Replies to 'Coping with STDs'

I seriously believe that there needs to be more education and public knowledge on Herpes being an STD.  Technically Herpes is not included in STD's since it is a virus of the skin and it is not included in standard STD testing.  that is why so many people are walking around with it and don't even know about it.  I have only had HSV2 for 9 months now and have been dealing with life in the dating world since I am recently divorced and have now contracted this.  I was being careful and I was getting regular STD test just to be on the safe side.  All it took was just one night.  I went to dating guys that already had it (finding them on H dating sites),  But of course over time I also met men by going out and inevitably had to have "the talk" with them and tell them that I had herpes and that there wasn't a 100% effective way to keep me from passing it to him (especially since I am still in the first year of this and it is very active in my system even with suppressive therapy).  I lost some instantly and others over a short time.  Recently I have met a man that I had the talk with and he was OK with the fact that I had it.  He cares for me and wants to be with me and understands the risks.  We have had both protected and unprotected sex.  After about a month of having sex he and I both had outbreaks.  It took him a little bit of time to realize that he has been living with Herpes 12 years and never knew what it was since the outbreaks were never very bad and since they weren't that close to his actual penis he had never even considered it to be anything more than a little irritation that came around every now and then.   He had been getting tested 4 times a year for the past 4 years and since the results had been clean he thought he was.  It is scary to think that we rely on the standard Dr.'s tests to determine if we have STD's or not

 PEOPLE PLEASE WE NEED TO SPREAD THE WORD.  HERPES SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS AN STD SINCE IT IS PRIMARILY SPREAD THROUGH SKIN CONTACT DURING SEXUAL ENCOUNTERS (from kissing to foreplay to actual intercourse).   Please spread the word that when you go to the Dr. for STD testing YOU NEED TO ASK for SPECIFIC TESTS.  Ask for the standard tests (gonorrhea and syphilis) and then ask to be tested for HSV1, HSV2, HPV, HIV and Hepatitis.  Ask to have copies of the results mailed to you so you will have confirmation of  what you have been tested for and what the results were.  GET TESTED AND GET TESTED OFTEN.