I was diagnosed 14 years ago with HSV2, both by culture and blood test. I happened to be having my annual exam when the doctor found a suspicious-looking ulcer inside my vagina. Since then, I had never felt or seen any signs of herpes until 10 days ago. I developed 2 painful sores around the inside of my labia so I went to the doctor. I had a culture taken and was given 5 days of Acyclovir. Additionally, I was told that I had bacterial vaginosis and given 7 days of antibiotics. I just now recieved the results of the culture, positive for HSV1!!! I am floored. I suppose I erroneously assumed that I didn't have to worry about getting HSV1, since I already had 2. What a fool I feel like now.

Here are my questions: Since I assume that this was my first ever outbreak of HSV1, due to the fact that I have never had any syptoms like this before( painful sores, nerve pain all over my bottom), how long does it typically take from the time that you are exposed to the time the first outbreak occurs? What can I expect now, am I super-contagious? Is it common to have both types?

Do you think it is important for me to have a blood test for hsv1, to determine if it is indeed my first outbreak, and who I may have gotten it from? I had sex(oral and genital) with 2 different guys within the last couple of months.

Also, if you could shed any light on BV that would be greatly appreciated.

One more question: I have been feeling a strange tingling feeling on my face for the past few days, do you think that I could also be infected with hsv1 on my face? Or my hands? I happened to have picked up a baby the other day, what can happen to a baby who is exposed to hsv1?

Thank you for your advice!

We know that hsv2 provides significant protection against hsv1 infection but it's not 100%. You can have both hsv1 and hsv2 genitally too.

At this point there's not an easy way to figure out when and from whom. If you really want to cover your bases, get your lesion culture results and blood test results from 14 years ago for me to look at to make sure that indeed your lesion culture was typed as hsv2 and not just hsv+ and assumed it was hsv2 since it was genital and also to see what testing you had done of your blood to see if that was the right testing or not. Not having had any ob's for 14 years makes me suspicious of the testing you had done originally.

can you have hsv1 both orally and genitally? yes you can. typically you are also kissing the partner who transmits hsv1 to your genital area so a good percentage of folks end up with it in both areas.

bv is very common in us gals. it's just an overgrowth of certain bacteria in the vagina. Happens pretty easily. bv has been shown to make herpes more active too so not unusual to have bv and have a herpes recurrence too.

betsy

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