Essence This Month-STDs- Important

[Camille]

I just wanted to let you all know, without prejudice, judgment or anything like a thread like this can cause, that I got the latest issue of Essence magazine in the mail yesterday, and it says that one in TWO of African-Americans have Genital Herpes. I don't know where they got this stat from, prior, I knew that it was one in 4 for oral herpes and 1 in 5 for Genital, but I implore you, after reading up on this virus, that everyone please, please please talk to your partner about their sexual history and take a step further and have a blood test before engaging in sexual activity with someone. No matter how embarrassing you think, it may be. If someone has a job and insurance and wants to sleep with u that badly, they can surely hold off two weeks for test results to come back. 70% of HSV cases are transmitted when the person is exhibiting NO symptoms via asymptomatic shedding and genital herpes can be transmitted via oral sex as well.



STANDARD STD TESTING DOES NOT TEST FOR HSV. Your blood test will usually only test for HIV and Syphilis
Do not let your doctor tell you that they cannot test for it unless you are having an outbreak that is not true. With something this common with no cure, we need to take control.

Pharmaceutical companies are making millions off of anti-viral medication and I for one am not going to put a dime in their pockets. For the sisters on the board that have already been affected by this virus, my heart goes out to you. The Psychological and physical effects are manageable but initially devastating. The stigma surrounding it say that only promiscuous people get it and that is not true. I've read stories of Husbands and wives, married for years that carry the virus and don't know it and people in long-term relationships. Women and men that are scared and confused becau se they thought they were being as safe and then Bam.


There are people being diagnosed everyday, so get tested. I only touched on this particular STI because of the fact that although it won't kill you, there is currently NO CURE for HSV1 or 2. And incurable often can mean hopeless for one diagnosed, and with the odds presented in this month's Issue of Essence, it seems that many of us could be closer to one that has it than one may think.

Take Action, get tested today. This ain't 1970 any more folks.

 

[delp]

Thanks for the Info. I didn't know it was that prevalent.

http://singlesista.wordpress.com/2007/11/14/single-black-women-are-dying-from-aids/

 

[foxxymami]

I wonder if this can be in Off-Topic so more people will see this thread. I think this is an excellent topic

The bad things about herpes is that:
--it's transmitted by skin to skin contact
--it can be transmitted even when there are NO sores present on the infected person
--some infected people have such mild symptoms that they don't even notice it or mistake it for something else
--there's no cure

I'm sure that these are the primary reasons why this disease is as prevalent as its being stated it is.

 

[Ariana4000]

I know quite a few folks that have it and they are in their twenties. So I believe that stat. Very scary.

 

[TCatt86]

I wonder if this can be in Off-Topic so more people will see this thread. I think this is an excellent topic

The bad things about herpes is that:
--it's transmitted by skin to skin contact
--it can be transmitted even when there are NO sores present on the infected person
--some infected people have such mild symptoms that they don't even notice it or mistake it for something else
--there's no cure

I'm sure that these are the primary reasons why this disease is as prevalent as its being stated it is.

Yeah those are all the reasons why it is transmitted so easily. Even having protected sex cannot save you from getting it, which is really scary. And for women in particular the syptoms can mimick that of a recurring vaginal infection and since we can't really see inside ourselves we don't really know if we are having an outbreak. Scary I know. I know they won't be able to find a cure because it's a virus but I wonder why they don't have a vaccine for those not infected?

 

[Camille]

There are clinical trials going on right now for an HSV vaccine. Nothing has been approved yet.

 

[BAP28]

very good thread--i just got back my results today i go and get tested for everything across the board--im not sure why ppl dont ask to get tested for everything as in gnor..syph...hiv...herpes 1 or 2 chlym...etc etc
everything came back negative and of course i also had the hpv vaccine shot im not playing--and my gyn stated the exact same thing as the essence article

that everday she sees more and more ppl with herpes 1 or 2

she even stated that if you do not have sex but have oral sex and a man has herpes 1 they can give it to you--obviously because if his mouth and tonuge are on your you know what--then bam there you go--contact right there---

bottom line get tested!

if you know someone who has cold sores weekly, yearly or monthly--more than likely they have herpes type 1 get tested!

im mad i spelled sores like that duh jessica simpson moment--lmaooo

 

[locabouthair]

^ yep getting tested is important. I wish more people did it.

And why did this thread get a one star?erplexed

So someone when someone has a cold sore that means they have herpes?

 

[Camille]

if you know someone who has cold soars weekly, yearly or monthly--more than likely they have herpes..get tested!

More than likely? No, cold sores are oral herpes. That is not to say that if a person has a cold sore automatically they have genital herpes BUT if someone has a coldsore and goes down on you, yes they can give you genital herpes. Often times, you can go years without an outbreak and during this time you may think you are fine, but that is not the case. Once you have it, you have it. So that is why it is important for people that have it to let their partners know so they can make the decision themselves.

I think that it is important to stress that there are many people living out there with disease and they are scared and worried about the stigma surrounding the whole thing. ESPECIALLY IN OUR COMMUNITY. Shoot I know the West Indian Community ain't havin that ish. I know I've always turned my nose up and thought it was nasty until someone close to me was affected, and I realized that no one chooses to have this happen to them. No one willingly sleeps with the dude that has a monster Herp on his dingaling. They look healthy, they look fit, they look Fooooooooine. No one deserves it and for the most part, a lot of pl don't know they have it. I for one am going to be more sensitive from now on.

I'm just saying that we are living in an age where the way we look at sex has to change. What worked yesterday isn't going to fly today and I can speak from experience that haven't always been careful, but the information I'm reading is helping me change the way I look at future partners from now on. Hell, I'm just trying to find ONE partner that I can be with forever. lol.