I know i have herpes... i have all the signs and it is driving me nuts. so many questions i have... im depressed, scared and embarrased are just a few emotions i am feeling right now. I have not called a doctor yet....

one question i have though..is the first outbreak always the worst one??? about a year and half ago i though i had them, but it was so minor and went away so fast and i barely had any pain so i thought i was in the clear. Just got an outbreak this week and it is horrible!! So my question is can this be the first outbreak and i never has them before...or is it possible to get them once not so bad and then get an outbreak that is really bad?


I have been in a committed relationship for a year and a half now so not really sure if i got them from my current partner or one in the past :(

Get tested. If you think you have had it for a year, culturing a sore may not be as accurate. Western Blot is one of the most accurate.. i've never had one.

I also do not know exactly when i got it. It can lay dormant in your system and then come to the surface.

Get an accurate diagnosis to put your mind at ease. Dont' forget to share this info with your partner

Yes.. the first is usually the worst and the longest ob. I was sick for 3 weeks. Varies from person to person..

If you go to your doc and ask for a STD testing.. herpes is usually not included that line of tests (strange but true!)

Yes, the first outbreak is usually the worst. However, people react differently. It's possible that this is your second outbreak, and for some reason it's worse. Reasons could be stress, change in diet, PMS, anything really.

I think it's misleading to tell you that culturing a sore won't be accurate. In fact, it's one of the most accurate ways of determining if you have herpes. As with all tests, there is the parameter - with a culture test you must have it swabbed within a couple of days of it erupting. Otherwise it has already started to heal and there isn't enough virus left to test correctly. However, if you catch the sore within that guideline, this is actually one of the most accurate tests, regardless of whether you have had herpes for a day or 10 years. That's because it tests for the actual virus, not the antibodies.

I do agree though, that you need to get to a doctor.