Std!

[mazzy1212]

Oh Boy.

 

I get tested every year for STD's just to be safe (except last year bc the wait for the lab tech was crazy long and I had to get to work). Anywho, I got a call today. My bloodwork shows I've been exposed to the herpes 2 virus.

 

Yikes.

 

Ive never had an outbreak or anything that would make me suspect something was going on down there. Thank god I get tested anyway. I know they say 1 out of 5 people carry the virus and that 2/3 of them dont know... so now im part of that stat. I wonder where I got it from and I wonder if I passed it on to anyone. Ive only been with 6 people, all were protected except for my two long term bf's and once, recently, the condom broke with a guy.

 

If I never had an outbreak does that mean I never will? The reading Ive done seems to suggest that. They say that outbreaks occur 2 to 12 days after exposure.

 

Im so upset. Condoms forever I guess...

[DaynaLovesYou]

Wow. I'm sorry to hear that. But don't worry its good that you got yourself tested and now you know and can move on with ur life. Thats good that you didn't have any outbreaks..however it doesn't mean that in the future you won't, b/c the virus at times lays dormant. But you could go the rest of your life and never have an outbreak. Good luck with everything...you'll be okay.

[mazzy1212]

thank you. im a lil confused. i know its a common thing with it being 20% of the pop and all, i just dont know what to do. do i tell future partners? do i tell the old ones?

 

i havent been perfect, but ive been pretty responsible. i dont want to cause anyone harm. ignorance is bliss, but thats how people spread disease.

[Sparkly Eyes]

yeah, you might be one of those people who never show symptoms. But it doesn't mean that you can't transmit it to other people, so you have to be careful if you have sex and possibly let them know about it before doing it.

[Cognitive_Canine]

You need to call everyone you've had sex with since you were last tested and tell them to get tested.

 

You must always tell your future partner before you have sex.

[sweetooth]

As you know, you are far from alone. Unfortunately for us women, it is easier for us to catch an STD like herpes 2; hence why 1:4 women have it and 1:5 men do. I am also asymptomatic. If you have a healthy lifestyle with a good diet, excercise, etc, you can help prevent future breakouts.

 

As for telling partners, I decided not to bother telling old partners as they could have had it already or not even had it. For future, you are *supposed* to tell them; someone can actually sue you if they get it from you...

 

Anyway, I plan to tell my future partners. There is lots of information out there that can give you tips for telling partners. Good luck and life goes on! It does not define WHO you are.

[Cognitive_Canine]

As you know, you are far from alone. Unfortunately for us women, it is easier for us to catch an STD like herpes 2; hence why 1:4 women have it and 1:5 men do. I am also asymptomatic. If you have a healthy lifestyle with a good diet, excercise, etc, you can help prevent future breakouts.

 

As for telling partners, I decided not to bother telling old partners as they could have had it already or not even had it. For future, you are *supposed* to tell them; someone can actually sue you if they get it from you...

 

Anyway, I plan to tell my future partners. There is lots of information out there that can give you tips for telling partners. Good luck and life goes on! It does not define WHO you are.

 

But they could be giving it to their partners.

[mazzy1212]

thank you sweet tooth.

 

i want to do the right thing, but i sorta feel odd about telling past people. its not life threatening. im not saying its nothing, but they should be getting tested yearly like i do if they have concern. if i do the math and all then its one of three guys so if i tell the three guys, one of them is the one who gave this to me. i doubt they will go and get tested, which is neither here nor there...

 

also ive been doing research and it says that the blood test which shows the herpes 2 antibodies can be a false positive and the only way to know for sure is to test for the virus in the fluid in a break out, and ive never had a break out. so i dont want to go telling people i have herpes when i dont! i mean, the research shows its more likely than not, but still possible to have bloodwork show exposure yet not actually have the virus.

[Cognitive_Canine]

It is YOUR responsibility to tell them.

[mazzy1212]

but what about the second part/paragraph? i cant go running around yelling fire when there isnt one...

[Cognitive_Canine]

but what about the second part/paragraph? i cant go running around yelling fire when there isnt one...

 

While you wait to get tested, some poor girls could be getting infected. Just tell your exboyfriends that you're having an STD scare.

[renaissancewoman101]

I agree with the OP, don't want to start a scare, because she might have a false positive on her test.

 

If I were to have an STD, I would want to make 99.99% sure that I DO have one before I go telling people (so would get tested twice, even 3 times), just because it is such a stigma.

[sweetooth]

Actually, good point, that is one of the main reasons why I have not told past partners, because it has not been 100% confirmed. There are various tests out there and although most of the newer ones are more accurate, it's still not 100%. Also, there are plenty of clinics that will not test for herpes unless you have an actual outbreak.

[3boys]

I wouldn't tell anyone yet. I had a doctor tell me that a sore was herpes when it actually wasn't. It was simply irritation from a yeast infection. He never did a scratch test of the sore but the blood test came back positive, but when I had another one when I was pregnant, my OB did a scratch biopsy as well as a blood test and both came back negative for herpes, but the biopsy was positive for candida. Both sores were exactly the same, even in the same location and I've gotten a few more, all in conjunction with yeast infections.

[renaissancewoman101]

I guess yeast infections get mistaken for herpes a lot.

 

That's scary.

[orchidrose]

I wouldn't tell anyone yet. I had a doctor tell me that a sore was herpes when it actually wasn't. It was simply irritation from a yeast infection. He never did a scratch test of the sore but the blood test came back positive, but when I had another one when I was pregnant, my OB did a scratch biopsy as well as a blood test and both came back negative for herpes, but the biopsy was positive for candida. Both sores were exactly the same, even in the same location and I've gotten a few more, all in conjunction with yeast infections.

 

I had a similar situation. My very first gyno visit, the doc told me she saw a herpes sore and I had a blood test. Turned out to be a yeast infection gone awry.

[Cognitive_Canine]

I guess yeast infections get mistaken for herpes a lot.

 

That's scary.

 

Do people get bumps when they get yeast infections?

 

I didn't realize it was easy to confuse the two but I may not get the same symptoms as most.

[Catdancer]

A friend of mine used baby oil as lube (stupid I know) and she broke out. She didnt realize at the time that the outbreak was from the oil, so she went to the doctor, they told her that she had been exposed to herpes. The did take a swab and sent it out, but the results didnt come back for a couple of days. So, she was trying to explain to her husband, who she has been completely faithful to, how she got herpes. And then 2 days later they call her with the results, it was not herpes.

[renaissancewoman101]

Do people get bumps when they get yeast infections?

 

I didn't realize it was easy to confuse the two but I may not get the same symptoms as most.

 

I did.

 

About 2 years ago, I had excessive vaginal itching and found a small bump in my bits. It had been a long time since I had sexual relations with anyone, but I got freaked out thinking it was herpes or anything of that nature. I went to see a gyno and got tested for EVERYTHING under the sun. Turns out, it was a nasty yeast infection and and it went away with antibiotics.

[Cognitive_Canine]

I did.

 

About 2 years ago, I had excessive vaginal itching and found a small bump in my bits. It had been a long time since I had sexual relations with anyone, but I got freaked out thinking it was herpes or anything of that nature. I went to see a gyno and got tested for EVERYTHING under the sun. Turns out, it was a nasty yeast infection and and it went away with antibiotics.

 

That stinks, what a nasty scare.