[Question #11939] Herpes in older Man with New relationship
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11 months ago
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Thanks for your help! We are an older couple (m 76, F 68) started dating 3 months ago. Active sexually but without intercourse or mouth to penis oral because I had contracted HSV many years ago from previous wife.
Had only one outbreak over 6 years ago. With my next partner, we had unprotected sex, oral and vaginal without her contracting HSV. I'm a healthy male. No smoking, drinking , I meditate, do yoga, am vegetarian. We both have been tested. She is free. My Dr recommended Valtrex 2 days before sex and through our sexual encounters and wearing a condom. She is very concerned about getting HSV and it's becoming frustrating for us both to have to avoid intercourse and oral. Other ways to reduce the risk of her getting Herpes? Risk of contracting through semen? Is unprotected sex a possibility in our future?
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
11 months ago
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Do you know which type of herpes you have, HSV 1 or HSV 2? HSV 1 is generally quite benign and is rarely transmitted through intercourse. If you have HSV 2, the risk is great, but condoms reduce transmission from men to women by 96% so huge benefit. Daily antiviral medication reduces transmission by 48% so together, the risk becomes very low indeed. However, the research shows that five days of antiviral medication prior to intercourse is necessary to achieve highest levels of benefit, not two days.
Terri
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11 months ago
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Thank you so much for getting back to us. I have genital herpes, so I guess HSV2. Are there any long-term issues with taking the Valtrex? I usually don't take any medications at all, so I am concerned with potentially taking this medication roughly 20+days a month. What is the percentage risk if you are taking 5 days of Valtrex and wearing condoms combined?
Also, on the question of contact with semen, is oral sex without a condom at the moment of ejaculation not advised? Is HSV2 spread through semen if ejaculation happens anywhere on the body? Thanks again for helping us navigate through these thorny subjects.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
11 months ago
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Either HSV 1 or HSV 2 can infect the genitalia, but they behave very differently. It would be good to know which type you have.
HSV is spread mostly through direct skin to skin contact, semen is not a great carrier of virus but it is not impossible. So someone giving you oral sex has a small chance of acquiring this orally.
Valtrex is safe and effective and it reduces transmission by 48%, condoms reduce transmission from men to women by 96% so together, they are very effective. Valtrex addition is valuable in the case of a broken condom.
Terri
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11 months ago
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Thank you, Terri! I have HSV 2. Is there anything she can take prior to sex to reduce her exposure?
I will, for sure, keep taking the Valtrex and using condoms. I still wanted to know if there are any side effects of taking the Valtrex many days a month. Thanks Terri.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
11 months ago
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There is nothing that she an do to reduce transmission prior to sex, no.
There are no side effects for almost everyone from taking Valtrex daily. I've taken it daily for 15 years to prevent cold sores - very effective and safe!
Terri
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