l was diagnosed through ''the swab'' and blood work, but the realization came when the doctor looked at it and just said ''yep'' thats genital herpes. Then l just cried. It says it takes 14 days to show symptoms but l never was with anyone except my girlfriend of 3 years and she SWEARS shes been with no one else. Im just perplexed and depressed

Were you diagnosed through blood work? Otherwise, you would have to have some sort of symptom. Herpes never goes away. It comes and goes and depending on the person will depend on how bad, frequent, and the longevity of an outbreak is.

Herpes there are many classification, the growth in the different body parts, this information there are details.

Many people have herpes for years without ever showing symptoms. Herpes can be very tricky that way.

l am sorry to hear of ur diagnosis. l am assuming from ur question that u were diagnosed through blood work & have not ever experienced symptoms? There r a few things that u should know then.

First, if u were diagnosed through blood work, u know THAT u have herpes but not WHERE u have it. While HSV2 ''prefers'' the genitals, u can get it on ur mouth.

Second, u can spread herpes even when no symptoms r present (although it is much less likely). So the ethical thing to do is to explain to future lovers that u have tested positive for HSV2 (or whatever) & that there is a chance that they could catch herpes from you.

Finally, in case u r already in a relationship, know that herpes can lie dormant for literally years. You may have caught this from ur current partner, or from a previous partner, from oral sex (if a partner had oral herpes) or from intercourse.

For lots of good, reliable, easy-to-read information on herpes, l strongly recommend the website below. Be careful who u believe about genital herpes - there is a lot of misinformation floating around. Info on the website below - or WebMD or the CDC - is all quite good & reliable.

Good luck.

Your question probably refers to herpes infections of the sex organs known as genital herpes and usualy caused by type I l virus.

Once the herpes virus enters the body, it lies dormant between attack but does not disappear.

The disease can be passed from person to person during sexual activity.

Did she mess in your down under area when she had a cold sore? l think you could have gotten it that way.

Sometimes it can be known to lay dormant for a while before u have ur first outbreak, but l would think by 3 yrs u would have known. l hate to say this, but sounds like she may have cheated, but no one will know 100%. l will give u my story for example: l had sex with a guy ( keep in mind that l am 23 & l have only have less than 4 partners my whole life & those r people l have known for a long time) & the condom broke exposing me to his skin. 3 days later l had a bad temp, swollen lymph nodes in groin, & a very small bump down there. l went to the dr & he said the bump didnt look like the typical herpes outbreak since there was only one bump & no blisters. He did a swab anyways & it came back as herpes to our surprise. So it only took me 3 days from contact with herpes to get the symptoms. l am one of the very few lucky ones that has not had another outbreak & l only had one place & it didnt even hurt & it healed within a week. l feel bad for u because herpes does complicate ur life, but doesnt ruin it. l am on Valtrex, it is the only medication proven to help reduce the risk of spreading herpes. l am honest with anyone l plan to have sex with ( which is typically the same couple of people) & to my suprise they r understanding about me having it & dont mind having sex with me as long as they wear a condom.

She could have given it to through oral sex if she gets cold sores. She may not have even known she had it. Most people with Herpes, either Genital or Oral are completely unaware that they are carriers. It does not mean she cheated on you or that she lied to you about having it, she may just not have known. Do not just assume the worst.

She could have had it but never had an outbreak nor have known to have an outbreak checked out. They wont find the antibody for the virus in ur blood but they will on the swab. It mostly depends on ur immune system when the outbreaks occur. Some people dont have them at all for years & others may have them weekly. Stress has shown to trigger the outbreaks. Most of the time, it just lies dormant like a cold sore on a lip that surfaces every now & then. its not a bad STD to have but u may want to be careful from now on because there r plenty more viruses out to get you. Good luck.and if its any comfort.its not the end of the world :)

l had it for over 10 years before mine was truly ''diagnosed'' --- l was devastated, though l always suspected in the back of my mind that is what it was. It is just a different feeling once the doctor says, ''your culture was positive''

If u were never sexually active with anyone else besides ur girlfriend, l would have to assume it came from her.

Unless of course u had oral sex with someone else, it is possible to spread HSV through oral sex as well.

Good Luck to you. l know the feeling of doom that goes with the diagnosis