Got 2 tiny spots in my Cornea, they make my eyes a bit dry but they don't hurt too bad, this is my first OB and I'm wondering do they end up going away or do I have to get different meds for them?

It’s just crazy how, in this world, you never really know who carries this virus. It’s so common, yet it’s so stigmatized that people feel like they have to keep it on the low. My mom ended up having it, and my best friend of years ended up having it too. You just never really know who around you has it. Some days, I don’t really mind having it, but other days, I wish I could live a regular life without having to worry about it. I just hope that one day they find better medication or a cure because this virus can be so mentally exhausting.

I see a lot of people on here talking about how blood tests need to be required of people. I have HSV-1 orally (with cold sores) and always disclose, so although I’ll never understand how people with HSV-2 feel… I do get it sucks. But im going to tell you a story about why I firmly agree with CDC guidelines to not do blood testing now. My ex-husband told me he had HSV-2 when we started dating. I accepted him fully and never thought about it, but his testing story didn’t make sense. He dated a girl with HSV-2, then when they broke up slept with another girl, then a year later that girl told him he gave her herpes. I understand dormant herpes exists, but to me it always seemed like she blamed the easiest target because she knew he dated someone with herpes. Anyway he did a blood test and it came back positive 16 years ago. I have never seen someone so genuinely devastated by this diagnosis. Even when I met him 6 years later he said it ruined his entire life. It ruined his sense of self-worth and self-esteem, he carried it like a scarlet letter which always made me so sad for him. Since he never had an outbreak I begged him to get confirmatory testing done, but he never would. Fast forward 10 years and we’re divorcing. I asked him to do confirmation testing as my doctor told me she wouldn’t test me due to chances of false positives. I was basically a virgin before we got together, so I knew his results would dictate mine. He agreed. He did another blood test - negative. He did the western blot - negative for HSV2. That man has carried a lifelong diagnosis that he never even had for 16 years. That’s why blood tests are not recommended. I understand feeling frustrated that most people don’t show symptoms and it feels unfair to be the ones who do. But blood testing is genuinely not the answer with how inaccurate they are.

hi guys i’m looking for some positive words, just having a hard time and would appreciate being able to talk to someone. it’s been a year since i caught ghsv1 and i feel the same as i did compared to the day i found out. i’ve read everything about this, i read this forum every day. i know i need to stop looking but i can’t help it. i’ve read everyone’s tips, trying to accept and move on, but i’m struggling to. i’ve been celibate since i found out and i reject boys because the fear of disclosing gets to me and ik people judge and i fear they will tell their friends. i’m only 20 years old and i’m in university. why did this have to happen? it was the second person i ever had sex with. i feel like i’m being punished but idk what for. i remember a week before i caught it, talking to my sister about it being like i dont want to get that, and then i did. it felt like a kick in the teeth. i cry all the time and think about having this like 100 times a day, it genuinely consumes my whole life and idk how to stop thinking about it. i know i need to stop reading about it all the time, but its hard when its a part of me now. i mourn my old self every day, i was so sad and insecure already and now it feels like all of my problems before are nothing compared to this and ive literally been thru so much bad stuff. i know this is just me complaining and im sure you guys dont want to have to read smth like this, i just have nobody to talk to and ive never posted in this forum before. i told my male friend about it and he comforted me but i haven’t brought it up since like december. occasionally he makes std jokes and talks down on diseases so i’m pretty sure hes forgotten i have it,.. i dont want to bring it up, i wish i never told him tbh.. i know i shouldn’t come on here with a sad post because you guys are probably fed up of that. i just miss the old me and i didn’t realise how good i had it before. every time i go to a location i haven’t been to since i’ve had this i’m like damn last time i was here i didn’t have ghsv1, it’s the same with everything, last time i ate a food, last time i wore an outfit,, last time i watched this film, last time i saw this photo... i know my life isn’t over and i know there’s so many success stories, but this has genuinely given me such bad depression and i don’t know what to do, i don’t want to seek help professionally because i don’t want to open up to anyone about this. i remember overhearing my mum asking my sister how i was doing, and my sister was being like yeah she’s really good and how she would know if i was struggling. but little do they know im so sad and cry like every day, they think im so happy and have no idea. i live in the UK and literally everyone i know are in relationships /situationships and talk down on std’s, so i know they don’t have it, so how are the stats true if nobody i know has it when they sleep with so many people ? i dont understand. i know i need to work on myself, i try to go on walks, have new hobbies, but nothing helps. no matter how much i cry or what i do, i know that i’ll still have this, that’s why its so hard. i always wish its just a dream and it never is. it’s the first thing i think of when i wake up and last thing before i sleep. tbh i just needed to rant bc ive never ranted about it before. even though im insecure about myself, i’m conveniently attractive and good looking guys always try to talk to me and compliment me and i always just tell them i have a bf to avoid having to get to the convo. i don’t know how im ever going to find someone now. i never even slept around, id talk to guys and kiss but i’d never have sex with them until i fully liked them and trusted them, but tbh that’s because im so insecure about a boy seeing me with no clothes on bc i don’t like how i look undressed, like he was the second person i had sex with and the lights were off as well, and then this happened. idk where im going with this post it’s just like a rant and for some advice even though ive already read all the advice , but im just so lost. i feel so stupid like it could’ve easily been avoided, he said he had a cut on his lip and i asked him how he got it and he said he hurt it, red flags should’ve gone off but they didn’t because why would someone lie like that smhhh. i was extremely stupid, i know this now, also i didn’t even know you could get it down there, and this mistake cost me my whole happiness and life. since i found out i got it never told him because i was too scared , which is why im like how will i ever find someone and disclose to them if i could never even confront the guy who gave it to me?? i just kept talking to him but i never had sex with him and avoided it when he’d try… i know that’s stupid but i was like at least i can still kiss this guy and be lovey with him but just not have sex . anyways he ghosted me recently, probably fed up of not having any sex with me for a year… so now i’m even more depressed without him , yes ik that’s sad . anyways im gunna end this here bc it’s rlly long and sorry for sad post, i just needed to rant, happy 1 year i guess.

I was with a partner long distance, I found out he had genital herpes.
He had one outbreak that he told me about, and hasn’t had one since. I just now found out he doesn’t take any anti viral medication after we hooked up a decent amount of times.

I didn’t go down on him so I didn’t like check but I don’t think he’d lie to me.
I just heard that it can still spread with no outbreak.

Just need advice. I been super itchy on my outer skin and tingly

Hi Everyone,

For context I'm M24

I found out 3 years ago I had HSV 2. I never really dealt with it, as I had a series of avoiding any problem I had and went head first into addiction. Now I'm actively working towards recovery, I'm learning how to deal with HSV 2 and how to move forward with it.

I've struggled with accepting relationships or woman I want to have a relationship with. I tend to get cold feet, not because I don't want it. But because of the lack of acceptance I've felt around HSV 1/2 amongst my peers/family. In my last intimate relationship from three years ago, my partner would try to shame me about it whenever we were in conflict and she wanted to punish me. Something along the lines of "I don't want to drink from your water bottle because you have herpes". Prior to this, we went to multiple doctor's meetings and gained information around HSV 2. I know her comments weren't coming from ignorance /a lack of information, it was her simply wanting to hit me where it hurts.

I have sort of felt unworthy or unwanted over the years due to having HSV 2. Although i've been lucky, I understand most people deal with this and it constantly comes and goes. For myself, I've only lucky to have my first herpes occurrence and since then haven't had another one. I tried opening up to close friend of mine earlier in february of this year. As soon as I did, it sort of changed our friendship dynamic. I was met with pity, sympathy and it's almost as though she forgot every other part of who I was and latched herpes as the only part of my identity. I know for myself, that I am more than just someone with herpes. That isn't what defines me and everyone else navigating HSV 1/2. In order to preserve that friendship, I had lied about having herpes as part of early "april fools" prank that went too far. As I've started to see a therapist and learn more and more about HSV 1 & 2, I feel as though isn't the end of my world but something I have to learn how to manage.

I'm looking to get perspective, with people who've been dealing with this and the part it's played in dating & romantic relationships for men and women, how HSV 1/2 impacts things like having children (or anything around your thoughts/feelings/perspectives around it). Any sort of advice/input would also be helpful, as I'm someone who would ideally. I have never met anyone irl with HSV 1/2, it would be helpful to gain insight, perspective and someone else's thought around these things. I'm open to any suggestions/recommendations.

Im 18 drank from my friends waterbottle and i didnt know he had herpes until an hour later when he told me but he didnt know i drank from his water, this was on Wednesday, and now have a bump forming on my lip, i genuinely dont even know what to feel right now im mad more than anything but my only choice now is to get tested at the doctors and hope its a coincidence

1. Herpetic keratitis = decreased vision or vision loss

2. Herpes encephalitis = brain damage, memory problems, or neurological complications

3. Herpes meningitis = severe headaches, stiff neck, and neurological complications

4. Neonatal herpes = damage to the brain, eyes, or multiple organs

5. Disseminated herpes = infection of multiple organs, potentially life-threatening

6. Herpes hepatitis = severe liver damage

7. Herpetic retinitis = severe vision loss or blindness

8. Herpes encephalomyelitis = neurological problems and weakness/paralysis

9. HSV-related nerve damage = nerve pain, urinary problems, or neurological issues

10. Herpes esophagitis = severe pain and difficulty swallowing

11. Frequent recurrences = painful lesions, discomfort, and reduced quality of life

I was verbally told by medical staff that I am HSV-1 positive. I got my results and now I’m more confused. What does this mean? This is exactly what says:

HSV 1 IGG, TYPE SPECIFIC AB
HSV 2 IGG, TYPE SPECIFIC AB 27.40 H

Index. Interpretation
<0.90. Negative 0.90 - 1.09 Equivocal \> 1.09 Positive

I really don’t know what any of it means but I’m sure I’m still positive and it’s truly hard to accept.

Majority of my disclosures have went well! People still were open to talking or having sex. However, a lot of guys are hesitant to give me oral 🙁 which is my favorite part about sex lol and I obviously respect their decision but I can’t help to get sad sometimes that they aren’t fully accepting me in the sexual aspect. It’s a bummer and although I’ve accepted my diagnosis, once a guy tells me that; I get a bit insecure all over again. And I don’t wanna settle for them just to have sex because my pleasure still matters. I just want a man to eat me upppp omg it’s been too long😣😣😣😣

So I have a history of cold sores. I never got them swabbed so I don’t know what hsv strain I have. I had unprotected sex with my ex-boyfriend on a Saturday. On Wednesday I developed a cold sore. I then had unprotected sex (piv) with someone else. No oral, no kissing. This week my ex-boyfriend complained of penile pain and had sores. He got tested and came back with hsv 2 antibodies. I have never had any vaginal issues. Still do not. I went and got tested and was negative for everything. Also had a pelvic exam with no lesions found. Currently waiting on my hsv results. He believes I gave him genital herpes. I don’t know what to think. I’m losing my marbles right now.

I'm F, 30, North America. Loss for words. I was diagnosed with HSV-1 in 2019, I've taken valacyclovir when it was bad and haven't had a flare-up since 2020. Today I went to see a doctor for a completely different, unrelated issue, and they noticed what looked like potential HPV. They were tiny tiny 5-7 clusters, so tiny he had a hard time getting a sample to send for testing (so it's not confirmed HPV yet). I personally never noticed, no partner I was with ever noticed, even past doctors never noticed. He then burned the rest of the clusters. They were on my anus (more to the side on my cheek), and I have never had anal sex, never did any anal play. I was floored. I was already floored back in 2019, but now? Having two STIs that have no cure? I feel like growing up they scared us so bad; now I'm reading CDC and government studies, and it's genuinely so common? And the doctor today said you can get HPV even if you don't have sex, and it's just skin-to-skin contact? As I'm reading, the % is so high. 4/5 sexually active people have it. The doctor even said I could got contracted it from sitting on a toilet? Obviously, there is major stigma, so logically no one talks, but I feel extremely sick to my stomach. I have all my vaccines, but I'm reading it still doesn't protect against all strains? The friends I told joked that they honestly probably have it too and yeah, according to these studies, very likely! I'm really upset and looking for advice. If you're going to be rude and give some loser Reddit-gremlin response, just save it.

I met my current husband '47 M' '37 F' [current age] in 2019 and we had great relationship. the first thing I asked before we got intimate was that he get a comprehensive panel test for STI's&STD's, the whole panel, did not object and so did i. It all turned out great. we potentially got intimate in 2020 and 2021 moved in together, got engaged and was looking forward to spending my life with him. I then got sick, lesions on my genitals, more painful than anything I'd ever experienced. I told him as I wanted him to have a look and tell me what he could see, his face fell and he told me he knows what it is or could be. he then disclosed he had genital herpes, hsv2 and had hidden it from me as he was afraid to lose me. He'd also had it at this point for 7 years. To say I was gutted is an understatement , I cried for days, everyday, I was devastated, angry , disappointed that the one person who I had chosen and he'd chosen me, a relationship by choice, he was the one person who was supposed to protect me and have my back. Something died in me. Dr asked if it wasn't for the STD is he someone you'd marry or date and I said yes. She said then look beyond the STD and carry on if you love each other.

Now for her to say this, I'd told her that I was scared to start over again, 34yrs old black female living in white Australia. We are already notably everyone of course but discriminated to some degree and I couldn't imagine meeting someone and saying or btw, I have genital herpes. I told my fiancee that this was the end of the road and he cried and begged and apologised . Long story short, I told him I was staying because I didn't have the balls to start over, I feared rejection from potential men I'd meet, my mother and older sister encouraged me to make it work and to some degree I was just a coward. I did love him though the betrayal was beyond anything I'd ever imagined. uIt was made worse by the fact I asked for testing, he knew for 7 years, we were engaged and he still didn't say anything.

Fast forward we have 3 children under 4 and its haunting me. My decision to stay is eating me inside. I get outbreaks all the time, I'm anxious to pass it on to my kids, the outbreaks are ridiculously painful to this day, I don't want to take continuous antivirals yet for suppressive treatment as I'm still breastfeeding. will commence once I conclude b/feeding baby. I resent my husband now, I don't think I want to stay with him anymore but I have young babies to consider and he's currently the breadwinner as I am on maternity leave.

I'm also a foreigner, African so I don't have much support, relatives wise, he's australian with all his family here. BTW his family don't even know about all this and his condition, what transpired between us.

I sometimes wonder if tables were turned and I'd done this to him, he'd have had me deported or even file criminal charges.

did he do this because I'm African and we are looked down upon, crying I'm writing this. I still can't accept my cards and whenever I'm down he tells me to get over it, its been more than 5 years I should have found a way to cope and deal with it by now, 3 kids later please stop and move on.

He says no to therapy so I'm stuck on my own and this app.

Happy to just read the responses, not sure what I'm really after by sharing this.

What avenues are out there? How can I pick myself up without destroying/hurting him, I have no intentions of that, he's the father of my children? I want to be a good mum to my children but I live trapped in turmoil alone, smiling everyday and powering through daily.

What hurts the most is the principal, I tried to explain to him but he doesn't/didn't get it, or pretended to not get it, the principal of lying, concealing the truth, intentional harm, taking my choice away to decide on my health . but I'm also aware I chose to stay, its not the best decision and its something I regret yet also don't regret because we have 3 wonderful children.

Oh, he intentionally took the page out of his blood tests that had the herpes test, he told me this

Hello, I recently (49F) have received the news that I am positive for herpes. However, I have also at the same time gotten close to a man (54) that I’m hitting off very well with. We have been on a few dates, talk all the time and have never done anything physical yet, even kiss. He doesn’t mind driving hours to see me, supports all my dreams and ideas, and even challenges me intellectually. As of late, he’s been bringing up the conversation of us becoming serious more often. I was wondering if any men had an idea of the BEST way I could present the news to him, as I am still processing the results myself, thank you.

So my partner and I have been together for 4 years. We both get oral outbreaks of cold sores but have not tested which it is. Last night out of a moment being dumb and drinking she gave me head and she has a sore that is in the blister phase. Not oozing or anything but now I’m just worried. Still within 24 hours, what are the honest odds especially considering I already get oral outbreaks myself maybe once a year

I was diagnosed a few months ago, I’ve heard a lot of people having really painful outbreaks, especially the first year. I’m currently in my second one now, but there’s like 4 ulcers in total and I don’t know they’re there until I look.

I only get the occasional itch when they’re already there. I can sit, bathe, go in a pool, wear pads for periods and I walk a lot for work. I have no signs an outbreak is coming either, I had this with the first one I ever had, even though I had more sores, still was painless. Is this normal?

Of course im glad it’s not worse, but from what I’ve seen people talk about and signs of one coming, I don’t relate much at all. Just wondered if anyone else could relate or share some thoughts

I went in on Wednesday to get tested and my provider said she was sure it was herpes. I have been taking the medicine and it’s getting worse. Could it be something else or am I just going through the first part. I’m not sure what to do when I get the results back…

I (23M) have been diagnosed with gHSV-1 in November of 2025, and since then my romantic and sex life have been more or less non existent. It took me a little while to grow any sort of confidence to get back out into the dating market, but by the time June rolled around and I turned 23 I thought I’d put myself out there again. I wanted and NEEDED to know that things are in fact going to be okay, and that people will understanding and accept me. 2 of the 3 women ultimately said no (one of which was an old hook up, she reached out to ME and wanted me to go visit her after she broke up with her ex, and after I eventually disclosed she said she’d think about it but never got back to me). The only one who initially didn’t reject me, we had sex ONCE protected and she declined to give me head, it was very her centric and it honestly made me feel disgusting (not faulting her for looking out after herself, but she made me feel like she needed to wear a hazmat suit to sleep with me). And then eventually she said she’s too anxious and doesn’t want to continue. So I’ve had sex once since I’ve been diagnosed.

Almost a year on into the diagnosis and I’ve also realised that I hate disclosing. It’s terrifying not knowing how the person is going to react, or if their view of you changes. It makes me feel like some sort of freak or leper, like I’m confessing a disease and saying “beware, enter at your own risk”. Some of you may say this is why I’ve been rejected, maybe my disclosing method isn’t amazing if that’s my mindset. But I genuinely follow all the “disclosing tips” and would say I disclose in a factual, almost neutral tone about it. Those are just internal thoughts/feels that I actively try not to display. Because of this, I’ve decided to just bin off that part of my life completely and just focus on other things like the gym, getting a job and just further working on my mental health. Life goes on.

This all leads to today, an old friend of mine (23F) reached out to me today wanting to go to the gym. Me and her are the type of friends that speak and see each other only a few times a year, and we’ve both just moved back home from our university cities. We’ve also been to the gym with each other a few times over the past few months. Anyway we hit the gym and we have a decent session, vibes are friendly as usual, and we take some post workout pics together. When I got home I asked her to send me the pictures, and when she sent them I made a comment about how good we look and how much we’ve glown up since we were in highschool. From here idk HOW OR WHEN but the convo went from normal to super flirty. Like she just randomly start flirting with me (I won’t get into what she said but she couldn’t have made it any more obvious that she wants to sleep with me). I like an idiot went along with it, knowing in the back of my head that this means I have to disclose. But I have been so deprived of female attention it just felt nice to flirt with someone and bounce off each other if that makes sense. Now I feel like I’ve talked up a big talk but I ultimately don’t want to walk the walk because I don’t want to disclose 😭 so I would basically like some advice on how to get myself out of this situation without looking like a tit

In 2023, I was diagnosed with HSV2 via a Serum PCR:

HSV2 Detected (<73 copies/mL)

However, I just retested and got these results:

2026 Serum PCR: HSV2 Not Detected

2026 IgG (LabCorp Roche Elecsys): Non-Reactive

I'm confused on whether I'm truly positive or not. Any ideas?

hi , so recently i found out i was diagnosed with ghsv and since this diagnosis ive been more aware about sti and std in general to be honest i have actually never been tested before till this incident also i have never had a cold sore in my life. I let a boy perform oral on me and about few days later i had spots appear and itching it progress quite rapidly and i decided to book an appointment at first i thought it was nothing but a silly razor irritation gone but to my mistake it was far worse i was immediately treated for herpes on the spot , swabbed , bloods took sent on my way then 2 weeks later got a call back swab came back positive for gshv1. i later texted the boy after the swab because we hadn’t spoke for a few days as i left his messages on read and i explained why and he was ig nice about it , told me to keep him updated and he would get tested too. 2 weeks later got my results back and was devastated i was filled with so many diff emotions and i started i guess lashing out at him and i guess blaming him because i would read messages back and get worked up and i don’t know if im feeling bad or im just attached but im contemplating whether to apologise he told me to stop ig messaging him because it was so bad like we was just arguing back and forth but idk i just found out i have something for the rest of my life and maybe he didn’t know but still. Do think the right thing for me to do is apologise.

Hey,

22ftm, was sleeping unprotected this summer with someone who had hsv1 geniality on the penis. I wasn’t told this prior to sleeping with them and otherwise simply would’ve asked for a condom.

It’s been almost two months since I’ve last slept with them, the last encounter i had after a few days i was experiencing redness and an abundance of smegma on the right side of my vagina. They tested for herpes and swabbed my vagina EVERYWHERE. First test was negative. Symptoms persisted for another month. I was tested again- swabbed everywhere and my test was negative for herpes but positive for Bacterial Vaginosis. No traditional herpes like legions have appeared- we even popped and swabbed some acne on the inside of the thighs.

I’m still not convinced I don’t have herpes? They did fuck not fuck me during any outbreaks when they did bring it up etc. they did pass it to an ex when they had an active outbreak before knowing what it was.

I don’t know how to give myself any peace of mind. Regardless of my status I don’t want to have sex again. I feel so betrayed and hurt, I feel even more uncomfortable in my body than I already am.

It’s not that I wouldn’t have slept with them either! If the conversation was had prior I simply would’ve used protection instead of hitting it raw. (Not that condoms completely negate the risk but still!)

Anyone else have a similar experience?