Question:
Wow. I just had an experience that supports the whole idea that most of the population has herpes.

I have been feeling somewhat crappy about my cold sores and finally confided in a close friend of mine. She told me that she got a cold sore once decades ago, and it never came back. I told her that was herpes. She already suspected, but that wasn't how the doctor presented it back then. She also said there is a suspicion that some bad eye trouble she's had might be due to a herpes virus. Then she told me that her husband had a genital infection. Then she told me that she has seen an occassional cold sore on her elderly mother from time to time over the years (I've noticed them on her, too) who of course has no clue what she has.

We talked about how doctors often present herpes as a "just a cold sore" so people don't really know what they have, and how it does seem to be so widespread, but no one is really aware of it, because nobody talks about it or is misinformed.

So, that's a lot of people who have it all different places from just one conversation! All of the sudden I just don't feel alone at all.

Answer:
just a thought. if you discuss this with someone and they dish out all of this info on everyone around them eventually your infection will also be the topic of their conversation with someone else.

but you are correct many people just don't see this as a major issue, don't know that a coldsore is in the herpes family and are misinformed.

if you want a real eye opener talk to someone who cares for the elderly in a care home and you will find that an entire generation was relatively uniformed and unstigmatized by hsv.

Answer:
Caliope -

I did think of that, but I'm not concerned. My friend disclosed information on herself, her dead husband, and we discussed her mother, who often complains openly about her "cold sores". So, in this case, I'm not worried.

Cheers,
Claudia