Question:
I was finally getting over all of this herpes stuff- I thought i had it, just w/ no sores and thats why none of the gynos could find out what the problem was. Then one gave me a blood test, herpeselect elisa - hsv 1 and 2 neg, no igm or iggs detected, and this was at least 3 months after any possible exposure. i was so relieved, so happy, for 2 weeks exactly. My younger sister's prom was on friday - went w/ my whole family to take pics, ect. I get to her best friends house and the father walks up and plants a huge kiss on my cheek - and i look up and there is this cold sore staring back at me! It looked almost black, nearly the size of a dime - like a dried out blister at the edge of his lip. He's middle eastern so he has fairly dark skin and i keep trying to tell myself maybe it was a mole, maybe he cut himself shaving- but after being so paraniod before i did so much research and i pretty much know what they look like, ive seen blackish ones on the web. My question is - if i was exposed, is there anything i can do before my first outbreak to prevent my body from getting this virus? i already have exzema on my lips, i deal w/ that, its not contagious. Also, my dermotologist told me it only attaches to a mucus membrane or a cut in the skin - i was also told that my the std hotline - but the first sentence in richards article is that thats the biggest myth about herpes - its through direct skin to skin contact and even if my cheek was completely intact, i can still get it that way. I hate this virus, i was finally fealing better, now this. Any ideas about early prevention or how its transmitted? and w/ my atopic dermotitis (exzema) i read it can be life threatening. I want to call this man up and just ask him what that was - but my sister would kill me and i know myself thats crazy, but now i am going to live in hell (my choice, i just cant handle germs in general and an incurable virus is my worst nightmare) So thats all - any ideas let me know, thanks.

Answer:
Hi Brittany,

I'm a 24-year-old female, and I can relate to your situation in some ways...for most of my life I've been very, very afraid of germs and of getting sick. Well, then I discovered that I'd been exposed to HSV 1! My worst fear came true! And, like you, I have eczema. I try to keep a lid on things, though, like if I'm aroud people who are hacking and hewing, and especially during fall and winter months, I take Echinacea. If I notice tingling on my lips, I take 1000mg Lysine 1 or 2X/day. I try not to stree, and I don't drink alcohol (for other reasons as well.)

Hope this helps; if you want to chat further, don't hesititate to email me at Chrisishere443@aol.com
Yours,
Christina

Answer:
hey brittany, i was wondering why you thought u might have had herpes. I think i might have it too, but i have no cold sores. just wondering what symptoms u had to think u had herpes?