Reply To: just want to know for sure

[wantToKnowForSure]

hi Terri

I was able to find a copy of your book at my local library and read it over the weekend and it has
raised some more questions for me.

Both my original test (Captia IgG) and the WB test results showed me negative for HSV-1 and positive
for HSV-2. Does this mean I for sure do not have HSV-1?

I am positive for HSV-2 antibodies but have never had any physical symptoms that I am aware of.
Is there any practical way to know for sure if I have genital or oral HSV-2?…wishful thinking on my
part …with the much lower recurrence and shedding rate of oral HSV-2 the transmission risk to a
new partner is significantly lower…even before suppression meds

Do I understand correctly that already having HSV-2 basically blocks me from getting HSV-1 oral or genital?

as I mentioned in my original post, I do not believe I have ever been tested for herpes until my most recent
set of tests. I have had only 4 partners in the last 25 years but before that I had several so my total number
of lifetime partners is roughly 20 that I have had intercourse with and maybe another 1/2 dozen that I both gave
and received oral. Given this history and the statistics in your book and prevalence of HSV-1 in the population
I am almost surprised that I don’t have HSV-1…..it makes me think that I might have had my HSV-2 for quite
awhile…blocking any HSV-1 infection….does this seem plausible?…

I’m also 54 now and most of my activity was in the 1980’s so maybe the HSV-1 prevalence was less than?

I am not in a situation that requires this at the moment but I plan to see my GP to get a prescription
for suppression dosage of acyclovir so that I have it available….and I should plan for a 5 day “lead time”
for suppression dosage to take full effect, right?

After I got my first “positive” result…and before I realized there was such a thing as low positive I
informed my previous partners that I still know how to contact…which is only a 1/2 dozen or so…As far
as I know I have not infected anyone else but I also don’t know for sure that they all got tested… I
think some people find it easier not to know…because once you know….at least in my case…I also
feel like I need to disclose so any new potential partner can choose for themselves

I have had one new relationship since I first learned of my positive result and I bumbled my way thru a
version of “the talk” once it was clear we were both quite interested and before we got too far…
interestingly enough, after she did some research I think she was more OK with it than I was….I
found it difficult to just relax and enjoy and be playful while we were engaging sexually….which
was a noticeable shift for me…so I need to do some more “attitude adjustment” on myself.