Help, you guys-- My boyfriend has genital HSV; he doesn't know if it's
-1 or -2. I was tested a while back and had no HSV antibodies. We've
been together two months. He's never had lesions when we've been
together; we've never had intercourse without a condom. We did use
lambskin condoms a couple of times; I now realize those don't protect
against virus transmission. We've had unprotected oral sex.

Two months ago, I went back on the pill. About a month ago, around the
time of my first period, I noticed that my vulva was tingling, burning,
and itching. I thought for sure I'd contracted herpes, and have spent
the time since then inspecting my genitalia *minutely* each day. (I'm
talking bent double, with a magnifying mirror, and a flashlight you
could jack deer with.) I've seen things that frightened me at first,
only to realize that they haven't changed in weeks, and obviously were
there before I started fixating on them. But I haven't seen anything
that looked like herpes, like sores, even like the "subtler" signs they
talk about (I wish there was a better source of non-nightmare herpes
photos on the web). But the mentholated burning feeling has continued.
I go back and forth -- maybe it's just a yeast infection, from the
pill? No, it's gotta be HSV.

I was going to go to the STD clinic, but there wasn't really anything
for them to look at or culture, and it's too early for an accurate
blood test. I already have a follow-up gyn appt set for next week.

Now, last week, I started feeling a tingling on my upper lip. I
thought, "Ah, crap," and went out and bought some Abreva. Put it on a
couple of times, and the bump that had been growing went away
completely. The next day, I had tingling on my lower lip. Put some
stuff there. Went away. But then -- more swelling, this time inside my
lip, then inside my mouth. Not blisters or lesions, just swellings,
kinda throbby. THEN my gums started to burn! At that point I'd read up
on herpetic stomatitis and gotten scared. I went to the ER (hoping to
get zovirax)and sat for 5 hours and still didn't get seen, so I went
home. At this point (2 days later) I still have no distinct, large
blisters, and no lesions. But what I do seem to have are many, many
tiny (pin-prick sized) blisters on my upper gums. And my gums are still
burning. But they don't hurt to touch.

Does this sound like herpetic stomatitis? I mean, it must be herpes --
it can't be coincidence that I'm burning at both ends, right? But god,
if this were a true, primary outbreak, wouldn't I be a lot sicker than
I am? I haven't felt under the weather at all. I am so confused.

I'm so sorry to go on so; I just have so many questions, and there's no
one to talk to but my boyfriend, and he feels awful because he's the
one who gave me this. I keep telling him I went into the deal with my
eyes open. Yeah, we screwed up, but getting mad at him isn't gonna help
anything, and he's a good guy.

Thanks for listening,

T.