Question:
Hello all! I have a question....kind of specific. I have had the herpes 2 genital virus dormant (latent) in my body for 10-20 years before just having my first ob two weeks ago. I cannot fathom how/when I could have contracted it or why I never broke out until now?? Anyway, am I more contagious to my husband (ongoing) now that I've actually HAD an ob or should I expect the same odds of him showing symptoms (which have been none--ever) as there were BEFORE my ob?

He's been tested....waiting on the results. Our doc thinks he must have it. Wouldn't he almost HAVE to have it after being with me for 8 years? Is it possible either of us could have gone this freakin' long without shedding????

Answer:
Well . . .

I think that contagious is contagious. Your current ob happened because the virus was active right then and contagious right then.

If your immune system has kept it completely in check and the exposure was decades ago research indicates the older the infection is the better the chance of less ob's but it can wake up at any time for many different reasons.

I don't know how this would cause him to have more symptoms now. Theoretically he's been the one with the outrageous stress perhaps he does have it and it's been latent and the stress caused him to have asymptomatic shedding and it happened to re-infect you and cause your ob. In any event he is not the one with the recent ob it was you. In all likelihood you could possibly never have another ob.

Answer:
Caliope,
Well, that's not necessarily good news! It's a complicated situation, isn't it? Is there a specialist out there for STD's? I mean, if it turns out that hubby is positive, then we feel relatively comfy having unprotected sex as always--as long as neither is having an ob (like it's been for 8 years now) or shedding (like we apparently haven't for 8 years now). But if it turns out negative, then how could that be???? I KNOW I have not cheated on him. Is it possible that I have not shed for that long?

The docs are trying to tell me that I'm no more contagious in between ob's now then I was before (during decades of no ob's). I don't necessarily understand that....according to what I read on this site and the web. I am scared to death of having another one. I could explain this one....I had been on steroids couple of months before, was sick, run down, major stress past six months, not eating well, drinking alcohol, tanning, etc...All the no no's.

I just so desperately want this one to be it! to move on without having to ever worry about this again (don't we all???). I know I'm in denial, but it's working for me!