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Posted by: Amelia on 2009-03-18, 09:12:47
OK, Papi - I'm finally getting back to you. I'm so sorry it took so long... Anyway, I'm going to try and reconstruct my email I tried to send to you last week. Like I said before, herpes normally presents itself within 7-21 of exposure to the infected partner, but not always. People have had herpes for years without even knowing it. They blame their symptoms on the flu, razor burn and jock itch. Yes, the initial outbreak is normally the worst. The symptoms range from mild to severe and include usually: -open sores on the penis, buttock and even legs -flu like symtoms -pain in the groin -pain while urinating -itchiness Herpes is a tough virus to pinpoint its origin (where you got it from) and is very sneaky. For months, it sits in the ganglia part of your spine dormant. Things like stress, sex, over-exposure to sun can force an outbreak to occur. Your blood work came back as positive for genital herpes, so I am assuming that this is what you have (HSV-2). Now, the question is - when did you get it? The woman you were with 5 weeks ago may not have been the carrier at at. But, more importantly you need to probably come to terms with the fact that you have genital herpes. Your doctor wants to perform another round of blood work to confirm his suspicions. It takes a good 3 months for the antibodies to build themselves up to get an accurate reading. This is why he wants to retest you. Your doctor getting you on Vatrex was a wise move, and one that will hopefully put the herpes back into a dormant state. You can stay on Valtrex indefinitaly and it works extremely well in keeping outbreaks to an minimun. Also, L-Lysine works - you can buy this OTC or at any pharmacy. As for the sores, some people notice the sores and others do not because of where they are located. Sores are not always visible. They can be inside a woman as high as her cervix or inside your urethra. This is maybe why you haven't noticed any sores. I wish you luck with this journey. Herpes is a traumatic thing to accept. But, I've seen many people live extremely fulfilling, sexual and happy lives. Don't let this virus define you. And, don't let all the negative talk about herpes hurt your self-esteem. It's an estimated 25-33% of just Americans have herpes. You will be ok, whatever the doctor says. I hope I was some help to you and I wish you the best. If herpes is what you have, reach out for some support. EDIT: if you want to email me privately, you know my address. |
