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What are the Hsv2 oral symptoms?
I was diagnosed with HSV2 July of this year. I went in for a routine std checkup and asked for them to test me for everything (since I recently got back with my ex boyfriend and wanted to get checked). A week later the nurse told me I was positive for HSV 2 (13.26 IgG) but negative for all other types of herpes and stds. As expected I was terrified and began to panic. I didn’t have any symptoms or breakouts. I finally had my first outbreak a month later (genitally). A week after receiving the news I felt tingling all over my body. All on my arms, hands, feet, legs, face, etc. While taking Valtrex 1gram twice a day for the genital outbreak, I didn’t have any symptoms. Once the prescription was over, I continued to feel tingling in my lip and genital areas randomly. 1.)Is it normal for this to happen? 2.) Will I have an outbreak on my face now after the initial genital outbreak? 3.)I only had lesions genitally during my only outbreak, does this mean I can pass it through a kiss since I feel random tingling?
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First, let me say that I'm sorry you've gone through this with having little information. It's not a wonder you're afraid.
You probably don't have it orally. It's very rare to have it there. It's not impossible, but I'd estimate that 99.99% of all oral herpes infections are hsv1. Random tingly feelings are usually anxiety or a heightened awareness of the area.
Herpes infections aren't automatically both oral and genital. Herpes infects nerve groups, and oral herpes infects the trigeminal nerve in the face, and genital herpes infects the sacral nerve group in the genital/boxer shorts area. It's not an infection that affects your whole body.
You can assume that your infection is genital only. Even if you had it orally, we know that oral hsv2, when it does happen, almost never recurs or sheds (this is when the virus is present on the skin but you don't see anything), so it almost never transmits to anyone.
So your questions:
1.)Is it normal for this to happen?
The tingly feelings in your face might be anxiety. It's not related to herpes. The feelings genitally might be the same, or might be some irritated nerves. Either way, it will settle down.
2.) Will I have an outbreak on my face now after the initial genital outbreak?
I doubt this, because I don't think you have it orally.
3.)I only had lesions genitally during my only outbreak, does this mean I can pass it through a kiss since I feel random tingling?
See above.
I don't want to overwhelm you with info all at once, but I do want to make sure you get the info you need. Terri Warren is a leading researcher and practitioner in the herpes field, and she wrote the Herpes Handbook. You can read it for free here - https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/
I'm happy to answer all your questions as you have them. I've had herpes for over 15 years, and I promise you that you are going to be fine.
You probably don't have it orally. It's very rare to have it there. It's not impossible, but I'd estimate that 99.99% of all oral herpes infections are hsv1. Random tingly feelings are usually anxiety or a heightened awareness of the area.
Herpes infections aren't automatically both oral and genital. Herpes infects nerve groups, and oral herpes infects the trigeminal nerve in the face, and genital herpes infects the sacral nerve group in the genital/boxer shorts area. It's not an infection that affects your whole body.
You can assume that your infection is genital only. Even if you had it orally, we know that oral hsv2, when it does happen, almost never recurs or sheds (this is when the virus is present on the skin but you don't see anything), so it almost never transmits to anyone.
So your questions:
1.)Is it normal for this to happen?
The tingly feelings in your face might be anxiety. It's not related to herpes. The feelings genitally might be the same, or might be some irritated nerves. Either way, it will settle down.
2.) Will I have an outbreak on my face now after the initial genital outbreak?
I doubt this, because I don't think you have it orally.
3.)I only had lesions genitally during my only outbreak, does this mean I can pass it through a kiss since I feel random tingling?
See above.
I don't want to overwhelm you with info all at once, but I do want to make sure you get the info you need. Terri Warren is a leading researcher and practitioner in the herpes field, and she wrote the Herpes Handbook. You can read it for free here - https://westoverheights.com/herpes/the-updated-herpes-handbook/
I'm happy to answer all your questions as you have them. I've had herpes for over 15 years, and I promise you that you are going to be fine.
5 Comments
Thank you so much for responding. That do ease my nerves. :) I’m afraid that when I want to have children that I will be able to pass it along to them. I’m not sure if I mentioned it, but I’m negative for HSV1. Also, I heard of daily antivirals. Are the side effects bad? Do you still have tingling sensation while taking them?
I've taken both acyclovir and valtrex for 15+ years. I've had no side effects, but your experience may be different, of course, but overall, they are very safe.
The only way your children will get it is if you have an outbreak during delivery. Most doctors will put you on suppression during the last trimester of your pregnancy to make sure that doesn't happen, but if you do happen to have an outbreak during delivery, you can have a c-section.
Remember that there are millions and millions and millions of women with herpes who have babies, and their babies are fine. It's actually safer to deliver a baby knowing you have herpes and taking precautions, then having herpes and not knowing it, so you can't take the needed precautions. (The only other risk for pregnancy depends on if you become infected during pregnancy, which isn't a concern for you, unless you're pregnant now, but it doesn't seem as if you are.)
I never had the tingling. I get frequent, blistering outbreaks, and for me, the suppression works very well to stop those. Unless I get sick with something else (cold, flu, etc.), very stressed, I don't get outbreaks.
I'm also negative for hsv1.
I promise you will be fine. It's all very overwhelming now, and tons of info is coming at you at once, but you'll settle into this, and you'll be fine.
The only way your children will get it is if you have an outbreak during delivery. Most doctors will put you on suppression during the last trimester of your pregnancy to make sure that doesn't happen, but if you do happen to have an outbreak during delivery, you can have a c-section.
Remember that there are millions and millions and millions of women with herpes who have babies, and their babies are fine. It's actually safer to deliver a baby knowing you have herpes and taking precautions, then having herpes and not knowing it, so you can't take the needed precautions. (The only other risk for pregnancy depends on if you become infected during pregnancy, which isn't a concern for you, unless you're pregnant now, but it doesn't seem as if you are.)
I never had the tingling. I get frequent, blistering outbreaks, and for me, the suppression works very well to stop those. Unless I get sick with something else (cold, flu, etc.), very stressed, I don't get outbreaks.
I'm also negative for hsv1.
I promise you will be fine. It's all very overwhelming now, and tons of info is coming at you at once, but you'll settle into this, and you'll be fine.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you answering my questions. I’ve searched everywhere and tried to ask my doctor questions. Even then it came to a dead end. Have you changed your diet to cope with this diagnosis? Holiday season is coming up and I love chocolate and nuts but have been told to not eat them or eat very little because of the possibility of a outbreak. I want to feel normal again. Plus I haven’t told anyone about it except my ex. We ended things about a month ago. So I feel alone in this diagnosis. Like unsure of what’s to come or even if I’ll be able to be in a relationship. A lot of people don’t want to deal with someone who has it. I got it for trusting the wrong person *face palm*.
Nope, no diet changes for me. I wouldn't change your diet unless you notice a trigger food. No sense in denying yourself for no reason.
Also, I haven't had any issues with the sun, in case that's something that you read. The people I know with herpes haven't either. You'll figure out what, if any, triggers you have.
You will have a relationship again. Sure, some people don't want to deal with herpes, but I have to say that a lot of those people aren't aware of the low transmission rates, and have been taught that herpes is big and bad and horrible. (Don't get me started on sex ed, and how horrible it is.)
It's okay if someone doesn't want to be with you because of herpes. That means that's not your person. There are all kinds of reasons why people aren't for us, right? We have our own reasons - maybe you don't like smokers, or drinkers, or people who ride motorcycles. You might prefer tall guys, or short guys, or not like facial hair. These are all okay. Some people might have a germ phobia and decide that dating someone with herpes is too much, and others will be all, "herpes, who cares?"
Also, don't forget that your partners will also have things that they would rather not have to tell you, too, and some will be way "worse" than herpes. No one is unworthy of dating, and no one is "damaged goods" or whatever is going through your mind.
So - transmission stats. You mentioned having children, and passing this to them, so for this, I'm going to assume your sex is female, at least that you were assigned female at birth, and your partners are assigned male at birth. If that's different, let me know. I use "female" and "male" for brevity, but I mean nothing more than the parts you have. Your gender identity is yours. :)
Ghsv2 transmission, female to male, over the course of a year, assuming sex 2-3 times a week:
Only avoiding sex during an outbreak - 4-5%
Adding condoms OR daily suppression - 2-3%
Adding condoms AND daily suppression - 1-2%
So if you use suppression, that means your male partner has a 97-98% of NOT getting it per year.
You mentioned that you trusted the wrong person. I don't know about your sexual history, but it's very possible that the person you got this from didn't know they had it. Some people get milder symptoms, and their doctors misdiagnose them, or they themselves brush it off as something like jock itch. Testing for herpes can be really tricky, and it's often not included in routine testing. Maybe your past partner lied - if that's the case, you have every right to be upset. I just wanted to make sure you knew this part so that as you deal with this, you understand all the possibilities.
Take this weekend, and do something fun, safely of course, if covid is still a thing where you live. If you live in an area that's going back on lockdown, relax, maybe do some light reading of the Herpes Handbook, and if you have a best friend that you can trust, maybe talk to them. I'm not often around on the weekend, but will be back on Monday. Take care of you.
Also, I haven't had any issues with the sun, in case that's something that you read. The people I know with herpes haven't either. You'll figure out what, if any, triggers you have.
You will have a relationship again. Sure, some people don't want to deal with herpes, but I have to say that a lot of those people aren't aware of the low transmission rates, and have been taught that herpes is big and bad and horrible. (Don't get me started on sex ed, and how horrible it is.)
It's okay if someone doesn't want to be with you because of herpes. That means that's not your person. There are all kinds of reasons why people aren't for us, right? We have our own reasons - maybe you don't like smokers, or drinkers, or people who ride motorcycles. You might prefer tall guys, or short guys, or not like facial hair. These are all okay. Some people might have a germ phobia and decide that dating someone with herpes is too much, and others will be all, "herpes, who cares?"
Also, don't forget that your partners will also have things that they would rather not have to tell you, too, and some will be way "worse" than herpes. No one is unworthy of dating, and no one is "damaged goods" or whatever is going through your mind.
So - transmission stats. You mentioned having children, and passing this to them, so for this, I'm going to assume your sex is female, at least that you were assigned female at birth, and your partners are assigned male at birth. If that's different, let me know. I use "female" and "male" for brevity, but I mean nothing more than the parts you have. Your gender identity is yours. :)
Ghsv2 transmission, female to male, over the course of a year, assuming sex 2-3 times a week:
Only avoiding sex during an outbreak - 4-5%
Adding condoms OR daily suppression - 2-3%
Adding condoms AND daily suppression - 1-2%
So if you use suppression, that means your male partner has a 97-98% of NOT getting it per year.
You mentioned that you trusted the wrong person. I don't know about your sexual history, but it's very possible that the person you got this from didn't know they had it. Some people get milder symptoms, and their doctors misdiagnose them, or they themselves brush it off as something like jock itch. Testing for herpes can be really tricky, and it's often not included in routine testing. Maybe your past partner lied - if that's the case, you have every right to be upset. I just wanted to make sure you knew this part so that as you deal with this, you understand all the possibilities.
Take this weekend, and do something fun, safely of course, if covid is still a thing where you live. If you live in an area that's going back on lockdown, relax, maybe do some light reading of the Herpes Handbook, and if you have a best friend that you can trust, maybe talk to them. I'm not often around on the weekend, but will be back on Monday. Take care of you.
Thank you so much! I really appreciate all of your help!!! Have a great weekend!
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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.
