herpes facts

Tag: herpes facts

Think you have herpes? What you MUST ask your doctor…

 

Think you have herpes? What you MUST ask your doctor

Doctor's OfficeI was trekking in Nepal when I had my first symptoms of a herpes outbreak. I was 23 years old and taking a trip around the world. Little did I know that his trip would change me forever, in ways that I could have never imagined. At first, I thought it was just an irritation from hiking for days on end, but once the burning set in and the little blisters appeared, I knew better. How could this be, I thought? Why me?

I had been intimate with someone just days before and I vaguely remember him having a fever blister from the high altitude sunshine. My mind raced as the burning and itching intensified. I knew I had to get to a doctor as soon as I could, get to some “real” medical treatment in Katmandu.

Long story, cut very, very short…my worst nightmare came true. Within days I was diagnosed with genital herpes from a doctor at a clinic in Katmandu. My diagnosis was based on visual inspection, which, back then, was how it was done. You can read more about my journey in my new book, “Live, Love and Thrive with Herpes: A Holistic Guide for Women.”

Times have changed since the early 90’s and testing for genital herpes is so much more advanced. Now they have blood tests and culture tests which can determine whether or not you have herpes and which strain of the herpes virus you carry (HSV-1 and/or HSV-2). If you are reading this right now and are freaking out that you too might have genital herpes, my first piece of advice for you is to take a deep breath and know that you are not alone!  If it is genital herpes, we know that at least 1 in 4 women in the U.S. have genital herpes. That’s 1 in 4! That statistic is higher than the rate of invasive breast cancer, 1 in 8, and no one is talking about this!

Herpes is often referred to as the Great Masquerader because it can look like so many different things. This is difficult for the patient and doctor alike. Genital herpes could be mistaken for a bug bite, allergic reaction, urinary tract infection, yeast infection etc. So, just because you think you might have genital herpes, you may or may not. If you have itching, burning, tingling, painful urination, or fluid filled blisters then I encourage you to go to your doctor or nearest STD clinic to get tested.

The reason you want to do this right away is that once the body starts to heal from  an outbreak, the chances of you getting an accurate diagnosis decreases with time. Our immune system is constantly working to kill off any foreign invaders and this includes the herpes virus. So, if you wait to long, the immune system might have already killed off the majority of the herpes virus at the surface of the skin. While the virus might be killed off at the surface of the skin, it remains dormant in the spinal chord, indefinitely.

I know that going to a doctor for something like this might be very embarrassing, but it doesn’t need to be. If you are too embarrassed to go to your primary care doctor, consider going to an STD clinic. These people are truly experts at diagnosing herpes! Here is a bullet list of things you should know and require.

1. The most important thing to do is to go get tested right away. Don’t wait!

2. The doctor or nurse will want to see the affected area and this might include an internal exam (the outbreak might also be on the vaginal walls or on the cervix)

3. Require your doctor to perform a culture ( a culture is when they rub the area with a q -tip like tool and collect a sample). Do NOT rely on visual inspection because it might be incorrect.

4. Request a type specific test of your culture. The reason you want a type specific test is that it will let you know if you have either HSV-1 or HSV-2. This becomes important for compatibility with future partners and possible prognosis.

5. If your test comes back negative, wait at least 2-3 months to get your blood tested. If this is truly your first exposure, then it can take some time for the antibodies to show up in your blood.

If you ARE diagnosed with herpes, the women of Pink Tent are here to support you on our women’s only private forum. We are a group of Women Supporting Women with Herpes. The forum is the perfect place to ask questions, get support and get inspired.

Live. Love. Thrive.

Dr. Kelly

Do Doctors Misdiagnose Herpes?

Q: Do doctors misdiagnose herpes?

shutterstock-misdiagnosisA: Yes. It wasn’t until the 1940s that herpes was found to be an actual virus. Then, 1960’s research started to isolate the virus into two types that we know today: HSV-1 and HSV-2. Although it is said that the virus was misdiagnosed all the way through the 1970s, the truth is, it’s still being misdiagnosed.

It used to be that doctors would diagnose herpes based on classic presentations of painful, itching blisters. This “classic presentation” is now debunked due to the alarming number of people who never elicit such classic symptoms.

Type-specific blood testing, which enables us to differentiate between HSV-1 and HSV-2, was not available until more recent years. The older tests could only reveal a positive or negative result for the herpes virus.

This was extremely limiting in regards to helping patients determine their level of risk and how they might have acquired the infection. Doctors still misdiagnose herpes all the time.

Herpes has been called the great masquerader because it can look like so many different things. We need to get doctors on board with proper diagnosis of herpes so that we as patients can be empowered, educated individuals.

What Is Herpes?

What Is Herpes?

Many people have been diagnosed with herpes, and yet they do not know what herpes actually is- so let’s define it

herpesHerpes is a virus that has been around for 140 million years, infecting humans and animals alike.  Over twenty-five centuries ago, Hippocrates, the father of medicine, coined the term herpes from the Greek “to creep”. Aptly named, herpes has the ability to creep along any nerve and infect skin cells at more distant sites. Herpes is so common globally that it has the second largest incidence rate worldwide, trailing only behind the common cold.  Chances are you have been exposed to the herpes virus at some point in your lifetime.

When I was a child, parents would throw chickenpox parties so that all of the children would become infected. The idea was that it was better for the body to build up immunity and “learn” about the virus so that the chances of developing a reoccurrence from the painful condition of shingles later in life was not as high. Can you imagine if we could get over the stigma of HSV (Herpes Simplex Virus) and have a neutral, educated perspective on it? Now, don’t imply from this that I would encourage sexual parties to spread the love, but seriously, it does show how ostracized our viewpoints are of one strain of the herpes virus and not the other.

HSV is as common as the chickenpox strain and yet people associate herpes with being dirty or promiscuous. Why is it that most people don’t think twice about a cold sore, but would feel embarrassed about a genital outbreak, when in fact, it is the same type of virus. Cold sores are so prevalent in our culture and their location during cold and flu season make them challenging to hide. I am certain that you know of family and friends who are prone to these outbreaks and yet, you would never associate anything negative about their character for being a carrier of the virus. A genital sore; however, is hidden and found in an area that for most is very private and secretive.

As a culture, we have not been raised to talk about our sexual health, nor have we been encouraged to embrace our sexuality. Add an infection to our privates and we become extremely uncomfortable, shameful and embarrassed. This is why, I believe, that although a herpes infection can be detected in the blood of the whole body, our culture views the location of the outbreak differently. If a person has a genital outbreak, then their sexual practices are often wrongly, and presumptuously judged. This is something that most people are not comfortable talking about.

My opinion was reinforced by an experience I had, while I was interviewed on the morning show, Connections, on KGNU radio 88.5 FM (1390 AM) on the topic of Women and Herpes. The interviewer was shocked when she found out that chickenpox and Mononucleosis (the kissing disease) were both part of the herpes family. I could see the fear in her eyes when she asked me if by having either chickenpox or mononucleosis, did it mean she had HSV I or 2. I was happy to share with her that one did not preclude the other, but I do think that it drove the herpes conversation a little closer to home.


[1] Shingles is a member of the herpes family, also known as Herpes Zoster.

Top 10 Herpes Facts (Sex Health Guru)

Top 10 Herpes Facts (Sex Health Guru)

I just saw this video for the first time and was disturbed by some of its content. While most of the video is accurate, below is a list of the things I found to be bothersome and inaccurate.

1. While the herpes virus could be passed on by inanimate objects like towels and toilet seats, there has never been a confirmed case of this transmission. Herpes mainly spreads through skin to skin contact. By all means, though, wash your sex toys with soap and water.

2. The herpes virus can be passed onto a newborn through birth, but this is very rare. If a mother is infected with genital herpes before she gets pregnant, her unborn child will receive antibodies to the herpes virus. This offers the baby some protection to the virus. The danger to the unborn child is usually from a mother who acquires herpes during her last trimester and she does not tell her doctor. Get the facts before you go into fear. If you are a woman who suffers from genital herpes, know that you can manage it effectively with your healthcare provider. A C-section is NOT your only option.