Question for Happy Herp Couples - Herpes Message Board

LifeAbundantly · 05-25-2009, 06:52 PM

I was diagnosed with H in 2005 so I'm four years in and dealing with this as well as expected. I have days where it doesn't cross my mind AT ALL and have days where it seems to be the only thing on my mind. When I was diagnosed, I had a bf, who was not the culprit of my infection, and told him and he didn't freak out (I think because he had given me chlamydia). I also had a wonderful relationship afterwards where he was totally understanding when it came to abstaining from sex during outbreaks and using condoms ALWAYS. We later broke up because I moved to another state (had nothing...nothing to do with H)

Currently, I have started dating a guy who I have also told my "secret" to. He was OK with it also. (I listed these relationships for all of the people who feel like noone will accept them after they contract herpes).

My question to the happy herp couples is this....If both parties are infected and there is no condom usage, can the virus be transmitted to other parts of the other persons body via viral shedding? It's still really confusing because they talk about auto-inocculation where you can spread the virus on parts of your body where the virus wasn't originally transmitted. Does this happen with the viral shedding episodes too or only when there's an active visible lesion? Sorry if I'm being confusing

Again my question is....How do couples that both have herpes and are not using condoms prevent spreading the infection to areas of their partner that weren't previously infected???

One more question! (This is for people with butt/thigh/etc OBs in addition to vaginal or on the penis) I have outbreaks on my vagina and butt, with the butt outbreaks being the worse. What do you do to protect your partner from these areas which are obviously not covered by using condoms (besides Valtrex because it resulted in tremendous hair loss)?

Truthseek · 05-25-2009, 07:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeAbundantly

My question to the happy herp couples is this....If both parties are infected and there is no condom usage, can the virus be transmitted to other parts of the other persons body via viral shedding? It's still really confusing because they talk about auto-inocculation where you can spread the virus on parts of your body where the virus wasn't originally transmitted. Does this happen with the viral shedding episodes too or only when there's an active visible lesion? Sorry if I'm being confusing

Again my question is....How do couples that both have herpes and are not using condoms prevent spreading the infection to areas of their partner that weren't previously infected???

One more question! (This is for people with butt/thigh/etc OBs in addition to vaginal or on the penis) I have outbreaks on my vagina and butt, with the butt outbreaks being the worse. What do you do to protect your partner from these areas which are obviously not covered by using condoms (besides Valtrex because it resulted in tremendous hair loss)?

Autoinoculation would only occur in the first few months of having herpes. Basically when new, your body has not built up the antibodies yet and say you touch your oral cold sores and then touch your genitals you could transmit it to that area. If you have had herpes for over 4 years, your can't infect other parts of your body now.

If both partners have herpes (assuming the same type in the same location), you can't reinfect them or make outbreaks appear in other places. Since the virus lives in the nerves at the top and base of the spine, it can appear anywhere in the area serviced by those nerves. But if you say get it on your butt and your partner gets it on his thigh, you will not make him get it on his butt or vice versa by having sex.

Hope that makes sense. I think I got too much sun today and my brain is fried!

anonyNRS · 12-19-2011, 09:06 AM

You can autoinnoculate yourself at any time. In addition, this is a virus, and viruses can change the way they behave (i.e., super AIDS, the flu, MRSA) so I would always play it safe.

tryingtobezen · 12-19-2011, 10:04 AM

So, 1 response says autoinoculation only happens in the beginning; another says it can happen anytime...would love to know who is right!! I posted basically this same question this morning and am dying to know.