, the main reason to consider future HSV testing would be if you began an ongoing relationship with a partner with herpes.
5) "If she did have symptoms last night how much higher of risk would I be at?" It seems pointless to speculate about something that didn't happen. You may as well ask what the chances of dying were because you didn't wear a seatbelt during a drive the day before. It has nothing to do with your actual risk today.
6) "How should I approach moving forward from this occurrence regarding sex in future relationships? I.e. do I need to tell new partners?" You shouldn't mention it. Nobody ever needs to tell partners about possible exposures, only about their own actual infections.
I hope these comments are helpful. 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.
