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Varied symptoms made Jane's diagnosis difficult
The symptoms of genital herpes can vary enormously, often making it very difficult to detect and diagnose. Jane’s* story demonstrates that symptoms can be very obscure.
The advice to anyone with any kind of pain, discomfort or irritation in and around the genital area is to seek medical advice straight away.
I was 38-years-old, had been married for over 5 years to my second husband and was 8 months pregnant with my second child when I had what I thought was an infected hair follicle on the major labia of the vagina. It was like a painful acne pimple, but did not have a pustule. My gynaecologist took a sample and cultured it and informed me that it was herpes.
I couldn't believe it because of what I had read about the disease. I thought that my vagina would be covered in painful, weeping sores and that I would be very sick. I was not. My lymph nodes were swollen, but not a lot; I was only mildly uncomfortable.
I had been troubled with recurrent urinary tract infections prior to that time. I had been sexually active since I was 15, but had no idea that I had herpes or where I contracted it. My husband has no apparent symptoms although we have unprotected sex.
For 8 years after the diagnosis, I had no symptoms or recurrences. However, over the past 2 years, I think I’ve had recurrences about every 2 months. I say ‘I think’ because the symptoms are varied. While I usually have swollen lymph nodes in my groin, I do not usually have any sores. I often have back pain and sometimes pain in my legs. It is really frustrating because I don't really know if I am infectious during these times; it has inhibited intimacy with my husband. I do take an antiviral drug when I feel the discomfort, but it has not reduced the recurrences.
I didn’t even know anything about this disease until I was about 30-years-old!
Please keep up the good work and help to get the word out so that this disease can be controlled and hopefully, one day, cured!
*Jane’s
name has been changed, to protect her privacy.
Sebastien
Sebastien
Natalie
Jenny
Christine