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Lois McGuire, R.N., M.S.N., W.H.N.P.
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Lois McGuire, R.N., M.S.N., W.H.N.P.
Lois McGuire, R.N., M.S.N., W.H.N.P.
Lois McGuire was a registered nurse in Obstetrics and Gynecology for 20 years. This experience made attending Planned Parenthood of Minnesota for the Women's Health Care Nurse Practitioner Program a natural step. Later she attended Case Western Reserve University to achieve her Master's in Nursing. She has been employed at Mayo Clinic as a nurse practitioner for 15 years. She works with women from adolescence though all the life cycles. Lois is committed to a holistic nursing approach, empowering women to take care of their health.
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Safe sex blog
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Nov. 25, 2008
Herpes prompts many questions
By Lois McGuire, R.N., M.S.N., W.H.N.P.
You have had many questions regarding herpes (HSV). This is a big topic, and so we'll look at different aspects of it over the next few weeks.
Genital herpes is common, affecting both men and women. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the herpes simplex virus is present in as many as one in six teens and adults in the United States.
Here are some of the areas that we'll cover:
- Types of herpes
- Categories
- Symptoms
- Frequency
- Diagnosis
- How it is spread
- Treatment
- Suppressive treatment
Types
Herpes is a virus. There are eight human herpes viruses. They are:- Herpes 1 (HSV-1): traditionally thought of as cold sores or fever blisters
- Herpes 2 (HSV-2): traditionally thought of as genital sores
- Chicken pox and shingles
- Epstein-Barr: a common cause of mononucleosis
- Cytomegalovirus: serious when contracted during pregnancy
- Human herpes virus 6 or roseola: a type of measles
- Human herpes virus 7: causes a rash
- Human herpes virus 8: causes Kaposi's sarcoma, an infection seen mostly in AIDS patients
I only tell you the above mentioned types to round out the discussion on herpes. The rest of this blog will address HSV-1 and HSV-2. If you have questions about the other types of herpes, please contact your provider.
Categories
- Primary refers to an outbreak that occurs in a person who has never had HSV-1 or HSV-2.
- Non-primary occurs when a person already has HSV-1 and now has been infected with HSV-2. The existing antibodies to HSV-1 may keep the outbreak from HSV-2 unnoticeable, meaning the newly infected HSV-2 person doesn't have symptoms. Up to 80 percent to 90 percent of first time genital outbreaks have no symptoms. This explains the statistics above.
- Recurrent is just that, recurrent. People with HSV-2 have an average of 4-6 outbreaks per year. This can vary greatly from person to person. Some people can have more than one per month and others may only have one every few years.
Next week, I will begin with symptoms of HSV-1 and HSV-2. Let me know what questions and observations you have.
167 comments posted
May 11, 2009 7:28 p.m.
I was told about a year ago that i tested possitive for herpes, but never got a chance to go to the follow up appointment. When i tested possivite they gave me i think a 2 week Rx and was told to come back. I have never had an out break, will i ever get one?
- Erin
May 6, 2009 10:23 a.m.
it all started when i had a sore in the vaginal area it looked like a canker sore that you would get in your mouth lasted for a little over a month. i have a 6 different blood test done over the last 6 years. 1st test (labcorp) hsv 1&2 igg abs routine hsv 1/2 igg 1.5 h hsv 1/2 igg interp positive a hsv 2 igg type spec. neg. 2nd test (labcorp) hsv 2 igg spec. 1.5h hsv igm 1&2 <0.91 3rd test (mayo Clinic) is this a herpeselect) hsv type 1 igg pos. hsv type 2 igg pos. hsv igm neg. 4th test (labcorp) hsv 1&2 igg 1.1h hsv 1 igg spec. <0.91 hsv 2 igg spec. <0.91 5th test (labcorp) hsv 1&2 igg 1.3h hsv1 igg spec. <0.91 hsv 2 igg spec. <0.91 6th test (labcorp) hsv 1&2 pcr neg does this mean that i have herpes? also just has the western blot done for hsv1 pos. and hsv 2 neg
- veryscared
May 5, 2009 3:48 p.m.
Kev: Yes, if you have cold sores, do not perform oral sex on your partner!!
- Deb
May 5, 2009 3:42 p.m.
can you give cold sore herpys to your partner in the gentiles????
- kev
May 1, 2009 2:53 p.m.
Hopeless, You are a loving, good person--herpes does not change what you already were. Please look at www.westoverheights.com Also, I have had no problems forming relationships--just always be honest first. I ALWAYS tell someone I'm dating that I have herpes. Usually after the second date. So far no one has dropped me because I have herpes. Life is a lot more than herpes--you just need time to adjust and understand.
- Deb
April 24, 2009 3:05 a.m.
To Hopeless, Cheer up, it's not a death sentence, just a permanent adjust to life. Please believe that you will feel better about this diagnosis the more you educate yourself. I too, have recently found out! I am determine not to let this control me, I will control it!!!! Please take care< God Bless.
- nelly in nevada
April 20, 2009 11:09 a.m.
i was diagnosed a couple of days ago and ever since I havent been able to stop crying. i feel like the ugliest, and most disgusting person around. no one [not even my boyfriend of two and a half years] will ever want me anymore and there is nothing I can do about it except live with it for the rest of my life. to make matters worse, the doctor wont tell me what type i have until i go in for my appointment in a couple of days so we can "discuss my options". . .wow i never thought this would be me
- hopeless
April 10, 2009 2:00 a.m.
is it possible for single, virgin lady to have HIV? what the possible cause of this?
- kazzy
April 9, 2009 9:06 a.m.
so i got my results back--look at the two previous 'scared' posts and it says that i am positive for HSV-1 but negative for HSV-2. however, because the exposure was less that a month ago the HSV-2 results are not as accurate. i know i should wait and be patient, but do these results indicate anything optimistic?
- scared
April 7, 2009 2:55 p.m.
I just got my HSV-2 results and they were positive with a 5.0. Does the 5.0 mean I have had it for a while? Not sure what it means.
- TT
April 6, 2009 11:12 a.m.
this is a followup to the previous comment. if no fluids were exchanged and there was no genital to genital contact, how likely am i to get genital herpes. am i overreacting? how likely is it for me be get herpes at all given the circumstances?
- scared
April 6, 2009 10:57 a.m.
i am 23 and am not sexually active. i have only kissed guys. a few weeks i was with a guy and i did not give him full oral. i only kissed twice and licked twice. i do not have any symptoms but i am really scared and don't know what to do. if i get tested now, will anything show up on the test? i am so scared & dont know what to do. up until this point i have not been sexually active and the first time that i kinda am i am fearful of all the possible things i could have contracted...
- scared
April 2, 2009 2:04 p.m.
Just got the word from my Doc. that I have HPV 2. I have been in a relation ship for 10 mounths and before before we started having sex (6 mounths ago) my girl friend wanted me to be tested for STD,s (blood work, ect). I did and the results came back negitive. She said she had been tested a year ago and all the tests came back negitive aswell. I have not been with anyone but her but now I have HPV. Could the STD testing have missed this?
- chuck
March 31, 2009 9:03 p.m.
I got tested the other week and it came back as possitive for HPV Type 1... i don't know much about it. can HPV type 1 develop into type 2? or vise versa and i've been looking at various sites and infomation about it. is it accually possible to receice a false reading?
- ~Joe~
March 27, 2009 11:15 p.m.
Need Some Advice, Why not start by just telling your girlfriend you saw the bottle of Valtrex and are wondering if she has herpes or is being treated for something else? Maybe this was her way of bringing up the subject as it is very difficult for someone with HSV 1 or 2 to bring this up with a potential sexual partner. Better to be asking questions now rather than after you get swept away in the heat of the moment. Also, use condoms as there are a lot of STDs out there besides herpes.
- Deb
March 22, 2009 8:32 p.m.
Hi all, I've been dating a girl for about a month, we haven't yet had intercourse,tonight I saw a bottle of pills at her house ,it was valtrex, I thought I knew the name so I googled it when I got home.well thats what brought me here. I'm not quite sure what to do, I know this medicine could be for other things and it was right out on the counter, she has a mid 20's daughter at home.I was just thinking if she had Herpes she wouldn't have left this out in such a prominent place. I know we've been close to having intercourse a couple of times ,but someones always just upstairs asleep or something like that, which isn't a problem for me as I'm looking for a relshonship,not just a one night stand. But now this has me worried. I might add the women was married for 25 years and her husband cheated on her. Any advice you can give me and or possible scenarios would be great....
- Need some advice
March 20, 2009 12:57 a.m.
What exactly are the symptoms? I just discoverd 3 graybumps with a black dot. Does that classify as a symptom of this or another STD?
- Julia
March 11, 2009 11:59 a.m.
Lisa, Read the Dec. 5th post. You can spread HSV2 to your mouth. You and your partner can have sex without condoms because you are both infected, but be careful about spreading it to your mouth through oral sex.
- Deb
March 9, 2009 11:21 a.m.
If both partners have HSV-2 do they have to use condoms? We are both not taking any meds - as we both have the virus. Is oral sex okay?
- Lisa
February 16, 2009 12:57 a.m.
According to the report from CDC, the new subscribers have increased 42% over 2007 on " HerpesLoving . co m". . Rising hiv rate sparks online dating sites
- No name given
February 12, 2009 4:02 p.m.
Pat, The first outbreak is usually the worst and with time the outbreaks can diminish. The medication should help. Right now you need time to deal with the emotional aspects. Just know that you are not alone and many of us have dealt with this and have come through it. Right now concentrate on getting emotionally strong and when this attack of the virus does dormant you won't have the pain and will be able to think more clearly. Good luck to you.
- Deb
February 12, 2009 11:11 a.m.
If both partners have HSV-2 do they have to use condoms? We are both not taking any meds - as we both have the virus. Is oral sex okay?
- Lisa
February 11, 2009 9:50 p.m.
I was just diagnosed with type 2 a couple day ago. I have been faithfully married for 30 years and I am devastated! I feel betrayed and worthless. I am in severe pain from my waist down and can not ever imagine wanting to have sex again, nor anyone wanting me. All of the literature talks about how to be sensative when telling your partner, but that does not help me at all. All I have to look forward to is to hear how he was unfaithful to me and now I have to live with that knowledge every day, the rest of my life, as I take my medication. Hard to be positive right now.
- pat
February 11, 2009 7:48 a.m.
Don't upset by HSV. Many people can manage it and have a good marriage. You can check their tips on a Herpes datign site" HerpesLoving. com". Most of the users on that site are seeking love
- cala
February 7, 2009 10:46 p.m.
HR, Does your dr know that you are trying to protect a loved one who is not infected? Suppression therapy to protect your partner can be fairly cheap if you use acyclovir. It is on WalMart's generic $4 list. Always use condoms.
- Deb
167 comments posted