Skip navigation! Story from The Single Files. Lexi Inks. Last Updated November 15,PM. Laying on my back, spread eagle in front of a person I just met is never how I want my stories to start, but alas, that was the beginning of one of herpes most influential journeys in my adult life.
The story of how I contracted HSV-1 the most common stories of andis pretty complicated. It happened in the fall ofshortly after a break up I was still in the process of transitioning out of living with my ex, visit web page I first noticed the symptoms — itchiness, irritation, and pain that dating like my vulva was literally tearing in a few spots. Eventually it became excruciating, so I made an appointment at Planned Parenthood where I received my diagnosis.
I have HSV-1, which is typically oral and causes success sores, but I am one of the few who experienced a genital outbreak instead. People with HSV-2 get their outbreaks genitally. During these genital dating, HSV-2 symptoms are usually similar to what I herpes the sores, inflammation, itchiness, discharge, and some even have cold or flu-like symptoms before those appear.
There is currently no cure for herpes, but antiviral medications can help suppress or shorten the outbreaks, and reduce the rate of transmission. Although all signs pointed to herpes, being diagnosed was still confusing — because my partner never told me he had it.
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Knowing that not only would I have HSV for the rest of my life, but that I also had to tell every single person I would ever want to have sex with was brutal and infuriating. My ex certainly could have been more clear about his diagnosis success that I had the chance to protect myself.
Instead, I now have to move about my dating life with much more caution, and brace myself for the higher potential of rejection. That luck was a trend for a while, until this past spring when I met a man and stories had an instantly powerful connection. When sex was on the table, I disclosed my diagnosis to him and he seemed understanding about it…but then ghosted me. Safe to say that being rejected by the first person to excite me in years, over the possibility of their future rejection, threw me for quite the loop.
Meeting someone amazing who saw my herpes as a dealbreaker stung a little extra because I truly prided myself on the confidence and knowledge with which I disclosed to potential partners. Once I received my diagnosis, I equipped myself with all the facts and statistics. For those of us who live with herpes, these falsehoods perpetuate the stigma and make it that much harder for us to have open conversations about it.
I post about it on social media and often educate others. Understanding that I can embrace my and while having HSV has been huge for me, and has made it a lot easier to talk about it with new people. Now, I usually opt to disclose on the first date, especially if I feel like a second date is likely to happen. Related Stories.
I Have Herpes, And Here’s How It Has Affected My Dating Life
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