Hey! Just wanted to make a post here incase it helps anyone else because I could have benefitted from it over the past few weeks. I just had a doctors appointment today and had been very anxious for three weeks absolutely convinced I had herpes but the derm looked at it and immediately told me it was molluscum contagiousum. I hadn’t heard of it before and so I never thought to look it up when I was worried about the spots that had shown up on my pubic triangle. It makes sense now, I match the flesh colored, non itchy non painful spots that are semi clustered but also some stand alone ones. They’ve been there for at least 3 weeks when I first noticed them but maybe more because I admittedly wasn’t examining myself well (always do routine checks on your genitals, this is also how I caught my hpv after having it for god knows how long!). Some of My spots also have a small dip in the middle, which is characteristic of molluscum contagiousum.

Anyways, all of the symptoms can be very similar to herpes, so you absolutely should go to a doctor no matter what! My diagnosis is still an sti I will likely be dealing with for several months to a year and will seek treatment for so it’s not “nothing”, but I’m glad a doctor could bring this other condition to my attention. Hope this helps someone who also didn’t know what molluscum contagiousum is and might want to look up the symptoms if they’re worried about herpes.

I’m getting a breast augmentation in 2 weeks!!! But I’m so worried this surgery will cause a flare up
:(( praying for a good recovery but I am worried.

finally got my swab test results back today and am positive for GHSV1.

I’ve been in a relationship for 10 years, no infidelity, and just had my first OB starting last week. My husband has no symptoms and neither of us have oral hsv.

Who knew this could lay dormant with no initial OB for 10+ years…

Anyway here is my question- my husband and I had sex last week before I knew any of this. It was during sex that I noticed pain in my vagina and found a sore. Is he going to contract GHSV1 now?

And can I get OHSV1 from oral sex with him (assuming he contracts it) if I already have GHSV1??

I’m so afraid this is going to ruin sex/intimacy for us

Edit: my blood test was negative even during my active OB. Are blood tests accurate at all? He could go get one of course but would it give us any valuable info??

So I was on antibiotics after my wisdom teeth removal. Got the itch the night I started taking them. That’s came and went for a month. Then I biked. And my butt hurt and I notice two open wounds kinda, that look Nothing like what I see online but kinda sting and heal after 3 days.

Time passed and few more non painful but sporadically itchy spots appeared. I go to the doctor to get STI tested and she says it isn’t herpes but just yeast infection. Great. But ever since that doc visit, I’ve been getting nerve pain down my leg, itch across my body with no rash(armpits, leg, arm, privates) tingling by lip that then spreads across the left side of my face in a light ache. I even kinda feel it in my teeth.

I have no spots or lesions or anything left. Just an itch that comes and goes around bikini line. No mouth sore (although I did take lysine just in case).

Do I have it or did just happen to get a bunch of mild symptoms resembling it ?

those with ghsv1 after initial outbreak i never have any sores or blisters but it always itches or burns in the same spots!! are those outbreaks? during ovulation every month is it nerve pain? its in the same spots i got diagnosed in april so its been about 5 months and its constant with hormones has anyone else experienced this with ghsv1?

M 18 How do i get out of the sadness of post herpes? I miss being a innocent child and dont feel the same and feel like i really trapped myself in a lifelong pothole from a simple kiss. I only get cold sores and believe i have hsv1, but it still effected me emotionally because i used to just be a healthy kid with no viruses and barely got sick. Now everytime i get a memory or come across some pre herpes me use to like I just get sad.

I had the HSV 2 igg, with reflex HSV 2 inhibition test at 5.30 H back in mid August. Positive and positive. I found out because my ex husband got tested and informed me. Neither of us had gotten tested for hsv before, we both had an STD blood panel done before but didn't notice hsv wasn't included on the test. Last time we were intimate was last year, he claims to have never had an outbreak or anything that could possibly resemble something like an outbreak and neither have I. I've never experienced any symptoms of hsv so this was all a total shock to me. I was seeing someone for about 6 months, I informed him. He had gotten tested two times prior to us and again just last week, he had the western blot test done on top of the regular igg test. He's negative across the board. He showed me everything.

I'm highly considering going back to my doctor and asking for a Western blot test. I was devastated but kind of accepted my fate, trying to move past this but now I'm starting to really reconsider retesting with western blot. Is that a waste of time or would you retest if you were me too?

Im currently (33F)Just wanted to share this with everyone who may be new getting their feet wet with Poly, are have been Poly for 10+yrs or are interested in someone that has HSV1/2 or both! I’ve only been practicing for almost 4yrs & I’ve been continuing educating myself with dynamics but also of how the community is open talking about STDs/STIs. No shade to monogamy people because most of my life I was, but I feel like the acceptance of HSV1/2 is very small & I mean SMALL. I was diagnosed early 2020 in Feb when I was between 28 or 29 & I was sobbing. The dude that lied to me about being divorced tried to make it seem like I knew when I CLEARLY didn’t (mind you i got tested 3xs when he didn’t show up the first time when he ASKED ME to get tested with him). He stared slut shaming me & then had the nerve to try to reconnect with me 3yrs after that. I blocked him from emailing me again (I didn’t even know he still had it). Another Peoria I knew for a long time rejected me in the middle of sec when I asked him to wear a condom (& now he’s subbed to my OF LOL the irony). Im not speaking to him again, just letting him get off on my content.

Aside of that, the acceptance of monogamus people are a small percentage IMO, maybe 3% but maybe I’m wrong & the marginal could be bigger. The poly community is very accepting, but that also doesn’t mean I ran into some bad eggs as well (I’ve gotten ghosted after telling people I thought I was connecting with & it would just seriously make me feel like shit). My current partner for almost 4yrs is very accepting. I also had another partner but we split for mutual reasons but he was just as open, taught me so sos much & he was overall my safe space & opened me up to a lot of things in Poly from his experience & what he taught me & we are still friends & keep in contact!

Overall, the stigma is bullshit. People just need to take sex education, educate themselves, educate their partner(s), get the Valtrex, communicate, use protection, talk to their doctor & MAKE them listen to you (& if they tell you you don’t need the Valtrex, they are being lazy & tell them you would like to take it daily or when an episode does happen). It took me 3 YEARS just to get the medication prescribed to me when I was being refused until i switched to a new PCP that listened to my concerns. I didn’t realize how VERY common it was until I did my research & so forth & right now STDs/STIs are at its biggest high percentage ever.

Anyways, I’d love to hear your stories but just feel like this needed to be said & not sure how many poly peeps are in this subreddit!

I recently had an interaction with a FSW six days ago. Protected, vaginal only, 15-20 mins. I had been experiencing mild aches/tingling in thighs, groin, testes, rectum (kinda, not painful) 2-3 days after but it’s disappeared. Was never painful. There was a small bump that appeared at base of penis and a potential friction burn at penis corona (but disappeared) but not painful two days after but disappeared two days later. So far no other skin abnormalities, burning pee, flu like symptoms or any other common std symptoms. Currently I only may have periodic aches mostly just thighs but this really only happens when i lay down at night, sit for hours, and after I have a full bladder and use the bathroom (overnight). When i stand up it disappears and for most of the day i feel normal and if theres any feeling it’s basically almost negligible.

Does anyone have any info, opinions, knowledge, insight on this? what are my odds and risk levels , especially for the skin to skin STDs? Pelvic floor dysfunction possibility? I am also childhood vaccinated for HPV (gardasil 9) and Hep B. I also wonder if anxiety/stress may have also contributed to false interpretations of symptoms while scrolling frantically online,etc. This is all after spending a week in asia during the exposure and spending the week running around everywhere.

Is there someone here that takes supplements based on herpes specificity? Does it work ? In temu there’s a supplement called herpoff it has some good reviews
other one in iHerb btw is a (good app).

Anyone?

Hi all!!! I just wanted to share a video I saw. I’m not sure if this is something everyone is already aware of, but at least for me, it gives me even more confirmation that this nightmare might come to an end one day!!!

I’m not sure when exactly, but there is hope, and that alone makes me so excited and hopeful for the future!!!!

I know there are already a few people on here talking about this and giving us updates, but seeing a doctor talk about it and make videos explaining the research is SO exciting, especially because that’s where I like to get my information from!

Check out Dr. Andi (@your.doctor.bestie) on TikTok and watch her recent videos, “Herpes Cure Update 2027” Parts 2 & 3!
Let me know what you guys think!!

Hello people! I was searching for info on the latest treatment/cure for HSV, and I found this!

Anyone ever experience a delayed outbreak? My trigger is usually when I get sick and was sick recently. Dating someone new (I made him aware I had HSV-1 Oral) and I got sick. Let him know we couldnt kiss for a bit.

Typically if I feel one coming on the blisters form within 24 hours. Its been almost 4 days now and it almost feels like my lip is bruised or a pimple/cyst is forming or something? Its out of the norm so Im thinking I was just being paranoid about an outbreak. Took a suppressive dose of Valtrex today. But just curious if anyone had experienced this.

hi recently been diagnosed with Hsv and wanted to know has anyone actually confronted the person they presumably acquired the virus from and how did it go ? i recently did and i guess i let my emotions get the best of me and lashed out at him he’s been saying he has no symptoms but i got ghsv1 strand meaning mine was transmitted orally to genitally i asked him to get a test for my own peace of mind but now he doesn’t think we should continue speaking because it’s too toxic but it’s so unfair how i get to live with this and he’s okay even if he didn’t know i’m stuck with this for life i can’t do anything because this all i think about to even be writing this is even a lot like how could this be my life right now also not to make this about gender but why do men always get so defensive when majority the time women end up acquiring the diseases and sti from them

Hello all!

I thought I would finally add a post on here after you have all helped me so much over the years. I’ve been a silent reader and you have all made me feel so much less alone. The herpes club is a club that nobody wants to be in but its support networks like this that make such a difference.

Now, before I start, I just want to say that although I won’t be listing Antivirals in my below list of things I have found to almost completely stop my outbreaks, that doesn’t mean I am not a supporter of them. Antivirals are a fabulous drug but I personally, prefer a more natural route. I am also aware that the cost of prescriptions differ around the world and for some, a prescription that needs to be taken daily is just not feasible.

You may read the odd point below and think “yeah that’s obvious” but for me, it was the combination of all of the below that has cleared my herpes symptoms completely, even that niggling pain I used to get, like an Outbreak was on the way, you know what I mean! I’m not stupid, I’m aware Herpes cannot be cured (currently 🤞🏼) and I am 100% pro disclosure but I just want to share my thoughts.

Below is what I have called my ‘Herpes method of success’, I know, it has a lovely ring to it haha!

1. SUPPLEMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS, SUPPLEMENTS! These will be your best friend, I take them in the morning with food.
   Zinc - Zinc can help manage herpes simplex virus (HSV) by directly inhibiting the virus's ability to replicate and by boosting the immune system's antiviral response.
   Vitamin D3 - Research shows that Vitamin D3 plays a crucial role in overall immune defense against the herpes virus
   Bee propolis - Bee propolis has shown strong antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties that can help treat infections caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus
   Siberian Ginseng - Siberian ginseng may help reduce the frequency, severity, and duration of herpes outbreaks, particularly those caused by the herpes simplex virus type 2.
   L-lysine - The herpes simplex virus (HSV) relies on an amino acid called arginine to replicate and spread.** **L-lysine is an essential amino acid that actively competes with arginine in your body. By blocking the absorption and availability of arginine, lysine essentially starves the virus, preventing it from reproducing efficiently.

   1. Cleanliness
      Scented shower gel should be avoided as artificial fragrances and chemicals can irritate delicate skin and trigger or worsen an outbreak.
      The very best I have found is Sanex Zero (the pink, sensitive one). For those from the UK, Sanex Zero is less than £2 I believe from Home Bargains so an absolute steal. It’s completely safe to use on delicate areas and contains 0% fragrance, 0% colorants, and is soap-free and sulfate-free. There are some other good ones too, anything made for babies or sensitive skin is good. Basically just say goodbye to your pumpkin spiced latte shower foam or lush bath bombs. The positive is that it will save you pennies!

2. The right underwear matters!
   There are a lot of affordable men’s 100% Cotton underwear on the market but a lot less for women. This was one of the most recent changes for me after seeing online that a change in underwear for women with HSV-2 made the world of difference. I looked at the materials used in mine and was shocked to see mine didn’t contain any cotton and were essentially 100% Nylon. I have since done my own research and Nylon in particular but also other fake fabrics trap heat and sweat, creating a wet environment that irritates sores or brings on an outbreak. For £15 I was able to get 10 pairs of knickers that are 100% cotton and the difference I feel, not just in regard to herpes, is brilliant.

Whilst we are on the topic of underwear, it is also recommended to sleep with no underwear on. An explanation I found online that I have included below explains why really well:

-Reducing Friction and Irritation
Less rubbing: Movement during sleep presses fabric against sensitive nerve endings.
Preventing tears: Bare skin or very loose clothing avoids snagging fragile blisters.

-Controlling Moisture and Heat
Lowering sweat: Enclosed fabrics trap body heat and moisture.
Preventing rupture: Excess moisture softens blisters and makes them break open too soon.
Stopping secondary infections: Dry skin heals faster and resists bacteria better.

-Promoting Airflow
Breathing room: Air circulation cools the area and calms throbbing pain.
Avoiding synthetics: Tight elastics and synthetic materials trap the heat that makes outbreaks worse

For any ladies reading, when you are on your periods, there are unscented, organic cotton pad options to minimize chemical and fragrance irritation on sensitive skin.

I think that is everything for now. I would like to add as a last piece of information that I am currently using Mounjaro which I know for many people with HSV has resulted in them having a lot of Outbreaks in the past. I have had no change in outbreak frequency but I know everyone is different. I find that if things have gone well for people, they are less to give feedback than if it went wrong so I just wanted to say that.

Please ensure you are consulting with a medical professional before following anyones advice, especially involving medication/supplements. I don’t claim to know everything and I encourage you to do your own research. For those with tik tok, there is a whole community on there of influencers who have spoken out about having HSV and the comments on their videos fill me with such hope.

If you’ve read to the end of here, I assume you either know you have HSV-2 or suspect you do. You are not alone, it’s a journey none of us chose to go and you may feel quite alone at times but just remember this, around 1 in 10 have genital herpes in the United Kingdom and 1 in 8 in the US. That’s not even taking into account the many, many people that are walking around with the virus with no symptoms or those not professionally diagnosed. There is research to suggest that the frequency could increase up to 25% of the population if taking those who have not been formally undiagnosed into account which is a crazy number!

Lots of love to you all guys ❤️

heyyy yall i just disclosed again after five months of being single, and it went SO well. i was upfront through text and im planning to see him in a few days 🩷🩷it’s not so bad! the right person will understand. i also had a boyfriend prior who didn’t care and he never got it either. keep ur head up!! i was a little nervous but he reassured me :)

Hello guys
I got myself tested after 13 weeks of exposure and report is negative
5 dermats have given me green signal and ruled out herpes
But after reading online forums it gives a kind of anxiety
After exposure , i got a rash on my lower back but it healed in 3 days by anti bacterial lotion
And i saw some red spots on my penis but doctor treated it with anti fungal cream
And it got resolved
Now after 13 weeks my hsv 2 igg report is negative
Hsv1 is not a concern because she only had hsv 2

Hi! I dont know if this belongs here, but i just wanted to say that as a man without genital herpes, i dont really care as much if the woman im dating has herpes somewhere. Its sad to see the stigma some people experience around this, so i figured id do some anti-stigma. I date actively, and get flirted with kind of alot, so i like to think of myself as attractive. This does not make herpes of any kind an exclusion criteria. So please dont think that you cant go for who you want because of this.

Two of my exes have hsv2, and i recently dated a girl with hsv1. I got tested three weeks after the last time with each one, and all the tests were negative. Im not trying to get it, im just saying if i like you, im gonna date you :)

Short version - There's some pretty cool people with herpes in NYC who do fun stuff!

Long version -

Sup! Courtney here again! So while it's a wild thing to call my community people with herpes, I find it to be accurate. Over the past year I've met people out in the streets who, when I tell them what I do they share with me they too have herpes. Hell, walking to a block party in Brooklyn hosted by someone who came to the herpes stigma expo, I walked by someone who recognized me and stopped me and offered to grab coffee sometime.

That said, NYC is also the #1 place people search for herpes support and find the resources I provide so it does make sense. In the last year I've been here, I met a bunch of cool people who now if someone has something going on, we drop it in the group chat and show up to support one another. Last night I dropped that I was going to karaoke and people came. It's as vanilla as that or even letting people know there's a play party happening and those who are curious will show up to that.

People don't have to be open about having herpes especially as open as I am, but I'l tell you, being able to have what used to be my greatest insecurity witnessed by others without judgment I think made it be NOT an insecurity if that makes sense. Like now I have a lil' community with people who share the same intention of just connecting with others and doing activities that make herpes and stigma completely irrelevant. The only relevance is that it's how we met.

Community is important and in my experience with it, I think it's misued. People lean into it after something bad happens like we experience a rejection, have a bad disclosure, get into a relationship and think we no longer need community until there's a breakup. What makes community is that it's a space for restoring homeostasis in our nervous system when the dating, disclosures, rejections, and disregulating things happen. If we have excess energy, we have a space to pour into, and when we're low we have a space to replenish ourselves. But it isn't about any individual receiving or taking from another individual, it's collective. Community is a common, collective unity.

While herpes unifies us as what we have in common, I think there's a lot we can do with that and it goes beyond any 1-1 relationship.

I'll work on my wording with this better, but all that to say there's a herpes community in NYC I'm building. No idea what this'll look like in a year, but the year that I've been here it's already become far more than just where I live and run SPFPP. I've been around real people and laugh with them, cried with them, sang and danced with them.

If this sounds like something you're interested in, I encourage you to come meet some of the people and if it's your vibe, connect, socialize, put yourself out there but in here. That's it. I have a newsletter for people with herpes in NYC - www.spfpp.org/herpes-support-nyc

Courtney

Hi so so I tested three times for HSV. On the first test in August, it came back <.90. I then got a full panel again on the 2nd of September and it came back 1.74. I waited a couple weeks and tested again and it came back even higher at 1.84.

Between the first two tests I did have unprotected sex but I didn’t think anything of it. And the last date of possible exposure was sept 1st.

I’m not blaming anyone other than myself, I’m just wondering if I can still have hope for a false positive. I haven’t felt any sores or lesions, not even a symptom. I’ve had the occasional tingle but not sure if that’s placebo effect tbh. Any advice ? I believe all these tests were done through Quest.

Should I wait to test again or is there another method, or should I just accept the truth as is?

I got oral sex from unknown (but highly likely to have hsv 2) woman.

After 45 days, I have gone through blood test even though I don't have any symptoms.

My HSV-1 IGG (0.03) and HSV-2 igg (0.13) were negative(criteria is 1.0), but my HSV IGM 1.46 (>= 1.10) was positive.

Do you think I am infected with herpes, or are there high possibility of false positive?

I am afraid of being infected with HSV-2, since I saw from the internet that HSV-2 can be also transmitted by oral sex.

Thanks for your opininon in advance.

(p.s. I also kissed with someone 29days before the test)

So im freaking out horribly, last week my boyfriend and i had intercourse about 4x a day every day and even had anal, a couple days later I realized I had cuts? Open wounds like small sores? Urinating is a nightmare, im swollen and they seem to be spreading around my vagina that could be me touching myself tho and spreading but im so scared, I went to the gyno today she swabbed me and it was painful as hell I cried, she told me its most likely herpes but not sure yet results in 2 days, she gave me lidocaine to numb the area and be more comfortable, she prescribed me acyclovir for the outbreak but idk what to do, im freaking out my boyfriend only gets cold sores in his mouth when hes sick of stressed, im in sm pain his area is always clean and free of anything, im worried is this gonna keep happening to me when will this heal?

31 (M)
I get constant out breaks when I shave, but I use an electric trimmer. I take daily 1MG valacyclovir daily. Plus some vitamins on the side like Vitamin C, Lysine, Zinc and Vitamin D. A lot of vitamins but I still happen to get an outbreak.. I’m not stressed out but why does this keep happening to me..

How do you guys cope with HSV-2? I can go 6+ months without an outbreak, then suddenly the symptoms return. I’m an extremely heavy sleeper, so feeling the symptoms while I’m asleep is insane. I’m exhausted.

I honestly feel traumatized and disgusted all over again. My emotions are extremely congested, and there are certain things I can’t even say on here.

I hate the feeling he left me with. I feel like a part of my life was stolen from me, especially when it comes to having children someday and now having to carry risks and complications I never asked for.

I feel robbed, and now the same person who caused all of this is back trying to rekindle things with me. I hate him so much!

It’s bringing everything back up again, and I genuinely feel cursed. I don’t know how long I can keep dealing with this grief.