I am hoping for someone to answer some questions for me. I apologize for the volume of questions and the lack of knowledge in the area but any help would be greatly appreciated.

My girlfriend has tested positive for genital HSV-1 through a culture test and has backed it up with a blood test. I am awaiting my results right now. As far as I remember I don’t recall ever having cold sores, and neither does she so we are a bit confused as to how she could have gotten it. Maybe someone could help to shed some light on this?
If my blood test comes back that I am HSV-1 positive as well, what does this mean for me? I haven’t had any symptoms of any kind. Does this mean that I am in anyway immune to catching HSV-1 genitally, or is it still possible for my partner to transfer HSV-1 to my genitals?

If my results come back negative, than that means that I will run the risk of catching herpes from my partner. I have read that with HSV-1 the outbreaks are very few and you may get them once a year and maybe even never in span of a lifetime. Is this true? What are my risks for catching it from her? How often does viral shedding occur with genital HSV-1?

What do you recommend my partner does for treatment of HSV-1 genitally? I’ve read a lot about Valtrex; should she be taking this right now daily? Or is it something she should be taking when she ever feels another outbreak coming along? My partner has said that she is not sure whether Valtrex is something she should be taking because she has no idea what it feels like for an outbreak to come along because of the way her “first OB” was. It was barely an outbreak, and just a small bump on her labia that was tested and came back positive. She had absolutely no other symptoms that have been described. This may be a silly question, but since her so called “first outbreak” was as little as it was and that apparently the OB’s get lesser in intensity as time progresses, does that mean that she will never have a larger scale outbreak in the future? And if this is the case, does that mean the amount of viral shedding that occurs for her will be greatly diminished? What other type of treatment do you recommend?

As for prevention of transferring HSV-1 to me what are my best options for this. Regarding sex, will we need to always wear a condom to prevent, or with HSV-1 is the risk low enough that it does not matter as much? I know it is selfish of me but I have always enjoyed unprotected sex to start and then to put a condom on during sex, is this no longer an option for me? And if this is the case I feel like there is going to be so much anxiety that it is going to be hard to have sex normally again. Things like whether or not I can touch her at all with my genital region even if there is no penetration is an issue I feel. Oral has always been something that me and my partner has enjoyed, is this still possible with HSV-1 genitally, going both ways? What are some methods of prevention of herpes transfer during sex that you recommend?

Once again I apologize for the number of questions I am asking but if someone could take the time to answer every question that I have put forward that would be unbelievably helpful to me.

You can have herpes for many years and that you are not aware at all. Or she can have it also from before.

How long you two are together?

Don't be terrified, herpes is not dangerous if you learn how to live with it.

I doubt your results will be negative. If negative, yes, you are in risk of catching herpes from your partner.

Bobthebuilder,

Welcome to our herpes forum.

We are here to help mutually so don't worry about number of questions, whenever you have more questions don't hesitate to post.

1. As snake wrote, it is possible that you or your girlfriend caught it in the past. As usually people are not aware of it until they have first outbreak. It is important to know that cold sores are oral herpes or hsv-1 and genital herpes is hsv-2 (herpes simplex virus type 2) and it is usual that hsv-1 is associated to oral herpes. You can find more about that on our website.

2. You have herpes 99.99% if your partner has it, and maybe your outbreak will appear years from now (or days, months) or if you boost your immune system it can be many years. It is possible also that you didn't caught but possibility under 1% ...

3. Yes it is true. You just need to have some treatment to apply when ob appear and you will be fine.

4. We always recommend natural treatments like Dynamiclear, without side effects but of course she can use valtrex. As I know dynamiclear have better success rate but if you plan to use valtrex read more about side effects.

Bob,

Do you have your test ?

You mention unprotected sex, if your tests are positive, of course that you can have it as having unprotected sex does not necessarily trigger an outbreak.