I just found out I have herpes. Is it okay to take a tub bath during an outbreak? And what about going swimming. Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question. I'm SO depressed about this. I just got divorced, never had intercourse during an OB with my ex, and now THIS shows up! Thanks for the legacy creep!

herpes is a skin to skin contact virus. Swimming and bathing should be just fine during an outbreak, it's really up to you on how comfortable it makes you feel. I know when I had my primary sex was the last thing on my mind because of all the pain and discomfort. Sorry to hear of your bad news...goodluck

Don't even feel a bit uncomfortable in a swimming pool. The chlorine levels kill the virus.

This is indeed a skin-to-skin virus, but they have also successfully cultured herpes virus off a damp (not a dry) towel. This indicates to me that you shouldn't share towels, washcloths, etc.

Yeah, what backpacker said (again). :)

And, keep breathing and know that you are still a worthwhile and lovable person, friend, lover, and someday, maybe a wife again -- even with herpes. You are so much more than this "legacy" and I'm almost certain the transmission from your ex-husband was not intentional. It is a condition you did not ask for and I hope you will not put a lower value on your SELF because of it. Your life will be almost identical to the life you've always had -- just throw in an occasional physical annoyance and the one hard job of being honest and up front with new sexual partners. And, remember -- one in four people has it. Chances are you will not shock any new potential partners.

It's very likely that this ob is due to the stress of your recent divorce. Mine only seem to show up when i'm stressed, anxious and suffer from lack of quality sleep.

It's natural to get a bit depressed from time to time when ob's occur. A lot of people feel that nobody will ever love them and that they wont ever have a successful relationship again, but sooner or later they meet someone special who understands and is willing to learn about herpes and enter into a relationship knowing full well they may end up with herpes themselves. There is a thread on here about happy couples, which contains a lot of positive stories regarding relationships.