Help! Hsv??

About 5 days ago, I was intimate with someone I knew had HSV2. We didn't have sex, but his parts touched mine. He said it was fine and that I won't get it since there wasn't too much friction and he didn't go in, but I'm scared. I feel stupid for trusting him because now I'm psyching myself out and thinking I have symptoms. The only symptom I'm having is pinching/tingling randomly all over my body. No flu/sores/itching/nothing. Just this random pin like sensations on my entire body. Again, we rubbed and touched each other down there but he didn't go in. He hasn't had a breakout in over a year he said and he was clean when I looked. But I've never felt like this in my life. Could I have HSV2? I'm going to get tested anyways in 3 days, but I'd love for someone to reassure me.

Hi, @lulu_123, Statistically, the chances are small, but it is possible. If a man has HSV2 and does not take antivirals or use condoms, the chances of a woman getting it is 10% per year (assuming sex twice a week).

Assuming you don't already have HSV2 (I've had it for at least 20 years and had absolutely no idea until I tested positive for it last year), it's highly unlikely it would show up if you took a test just three days from now. The blood test (the good one--IgG) tests for the antibodies your body creates in response to the herpes virus. It takes some time for your body to create those antibodies, or at least enough of them to show up on a test.

If you're not having visible or painful sores, I would wait about four months and then test. By then, your chances of having a false negative on the test is very small. Our minds do pretty crazy things when we're stressed, and the random sensations all of your body are probably in response to that stress.

Going forward, it sounds like this experience is a great opportunity to learn more about herpes and how it is transmitted because it's likely you'll encounter this in the future. The virus can still be transmitted even if the person is not having an outbreak. It's called asymptomatic shedding, and you cannot tell when it's happening.

Also, the virus can be transmitted even if you don't have intercourse. It lives in a group of nerves at the base of the spine, so when it exits the body (either through a visible outbreak or asymptomatic shedding), it can leave the body anywhere in the entire boxer shorts region. That's why using condoms does not completely prevent transmission. When my ex-husband tested negative for herpes, that's how I knew I picked it up many years ago. I used condoms with every single relationship prior to my ex-husband, so I'm pretty confident transmission occurred from skin-to-skin genital contact.

I know you're scared and I wish I could give you the reassurance you're seeking. I hope this helps you going forward. {hugs}

Thank you for all that helpful information. I just have a really bad feeling about it and I'm sure I have it. If I don't, it will be so odd that my fingers and hands are numb from this weird neuropathy pain I'm feeling...and down there is kinda burning like I have a yeast infection now. :(

I'm so scared. I don't know what to do, who to talk to...what are my next steps? Will I ever get remarried? Will anyone accept this of me? Will I be in pain the rest of my life? I feel bad and dirty and like I am a bad person. I also feel so dumb. I should've been smarter. I have a freaking masters in nursing, but I got an std?? I feel like the dumbest person alive. I'm embarrassed to even go to the doctor, but I know I have to.

Stop freaking out. Don't let your emotions override the reality of the situation. First of all, go get tested. Second, if you do have it, the outbreaks will likely go away. People get married all the time regardless of herpes. You are in shock, but that's almost completely mental and could be exacerbating the condition if you do have it. It is far from the end of the world. Your love life will continue I promise.

Thank you so much for reassuring me. I guess it's just something that I never imagined I'd have and so many people are telling me so many different things. Is there a chance that the outbreaks will not go away, if I do have it? I'm trying to stay calm, I really am.

Very rare that they don't go away.

How people experience outbreaks (severity and frequency) seems to vary widely. Generally speaking, the trend appears to be that outbreaks are milder and less frequent as time goes on. There's just no hard and fast rule. I've had the virus for at least 20 years and I still have outbreaks, although they are pretty mild and appear to be triggered by stress more than anything.

Ok. I went to the doctor and they told me what everyone has been saying, that I can't be tested yet. But she told me my feelings of pinging and ting kind all over my body wouldn't be related. I just find it hard to believe because I e never had this tingling sensation before. It's like on my hand and legs and everywhere...but she said she'd never head of it in all her years. But I'm still scared I have it. My partner is reassuring me and telling me it's ok and he will want to be with me, but I'm not sure I want to be with him. What are my options after this? Do people accept it and want to be with someon with hsv? I'm still so scared.

They told me I have hsv1. Idk what to think.

Did they say if it was oral or genital?

No they didn't know since I don't have any outbreaks down there but it could be oral, I have a cold sore right now...I've always gotten them. I'm confused. Like my partner has hsv2. This doesn't make sense

@lulu_123 If the encounter you are concerned about only happened 2-3 weeks ago, your blood test will not reflect that encounter. If you received a positive blood test result for HSV1, that would reflect an established infection, not a super recent encounter. If you're concerned about that specific encounter, you will need to wait 12 weeks from the time of the encounter to get a blood test.

So what now? What am I to do now that I know I have it? Do I stop kissing? Having sex? I am truly ignorant and don't understand it. My ex used to get cold sores, could I have got it from

Him?