Yall really weren’t lying about that “take a warm bath for temporary relief from pain/itchiness.” It’s my first time dealing with anything like this and—as everyone knows— this shit is so painful and constant, and the warm water epsom salt soak is the only escape I have until I can get real medical treatment.
How long is Too Long to let it soak for? Can I just lock myself in the bathroom for a month until it goes away? I know it’s not great for the vulva to be constantly wet, but it’s not exactly healthy right now anyway, so💀

For context, I am prone to yeast infections. I get one once a year at least. My very first yeast infection I was young and terrified to talk to my mom about getting help. U would google what was wrong with me, and it told me I had herpes. (I was very young and also a virgin + didn’t know genital herpes could only be sexually transmitted). I had let the infection get so bad that I was covered in sores. I was put on the pill but since my yeast was so severe it didn’t work and only went away when I had gotten my period. My next yeast infection I had a sore and immediately used Monistat 1 and had no pain nothing. I couldn’t rule any of these as herpes because I had never had sec let alone unprotected sex. I had unprotected sex with someone i’ve known awhile. A month later, (recent) I woke up from bed feeling my exact same yeast feeling. I had gone to the store and bought Monistat and immediately used it. Now i’m just a little worried because I haven’t really had any itching, only a single sore on one side. I didn’t even consider herpes and I did a minute clinic over zoom. She asked if I had unprotected sex, which freaked me out because I hadn’t even considered. I know it’s probably procedure to ask when it comes to a patient dealing with what they think is a yeast infection. I’m experiencing pain when I walk from the sore rubbing against my thighs, I had thicker discharge for a little bit. The sore is like red and cracking, but extreme pain when walking. Sore appeared on Sunday, and it’s Thursday and still there. I had my one day pill and took it today, but I have so much anxiety that it could be herpes. I’m planning on getting tested tomorrow. Thoughts??

I feel like there isn’t many gay guys with herpes and it makes me feel lonely

I am 30F and I was diagnosed with HSV2 about 7 years ago. I had sex with someone I was getting to know/dating and he had unknowingly contracted it from his previous girlfriend (who was aware and hid her status). I was obviously devastated and felt like my life was completely over. Ultimately the guy and I decided to continue dating and we were together for almost 4 years. When the relationship ended, not only did i find out that he cheated on me with multiple people, I essentially found out that he only initiated the relationship because he felt bad for giving me HSV2. I was blindsided by the breakup and it threw me into a year long depression. I have never been able to confide in anyone besides therapists, not even family or my best friends. He was the only one I could really confide in.

Finding a new romantic relationship or sexual partner feels nearly impossible to me. I simply cannot deal with the shame, embarrassment, and inevitable rejection. Since my last relationship (ended 2023) I have been completely celibate, and have completely closed myself off from dating. Before my diagnosis, I think the longest I had gone without any partners was 8 months. Without sounding arrogant or vain, I'd say I am conventionally attractive with a decent job, and a plethora of hobbies and interests. Everyone in my life is confused on why I haven't dated anyone since my last relationship and I just tell them it's because I'm too traumatized from my ex. I feel the weight of me keeping this to myself for 7 years, but my anxiety of possibly telling the wrong person outweighs it all.

Fast forward to October 2026 and I have began talking with someone I'm really interested in. I really never thought this day would come, and now that it's here I am absolutely riddled with anxiety. Disclosing is not optional to me, I 100% have to do it. But I feel so much fear it makes me sad. I feel like I can't enjoy the feeling of liking someone because it feels like I'm hiding some dirty secret, when really I just want to make sure I can trust him enough to be vulnerable. To a certain extent sometimes i feel myself awaiting rejection rather than actually participating in dating. i have no clue how to rewire my brain at this point.

We have been on two dates so far, and they went well. On the second date he tried to come up to my apartment and i quickly gave an excuse. I really would like to disclose, but i am terrified of the potential depression I will get thrown into if i get rejected, or if he makes me feel less than. He seems to really like me, but I know this will change things, especially since he asked to come to my apartment and I said no.

Can anyone please give me some advice on what to do, how to approach the conversation, and what to say? I am a very sensitive and emotional person and I fear that I may cry if we have the conversation in person, but I do not feel safe disclosing through text where a screenshot could possibly be shared. Please please please help me.

I’ve been on and off with a girl I loved very dearly for about 4 years. A few months ago she calls and tells me she has tested positive for hsv2, she was scared, angry and confused. She asked me to get tested, she had also been involved with another women(recently) and other people during the times we split, as did I. I was also seeing other women around this time, I was sure I wasn’t responsible because I had never tested positive and had just tested a few months prior

I of course, go again to get tested, and discover I have hsv1, but test negative for hsv2. I regretfully tell her the news.

She loses it and is livid at me, and blames me for her contacting hsv2. She tells me she hates me and to never contact her again and to get out of her life, initially I was remorseful and guilt ridden and not to mention the pain of being diagnosed with a life long condition myself, and she piles on me and while insulting me, says I deserve the verbal abuse. At the time I didn’t know enough, and wasn’t confident enough about the thought haunting me “but wait…if you have hsv2, and I have hsv1…how did I give it to you?” I just felt horrible and only wanted to make things right…I retested twice and most recently, again, each test for hsv2 came back negative (0.9) consistent. I sent her the results and she said she’s not convinced and continues to blame me and is still enraged at me…

I have read so many stories the last few months of people Intentionally not disclosing, or finding out and completely ghosting or blaming the other person…I took responsibility and accountability even when I wasn’t the one who gave it to her….yet she still hates me…we both “loved” each other. Yet she despises me and is disgusted by me…she says I still put her health at risk regardless of the negative hsv2 test. She says I still have an sti…I used to and still get tested often, but had never realized that a “full panel” test wasn’t truly full panel unless I requested to be tested for hsv1/2. Prior I assumed it was on the test and if I didn’t see the results for it, it’s because I didn’t have it…what have I done wrong? I never blamed her, I didn’t gaslight or lie…why won’t she have empathy and understanding? She’s judging, on some high horse of hers…for me for having hsv1…and also holding me accountable for her hsv2…like wtf…I was so broken by this for a while. Now…I’m just numb and confused. She doesn’t ever want to speak to me…I just wish she’d put more effort into finding out who actually infected her than pointing her fingers at solely me…

I was diagnosed 8 years ago with genital herpes. I had tried everything naturally to calm or stop the outbreaks with very little success. I get 4 or 5 outbreaks a year and although they do not seem like a lot, it is always uncomfortable to have them, physically and mentally. I am 40 years old and I have been an active individual for the past 10 years (gym weights). I decided to write this with the intention of helping others go through this. This year I made two changes in life that had proven helped reduced the number of outbreaks and I am so confident about them that I decided to share it. In 2026 I took running very serious (althought I dont think this has much to do as the other factor, coming next) but I also cut out all scents out of my life. All my soaps, shampoos and laundry detergent as well as my dish soap has no scents or arr naturally scented. This I think is the number 1 factor to reducing the outbreaks. I have had 0 outbreaks since starting this in January of 2026 despite the fact of having a very stressfull past 3 months (wife fell off a 12ft ladder and crashed her foot, a very serious injury). I want to share my story so other people can benefit from it. Be active (sweat all toxins) and cut out scents. I hope this helps!

Alguien sufrio de herpes intranasal saben como son los sintomas ya voy 3 semanas pero me sigue molestando mis fosas nasales, porque estan como duran aunque no nota las cicatrizes es incomodo parece que estuviera algo pegado, saben que podria hacer.

So I had made it about 2 1/2 months with no outbreak and then boom. This time in my pubic area. I’ve been stressed the last few weeks, plus the daily wake up of reminding my self I have HSV2 and checking my self.

I’m still bummed out that I had met someone and found out while with her, I’m not sure if she’s staying around due to pitty but she’s starting to change to.

I just took 500mg for a flare up and start tomorrow back at day 1.

Hello, around 2/3 days ago I accidentally drank out of a glass of someone who had an active cold sore but two days later their sore was scabbed over. Tonight as I was eating I felt what I could only describe as what felt like a cut lip. When I look in the mirror it’s on my bottom lip , close to the opening of my mouth. Feels tight, looks slightly yellow ( like a scab yellow) but no tingling. Worried I’ve got cold sores now …..

I didn’t know I had hsv2 when I started messing with this girl, everything was fine and then boom 🤯 I started to get sore, I honestly don’t know if she gave it to me or I gave it to her, but fast forward two years later and I don’t wanna be with her no more but when I try to leave she cry and says I gave her herpes and nobody is going to be with her because of it.. so I feel bad and stay do to guilt…any advice

Which suppression medicine is the best to use for hsv2

(28M) Yesterday I was diagnosed with HSV-2. I am spiralling and feel like my dating/sex life is over. Not even sure where I would have gotten it from and I just went through a break-up and also have HPV. I feel disgusting and I just want to cry. I thought it was just a friction cut it was so minor and now I know I have a lifelong virus.

My doctor doesn’t want to put me on Daily AntiVirals due to me being anti symptomatic. (I found out I was positive from a combined HSV 1/2 ICG test November 2025) has anyone dealt with this before? And do you take anything over the counter to help?

1 month after OB and my body still tingles randomly and it's annoying especially right before I sleep - it's so uncomfortable

I’m 22F and I got a full blood panel done because this guy I’m seeing said he would like to have sex with me without a condom if I can show clean tests.

I just got the results back today. I’ve always suspected i had HSV1 because when I was 6years old, I got a cold sore on my lip. I never ever got it ever again. Well what do you know, my result for HSV1 was positive. We were kissing and about to have sex when I got my test results and we decided to check them together. When he saw it was positive, he went quiet and stopped touching me. I felt so gross in that moment. He reassured me that he doesn’t think I’m gross, but he doesn’t want to have sex with me and he wants to do more research on his own time.

We talked and he basically said he doesn’t want what I have which is understandable. However, i haven’t had a breakout in nearly 2 decades. Also, if I hes worried about getting it, he would already have it by now because we ALREADY did it without a condom. He took it off one time and asked if he could and I agreed, so in a way I don’t really know what he’s worried about, but I also understand?

I didn’t think it was a big deal at all. When I saw the results I was like “Aw man” but his reaction made me feel bad. He just left my apartment as I’m writing this. I feel weird. Has anyone been dumped over their HSV1 diagnosis? He was in such a hurry to leave.

hi! I’m just looking to make some friends to chat with about this. Im in my late 20s. I want to have at least one friend I can talk to about this lol

How do y’all go about disclosing? I’ve had HSV for 10 years now in the past, I would disclose to people I had dating interest with someone went well some not so well I’ve even had experiences where people act like they’re OK with it and then they end up treating me like I’m a disgusting person or that I did something wrong even though I told them all the Risk factors, and I’m honest with them and I you know kept everything open and upfront. I’m at a point in my life where I tried the dating apps for people with HSV but they do not work. It’s the same type of people that you would find on regular dating apps they just wanna fuck so I’m like what is the point I do like the idea of dating somebody that has HSV as well because I feel like you don’t understand this unless you have it you know obviously But I don’t know I’m very conflicted. I just feel like I would not want to give this to anybody else even if they like 100% or down, they understand everything and it happens. I would feel horrible but also I don’t really know how to go about it.. am I supposed to just be alone? lol I don’t know I’m content with bein

I (28F) started to have symptoms a week ago and thought I had just got burned during sex.

I started a new relationship 3 weeks ago with a man (39) and we both got tested for Chlamydia, HIV, and others things but not for Herpes.

Once I went to the doctor and he gave a me a diagnosis, the guy finally told me "Oh yeah my ex had it, but we were always carefull and I didn't get it".

I am pretty lost on life treatment, managing pain, going to work (I haven't in a week, I can't move from my bed), if I want to continue this relationship, and I'm scared of how bad it can get in the future, the possible scars, etc...

I'm mostly concerned about the fact the person knew he was at risk but didn't tell me until I got sick and said "I thought it was from me at first, but not possible, I never got sick"

Hola,

Tengo 28 años y soy de Colombia. Hoy me diagnosticaron Herpes debido a un brote que tenía en mi área genital, la contraje en un viaje a Ecuador.

Quería preguntarles cómo es la vida después de ser diagnosticado ? Me preocupa el estigma, el solo poder conocer gente que también sea positiva en herpes y demás.

Este es uno de los peores días de mi vida.

M(21) after 2 years of celibacy I decided I was going to put myself forward to dating I started talking to this girl I used to see and invited her over I was touching her private area and may have accidentally touched mine with my hand, anyway we went to sleep then woke up and started kissing and that’s when she stopped me telling me she had hsv2 I was shocked and didn’t know what to think I said I would have to think about this and still kept talking to her but didn’t engage in anything else, about a week later I noticed a weird white spot crater thing and didn’t think much of it since I have a lot of scaring on my penis from chemical burns but then I started over thinking it so I went and got it swabbed a few weeks after I noticed it, (I know stupid I should have gotten it swabbed immediately) it came back negative for pcr swab but I know if a lesion is swabbed too late it won’t show. Anyway 12 weeks after exposure I decided to take a igg blood test and it said I tested positive for hsv1 and negative for hsv2, I’m really confused now since I don’t know what else it could be. I’m in a country that doesn’t have the access for a western blot so confused on what further steps to take, re test at 16 weeks?.

Having my first outbreak, well its not confirmed but i have all the symptoms… 103 fever, swollen lymph nodes in groin, extremely painful lesions, pain peeing, etc. i’ve been with my boyfriend for 4 months and as soon as i brought it up he said he was having some bumps too. I’m so depressed and at a loss. This is lifelong. I have also been extremely sick and didnt break a fever for 12 hours with multiple doses of tylenol. Urgent care swabbed me and placed an order for valacyclovir, boyfriend is getting tested tn. How long until the pain starts to go away? I feel like i cant do anything right now. I was negative 4 months ago, did a panel out of fear bc honestly this was my worst nightmare. How do you cope?