[Question #9893] Asymptomatic herpes question
28 months ago
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I’ve never had any symptoms on my penis before that would suggest I may have herpes, but what concerns me is I have had unprotected sex in the past with a few girls whom I didn’t know much about, it was alwyas usually brief.. never lasted much longer than a minute or two. Is it true that the majority of people who think they’re “asymptomatic” actually do experience symptoms but they mistake them for something else? Is it a safe bet that because I’ve never had ANYTHING on my penis to suggest herpes (only thing I’ve ever had was an inflamed hair follicle on my shaft after using a dull razor once and going against the grain and then going on a hike that day) that I don’t carry the virus? I’m asking this because I’m from Canada and they don’t do blood testing for it here. Also I’ve been in relationships with girls since those unprotected exposures and had lots of unprotected sex with my girlfriends and they’ve never exhibited any symptoms either. Would you say that this is also reassuring? I think my anxiety is getting the best of me here and I’m just looking to calm my nerves as I’ve been a bit stressed thinking that I may he a carrier of this.
28 months ago
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May I also add that I’ve been tested for other STIs via urethral swab and urine test and was always negative
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
28 months ago
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It is correct that most people with HSV 2 do have symptoms but often confuse them with something else, like friction burns.
in the US about one in 7-8 men have HSV 2.
I'm a bit confused about you saying they don't do blood tests in Canada because I have helped many people in Canada get western blots because they have low positive IgG tests.
So statistically more men are uninfected than infected but that's about as much reassurance that I can give you. Also, you not having any visible symptoms is very good news on this topic
Terri
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28 months ago
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Well where I am from they told
Me there would need to be a sore to swab in order to do a test. So basically what I’m asking is, is it fair for me to assume
I don’t have HSV based on the fact that I’ve never had any symptoms before and none of my ex girlfriends who I’ve had lots of unprotected sex with have ever displayed any symptoms either? I’m a bit of a worrier and a hypochondriac about things and lately this has been something that I haven’t been able to stop worrying about.
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Terri Warren, RN, Nurse Practitioner
28 months ago
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I don't really know how to answer this question with any certainty. If we assume that about one and seven or one and eight men have HSV-2, then the odds are in your favor that you don't, correct? It's great that you don't have symptoms and it's good that none of your partners have told you that they have herpes or that you have given it to them.
Terri
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