Last Updated on July 29, 2021 by Stacy Sampson, DO
Our most recent STI Interview is a submission which addresses living with genital herpes. It’s not easy to share one’s story – and it’s especially difficult to do it openly or with your photo attached. This interviewee wanted to take a stand with us, and she thought ‘coming out’ would be the best way for her to do that.
Cheers to your bravery and thanks so much for your contribution! Your story will go a long way in helping others to know they are not alone!
1. How old are you?
I am 33 years young.
2. What do you do for a living?
I am a stay at home Super-Mom. 🙂
3. What STI/STD do you have/have you had?
Genital herpes
4. How long have you had or known you have an STI/STD?
I contracted herpes in 2001.
5. Do you know how you contracted this STI?
Yes, I do, and, in a way, it was my choice.
6. How has your life changed since you contracted an STI?
N/A (See answer to #12)
STI Masterclass: Breaking Through the Fear, Shame, and Stigma of an STI Diagnosis
If you’re fed up with feeling unworthy, less-than, damaged, or limited by your STI, then join the next cohort in the 60-Day Masterclass, and leave feeling empowered, knowledgable, and confident again!
Click Here to Learn More
7. Do the people who know you have an STI treat you differently than they treated you before they knew?
Surprisingly, no.
The few people I told were very accepting and treated me the exact same as they had beforehand.
8. Are you currently under treatment for your STI? If so, please share whether you have explored prescription medication, over-the-counter medication, or holistic and natural approaches.
Not at the moment. When I was pregnant with my son, I took prescription medication so I wouldn’t pass the virus to him during birth.
I would like to take medication to prevent outbreaks, though.
9. Has having an STI hindered past relationships?
Not at all.
Both men I’ve been with since contracting herpes have been very understanding. The only issue I’ve had is not being able to have any sexual contact during outbreaks.
10. Do you have a significant other? If so, how has this STI affected your partner?
Yes, I do, I have a fiance’.
Unfortunately, he also contracted herpes, but he’s ok with that. He loves me no matter what.
11. Have you been sexually active with someone since contracting an STI whom you did not tell you had an STI?
No.
I’ve been in 2 relationships since contracting herpes, and I made sure they both knew before things got serious. I wanted to make sure they were ok with possibly getting herpes.
12. How have you changed as a result of contracting an STI?
Honestly, I haven’t changed much at all.
I believe, having an STI has made me more empathetic towards others who have contracted an STI and has made me understand their situations a little better.
13. Why are you choosing to participate in this interview and/or is there anything else you would like to share with The STI Project?
I decided to participate in The STI Project, because, I believe, the more personal stories we share, the less of a taboo STIs will become.
A lot of people think that someone with an STI is “dirty” or “slutty” and that’s simply not true.
ANYONE can get an STI.
I want to make people more aware of STIs, so, together, we can eradicate the stigma.
Peace and love to all.
- How to Not Give an Eff about Having an STI
- All about Herpes Disclosure
- Herpes Resources & Personal Perspectives
- STI/STD? What Now?
- Information About Herpes
- Would you like to share your story?
- STI Interviews
- STI Resources
- STIs and Relationships
References
- Symptoms
- Armangue, Thaís, et al. “Frequency, symptoms, risk factors, and outcomes of autoimmune encephalitis after herpes simplex encephalitis: a prospective observational study and retrospective analysis.” The Lancet Neurology 17.9 (2018): 760-772.
- Groves, Mary Jo. “Genital herpes: a review.” Am Fam Physician 93.11 (2016): 928-934.
- Jonker, Iris, et al. “The association between herpes virus infections and functional somatic symptoms in a general population of adolescents. The TRAILS study.” PloS one 12.10 (2017): e0185608.
- Verhoeven, Dirk HJ, et al. “Reactivation of human herpes virus-6 after pediatric stem cell transplantation: risk factors, onset, clinical symptoms and association with severity of acute graft-versus-host disease.” The Pediatric infectious disease journal 34.10 (2015): 1118-1127.
- Croll, Benjamin J., et al. “MRI diagnosis of herpes simplex encephalitis in an elderly man with nonspecific symptoms.” Radiology case reports 12.1 (2017): 159-160.
- Testing
- Tan, S. K., and B. A. Pinsky. “Molecular Testing for Herpes Viruses.” Diagnostic Molecular Pathology. Academic Press, 2017. 89-101.
- Piret, Jocelyne, Nathalie Goyette, and Guy Boivin. “Novel method based on real-time cell analysis for drug susceptibility testing of herpes simplex virus and human cytomegalovirus.” Journal of clinical microbiology 54.8 (2016): 2120-2127.
- Hauser, Ronald G., et al. “Reply to Galen,“Screening cerebrospinal fluid prior to herpes simplex virus pcr testing might miss cases of herpes simplex encephalitis”.” Journal of clinical microbiology 55.10 (2017): 3144.
- Hauser, Ronald G., et al. “Cost-effectiveness study of criteria for screening cerebrospinal fluid to determine the need for herpes simplex virus PCR testing.” Journal of clinical microbiology 55.5 (2017): 1566-1575.
- Bohn-Wippert, Kathrin, et al. “Resistance testing of clinical herpes simplex virus type 2 isolates collected over 4 decades.” International Journal of Medical Microbiology 305.7 (2015): 644-651.
- Treatment
- Wilhelmus, Kirk R. “Antiviral treatment and other therapeutic interventions for herpes simplex virus epithelial keratitis.” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 1 (2015).
- James, Scott H., and David W. Kimberlin. “Neonatal herpes simplex virus infection: epidemiology and treatment.” Clinics in perinatology 42.1 (2015): 47-59.
- Jeon, Young Hoon. “Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: practical consideration for prevention and treatment.” The Korean journal of pain 28.3 (2015): 177.
- Eppink ST, Kumar S, Miele K, Chesson H. Lifetime medical costs of genital herpes in the United States: Estimates from insurance claims. Sex Transm Dis. (2021).
- Breier, Alan, et al. “Herpes simplex virus 1 infection and valacyclovir treatment in schizophrenia: Results from the VISTA study.” Schizophrenia research (2018).
- Varanasi, Siva Karthik, et al. “Azacytidine treatment inhibits the progression of herpes stromal keratitis by enhancing regulatory T cell function.” Journal of virology 91.7 (2017): e02367-16.
- Prevention
- Abdool Karim, Salim S., et al. “Tenofovir gel for the prevention of herpes simplex virus type 2 infection.” New England Journal of Medicine 373.6 (2015): 530-539.
- Jeon, Young Hoon. “Herpes zoster and postherpetic neuralgia: practical consideration for prevention and treatment.” The Korean journal of pain 28.3 (2015): 177.
- Marrazzo, Jeanne M., et al. “Tenofovir Gel for Prevention of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Acquisition: Findings From the VOICE Trial.” The Journal of infectious diseases (2019).
- Chi, Ching‐Chi, et al. “Interventions for prevention of herpes simplex labialis (cold sores on the lips).” Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 8 (2015).
- Colombel, Jean-Frédéric. “Herpes zoster in patients receiving JAK inhibitors for ulcerative colitis: mechanism, epidemiology, management, and prevention.” Inflammatory bowel diseases 24.10 (2018): 2173-2182.
- Transmission
- Oevermann, Lena, et al. “Transmission of chromosomally integrated human herpes virus-6A via haploidentical stem cell transplantation poses a risk for virus reactivation and associated complications.” Bone marrow transplantation (2019): 1.
- Tronstein E, Johnston C, Huang ML, Selke S, Magaret A, Warren T, Corey L, Wald A. Genital shedding of herpes simplex virus among symptomatic and asymptomatic persons with HSV-2 infection. JAMA. (2011).
- Pandey, Utsav, et al. “Inferred father-to-son transmission of herpes simplex virus results in near-perfect preservation of viral genome identity and in vivo phenotypes.” Scientific reports 7.1 (2017): 13666.
- Ramchandani M, Selke S, Magaret A, Barnum G, Huang MW, Corey L, Wald A. Prospective cohort study showing persistent HSV-2 shedding in women with genital herpes 2 years after acquisition. Sex Transm Infect. (2018).
- Ceña-Diez, Rafael, et al. “Prevention of vaginal and rectal herpes simplex virus type 2 transmission in mice: Mechanism of antiviral action.” International journal of nanomedicine 11 (2016): 2147.
- Omori, Ryosuke, and Laith J. Abu-Raddad. “Sexual network drivers of HIV and herpes simplex virus type 2 transmission.” AIDS (London, England) 31.12 (2017): 1721.
- Aebi-Popp, Karoline, et al. “High prevalence of herpes simplex virus (HSV)-type 2 co-infection among HIV-positive women in Ukraine, but no increased HIV mother-to-child transmission risk.” BMC pregnancy and childbirth 16.1 (2016): 94.
Issa
I just wanted to say that I think you are doing such a wonderful thing for society. It takes a lot of bravery to openly speak about personal things. You are an inspiration to myself and many others!! Keep up the great work!!!
Jenelle Marie
Thank you – it’s not always easy, but it’s always interesting and every day the conversation broadens!!! Thanks so much for your support! 🙂