Do you have herpes? 1 or 2

[Vvmevvme]

Fuck you DAILY MAIL. 2nd thread on this I know, struggling today and just needing some rationalisation. I think I worded the other one wrongly and I wanted a slightly different approach.

All I want to know is if you have Oral or genital herpes, how do you deal with it? Live with it? Tell others? Do you tell others? When?

It’s just a rash, I know that logically, when it’s on a lip it’s no big deal, it can be on any bit of the body but when it’s on the private it’s suddenly a stigma that makes you feel your life is basically over. Looking for real world/real time advice. Oh and apparently the WHO estimates 70% of adults will contract it at some point in their lives so I think it’s worth discussing, I can’t statistically be alone!

I get it on my arm! Have done since before being sexually active and never had a cold sore. Very odd, flares up every few months in the same spot. Very sore and makes me feel exhausted and extremely run down.

OMG they told me you could get it anywhere on the body, as sorry as I am it makes you poorly I’m pleased to hear from you as it makes me feel less stigmatised.

Yep! I get cold sores on my mouth and inside my nose which are horrendously painful, and have done since I was a child.
Dh has type 2, which flares up when he is stressed or run down and which he didn’t catch as an STD.
It’s a horrid virus but you really shouldn’t be ashamed of it.

I get cold sores. Bane of my life. Always the same spot on my top lip; swells up to 3 x its normal size, hurts like hell, scabs, looks horrid and plague-y. I also feel exhausted, run down and rotten and my lymph nodes in my neck/face swell up.
For me, there have to be two or more factors doming together for a break out (having a cold, stress, being run down, excessive sunlight, friction, emotional upheaval).

Inside my bottom lip. Different to ulcers and agony. I have one at the moment

Yup, get attacks when my immune system is compromised or busy fighting off another infection. I’ve probably had it for about 35 years and it is definitely getting much less frequent and less severe. If it gets too much a course of aciclovar tablets sees it off. It’s a nuisance but really quite trivial nowadays.

I'm exactly the same as you Sansa, same confluence of exactly those factors but it's always on the bottom right of my lower lip. Same place every time. I might get one or two a year so when the tingle comes I always seem to have lost the last tiny tube of cream.

I have one right now in fact, trying these new patches but they don't seem to be much use and the blister underneath is grim 

Mama how did your DH tell you he had type 2? It practically isn’t any different but the stigma Vs oral herpes is horrendous (despite oral being able to be passed genitally at any point).

Doesn't almost everyone have oral herpes?

Yes about 70% of people.

And about 25% have genital.

But most people never display symptoms or realise you can pass it on (oral to genital etc) even when you have no symptoms. Though the chance is less.

I've never had herpes but my husband had cold sores when he was young. Never since! So obviously not a big deal or no-one made a big deal out of herpes in those days. My mum told me she had a couple once upon a time but not in my time.

A friend of mine's child had one under each eye after an accident and that was more dangerous, every now and again they would flare up and need special medication, poor little kid. However, as the child grew up they became less frequent and eventually disappeared.

Pregnant women are tested for herpes because genital herpes can cause birth defects but most people get by with no problem.

I get cold sores on my lips and in my nose, it’s horrible and I hate how visible they are

Yep nose and lip used to be really bad but since taking Lysine the last 18 months have had 2 and they were tiny,cant recommend enough,like a miracle

Thank you for sharing, does anyone have genital herpes?

Do you think some people are immune. No cold sores - no one in my family does, no adults or children?

Apparantly a lot of people carry it but never have any symptoms. Your family could be that way inclined.

I get cold sores on my lower back. While I am glad that (so far) I don't get them on my face, they are situated just where the waistband of jeans /pants are, which rub against them

I did notice that they flared up/got worse if I ate brown bread so did some research and found that it can be a stressor, so avoid that now.

Dont know whether I have type 1 or 2 or both but am permanently on oral Acyclovir which prevents the virus replicating. Without the medicine I have herpes on all mucous membranes, top to bottom, mouth, nose, throat, gums, fanny etc. Apart from blisters, it can make you feel extremely unwell. Speak to your gp or go to a sexual health clinic, my gp says they are the herpes experts.

Pregnant women are tested for herpes because genital herpes can cause birth defects but most people get by with no problem

Not strictly true - pregnant women are tested if they present with symptoms of herpes, but testing for it is not routine in pregnancy. Neonatal herpes is very rare in the UK

I had 1 instance of genital herpes more than 20 years ago. I know it's always in your body but have never had anything since. My DH knows but I bet he's forgotten! If I had a flare up I would just avoid any contact. It was horrible at the time and I felt dirty but I know it's common.

Pregnant women are tested for herpes because genital herpes can cause birth defects but most people get by with no problem

Nope. First infection during pregnancy can be risky to the baby as they won't have antibodies but if the woman contracted it before pregnancy the risk is almost none. No birth defects.

I have type one, it's very different to type 2. I have a friend with type 2, it's awful. She got very ill when first infected and she gets huge sores all over her vulva, inner thighs and buttocks. I get a tiny itchy pimple every year or so.

God Long that’s hard, do you tell people before contact or are you married? I’m in touch with the clinic, I have no symptoms really but have chosen suppressants anyway just in case.

Mmmm were you with him at the tome or did you have to tell him before you got together?

I get them on my lips and inside of my nose. Usually get them when I'm tired/workingg a lot/not eating well. But by now I've tried everything and just use tea tree oil on it and it goes away instantly (within a day or less) and I've learned how to manage it.

I do think there is too much stigma around it, I still remember about 10 years ago when a guy who I was dating said he can't see me anymore because I had cold sores in the past and he's scared of getting it

Not that sounds horrific!