Herpes Question.
 

A friend of mine went to a strip club last night and woke up with a cold sore on his mouth. I've tried to explain to him that herpes can not manifest in about 12 hours, especially off of a tit. But he is convinced that he has herpes now, and asked me to come on here and see if anyone knows anything about it. He's freaking out badly. If you can clear this up for him, please do. Thank you.

Odds are yes had/has herpes.

No your 'friend' didn't get it from a stripper last night.

Google HSV-1.

Odd are that he's had "it" for a while. Tell him to stop freaking out about what he did 10 minutes ago and think about last year.

(cues up random herpes site)

www.Valtrex.com says:

Just tell him: "You're gonna make it, Jim."

See that's the thing that I keep trying to explain to him. He just got out of a three year relationship, and he and his girlfriend literally never left eachothers sides. So I doubted it based off of that.

Do I use "Jim"? Or can I use his actual name lol?

Wow, what a "lucky" ex-girlfriend... she probably has it too, and won't realize it for some more years. I hope he tells her as soon as he gets back from getting tested for STD's and realizes he's been positive for years.

Use Jim.

Or have him call me and I'll use it.

HSV-1 is in a majority of the population, the herpes everyone freaks about is HSV-2, and you don't get those as a cold sore on the lip.

I've had experiences with HSV-1 and -2 since I was a child. Have Jim talk to Bones about how to manage it. It won't likely go away...ever. It tends to lie dormant and then flare up when you're tired and stressed out.

It's about managing it and stopping it from spreading to others.

Like others posted, HSV-1 is not that uncommon. He shouldn't be so worried, just give him some websites to check out and if he doesn't believe you - he can at least take whatever he wants from the webpages.

Yeah, I told him it was nothing to serious. The problem was that he decided to google herpes, and you can probably guess how bad of an idea that would be.

Hmmm, Dr. X is making a housecall...

HSV-1 is, as stated, pretty common. Abaya, your post is almost silly... it's just as likely that she had it and gave it to him. People can be "carriers" of HSV-1 and never actually have symptoms. It's just that common.

You all may want to read this link, however. There seems to be some ignorance about HSV-1/2 and oral/genital herpes. Both forms of HSV can affect either spot. A person with a cold sore can give genital HSV-1 to their partner. A partner with genital HSV-2 can give oral HSV-2 to their partner.

Personally I have some experience on this and can say it's easily manageable as long as you take precautions. (And no, for the record, I have no genital herpes of either variety).

This post really confuses me.....I've had many cold sores in my life(generally because once you get one it reoccurs in the same place for the rest of your life) and never once tested positive for an STD....

Thats kinda of like saying...ooo you had the chicken pox your a STD carrier....(since CP and cold sores are the same family). While the herpes virus that cause cold sores IS contagious....its not an STD

Shani, in the big umbrella sense of the word, it's an STD. It's a D that can be T'd to your S organs. I've got cold sores too, and am being careful not to pass the virus on-- either orally or genitally-- and careful not to cross-infect myself. It's a pretty nasty little bugger.

...and OP-- smack your friend. Please.

I have cold sore. I happen when I cut down on sleep or I get a regular cold.

I was getting worse 7-8 times per year and sometime as much as 1/2 inches in size.

But I talk with my doctor, and he prescribed Valtrex. I take them when I feel the sore is coming, and it really help reduce the size of the sore and the recovery time.

Unfortunately, it something that lay dormant and will always come back.

It's a cold sore on his mouth, not an STD.

it IS an STD

If you give oral to your partner with a cold sore there is a (very) small chance that you'll spread the virus to their nether regions causing genital herpes.

Small correction- not all herpes variants are STDs, or sexually transmitted diseases. The one that only manifests itself on your lips and mouth, for example, is not sexually transmitted, even if you made out with someone and got it that way. It would only be sexually transmitted if you went down on someone who had it in their genitals, and you contracted it in your mouth.

You are correct, however, that a herpes sore on the mouth can transfer to the genitalia of another during oral.

analog, you are incorrect. Both variants of HSV can be transmitted to genitals. Read the link I posted above. One is more common on or near the mouth and one is more common on genitalia, but both can land in either location.

However, I do agree that saying you have cold sores is having an STD is a bit of a stretch.

I know, I didn't say it couldn't be. I said it can be transmitted from genitals to mouth, and assumed people would know that means it's a two-way street, and can go the other way as well. Just because it can be transmitted through sexual contact doesn't make it an STD, though. The point was, the strain that normally manifests on the lips and mouth is not an STD, it can be acquired any number of non-sexual ways. It can, however, be transmitted sexually- from the genitals of one person to the mouth (and of course vice-versa), resulting in a lip/mouth strain that was, in fact, acquired sexually,

My bad... I reread you post and saw my error. :)

I don't think they test for Herpes when doing your standard STD test. I think in order to test for herpes they need fluid from a blister. I don't know, all I know is I went to a reputable doctor, he took one look at me and said, that's herpes. I was actually relieved because it's not that bad to treat, although the initial outbreak was kind of a pain in the ass. I also felt better because I knew where it came from. My girlfriend and I don't have STDs, but she did have oral HSV, and must have been shedding the virus without showing signs because now I have it. Anyway, I've been reading a lot about it lately, if you're interested you should read this guys lecture, he seems to know what he's talking about.

http://www.herpes.org.uk/art_kinghorn.html

I think they should publicize more about herpes and how many people have it and how it's at worst a minor inconvenience. I don't have herpes as far as I know but people act like it's AIDS or something when they find out about it. I had an ex girlfriend that had it and she said there was always a chance that a guy would freak out and run away when she told them about it. To me it never seemed like a big deal although we were always careful about it. I got the impression though that the social stigma about herpes is far worse than the disease itself.

I read this and the first thing out of my mouth was...

"Oh come on"

Second thing was

See a doctor.

If HSV-2 causes Chicken Pox, and you can't get Chicken Pox twice because of the immunity, why can you get it and still get genital herpes later in life?
It can be transmitted sexually, but HSV-1 is not primarily transferred by sexual contact, and therefore is not an STD.

Just to give my two cents on this...I sell a drug for herpes...glamorous, I know.

Chicken pox and shingles are caused by a strain of the herpes virus called VZV. If you get chicken pox once, you CAN get it again, but it typically shows up as shingles.

HSV-1 causes cold sores. HSV-2 causes genital herpes. But either virus can be spread to either area, or any other part of your body for that matter. All 3 of these viruses can be transmitted through any contact, sexual or not.

I just recently found out I have herpes from my ex girlfriend. The story alone would make any of you want to beat my ass. It sucks man, it's hard to think I'm now that 1 in 10..... It's ok though ya know? Just take the fucking valtrex and be safe!

Willy, I completely agree. I don't know anyone with herpes... but I'm sure that's because they'd never talk about it. It sucks, it's not comfortable, but it's out there and it's completely manageable. The social stigma is ENTIRELY the issue here. Herpes = dirty slutty person, didn't you know that? Sheesh! :rolleyes:

That said, people do need to be careful. Why spread it if you can avoid it?
And analog, as always, I heart you - you always lay down the practical side. :)

Juley - thanks for detailing the reality of these viruses. Lots of people get that part mixed up, and the clarity is refreshing. :)