Question:
I was telling another friend of mine my story last night for the first time and I realized that the more people I tell, the better I feel that I could be opening someone's eyes to the prevalence of this disease. I also realized that everytime I retold my story, the angrier I got about it. The fact that my doctor gave me a visual diagnosis and didn't want to take a culture. The fact that I had to force her to do so and after the fact it came back negative, she tried to discourage me from getting a blood test. I came back in after having more symptoms and she told me that she didn't see any sores, so it can't be herpes. It angers me that after reading books, online info and speaking to people with this disease I've seemed to learn more than a health care professional in only 3 months and I have had to take charge of my own health and tell her what to do. It angers me that after I was diagnosed and almost had a mental breakdown, it was nearly impossible for me to find a support group in my area, no counseling services.

If I have to read about one more ignorant health care professional, one more person who knowingly had it and lied to their partner, one more person who carelessly sleeps around and never asks questions, one more person too afraid to get tested, one more judgmental pharmacist, I'm going to scream. If as many people have herpes as they say, someone is obviously doing something wrong here.

I truly want to do something and get involved with raising awareness about this disease. I have been searching everywhere and haven't gotten anywhere as of yet. I am in the New York City area and have tried ASHA and PHANYC. Please, if there are any other organizations in the area that anyone knows of, let me know. I want to help open everyone's eyes.

Thanks,

nygirl

Answer:
I hear ya!!! You are right on!

I requested the support team of this website to add a forum for legal information, i.e. statutes of different states. Also, on this forum, there could be information about support groups, people trying to change the laws in their state (like me). In MA, it is not deemed a law that it is negligent to transmit Herpes if one knows of should have known (also falls into battery). Can you beleive this!!! 27 other states do!!!

Answer:
Hi Angel Eyes,

I have added the new forum section titled "Herpes Law"... let's hope it gets some responses :D

You can find a list of here.

Hope this helps,

Shenda