Please help me.

[Vandilism33]

My girlfriend has had cold sores since she was a little girl, and we havnt been all the way around the baseball feild, but we've done pretty much everything but just plain sex. Ive been getting sores on my upper lip that have been there for about 2 days now and im getting very scared that this could be herpes or genital warts. She has never been intamate with any other guy before, and I have never constricted any stds from my 1st and only sexual partner from a year ago. I am very sensative and shy about this topic, and talking to people face to face about it scares me to death. How can I find out if I am STD positive or talk to her about it with out scaring her too much or making her nervous?

[CarnelianButterfly]

If its herpes, its most likely not genital herpes, most people are infected with the strain that causes cold sores, they are two separate strains, but in the same family. Have you ever had a cold sore before, if so, then she didn't infect you. There's not really anything you can do about, the sores will go away on their own. Most people get cold sores when they are stressed or sick. Just keep your face clean and don't pick at them, don't pop them, don't do anything, it will only spread the infected cells.

[Kalika]

Assuming you never had cold sores before, it sounds like she spread it to you. That being said, if you and she participate in oral sex, you both could end up with genital herpes.

 

Just google "cold sores and genital herpes" and you'll get some links with info.

[sweet_emilia]

hi,

 

I think you should seek for professional practitioner (doctors) which will be the best answer for your biggest QUESTION. You just cant conclude without fact that you are now having STD's lol. i had a sores on lips also for a weeks and i had check up with my doctors and nothing really matter with it. Just dont state a fact without consulting.

[CarnelianButterfly]

Assuming you never had cold sores before, it sounds like she spread it to you. That being said, if you and she participate in oral sex, you both could end up with genital herpes.

 

Just google "cold sores and genital herpes" and you'll get some links with info.

Cold sores and genital herpes are not from the same virus.

HSV1 causes cold sores, it can be spread to the genitals, but it is not HSV2 which is the strain that causes genital herpes, that can be spread to the mouth.

 

BTW, chicken pox is a herpes virus.

[Kalika]

Cold sores and genital herpes are not from the same virus.

 

Cold sores coming into contact with the genitalia can manifest itself as genital herpes. It's considered an STD/STI regardless of type. The symptoms are basically the same. Furthermore, genital herpes is usually caused by herpes simplex virus 2, but genital herpes can also be caused by herpes simplex 1, although this scenario is not as common.

 

For further information:

 

 

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Direct quote from link removed: "If a person has oral herpes (cold sores), and performs oral sex on his/her partner, it is possible for that person to transmit the virus to the genitals from this action, and vice versa. The symptoms of oral herpes and genital herpes are almost identical."

[CarnelianButterfly]

Direct quote from link removed: "If a person has oral herpes (cold sores), and performs oral sex on his/her partner, it is possible for that person to transmit the virus to the genitals from this action, and vice versa. The symptoms of oral herpes and genital herpes are almost identical."

 

I put the ones in bold because I want to point out that HSV1 and HSV2 while similar are not the same thing. The virus can be spread to other areas of the body, but HSV1 is most often above the waist and HSV2 is below the waist. The symptoms are similar, but it is not the same infection.

[Kalika]

The symptoms are similar, but it is not the same infection.

 

From a medical standpoint, they're basically the same thing. They are both permanent, incurable viral infections that lay dormant in the body. I found one more link:

 

link removed

 

which states that:

 

* HSV type 1 most commonly infects the mouth and lips, causing sores known as fever blisters or cold sores. It is also an important cause of sores to the genitals.

* HSV type 2 is the usual cause of genital herpes, but it also can infect the mouth.

 

Generally the typing is simply a generic way to determine the location of the viral outbreak. Whether you have type 1 or 2 is mostly irrelevant, as they are both incurable viral infections that have certain long-term consequences.

 

"Both type 1 and type 2 herpes simplex viruses reside in a latent state in the nerves which supply sensation to the skin. During an attack, the virus grows down the nerves and out into the skin or mucous membranes where it multiplies, causing the clinical lesion. After each attack it ‘dies back’ up the nerve fibre and enters the resting state again..."

 

Bottom line: You need to be screened for STDs, and you should talk to your doctor.

 

 

Edit - I initially screwed up the link in this post, but noticed it and fixed it

[Kalika]

Sorry, I just wanted to add one more thing, from a personal standpoint:

 

one of my best friends contracted genital herpes from her bf, who had a cold sore. While she knew about the cold sore when they had oral sex, she did not realize that cold sores could transmit to a genital infection. It may be "less common," but it certainly does happen.

[CarnelianButterfly]

I had HSV1 in my eyes, so I know it can migrate, my treatment was anti-inflammatory for the conjunctivitis.

[Kalika]

I had HSV1 in my eyes, so I know it can migrate, my treatment was anti-inflammatory for the conjunctivitis.

 

Actually this happened to my friend's bf as well, the one who gave her herpes.. Somehow the virus got into his eyes (which I guess isn't too difficult for it to happen) .. That must really suck

[CarnelianButterfly]

Its gone now, but its actually most threatening of the infection locations, because while the other areas of the body cause discomfort, ocular infections can cause blindness.

[Kalika]

ocular infections can cause blindness.

 

That's freaking insane.

[CarnelianButterfly]

That's freaking insane.

The virus infects nerve cells along the cornea and as the cells die from the infection they form scar tissue, the scar tissue will eventually lead to vision loss and require corneal transplants. It is actually the way most people in the US become blind because of a disease.

 

There is also a rare chance that the herpes virus will infect the brain, causing Herpes simplex encephalitis. It can be fatal and can cause long term neurological effects.

[Kalika]

The virus infects nerve cells along the cornea and as the cells die from the infection they form scar tissue, the scar tissue will eventually lead to vision loss and require corneal transplants. It is actually the way most people in the US become blind because of a disease.

 

There is also a rare chance that the herpes virus will infect the brain, causing Herpes simplex encephalitis. It can be fatal and can cause long term neurological effects.

 

Now that, I did not know.

 

To the OP - I hope you got some information out of this.. At least, I hope you have made an appointment with your internist.