Sign in

or Register now

HerpesConnection.com

See all of our health sites at www.HealthCentral.com
  • Font size
 PJ Hamel On NPR!

Reply to an Answer

In response to:
Hello Greentree, I'm thinking the answer to your question is no.  First I would encourage you to go to the doctor and get tested, either by a sample from the "blister", or if they're healed, by a blood test that looks for antibodies for the virus.  I would recommend that your current boyfriend get tested as well.  This type of virus can lay dormant in your nerve fibers...you had no overt symptoms for quite some time, which is fairly typical for most people, and thus he may already be infected with no symptoms either.  Everyone's physiology is different and people respond differently to infection, drugs, weather, etc.  The problem, it seems, with herpes is that you can shed active virus with no blisters, itching, etc.  Thus anytime you engage in unprotected sex (condom) there is the possibility of transmitting it to others.  Another unfortunate reality with herpes: condoms are only effective if they actually cover the affected area.  If you're presenting blisters below the vagina (towards the anus) a condom will not completely protect your boyfriend's testicles.  I have read accounts, however, of one partner being infected, and the other partner remaining herpes-free for years without using condoms.  I'm not sure about the statistics on this...obviously, if he's not infected, he should know the risks.  If it were just as simple as not having sex during an outbreak, life would be better for us, but the shedding factor with no symptoms complicates things a bit.   Also, it is possible, though not likely, that you contracted herpes from your current boyfriend, who has shown no symptoms and may not know he has it.  Either way, you should both be tested.  Just remember, this is not the end of the world for you.  You can still enjoy an active sex life, you just have to educate yourself and take more precautions than before.  One in five people has this, and as a result, you're not alone.    
Subject:
Comment:
Note: This Display Name will be publicly visible on your SharePosts, your profile on this site, and the rest of the Internet. To maintain your anonymity do not include personally identifiable information (such as your name or email address) in your Display Name, SharePosts, or any other public postings on our site.