Cold sores - oral herpes

[GTAVercetti 0]

Most people are aware of the dangers of genital herpes. We understand the problems associated. People with them know to not engage in sex while an outbreak is occurring. But I have found that many people do not think about the problems of another type OTHER type of herpes: oral.

Most people know oral herpes. We call them cold sores. It takes some of the stigma away. Generally, oral herpes are caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus called HSV-1. Genital Herpes are caused by HSV-2. However, it is possible to get HSV-1 in the gential area and vice versa (the oral version is usually transferred southward much easier though).

Most people, it seems, don't really think about the fact that cold sores ARE Herpes. Afterall, it is estimated that 50%-80% of the US population carry the oral herpes strain. Many people carry it and never have a single outbreak. They often get it as babies; someone with oral herpes gives them a kiss and that is that. They may never even experience the first outbreak call primary herpes.

Well I did. And I can tell you that it was horrible.

Recently, I got primary herpes in my mouth. I am getting ready to get braces so I have been wearing a metal device to widen my palate. The device has caused me to have numerous ulcers and abrasions. All these wounds in my mouth made me extra subsceptible to the virus. The girl that I kissed was not showing symptoms. She did not have any visible sores and was not experiencing the tingle that goes along with an outbreak. But I still got herpes. Why? Because of asymptomatic shedding. The herpes virus CAN be passed when no symptoms are present. Even a person who has never had an outbreak can pass the virus. In fact, this is how it is most often passed along. The good thing is that asymptomatic shedding is far less likely to pass along the virus than an open sore, but if abrasions are present, it certainly raises the chance. In addition, research has found that symptomless shedding does not happen that often. So it is not all doom and gloom.

In any case though, allow me to detail my ordeal a bit.

I spent nearly two weeks off of work. For 11 days, I could not eat. I experienced 4 days of fever, two trips to the ER, 4 bags of IV fluid, numerous pain killers and nearly two weeks of pain. My throat was so swollen and felt so much like razor blades that I could not swallow. I was spitting into a bucket in order to not have to. My mouth was also swollen and covered in nodules. I got a bacterial infection on my lips as well. I lost 9 pounds. My mouth is still sensitive because I could not brush for the entire period. My lips are also still recovering and are sore. I am sure the genital version is similarly unpleasant.

The doctors said that while my case was pretty bad (probably due to the mass injection of virus through my abrasions), primary herpes is never pleasant in adults. I can definitely back up this statement. The doctor told me I now need to be careful, especially for oral sex as it can be transferred to the gentials. The one good thing is that often oral herpes never recurs. And it will NEVER be as bad as that first time. But the chance of recurrance is always there.

So I pose this poll. I would like to know how those of you that have it, or who date or are married to someone who does, handle it. I am interested because the girl who gave this to me was like many people I have talked to. She has had them since childhood, has never gone to the doctor about it, and never thought about asymptomatic shedding. So she never mentioned it to potential partners, assumming that everything would be fine. And I wonder how many others don't think about it, particularly the oral to gential transfer.

I created this poll to make people aware and to hopefully make some people think about their actions. I don't want to freak people out too much. After all, oral herpes is QUITE COMMON. A lot of people already have it (many in a dormant state and they are unaware they even have it) so what I went through has less of a chance of occurring, but it can. And no one should have to go through the hell I just went through.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[virgin-burner 1]

i dont have it, and even if i ask or are being asked for lip-balm, i ask if they have herpes..

one time a girl kissed me on the mouth to say hi. later on she complained about getting an outbreak. i was off to the bathroom to wash my face, my hands AND my mouth with soap..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[DJL 235]

An old roommate of mine got it transferred to her hoohaa via oral sex and had an outbreak. Same thing, the guy knew he had it and didn't tell her. I think I recall her saying that there is little or no chance of transfer from the genitals after the initial outbreak.

Glad you're getting better. That sounded like a shitty situation.

Edit: I assume I don't have it but I honestly don't know. It's not something I get checked during my...checkups and I don't think I've ever had a cold sore.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[Frenchy68 0]

I was married for 10 years to a (wonderful) woman who had herpes (contracted very early in her sexual "life"). She mentioned it to me prior to her and I having sex for the first time. She did contract it from an "outbreak free" person. Her outbreaks, though, were quite rare, and while some were truly painful, most were somewhat "bearable". She and I would then take the proper precautions and make sure the risks of me contracting it were being minimized.
Being open about it is by far the best approach. Being understanding is the best way for a partner to deal with it. IMO.

"For once you have tasted Absinthe you will walk the earth with your eyes turned towards the gutter, for there you have been and there you will long to return."

[GTAVercetti 0]

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I think I recall her saying that there is little or no chance of transfer from the genitals after the initial outbreak.

This is untrue. Anytime there are sores, it can be transferred. But if there is asymptomatic shedding, it can also be transferred.

Drugs like valtrex though can help supress outbreaks and shedding.

Not saying YOU are wrong, but your roommate was.

Thanks for the responses so far.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[Opie 0]

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i dont have it, and even if i ask or are being asked for lip-balm, i ask if they have herpes..

one time a girl kissed me on the mouth to say hi. later on she complained about getting an outbreak. i was off to the bathroom to wash my face, my hands AND my mouth with soap..

How do you know you don't have it?

[virgin-burner 1]

well, cant say for sure, but so far i havent had an outbreak, usually you DO get one when you get infected..

“Some may never live, but the crazy never die.”
-Hunter S. Thompson
"No. Try not. Do... or do not. There is no try."
-Yoda

[skymama 37]

Thanks for posting this info, Rob. I have a feeling a lot of us are going to learn from it and hopefully be a little more careful.

To everyone...even though this was posted in Bonfire, I'd like to keep jokes and thread hijacking out of this thread. Rob has been through a lot recently and we owe it to him to be serious about this. He's posting this to help us not have to go through the suffering that he's been through.

She is Da Man, and you better not mess with Da Man,
because she will lay some keepdown on you faster than, well, really fast. ~Billvon

[GTAVercetti 0]

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well, cant say for sure, but so far i havent had an outbreak, usually you DO get one when you get infected..

Usually you do get a primary case like mine...but not always. The percentage of those who get a primary infection is not 100%. Though if you contract it as an adult, my doctor told me the primary version is more visible and painful.

It is a tricky thing, this herpes. That is what makes it such a common thing.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[peregrinerose 0]

Good post.

Honestly, I have no idea if I'm infected or not. I've never had a cold sore, neither has my husband, but as you pointed out, that doesn't mean we don't have it.

Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda

[Rudderow 2]

I have oral herpes. I prefer to call the outbreaks "fever blisters" as opposed to "cold sores". My mom tells me there is a difference. She gets them as does my dad. So it was something i was born with. I have a prescription for Zovirax (or Acyclovir). As soon as I feel the tingly sensation I pop a pill or two and can usually prevent the fever blister from developing any further. If I don't stop it in time, and it does form a cold sore on my mouth, i have a topical ointment of the zovirax that i can apply every two hours until it goes away.

Because i have the pills and very rarely get outbreaks anymore, I sometimes forget that i can still give it to someone else when it's in the about to come out stage. Unfortunately I did kiss my boyfriend during one of these times and now he has oral herpes too. I feel horrible about this. I had never given it to someone else before. It's a pain in the ass (and mouth) to deal with. But most of the time it IS easy to deal with.

PMS #165 Swooo #613 CSA #687

[misskriss 0]

Wow. Sorry you went through all of that. My ex husband had/has it and he would get a cold sore if he was stressed out. He did say his lip would start tingling before it appeared so if that was happening we wouldn't kiss. I believe he takes medication regularly now because his were painful. We were together for about 13years and I never got it. I've never had a cold sore in my entire life. Maybe I was immune to it, I don't know but I guess I was lucky. Ironically, he got his from his highschool sweetheart.

[Icon134 0]

I don't think I have it... I don't ever remember getting an cold sores (Though I'm not sure I would know if I did...) If I've contracted it then it would have been while I was a child.

I imagine there are tests I could do to determine this... I know the AF has drawn blood for HIV testing but I'm not sure what other things I've been tested for in my career.

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[GTAVercetti 0]

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Because i have the pills and very rarely get outbreaks anymore, I sometimes forget that i can still give it to someone else when it's in the about to come out stage. Unfortunately I did kiss my boyfriend during one of these times and now he has oral herpes too. I feel horrible about this. I had never given it to someone else before. It's a pain in the ass (and mouth) to deal with. But most of the time it IS easy to deal with.

I am going to the doctor to get medication as well. Good for you that you are so proactive about it.

You thing with your boyfriend is a good lesson though. It is easy to forget that it can be transferred anytime there is viral shedding, even to the groin area (not implying that you did that, just mentioning it).

Thanks for sharing.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[GTAVercetti 0]

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Wow. Sorry you went through all of that. My ex husband had/has it and he would get a cold sore if he was stressed out. He did say his lip would start tingling before it appeared so if that was happening we wouldn't kiss. I believe he takes medication regularly now because his were painful. We were together for about 13years and I never got it. I've never had a cold sore in my entire life. Maybe I was immune to it, I don't know but I guess I was lucky. Ironically, he got his from his highschool sweetheart.

My father also has it. My mother has never gotten oral herpes. I believe your case is more typical than my own. And it is a good indication that while something like my ordeal can happen, often it does not. And it will happen less, the more we are aware.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[PLFXpert 0]

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I imagine there are tests I could do to determine this... I know the AF has drawn blood for HIV testing but I'm not sure what other things I've been tested for in my career.

There is no test for herpes unless you have an actual sore or outbreak or something visible to biopsy.

This is partially why it is so widespread. Most people that transfer it don't know they have it. They might not have noticed the first initial sore, had no recurrences and subsequently spread away.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[Icon134 0]

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There is no test for herpes unless you have an actual sore or outbreak or something visible to biopsy.

This is partially why it is so widespread. Most people that transfer it don't know they have it. They might not have noticed the first initial sore, had no recurrences and subsequently spread away.

Well, I'm sure haven't spread any herpes... but this is good information to know.

Livin' on the Edge... sleeping with my rigger's wife...

[GTAVercetti 0]

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There is no test for herpes unless you have an actual sore or outbreak or something visible to biopsy.

You can get blood testing for herpes, though it requires some time after infection in order to test antibodies.

http://www.webmd.com/genital-herpes/Herpes-Tests

or google "herpes tests"

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[PLFXpert 0]

From same article:

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In rare cases, the test may be done using other types of samples, such as spinal fluid, blood, urine, or tears.

Technically you are correct. But despite what the paragraph about blood testing might lead one to believe--the accuracy percentage is low even well after an initial outbreak, which is one reason it's so rarely done to test for herpes. Talk to your doctor, as they say.

Edit, to appease GTA: I was incorrect to say "no" test other than biopsy.

Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

[turtlespeed 226]

Pics Please.

I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama
BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun

[DJL 235]

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I think I recall her saying that there is little or no chance of transfer from the genitals after the initial outbreak.

This is untrue. Anytime there are sores, it can be transferred. But if there is asymptomatic shedding, it can also be transferred.

Drugs like valtrex though can help supress outbreaks and shedding.

Not saying YOU are wrong, but your roommate was.

Thanks for the responses so far.

So that is the case with HSV-1? And what exactly is and what causes asymptomatic shedding? I understand the term but not how it occurs or how you can tell it's happening.

"I encourage all awesome dangerous behavior." - Jeffro Fincher

[guppie01 0]

I get a cold sore maybe 1-2 x per year - did not have them until after I had adult chicken pox. I was married for 10+ years and my husband never had signs of it.

The guy I'm currently dating gets them as well. It was not discussed until after he had a breakout, and it aggravated mine. Our bad....

In this day and age it is better to assume that someone has something than to not! You should not walk into something blindly - take as much care to protect yourself.

g

"Let's do something romantic this Saturday... how bout we bust out the restraints?"
Raddest Ho this side of Jersey #1 - MISS YOU
OMG, is she okay?

[GTAVercetti 0]

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So that is the case with HSV-1? And what exactly is and what causes asymptomatic shedding? I understand the term but not how it occurs or how you can tell it's happening.

This is the case with both HSV-1 and 2. Researchers don't really know WHY asymptomatic shedding occurs. They just know that the virus can be released without symptoms. Luckily though, the research does indicate that it does not happen that often and the amount of virus is SIGNIFICANTLY less than when someone has an outbreak.

So while you can take precautions, there is always still a chance.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[GTAVercetti 0]

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In this day and age it is better to assume that someone has something than to not! You should not walk into something blindly - take as much care to protect yourself.

g

You are absolutely correct. It is partially my fault that I did not ask. I was like most people and did not think much about it.

I still think the majority of information needs to come from the person that has it, but everyone should be aware and proactive.

Why yes, my license number is a palindrome. Thank you for noticing.

[skydiver30960 0]

Sorry to hear you had such a rough go of it. But keep in mind that this is an incredibly common disease, and probably not worthy of giving yourself so much panic. So, to quote you somewhat, it isn't QUITE COMMON, it's VERY COMMON.

From what I've been able to gather through my time with getting cold sores and online, something like 50-80% of the people alive today are carriers of the virus. That means, if you're reading this, you probably carry the virus.

Depending on your individual body's reaction to carrying the virus, outbreaks can and to recur.

Some are really lucky, and they'll never have an outbreak.

Some are relatively lucky, they'll only have outbreaks when ill or under stress.

Some are still pretty lucky, they'll only get one or two outbreaks a year.

And the unlucky ones deal with outbreaks all the time. Fortunately I'm not one of them, but my heart goes out to them.

Part of the stigma of the disease is that, supposedly, it is a "sexually transmitted disease." I've read that most people actually contract it in infancy and childhood, when everybody wants to kiss the little baby and when kids are sharing drinking cups and whatnot. This doesn't change the fact that it can be transmitted through sexual contact, but so can the common cold.

A cold sores is herpes. Gential herpes is herpes. Shingles is herpes. Hey, did you ever have chicken pox? Guess what, you are a carrier of the herpes virus.

The hardest part of the disease is the stigma attached to it. When I have a cold sore I feel like the whole world wants to run away from me. I use antivirals when I have an outbreak, and it seems to help. If people kept in mind that they are very likely already a carrier of the virus...

I know (now) about shedding, I know that I didn't have an outbreak until college. This means either: I had the virus from before and that was just the first time I'd had an outbreak, OR I caught it from somebody who was not symptomatic at the time I was kissin' on them.

Am I as safe as I can be? Sure. Do I kiss anyone (even my fiance who already got cold sores even before we met) when I have a sore? Hell no. But does the fact that I have to deal with this issue mean I need to live my life in a sterilized bubble? No. It's like skydiving: do what you can to mitigate the risk, and you just go from there.

Now, to answer your question: if you find yourself having frequent outbreaks, find out what your triggers are. Stress, sunlight, and chapped lips are my biggest triggers. So, I try to stay mellow and find that chapstick with SPF does wonders for me. When I have an outbreak, oral and topical antivirals have really shortened my healing times. Sores that used to take two weeks to heal are now gone in less than a week.


Elvisio "gettin' it off my chest" Rodriguez