Hi, i had herpes on my mouth since i was a child. Recently it flared up. And i also have painfull rash in my anal. İt is placed through my asshole to my crack. i have been shitting a lot and wiping my ass hardly, also i am on my period so i use pad. a normal rash is possible.

But i am worried if i touch my mouth herpes and touch my butthole while wiping it. I know changes are reaaallyyy low to self spread. I didint have any fever or sickness feeling. it just hurts and red. could it be herpes

note; no sexual contact, for a long time

I’m 30M (gay if that matters) and went and had bloodwork done (igg test) and it says positive for Hsv 1 and 2. I’ve been distraught over this as I’ve never had an outbreak and if I ever did it was minor to the point that I never would’ve associated it with herpes.

I’ve honestly been in denial, I know it’s probably correct, but I just keep hoping somehow it’s wrong or that maybe I only have 1 or 2 and not both.

The nurse practitioner who told me provided no info for me to educate myself, all she said was a lot of people have it and don’t know since a lot of places won’t test for it. She said “you just gotta be careful”and was overall not very helpful

I would honestly appreciate some advice on how to move forward with this. Should I be prescribed daily antivirals or only take it as needed? How do I tell people I’m interested in about this? Is there any hope that the results are inaccurate? I feel like my love life is dead at this point and I’m overwhelmed with everything I’ve researched online.

The one person I confided in basically said to not even disclose it and just pretend I have no clue about it since a lot of people don’t show symptoms but I know how wrong that is and have no intention on doing that

Sorry for the long post I just have no one to confide in with this

Hi, i’m new to this but i have a few questions as i’m currently dealing with an outbreak and it’s my first really bad one. I was recently diagnosed with herpes 2days before my birthday and when i found out i looked up supplements that’ll help with outbreaks and it said lysine so i bought some and have been taken it ever since except i skipped two days bc i forgot it at home anyways as I said i’m having a really bad outbreak to the point it hurts to walk and I guess I just wanted to know if i should continue to take the lysine or tell my dr on the 13th the only issue with telling my dr is i’m embarrassed bc i’m so young not saying only older people should get herpes or that it’s something wrong with young people having herpes it’s just embarrassing for me and then I just don’t want to be judged even though I know it’s his job. But like it really hurts and it doesn’t help that i have a tear down there as well idk what to do.

So my cold sores fell off about probably almost two weeks ago and I still have redness from the sores it is normal because my skin can be irritated? I seen that the first outbreak last for about 2 to 4 weeks so im just curious about it

I think I'm starting to have an outbreak (only my second one). Just a few days ago, I used Nair, so I'm wondering if the irritation caused it! But I'm curious what else causes outbreaks for y'all!

Hey everyone this is our chance to have our voices heard!

OASH is requesting comment letters from the general public to help the HHS shape their STI plans for the next few years. Comment letters are due by December 6.

Let’s use this opportunity to its fullest potential. Just a couple of paragraphs can mean the difference between the same old nonsense, or finding a cure!

In my letter, I’ve requested that HSV be put on every STI panel, referenced the fact that these tests actually have less false positives than HIV tests do, and emphasized that HSV testing would reduce the spread of HIV as well.

My hope is that with more people diagnosed, we can stop the spread and also bring awareness and change to the HSV landscape.

What about you all? What specific things do you want to see in HSV advancements for the next 4 years? Is there a certain medication you want approved? Are there overseas treatments that should be available in the US? Do you want more efforts to go towards a cure?

Once you start typing, it only takes a few minutes. Let’s do this!

https://app.smartsheetgov.com/b/form/68aa1bd9c54b42829f99e85cc4ab1e82

PS- if you need help writing your letter, please let me know!

I (27M) am gay and have been living with HIV for 6 years and HSV for 3 years. I am starting to lose hope for my sexual/romantic future. I feel like many gay men are really mean, judgmental, and shallow so they will not accept me for having these diseases...I I think gay men value their sexual freedom so much that they would not be willing to accept a person with herpes. as a partner. I am okay with the HIV because I am undetectable but getting herpes made me feel broken again. I feel like I cannot go out to gay clubs anymore because I feel like a danger to everybody else -- it feels like I shouldn't be there. I've been in therapy for almost 5 years now and it feels like nothing has made me feel better. I am still unhappy and alone. People have tried to reassure me that things will get better with time but I don't believe them. I am cynical. I think things are different for LGBTQ people -- I have only seen straight people talk about herpes on YouTube but I have yet to see a LGBTQ person talk about living with herpes. Why is this issue so taboo in our community? There are literally people on Sniffies/Grindr who say "Bareback Only" and I don't know how people could possibly avoid getting herpes by having casual sex without protection on a regular basis. I know I am not the only gay person with herpes but I still feel very alienated from the community. I genuinely feel so ran through, not because I slept with a lot of people, but because I have these STDs. I do not know what to do. I miss having sex and I am very sad. I hope there is someone out there that can help me feel better.

I feel like I’m about to have a panic attack thinking about disclosing. I’m so in love with this person idk if I can handle rejection.

Second post here. But with some updates. I'm devastated but I have some questions so I can try to understand what really happened to me.

Got the red itchy rush on genitals and the test results came back. I got swab, blood and urine tests (std panel as well). I still have some hope because my doctor said "no news, good news. If you hear from us, then we will consult the next steps". They didn't call me but I can see the results on my profile. It looks like PCR NAAT is positive but swab is unknown. Literally what's written:

It is written in one section: Specimen Description Unknown Skin Swab

Then in other section:

Herpes Simplex Virus 1 DNA; PCR/NAAT Negative No Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 detected by NAT. Herpes Simplex Virus 2 DNA; PCR/NAAT Positive AA Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 DETECTED by NAT.

Should I retest? It all has zero sense for me because I never had unprotected sex. Only oral sex and only once in the past 10 months (shortly before the rash so I'm freaking out). But I understand that oral sex should mean type 1?

today i got diagnosed with genital herpes, im a 22 (f) it was such a big blow because I already have HPV. I was just a bit shocked that when I got tested for the HPV 8 months ago, they never thought of giving me a test for HSV during a well woman check up.. so it came as a major shock to me.

I feel just re-traumatized for sexual trauma i’ve dealt with in the past, that could have caused this. But it is what it is. Im just going to have to get through this first outbreak.

The first outbreak is terrible! I feel debilitated, I have even called out from work, which I am a pre-school teacher so I have to move around a lot. Its a lot of strain mentally and physically. If anyone wants to message privately when you’re going through tough times as well, that would be comforting too. Im just exhausted from my body constantly feeling like its stabbing me from the inside.

I met up with my friend on Thursday and I used his vape shortly after he had vaped. I then met him again on the Saturday where he told me he had a cold sore. Am I likely to have contracted the virus? Also should I hold off on any oral sex with my girlfriend or is it unlikely to give her genital hsv?

I understand they have you taken antivirals at 36 weeks and do an exam before to make sure you have no outbreaks.

My question is what happens during birth ? I usually have outbreaks when I'm sick. What happens if you develop an outbreak during the stress of labour?

You can't feel anything because of the epidural and contractions? How would you know?

My outbreaks are very small just one and inner labia-basically you have to know what you're looking for and where and they don't present as regular outbreaks.

So I'm just nervous they won't see it DURING birth or I wouldn't know if I'm having one.

Do you take more antivirals during birth? How does that work I'm so scared

I (W28) contracted herpes (undisclosed) at 13yo from a man almost twice my age. I’ve been with my current boyfriend since 15yo (he was 21 at the time we started dating).

August of 2023, I found out my boyfriend had been lying about his entire military experience from a friend he served in basic training with. The friend told me they medically discharged him during basic training and he never actually served in the army. I’d spent over a decade trying to help him work through his PTSD after claiming to have served multiple deployments, seeing his friends die etc and blaming a his actions (lying, cheating, emotional infidelity, alcoholism) on his fake PTSD.

October of 2023 I went out alone bar hopping on a work trip. Still upset and unsure if I wanted to continue my current relationship, I drank excessively, flirted with and was fed drinks by a guy around my age I did not know. I invited him back to my hotel room and we had unprotected sex, much of which I don’t remember. I know I was too intoxicated to consent to sex.

Turns out I gave him my phone number and he has been verbally harassing and threatening me since he found out he contracted herpes from me. Threatening to get my family involved, my SOs family involved, physically hurt me, press legal charges etc.

My long term partner found out very shortly after the incident, victim blamed me, but we worked through it in couples counseling and he decided to stay.

Today I received this text message, “Today is the beat day of my life. My lawyer told me not to contact you but I couldn’t resist. What you did to me is a crime and now you’re going to pay. I’m pursuing criminal and civil action so now you’ll have to look me in my face and explain why you did this to me detail by detail. I hope he’s there so he can hear what a nasty slut you were for me. Oh yeah I’m asking for compensation for pain and suffering. You’re about to pay me bitch. You fucked over the wrong guy.”

Changing my number feels like giving in and won’t help anyways if he is going to continue to stalk me. Up until recently I have been deleting and blocking all numbers he tries to harass me from so I do not have a solid case for harassment although my counselor has documentation and I have all of the recent text messages (multiple a week sometimes). I have never responded.

TLDR: I didn’t press charges after my assault or harassment and now the man who raped me is trying to press charges against me after he contracted herpes.

I’ve had HSV-2 since 2019. My body has handled it pretty well since then. There are little outbreaks here and there which usually last maybe a few days and never blistering badly.

Well I’m just in the middle of an outbreak that’s blistering and the blisters are breaking open ect. It’s the most painful outbreak I’ve had in a while. I’ve had maybe like 4 a year since being diagnosed. I just thought they’d get milder and milder because it hasn’t been this bad since year one.

I’m a little discouraged. Also been dealing with illness off and on so I’ve had 2 outbreaks in the last 2 months. Maybe some advice would be nice but mostly I just need a little love and words of encouragement.

I know this sounds like a question i should google but i am so sick of herpes. I just woke up to my 4th outbreak this year and im so tired of it. How do i speed up the healing process? I noticed i seem to get an outbreak either from nothing or when i get a fever/flu which i currently have right now. Should i invest in lyp-sine alongside zovirax? Please help

If your teenage child asked if they should continue to see someone that disclosed an hsv status, how would you advise them?

Not really wanting to get into the details at the moment, The wound is literally still fresh. I don’t know if I need to be mad, or fucking cry about it. I just need to process this shit. I made the bed I’m in, I’m not looking for pity. But some advice on trying to cope these next couple of days would be great.

On September 16th I got oral from a girl and two days later i noticed i started having a small amount of clearish/whiteish discharge coming out of my penis. Every 10 mins i would squeeze to check and a little would always come out. I had a bit of discomfort when urinating, it wasn’t unbearable but it wasn’t normal,I had weird sensations in my penis and I felt like I had to urinate but only a little would come out. I had no itching, no burning, no blood in my urine and no bumps at all. I went to urgent care on the 19th and I was clean of chlamydia and gonorrhea they gave me a 7 day course of doxycycline just in case I had a std. I took them and the discharge went away and the discomfort from when I urinate was gone too but I still have a the feeling that I need to pee even right after I pee, the weird sensations in my penis came back and now I’m getting dull pains in my tip and on my sides and testicles sometimes. I went to the er recently and got my urine tested again for uti and they said it’s clean so I’m confused because I don’t have gonorrhea,chlamydia,or a uti…

Hi guys, I recently got tested for herpes, I haven’t been having any symptoms but I made a dumb mistake and now I just wanted to get an update on my status as it pertains to STIs and STDs. Everything came back great except herpes that came back as equivocal. I have done extensive research and they’re hinting at the fact that I may have herpes but I need to do a second test to confirm. I am a wreck. My anxiety is through the roof and I am not able to sleep properly. Has anyone had experience or these results and later tested positive for the virus? I’m so heartbroken.

Hey guys. About how long is a typical outbreak??? This is my first one and I’m on day 4, my doctor said with meds this will probably last another 4/5 days. I can’t deal with outbreaks this long every time. How long was your second/ third/ etc outbreak????

Seems like everybody in this subreddit is from the US, as most people are saying they take tablets daily. In the UK, you only take the antivirals when you feel early symptoms of an outbreak coming on. I’m just a bit nervous about this as I really don’t want recurrent outbreaks.

Heyyyy herp fam 🤩 i have HSV2, I had my first outbreak in August and have been on daily acyclovir ever since, and have not had another OB. Recently I switched to valacyclovir (preferred once a day dosing compared to twice daily) and I was just wondering how common it is to respond really well to one AV but not another? I reeeeeally don’t want to go back to twice daily dosing lol

Alright guys - this is more of a rant than anything. So, back in October I came here to post because I had my first OB and swabbed positive for HSV. Symptoms developed days after unprotected sex with my very recent boyfriend, after he had gotten back from being away for 3 months. I told him immediately, went and got tested. My swab was positive, but blood tests were negative. So we said the next steps would be for him to get tested and then depending on those results, I would take an igG again. He was extremely uncomfortable about it and talking about it wasn’t very easy & he expressed he was scared to find out if he had something and unknowingly passed it to me. I didn’t pressure him much, but had to ask him multiple times to please get tested. Again, this was back in October. Well about 2 weeks ago, we had a small conflict and I brought up to him that it still doesn’t sit well with me that he hasn’t gotten tested. He told me he did, about a month ago & has his results in his email but still hasn’t opened them. And I’m just extremely confused how to feel about this. I don’t understand why he didn’t tell me he got tested, or why it took over a month to get tested, why he didn’t tell me he had his results and why he’s had them for almost a month and still hasn’t opened them. I finally asked him this morning to please read them. And his response was “I will this week, I promise”. This is causing me to lose so much trust and confidence in him and this relationship because is it just me or is this shady? Because now I’m wondering if he ever did really get tested.

I really do love him and care about him and even if this has come from him, that’s fine, but this whole situation has me wanting to protect myself and I’m unsure of how to handle it. Please help 🥹

My boyfriend gets cold sores 1-2 times a year. But I also know that there is a shedding phase that happens even when you don’t have symptoms. Last night we “did the deed” and he didn’t give me oral but he did use his saliva as a lube. Now today I have a particular spot that’s sort of itching and tingling down there, which is how he describes his cold sores when they first start to form. And it’s not like a yeast infection or something, it’s a specific small spot that’s on and off tingling/itching. Is this possible, and this fast? With no active sores? He travels for work so I haven’t seen him in a few weeks before this. That’s why I’m confused about these symptoms happening within like 15 hours. It’s not razor burn or an ingrown hair, I’ve had those before. There’s no bump as of yet.

Idk if its just me getting hit on by the ugliest guys on this subreddit but do not text me trying to hookup like if you see im single and in the same area and have the same herpes as you that doesnt mean im going to get with you. Ive gotten like 4 dms from different guys (never younger than 27) about wanting to "date" or be fwb like NOOOOOOO if you are gonna be older than 27 and hit on me at least be hot or rich! Its so gross when people do this shit i really just wanna know if this has happened to anyone else on here 😭

I’ve been getting bumps they start off as an itch on face then pop open leave small hole opening and leak clear fluid & they all come in the same spot is it hsv1 on my face?

Is it an herpes if you have not had blisters that turned into sores? I only had sores

Has anyone ever told you this when they disclosed or if they disclosed after sex ?