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Thank you so much for the work you do and the knowledge you share! Please help me understand what I am dealing with, as I have a new baby (2 months old) that at this point, I am afraid to touch..
I was diagnosed with HSV 2 about a month back, following an outbreak of blisters on my thigh. They did a culture and a blood test, both positive for HSV 2 only. Thinking back, the very first time I ever got the same rash was ~ 8 years ago. It has always been in the same location on my inner thigh, halfway between my knee and genitals. I have never had cold sores. Since my diagnosis, I have been worried about transmission to my infant. When I was told my results, I asked if there is a chance that I have this orally. The nurse said there is a chance, but if there is, it is slim and to make sure I have no cold sores. I am now terrified of interacting with my daughter. My question is, how do know if I have HSV 2 orally? Is there a chance I have it orally and have just never had an outbreak there? I read that you CAN get GHSV2 and OHSV 2, at the same time. During this outbreak, my ears became extremely itchy, and I also had some tingling on my lips, but nothing popped up anywhere on my face, and the symptoms started maybe a week or two after the outbreak on my thigh began. I feel like I may just be paranoid and these symptoms are unrelated to HSV… please help me work through this. I want to be able to kiss and cuddle my baby without worrying I’m going to hurt her. Please.
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HSV 2 oral infection is just incredibly rare. And we know where your infection is – it is on your thigh. If I were in your situation, I wouldn’t give possible oral infection another thought. If you do get a cold sore, have someone swab test it. But if not, PLEASE snuggle with your little baby girl and just love her fully. I have never seen anyone with genital herpes transmit to a child unless there was molestation. It is important that you get a handle on this NOW, or this could become a serious obsessive-compulsive disorder that will be hard to make better in the future. If you feel uncomfortable kissing her on the lips, that’s fine – kiss her cheek, her little head, and her hands. All of that skin is too thick for the virus to penetrate IF, by some wild, outlandish chance, you have HSV 2 orally.
Terri
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Don’t be sorry to bother me with this!
You’ve grabbed onto something that is possible but incredibly unlikely. I believe this is part of the psychological change hormones present post-pregnancy. I’m so glad you are getting some CBT. And I suspect that meds would help you as well.I have never ever seen a parent who has infected their baby with HSV 2, unless there was sexual abuse going on. And that’s with genital shedding being pretty frequently. But oral infection is so rare and sheds so little, that is 100 times less likely to transmit.
I can tell this is incredibly hard for you. Since the CBT is weeks away, I recommend making an appointment with your OB and discussing your concerns fully. It may be that they could prescribe something for your anxiety and OCD sooner to get treatment underway from the medical perspective, and then you can work on it from a counseling perspective as well. Try to remember that this bonding time with your baby girl is so so important and MAKE yourself snuggle her and cuddle with her and have my voice in your head saying ‘you will not infect your baby girl’ the whole time.
Terri
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The virus doesn’t live on sheets. It needs human cells to survive. The situation that you describe with the clothes and the baby is not a risk of transmission to the baby at all.
So glad you started Zoloft. I hope it really helps calm these fears.
Terri
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