I have genital herpes AMA!

[Namechange8471]

Hoping to raise awareness, ask away!

[Namechange8471]

Do you enjoy being an arsehole?

[Laineymc7]

Asdad that’s a bit rude

[Awwlookatmybabyspider]

Bit of an odd question, asdad
Mind you then again.
In your defence this section is called ask me anything.

Youll have excuse me op. I dont know much about herpes.
is there any cure.
Does it come and go or does it flare up.
Is it still safe for you to have sex if you use a condom
What are the symptoms.

[asdad]

Arsehole...Most of the time.

Rude? sorry.

[TheBrilloPad]

Do you have kids and were there any complications/flare ups in pregnancy or childbirth if so?

[Wonkydonkey44]

I think your very brave coming on here 💐

[ThomasinaMouse]

Type 1 or 2?

[hungryhippie]

Do you take aciclovir medication for flare ups? How often do you get them?

[Namechange8471]

I don't actually know the type.
I was diagnosed in 2007 when I was 17, I had it very bad at first, I was hospitalised. I sunk into a depression and attempted suicide.

[Namechange8471]

Now (11 years on) I have a DD, pregnancy and birth were straightforward, she was actually born with some immunity to the virus, as I had it a year before she was conceived. If you look online with regards to pregnancy and childbirth it's not a problem and low risk.

I very rarely get flare ups, maybe one small sore a year. I don't take medication as it simply goes away on its own.

The first year was hard, I was on constant anti viral tablets , and depression etc was hard.

[Tinseltower]

What did your partner think when told?

[Namechange8471]

I split with DDS dad as he was cheating on me ( he also gave me it ). It hasn't stopped me having relationships, I've always been honest about it.

I met my current DP on a std dating website, we have the same condition so there's now passing it back and forth (doesn't work like that).

I'm very happy now, but it's taken me a long time.
There's a lot of stigma attatched to it, but in regards to actual health, it has no effect on me.

[cameltoeflappyflapflap]

Do they hurt when you have a flare up?

[dementedpixie]

I suppose it's just like having a cold sore but in the wrong place. My niece has it too and had a very bad time with the initial infection. There is a stigma and the fact there is no cure makes it worse

[BakerBear]

I have gential herpes.

It has never bothered me at all that i have it.

Most people have it but dont actually know as it can lie dormant in the body for years before you ever have a outbreak.

How do you know your ex gave it to you? You could of had it years before you met him but had no idea

[AHedgehogCanNeverBeBuggered]

Most people have it

^ no they don't!

[SporkInTheToaster]

I’m a nurse with a sexual health background and herpes is very very common and easily contracted. Condoms don’t protect from it (sores can appear anywhere in the anogenital area) and there’s no cure.

HSV1 is the oral herpes but can be transmitted to genital area (through oral sex when the giver has active sores).
HSV2 is the genital herpes can also be transmitted to the perioral area (around the mouth) during oral sex (if the receiver has an active sore in the area during oral sex).

There is a huge amount of stigma and shame around HSV and there’s shouldnt be. During flare ups people can feel like absolute crap too, fluey symptoms, as well as psychological effects of stigma and shame of having an incurable sexually transmitted infection.

Good on you OP for starting this thread

[dementedpixie]

Maybe because that could have been her first sexual contact and the initial infection was so bad that she was hospitalised. You need contact with the genitals to spread it to that area

[SporkInTheToaster]

Ahedgehog - 70% of the UK public will have contracted either HSV1 or 2 (or both) by the time they are 25. They may be asymptomatic (ie it may lie dormant and they may never get any signs that they carry it).

That statistic comes from The British Association for Sexual Health & HIV. They are the professional body who provide the guidelines for sexual health professionals in England.

[dementedpixie]

I wonder if I carry it. Dh gets cold sores but I've never had one. Been together for 25ish years

[SporkInTheToaster]

If you kiss him, it is possible that you’ve contracted it somewhere along the line and are asymptomatic. However, if you don’t kiss when he has an active sore, the risk of transmission is low, afaik.

[EmmaC78]

Demented - I think the statistic is that two thirds of people have the HSV1 virus so it is likely you do.

[Namechange8471]

BakerBear

He was the first person I had sexual contact with, he also suffered from recurrent cold sores.

[ThomasinaMouse]

It is probably type one then OP. (The lesser aggressive type). I appreciate your starting this thread. IT's a very misunderstood condition.