Question:
Hello all,

This is my first post. Last Wednesday I noticed a funny feeling as if my underwear was rubbing something. I felt near my vaginal area and it felt like a rash. On Thursday I was still feeling it and I got a mirror to look and it was a cluster of maybe 5-6 bumps. I put an ointment on it by Saturday it was starting to blister.

It is almost healed but I went to the Dr. today and she said that it looks like Herpes but she gave me a swab along with a blood test. I don't want to feel so depressed until I actually get the results.

I had sex with a new partner but we did use protection. We had sex about 24 days before I had the outbreak....is this common?

I feel like my life is over and I don't even want to date anymore.

Answer:
I of course am going to say that you should wait for the results before you get all bent out of shape (haha that would be the right thing to say). HOwever, I would be just like you...very nervous.

Facts though would say that you can get herpes even if a condom is used. and that 24 days is a window period that is possible to show signs. It could also mean that you may have had it before this partner and just did not show any symptoms. If that were the case, you should try to think of anything new that you have done recently (a new stress, birth control, etc).

Now that we got that out of the way, even if you do have herpes, it will not be the end of the world. You can always voice how you are feeling to people here, and we all really care. You should read stories (on this site and others) that other people are going through so you can related, or find hope in your own case. I was diagnosed a few days ago (and I even spread it to someone as well, unknowingly of course), and by reading as much as I can about herpres, going to doctors, and talking with people on this website (and other dating sites), I feel like I did before I got the damn news (haha, I was so pissed when the doctor told me).

So stay strong girl!!!!! If you need me or anyone, we are all here :)

Answer:
Marinequeen is right... you can get it even though you used a condom because a condom doesn't provide coverage of the whole area, and the 24 day window is about right, too, sooo... yes, you may have HSV. If this is your first ob, your blood test may come back negative because your body hasn't had enough time to produce enough antibodies to register on the test. Hopefully, the ob site wasn't healed too much to prevent an accurate reading on the swab test. If both come back negative, I'd advise another blood test in about 3 months, just to be sure.

As for your depression, that's normal at first. It's always a shock, and I don't know of anyone who wasn't upset at the first realization. It will pass, and as you become more knowledgeable about the virus, you'll realize that it's not the end of your world. The truth is, although there are concessions to be made (like sexual responsibility), your life will be what you make of it. If you allow HSV to define who you are, it will. If you let it control your attitude about yourself, it will do that, too. But that isn't what you want, is it? Of course not, but it's up to you to decide how you want your life to be and go for it.

Wait for your results to come back, and if they're positive, give yourself time to adjust and learn all you can about the disease and ways to control it. Then get on with your life, because it's not over... not by a long shot.