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Protecting Partners
How long should someone with genital HSV 1 wait after outbreak symptoms clear before having sex? My partner and I always use condoms, but I am not sure how much protection condoms provide. I am so paranoid about keeping my partner safe!
I'm voting for worrying way too much about this :)
Also when you have recurrences, it's either 400mg acyclovir 3x/day for 5 days or the way more convenient dose of 800mg 3x/day for 2 days. Both speed healing and stop viral shedding at the same rate for that ob.
grace
Also when you have recurrences, it's either 400mg acyclovir 3x/day for 5 days or the way more convenient dose of 800mg 3x/day for 2 days. Both speed healing and stop viral shedding at the same rate for that ob.
grace
Grace you do not know how much your answers are helping me. I am going to ask for one more piece of comfort if you don't mind, as it is 5am and I cannot sleep again due to my constant anxiety. No visable lesions (I checked repeatedly) protected sex with a condom 3 days after lesion goes away, no oral sex, 1st time encounter, even considering I was only taking half my dose of acyclovir, am I being way overreactive about this? I know you are not my therapist, but any additional comfort you can offer that might stop my spiraling out of control would be more appreciated than you know. I am hating myself for not waiting longer after my outbreak to have sex and I have never been this scared in my life. In your educated opinion, do you think my partner (one of the most amazing men I've ever met) is probably safe?
And he was clear for HSV before we met. I will have him retest. Thank you, truly Grace. I am sorry for being such a scared woman.
And he was clear for HSV before we met. I will have him retest. Thank you, truly Grace. I am sorry for being such a scared woman.
1 - always a maybe. shedding without obvious lesions isn't something we can see anyways so not much you can do. since you have hsv1 genitally, this is really a low rate of shedding
2- symptoms occur within 2-20 days of being infected, just not everyone notices them. has your partner been tested for herpes yet?
3- most folks who have hsv1 orally, don't get obvious cold sores to know it.
Suppressive therapy kicks in in 5 days dear :)
grace
2- symptoms occur within 2-20 days of being infected, just not everyone notices them. has your partner been tested for herpes yet?
3- most folks who have hsv1 orally, don't get obvious cold sores to know it.
Suppressive therapy kicks in in 5 days dear :)
grace
Again, thank you Grace. This was the first time I had sex with this new partner which is why I am so scared. I have, in fact, not wanted to have sex again. I am waking up with panic attacks at the thought that I've infected this wonderful man. I even felt tingling in my vaginal area yesterday, probably due to my system being out of whack with my paranoia, right?
1) When someone is shedding and has protected sex, is that a pretty sure time the partner will be infected, or is the risk of transmission still a "maybe" while shedding?
2) Is it true it take 2 weeks to 6 months for symptoms to show up and you have to wait 3 months to get tested if you have no lesions?
3) Is it really possible for someone to have HSV 1 and not know they do? My last partmer has shown no symptoms, yet we had unprotected sex for 3 years.
I have started taking the 800mg of my acyclovir as you told me to do and I am waiting a few weeks before having sex again for it to get into my system. I just need to get past our first encounter and calm down or I will drive myself crazy. As always thanks for the comfort and help.
1) When someone is shedding and has protected sex, is that a pretty sure time the partner will be infected, or is the risk of transmission still a "maybe" while shedding?
2) Is it true it take 2 weeks to 6 months for symptoms to show up and you have to wait 3 months to get tested if you have no lesions?
3) Is it really possible for someone to have HSV 1 and not know they do? My last partmer has shown no symptoms, yet we had unprotected sex for 3 years.
I have started taking the 800mg of my acyclovir as you told me to do and I am waiting a few weeks before having sex again for it to get into my system. I just need to get past our first encounter and calm down or I will drive myself crazy. As always thanks for the comfort and help.
You can shed after ob's but it was probably ok at that point.
Condoms offer about a 40% reduction in transmission.
grace
Condoms offer about a 40% reduction in transmission.
grace
I hope I am writing this in the correct place! Grace, I cannot believe I was misinformed about the dosage of my acyclovir, I am a little angry about it actually. Even the lable on the prescription bottle is wrong! I will start taking the 800mg a day.
My new partner is negative for all STDs. I have an appointment to get screened for all STD's just to be sure nothing else is going on other than my HSV 1. We had protected sex 3 days after my obvious sore healed and it looked to me like my skin was healed. Now, of course, I am paranoid that we should have waited longer after an outbreak to have sex. Do you shed after breakouts? Does a condom really provide protection from HSV 1? If you could ease my very troubled mind I would so appreciate it!! Thank you so much.
My new partner is negative for all STDs. I have an appointment to get screened for all STD's just to be sure nothing else is going on other than my HSV 1. We had protected sex 3 days after my obvious sore healed and it looked to me like my skin was healed. Now, of course, I am paranoid that we should have waited longer after an outbreak to have sex. Do you shed after breakouts? Does a condom really provide protection from HSV 1? If you could ease my very troubled mind I would so appreciate it!! Thank you so much.
It's most helpful if you just keep adding any updates/questions/comments to your original post so we can quickly scan back thru what you've written and what we've said to better help you. thank you for your future cooperation with this :)
You were not taking a proper dose of acyclovir for starters. For suppressive therapy it's 200mg 3x/day for 400mg 2x/day - either works fine.
Did you ever go back to pursue any additional work up to see if indeed this really is all hsv1 going on genitally?
what is your partners hsv1 status?
grace
You were not taking a proper dose of acyclovir for starters. For suppressive therapy it's 200mg 3x/day for 400mg 2x/day - either works fine.
Did you ever go back to pursue any additional work up to see if indeed this really is all hsv1 going on genitally?
what is your partners hsv1 status?
grace
Grace, I just wanted to say thank you for doing this and answering our questions. I am sure some of us are freaked out and this site makes me feel better. So, you had mentioned my taking acyclovir may not be effective. My prescription says "take 2 capsuls by mouth every day." I have been taking the two every morning, but I realised that these are only 200MG capsuls. Should I be taking more than the two a day?? Might that be why I am getting outbreaks about 3 times a year?!
Also, My recent outbreak cleared up about 3 days ago, in that I cannot see the sore anymore. (the one sore is in the same exact place every time I have an OB) Is it safe to have sex with a condom this soon? And how effective are condoms in prevention? God, I really hate this! I am still so scared.
Also, My recent outbreak cleared up about 3 days ago, in that I cannot see the sore anymore. (the one sore is in the same exact place every time I have an OB) Is it safe to have sex with a condom this soon? And how effective are condoms in prevention? God, I really hate this! I am still so scared.
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
