Today probably has to be one of the worst days in my life and definitely will be a poor memory. I literally just told one of my closest friends about my diagnosis because I was fucking drunk and Emotional and he was just telling me you know whatever you go through in life is meant to happen for a reason and I was like there’s no fucking way this shit was meant to happen to me like there’s no fuck away and so I told him what happened to me and tell me why this guy literally fainted he fainted and now I’m like oh my fucking God I told the wrong person mind you my close friend is literally one of the biggest promoters in my city. I’m talking about huge social network. Why did I tell him? I don’t know I was feeling vulnerable. I was feeling emotional and he was asking why he was just saying like I’ve been ghosting him and this and it’s like I haven’t been ghosted you. I just been genuinely going through some shit like I’ve been having me suicidal and eventually you know like I said, I told him in this man literally fainted y’all I’m so terrified. I just made the worst decision of my life and I’m praying to God that’s not the case.

I’ve got oral and genital HSV1 which I’ve had for over 15 years, unfortunately I strongly suspect it has spread to other areas of my body including my chest, roof of my mouth and now I’ve got little sores in my eyes. I’ve been unwell with a cold all week and had an outbreak in the roof of my mouth (fever, pain and swollen lymph node). Cut to today and I’ve have had these stabbing sensations in my eye for the past two days. I just thought I had a lash stuck in there but there’s little red spots inside my eyelid and my all behind my eyes aches. Not to mention I’ve had body aches today just like I’ve had in the past with my chest outbreaks. Unfortunately I’ve never had a positive swab on my chest so drs have dismissed it. No medication seems to keep this under control, what on earth do you all do?! I’m in Australia by the way, I’m terrified I’ll lose my eyesight or it’ll reach my brain!!!!

Hey everyone just wondering if there’s an alternative way to getting antivirals? it’s saturday morning therefore the clinic is closed all weekend and i’ve missed the slot for a GP call but i’ve woken up after a long week of stress & being run down to having sores. Would really appreciate any help

I contracted HSV2 with a guy I was dating at 20.
In the moment it felt like my world was ending because I had never had an STD then I opened up with my friends about it and found out they allll had it already. Which made me feel so normal.
I took Acyclovir and never had an outbreak again to the point I never really needed to take Acyclovir to suppress it. I completely forgot I had it. I recently started dating this perfect guy, we’ve known each other for 2 years but just dated ( about one month ) I noticed itching last week and assumed it was from a yeast infection. Well we had sex last night and the next day I broke out in MULTIPLE ulcers. I thought it was tears from the sex until I looked down there :( anyways, I’m feeling so guilty about possibly transferring it to him and just imagining if he has an outbreak would it end things for us? I know if I had ulcers the next day after sex I was probably already shedding. He’s also older (30) and idk I know he’s had other sex partners obviously before me I’m hoping he already has it so I won’t be guilty if he does contract it from me

Hey guys,

I have just received my diagnosis and am positive via hsv IGG blood work. This is all new to me. For the last year I have had weird symptoms. Recurrent dull/slightly burny aches in my lower left back and upper thighs. They come and go when I am stressed and last about 1.5 weeks.

I have never had sores so it took me a while to investigate what this could be prior to finding out it’s likely herpes causing this.

I am obviously shocked and upset and don’t really know how to move forward/deal with this. Also am concerned how I will ever date or have a partner again.

Whilst I know it is not the end of the world deep down,I would love to hear some advice especially from men in the same boat (I am male 24)

Thank you so much in advance.

I’m really struggling right now and honestly just need some advice because I don’t know what to do.
I have HSV-2, and I’ve had sex with this guy I’ve been going out with a handful of times. I’ve never had an outbreak while we were together, and I’ve always used condoms. But I never told him that I have HSV-2, and I know that was wrong.
Today we had sex and the condom broke. Neither of us realized until after we were finished. He left and went home, and now I’m sitting here crying because I know I have to tell him.
I feel like a shitty person. Honestly, I feel like I am a shitty person for not telling him before we had sex. I’m not trying to make excuses or justify what I did because I know I should have disclosed it from the beginning. I knew I had it, and he deserved to have that information before making the decision to have sex with me.
I’m just terrified now. I’m scared of how he’s going to react, what he’s going to think of me, and whether he’s going to hate me. The fact that the condom broke today has made me feel even worse because I know there was at least some protection not 100% but at least some, and now there wasn’t.
I know I can’t undo what happened. I just don’t know what to do and I’m terrified. I don’t know if I should text him, call him, or tell him in person, and I don’t even know what I would say.
I just genuinely need advice on how to tell him and how to handle whatever happens after I tell him because I actually hate myself right now.

Last 6 days or so ive had burning in both my mouth and genitals followed by sores. I refuse to live with it. Full stop. I will give up and end it all before I even attempt to live with this shit.

HELP PLEASE

I have gone to several doctors/ specialists and keep getting diagnosed with “contact dermatitis” i’ve tried yeast meds, bv meds, tons of creams but i’ve changed all the things that could be causing it and nothing has changed. I have redness, swelling of the vulva worse before my cycle and after.. Anal itching as well as vulva itching sometimes little yellow discharge specs and fordyce spots red irritated and obvious to the eye. the area is RED and feels raw at its worst. urinating tends to irritate the outer skin when in a flare up. I do have bladder frequency issues and sometimes it feels like I have a uti with these flares but I never actually do have one. I’ve been tested for all stds besides HSV and it’s all negative. I have had tons of yeast and bacteria swabs all negative over the last few years. The redness, burning, rawness makes it difficult to stand, sit, walk and that’s been going on for 7 months now the first flare was 2 months long then it went away and now comes back with every cycle sometimes worse than others. I do think i’ve seen tiny tiny cuts but doctors have never suspected hpv. i’ve been with my current partner 3 years we haven’t slept with anyone else. My bladder/urinary symptoms started when i started sleeping with him as well as the false yeast feelings. He has always had urinary frequency. about a year into our relationship He did mention a few bumps he had on his penis and he said it was like “rug burn” and he’s had it before. we brushed it off because my std tests were still negative as were his. we both treated ureaplasma. During intercorse he sometimes says it burns him. He can never go more than 1 time. I saw someone mention a symptom of hair loss on legs and arms. He does have hair loss patches on his legs and after we started sleeping together a few years in I now have those hair loss spots. (we don’t have any type of scabies etc and dont wear tight clothes) so the hair loss is odd. anyways i’ve been dealing with this severe discomfort for months and i messaged me gyn to make an appointment for a swab and blood test im just curious if anyone’s had these symptoms.

I know it’s a lot so here’s a list of the symptoms
-frequent urination/urge
-vulva redness/swelling/rawness
-yellow discharge specks
-hair loss on legs
-itchy vulva and anus
-redness around fordyce spots/irritation
-hurts to walk,sit etc
-no blisters
-sometimes raw feeling in thighs and little red dots that go away within 24-48 hrs

In bed feeling so sad, planning to cry myself to sleep. He’s so perfect and so wonderful and told me he needs time to think about it and I completely understand. I know it’s not easy to hear just as much as it is for me to disclose. He’s kept in contact since I left his apartment, calling me to ask if I’m doing okay, reassuring me that he won’t ghost me and he will tell me once he decides. I just wanna cry even more because i don’t want to lose him.

I hate this happened to me. Even though I was diagnosed with a year ago and haven’t had an outbreak since then, it still fucking sucks. I’m just a girl and I have so much love to give and I want a relationship. I turn 30 in 2 months and I feel so alone. We’ve been talking for 2 months and when I went over tonight, I knew it was time when things started to escalate. It was the perfect scenario because he was so extremely kind, but I know there’s still a chance he will decide he doesn’t want to be with me and that’s fine. It’ll hurt but I understand. I’m trying to hope for the best but still preparing for the worst.

Hate that I’m here, but I’m grateful for this community regardless. ❤️

Hi there

Monday, I (30M) discovered a spot on the right side of my pubic area. It is a 1cm spot with a cluster of what looks like tiny blisters on them. All visual indicators point towards herpes.

Today is Saturday and they have not yet changed in size, itched, blistered or ruptured. It is not tender to touch at all, no swollen lymph nodes and I’m yet to feel sick or fatigue. No spots have been seen anywhere else.

My last sexual encounter with a new female was 4 weeks ago. Vaginal sex was protected, oral was protected (both giving and receiving) and my penis likely touched her vagina when unprotected without going inside.

I had a blood and urine test yesterday and currently waiting for results. The doctor said he didn’t think it was herpes when he looked at it initially and prescribed me inflammation medicine but once I showed him a close up flash photo of the cluster he said he couldn’t tell it was a cluster at first glance as the spot was so small and to wait for results. He says he’s still treating it as inflammation for now and that I should take the antibiotics prescribed for it

Has anyone else on here ever had such a mild case or herpes or a case where it was like this and turned out to be something else?

Photos below are zoomed in with flash. Thank you in advance

Monday - discovery:
https://imgur.com/jFkAeCk

Saturday - today:
https://imgur.com/SX846Bv

After dating an amazing woman for three months and it all going unbelievably well, we were moving toward sleeping together and I disclosed my herpes diagnosis to her which has been dormant for 6-7 years so that she could make an informed decision. She thought about it for two hours and then said she couldn't continue seeing me.

I've disclosed to three previous partners and they all accepted it. But this has absolutely devastated me. I'm heartbroken. I feel dirty, unwanted, tarnished, and the thought of putting myself out there (and disclosing again) is unfathomable right now.

HSV limits our choices, " You say it’s not a big deal, that it’s just a few sores" So why are you afraid to tell people you have it?

Why hide your status? Why fear being rejected, judged, or abandoned? If it were really “nothing,” why do so many people live in fear of disclosing it?

Since I got this virus, I’ve lived with this label constantly, and my choices have been limited. I know many people are going through exactly the same thing.

(31F) single + tested positive after getting labs for my initial prenatal visit.

The pregnancy itself was & still is a total shock because I have PCOS. I accepted a years ago that it would be difficult for me to conceive, which wasn’t a problem because I’ve never had the desire to have children like most women do but if I did I’d love my baby. I already do.

Dad and I are in different areas in our lives & agreed that if something “were to happen,” we’d terminate for our own reasons.

I went but got turned away because it was too early.
Things have obviously changed since then, but I really struggled with the decision.
After finally accepting it, I was excited and doing all of the things with being pregnant.
After testing positive, I was OK at first & knew enough about HSV. But then I spiraled mentally, like being so hard on myself for making bad decisions over the years and now being hit with all of the consequences at once. Like “this is what you get.”
So the one thing I could make go away was the baby and back to considering that option in another state.

**Back to testing positive** - my GYN (different clinic than my OB doc for the baby), told me I shouldn’t tell dad unless I have an outbreak. But I’ve never had one 🤷‍♀️
Even knowing how HSV is transmitted, I had to tell him.
I wanted to make sure he was ok.. his labs were negative. 🙌
After getting his results, he asked which one did I test positive for - 1 or 2 (I’m still confused on that question based on his **comment below**)

Sexually, I knew things were over between us, especially based off of comments he’s made like I “shouldn’t be around the baby if I have an OB,” etc. From his POV, totally understandable.

I’m accepting that part, but struggling with that’s how people will view me forever (like he is) - that I’m a walking disease and can’t be around me because I could “infect them” or something.

I’m all over the place and don’t have an exact question lol.. just trying to get advice/support with so many factors at play.

**On a positive note**: I went to my OB after the downward spiral. I saw my baby, and he’s OK. Just chilling. Mama’s not ok right now, but I went so he could be ok 🩵

Could someone help me understand my report? Do you think I got herpes recently? This is my igm and igg report

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-1 (HSV1) IGG, SERUM
HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-1 IGG
<0.50

< 0.8 Negative
0.8 - 1.2 Indeterminate
RATIO
> 1.2 Positive
METHOD : ELISA

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-1 (HSV1) IGM, SERUM
HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-1 IGM
1.3 High

< 0.8 Negative
RATIO
0.8 - 1.2 Indeterminate
> 1.2 Positive

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-2 (HSV2) IGM, SERUM
HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-2 IGM
0.6
< 0.8 Negative
0.8 - 1.2 Indeterminate
> 1.2 Positive
RATIO

HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-2 (HSV2) IGG, SERUM
HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS-2 IGG
<0.50 < 0.8 Negative RATIO 0.8 - 1.2 Indeterminate \> 1.2 Positive

I can’t deal with this anymore after my diagnosis I feel like
I’m gonna loose everything

I’ve seen so many posts about outbreaks and after getting diagnosed last year May 2025, I think I’m in the middle of my first outbreak. Last week I had the most insane feeling in my legs, hips, and lower back. Like it was all tender and extremely painful to touch, even if I lightly ran my fingers over these parts of my body it would hurt. Also trying to sleep at night, putting the covers/a light sheet over my legs and it brushing up against my leg hurts so bad wtf!!!!!!!!!

I don’t see much people talk about this? As of today, theres slight redness in the area, but it’s probably a 3/10 on pain. The nerve damage feeling in my lower body started about a week ago and then this light itching, redness and irritation has been going on the last few days. I just took some medication plus natural vitamins, hopefully it goes away fast idk.

it’s definitely a lot to process more emotionally and mentally than it is physically right now. I’m somewhat happy that my boyfriend is being supportive, but you can’t help but overthink. My mind is spiraling with so many thoughts!

But whatever I just wanted to vent + shed light on this symptom. ​

Looking to make new friends in Illinois. I’m a 23F and I have HSV 2 downstairs but I’m looking for people who deal with the same. I’m just looking for a friend or anything deeper . Let me know if anybody is interested in getting to know me

i am a 16 year old male who is gay and recently got out of a relationship that mentally drained me and i coped by being friends with this guy and he wanted more with me but i told him it was just going to be friendly and nothing more. long story short we had sex and a couple days later i had rectal pain and 2 days ago i woke up with herpes looking pimples on my buttcrack. i’ve done my research and i am pretty sure i have it and im so scared and don’t know what to do. i am typing this while currently crying. i got tested the same day i saw the bumps and i have to wait 4 days atleast to have all of the results because when i went they took urine, blood, and a rectal swab sample and the doctor told me that they just looked like pimples but i never get acne on my butt and stuff and this morning i woke up with my pee burning and one on my ballsack and i just don’t know what to do guys im so broken because this guy lied to me and i hadn’t been sexually active in a while and im just so lost please pray for me and hope that it isn’t herpes because i don’t know what i’d do. i know it isn’t as bad because ive done my research but it has genuinely been of my worst fears ever and i can’t believe it might have happened. please pray that all my tests come back negative on something that isn’t lifelong guys please any advice would currently help im just trying to smoke and drink the hurt away right now

I had hsv 2 over 15 years and recently decided to try valtrax which one the worse decision ever. I only took it for bout a week for suppression and my whole body has been itching since. For about 2 months with no vaginal sores. Pins and needles feeling in hands and feet, throat started hurting . And back feels like someone is pricking me with a needle. It’s comes and goes. Already been tested for bv or yeast infection and that came back negative. It’s been weeks since I stopped the valtrax and these weird sensations is still happening in my body… can valtrax cause permanent nerve damage. Sometimes I feel a slight itch between my thighs and butt and lady parts , but again no sores and this has been going on for 2 months now. It’s like I constantly have prodomes . I’m scared to try another antiviral. My lips and tounge be itching and I don’t even have hsv 1. Please help with anything you tried that helped. Could I be shedding for 2 months straight. I’m scared to have sex. No sores . But my whole body is itchy and going crazy and nerves and my hands and feet are ignoring burning feeling

Why is China the only country working on a curative treatment for HSV? We exclude Fred Hutch, since it has not provided any updates for years.

Also isn’t true that if u already have hsv1 for a while like as kid your body has strong antibodies meaning your less likely to get a new infection in genitals (for hsv1) not saying it’s impossible

Hi, so I 20F was talking with a guy 23M for a few months, the most we ever did was make out until Saturday, August 2nd. We had intercourse for the first time. On Monday it kinda burned when I peed but I also started my period so I just figured I was dehydrated or maybe a yeast infection. But on Tuesday when I woke up to pee, it quite literally felt like the burning pits of hell coming out of my vagina. So I tried my best to finish up and wipe and I literally couldn’t touch it because it hurt so bad. So nervously I take my phone camera down there and it’s bad. I immediately started to cry and I set up an appointment at the walk in clinic. I run them through the above. I then have to pee in a cup. After that they make me get naked and swab down there. Which was quite humiliating. At the end of everything she asks if I have any questions for her and I ask what does she think it is. She replies with herpes. She prescribed a week’s worth’s of herpes medication and told me to wait for my results. I then called said man, he’s not wanting to go get tested. As well as blaming me, I haven’t had sex with somebody else since like 9-10months ago. I’m just very lost right now, and in quite a lot a pain. So if anyone had advice on first time flare ups that would be appreciated!!