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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Caught my husband out he has been seeing someone else.

440 replies

Inrealshock · 21/03/2013 09:41

Name change for me as i am so devastated. Hes on a business trip at the moment but was sent random texts between her and himfor the prior 48 hours which somehow i think maybe because if icloud landed on my ipad including a naked phot of herself which she had sent him. He replied shes a 10/10 and perfect - shes a good 10 years younger than me. They were planning to meet in a restaurant and go on to a hotel room. The last year I have suffered from breast cancer and had various operations and i know that it all strted in December when i was just bck from hospital after my fourth operation. He knows I know and is getting a flight home this morning. I hardly slept last night and am holding it together for the kids. I have though in a fierce rage cut up numerous suits ties and shirts. From the conversations we have had he is blaming the cancer as having affected him. I have done my best to make him happy we do have a sex life but my body and breasts are scarred from all the operations including a mastectomy and reconstruction. I felt i had turned a corner with the cancer which was only diagnosed last July - his fling with her started in December - he assures me it was just kissing but i know they had a hotel room lined up. Sorrybfor the rambling - he gets back at luchtime - what shall i do ?

OP posts:
MadAboutHotChoc · 25/03/2013 18:30

I am sure that if you look back at the previous 12 years, you will remember incidents where he has been selfish, entitled and put his own needs first?

I would ask to see the STI results and seek advice from your cancer specialist about whether you need to get tested as well. Make sure he is present when you speak to the specialist - he so needs to know that his actions actually has put your health at risk Angry

Doha · 25/03/2013 18:46

Don't want to panic you OP but STI testing generally includes HIV testing which even if negative today can be Positive in 12 weeks as it sometimes takes up to 12 weeks after sexual contact to show up in the blood

Inrealshock · 25/03/2013 18:52

Ok I am just so scared now

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ProphetOfDoom · 25/03/2013 19:04

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ElegantSufficiency · 25/03/2013 19:07

That's awful. You need to be able to discuss what happened with your friends and family.

I would tell him that you need to tell your mother, sister and friend. YOu NEED to. YOU have to have their support and you deserve it. He can't deny you that. Or he shouldn't.

How could you possibly knwo what to do ? :-(

beginnings · 25/03/2013 19:10

Inreal I would get tested as well if I were you. STI testing is not 100% accurate so even if he tests clear, he might not be. And as Doha said, HIV testing can take a while to show up.

riskit4abiskit · 25/03/2013 19:26

so sorry this happened - he is utter scum and you sound so brave and lovely.

I wish you were my neighbour and I could come and shout at him for you

Doha · 25/03/2013 20:02

I wish you were my neighbour and I could come and shout at him for you

I would go a bit further than that for you with a pair of blunt garden shears.

PureQuintessence · 25/03/2013 20:24

If he wont "let" you confide in your friends and family, he is not only an adulterous shit, but a controlling and manipulative shit too. Angry

newbiefrugalgal · 25/03/2013 21:28

OP - PM if you want to vent privately - I've been where you are (still am actually - not with the Cancer sorry but with the discovery)

Don't be scared of the STI just be sensible and get tested, no need to upset yourself at this stage.

I know I said this before but you don't have to rush anything, you can take as much time as you want and you can talk/confide in whoever you want. You may not want to tell every person walking the street but a close friend or your mum will really help. If not just keep on MN - someone is always around, even if posts are a little harsh. People really do care about you in the end and bring loads of experience to the forum.

Sorry enough from me -I hope you are ok tonight.

twolittlemonkeys · 25/03/2013 22:50

I agree with others who have said you need to be able to discuss this with RL friends and family. I am so Angry on your behalf that he is trying to keep it all under wraps, to protect himself. Erm, sorry, but as far as I see it he waived his right to keep his reputation and cushy little life intact when he had an affair. It's not up to him to say how you process this bombshell. He should be bending over backwards to make it easier for you not himself.

mathanxiety · 26/03/2013 00:36

If he had an ounce of remorse he would not have wanted you to keep this under your hat.

What he has is not even close to remorse. It is panic that he has been caught and desperation to limit the damage to him. Forget you.

badinage · 26/03/2013 00:53

OP it's not true remorse you're seeing at all. It's fear and a hope that everything can go back to normal.

Please do get your own STI screening and talk about the risks you've potentially been exposed to with your cancer specialists.

I think you're probably both in the 'denial' stage, but this is why it's very important to talk to others about what you're going through, in order to make it 'real'. At the moment, you're in a bubble where you can almost convince yourself this hasn't happened, because on the surface, no-one would know any different.

But for your husband to truly acknowledge what he has done, he needs to face up to people knowing about it because right now, he can also pretend this never happened.

The person who caused the pain can't be your comforter; it's a conflict of roles that will damage you. But you do need your own source of support in real-life because with the the best will in the world, cyberspace cannot hug you and dry your tears like a good friend might.

Please consider getting some space from him and talking to someone who won't judge you for either wanting to leave or to stay - and who doesn't have a vested interest either way in your decision.

Inertia · 26/03/2013 07:00

It's natural to feel doubt. You've been cheated by the one person in the world you thought you could depend on.

It's natural to feel scared. He has risked your life for his sexual thrills.
Personally I would want to see evidence of the results - he's proved that you can't trust him and you have no reason to start trusting him again until his actions justify it.

He doesn't get to decide that you cannot tell people what he's done. You need real life support, you can tell who you like. He doesn't own the secret - this is your life too, and you need support which is independent of him . He wants the world to think he lovingly supported his desperately ill wife - of course he doesn't want people to know what he's done. And he still doesn't sound sorry for what he did, he sounds sorry you found out.

Even if you want to remain married , you have every right to insist on it being on your terms. He doesn't get to dictate how the aftermath of his cheating is dealt with.

Inrealshock · 26/03/2013 08:02

Why do I feel worse each day I wake up not better

OP posts:
Mosman · 26/03/2013 08:07

I was where you are 6 weeks ago and whilst it's still no picnic the hours in between thinking about it are getting longer and longer, it's maybe once a day instead of every waking hour and plenty that should have been sleeping hours too.
It will pass.

MadAboutHotChoc · 26/03/2013 08:21

I have been where you have (except for the cancer) - the reason why you feel worse each day is because the reality of his vile actions are hitting you now that you are no longer as numb.

You are realising he has been leading a double life - the deceit, lies and cover stories and that the past several months were a farce.

Also you are realising that he is NOT the man you thought he was.

All you can do is take one day at a time and be kind to yourself.

worldgonecrazy · 26/03/2013 08:30

I think you just need to make a decision. Do you:

a. Bury the affair. Recreate the lie that you have been living for the last 12 years (and I'm truly sorry but your "great" marriage was a lie), and just get on with things. Don't mention it to anyone, let the seed of mistrust, doubt and self-loathing for keeping this shit in your life, grow until you're just a functioning shell of a person. You may even manage to kid yourself that it never happened and was all a bad dream, or that it was all your fault and if you love him enough he will stop being a selfish, entitled wanker.

b. Grab your self-respect by the horns, go on holiday by yourself with the kids, and have a good, hard think about what you really want to do.

movingonandup · 26/03/2013 09:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

DonkeysDontRideBicycles · 26/03/2013 09:20

Perhaps having had support from family and friends during your cancer treatment you don't feel you can ask for more support with something else?
Please don't feel you are alone or have to struggle single-handed.

This is huge but you have got to put your energy into getting well, I don't think you can fully fight on two fronts, for now take one day at a time. Do unburden yourself to someone you trust, it is not for H to dictate who you choose to tell.

QuintEggSensuality · 26/03/2013 09:37

"Why do I feel worse each day I wake up not better"

The extent of his betrayal is slowly sinking in, I would imagine.

I dont think it will start feeling better until you have asked him to leave and you both really face up to what he has done, and HE start working to save the relationship. Only HE can do that.

Inrealshock · 26/03/2013 13:11

Thank you everyone for all your comments and thoughts. I am reading the Shirley Glass book and finding it helpful

OP posts:
MadAboutHotChoc · 26/03/2013 13:13

Glad you are finding it helpful - make sure he reads it too.

badinage · 26/03/2013 14:00

I am reading the Shirley Glass book and finding it helpful

What's your husband doing then?

Inrealshock · 26/03/2013 14:08

He's reading it aswell. I have told some close friends what has happened and this forum is helping me too

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