g'day there,
i've recently been exposed to genital herpes. although i've had cold sores on the mouth when i was younger, i don't believe i was the source in this case but i guess it is possible.
my question is, is it possible to actually bring about an initial outbreak with any degree of certainty if i was infected recently? Or must i simply wait for an unspecified amount of time for it to appear?
i fully expect that doing so probably wouldn't necessarily be the wisest lifestyle choice, but i'd prefer that to not knowing and/or radically & needlessly altering my behaviour, sexually speaking... for the most part, that behaviour has been on the safer & more cautious side of things, though not without it's moments..
of course, it's entirely possible it will occur in due course over the next few weeks without my needing to do anything reckless, but i am more concerned about the longer term if no symptoms appear...
cheers,
fred..
Hi tbh i dont think theres any way to bring an outbreak on although they say tyeres a number of things that could cause an outbreak.
Herpes can lie dormant in people for years and they never know they have it if you know there is a chance you could be infected with it then take safety precautions as you could still infect somebody else even though you havnt had symptoms.
Sometimes you can have an outbreak 2-3 weeks after coming into contact with herpes and being infected but that doesnt always happen and you could have one years down the line or maybe never
Speaking from experience with an outbreak you will be very lucky if you do not have one it is not nice and causes emotional stress aswell as physical and all other emotions to go with it.
You know there is a chance you could have herpes so i would leave it be and hope it stays inactive but look up the symptoms so if you do have an outbreak you know what to look for and can get tested as soon as it starts
Good luck x
g'day Pixie...
that's more or less the answer I expected, though not the one i was hoping for... i've only been processing this for slightly over a week, so it might all be a moot point anyway.. if i had no idea i'd been exposed, i could be blissfully ignorant, but i'm really not keen on not knowing one way or the other...
i'm thinking if i haven't seen any signs by new years, i'll go sit on the beach and polish off a couple bottles of whiskey, see if i can't give things a nudge.. if nothing else, should get a hell of a tan... :o)
cheers,
fred...
Hey Fred
Here is some information that your local NHS GUM clinic may not know! and may deny exists! (they did to me)
You can source a blood test to determine if you have contracted Type 1 and / or Type 2 herpes. UK based herpes charity supply them at a smallish cost. It is posted to you, you then go to doc or clinic for extraction of your blood and post the test off.
It is discreet and you can go to your doctor and ask them to take blood as you are looking into food allergies, if you prefer.
Though I'd urge you use the clinic as those who work in the clinic need educating this test exists!
Tc and enjoy that whisky on the beach! 