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I have started going out with my girfriend 2 months ago. About a month before this I returned from travelling, from australia and then thailand. I had a test in australia as i was living there, I was given the all clear, well I had thrush but treated it accordingly. All symptoms went away and I felt healthy and fresh! I had protected intercourse with 3 girls in thailand, all of a european heritage, travelling, just as I was. I came home, didn't have any relations with anybody before meeting my new and now current girlfriend. Everything was going fine, until my girlfriend thought she had thrush about a week or so ago. She was given pills and took them. It didn't clear it up. She went to see the doctor today and was told she might have herpes and was prescribed antivirax i think its called. various questions. I do not have any symptoms currently.

Considering I dont have any symptoms, is it possible for me to pass it on and then she gets symptoms before i do? Obviously I didn't have intercourse without protection so what chances are there of contracting a disease such as herpes? I must admit that I didn't use protection for oral intercourse...this is a possibility but how likely is it?? If for example someone does contract herpes, is there any chance at all that it can be in your syatem and not show up on tests until it actully outbreaks??? All of this is assuming that I am responsible for the disease, as my girlfriend said she had a full check before we started sleeping together.....How similar are the symptoms of herpes to severe cases of thrush??? would the doctor be able tio tell straight away the difference between the two? the symptoms online are fairly similar. How soon after contracting the disease would you expect an outbreak? so many questions I hope someone can help me as I'm positively hating my life right now!!!! The idea of herpes really scares the life out of me. I hope to hear back from someone soon. Thanks alot

Well it is possible to have herpes without symptoms or very mild symptoms that may be diagnosed or thought of as something else. It can take anywhere from a couple of weeks to a few months for symptoms to show up and even then like I said they can be very mild and unoticable to very bad. Everyone is different.

Also when it comes down to diseases such as herpes or hpv the cause of genital warts they can be transmitted even with condom use because they are transmitted through skin to skin contact and not through fluids there for the skin that's exposed when wearing a condom can become infected and spread.

If there is anything else let me know and I'll do my best to answer your questions.

I have just come across this entry - and although its an old one, it's still searchable, so I thought I would add an update and some personal experience for worried people out there.

It is possible to contract herpes and have no symptoms - very unlikely, but possible. Most likely the herpes was contracted some time ago and might have been dismissed as something else (Thrush maybe?), or possibly just a bout of flu.

It is possible to pass on the disease without having symptoms present at the time. Herpes is quite intrusive in the body but your own (healthy) immune system can fight it reasonably well. However, even if you have no outward symptoms (possibly your body might tell you by inflamed lymph-nodes or flu-like symptoms, but not always) the virus can actually 'shed' through the skin (viral-shedding) and possibly - given the right contact, at the right place and the correct entry point - infect a sexual partner (of either intercourse).

So it is possible to contract, pass on and infect someone without knowing you have it... ...although very unlikely, think back to early sexual contacts you might have had for clues.

BTW, It is also possible to have a full sexual health screen and not pick up the herpes - when dormant the disease hides in the lymph-glands and at the end of nerve cells and you could appear herpes-free on blood tests.

Now the important bit: Herpes is not a death sentence, it is easily treatable these days and there are a couple of very good medications available which will keep it at bay. I have had herpes myself now for possibly greater than 20 years and, although I have had outbreaks during periods of stress in my life, I have not really had an impact on my life. I take Aciclovir twice daily (have been for close to four years now) and have not had any episodes of herpes in this time. I have also had unprotected intercourse with long term partners in this time and not passed it to any of them - such is mine (and their) confidence in the acicolvir.

There is a stigma attached to herpes which need not be - yes, agreed, its better not to have it and to have been sensible in those early (heady) days of my youth.. ..but it's not that bad. And I will always make sure I tell a potential partner (and anyone else who will listen) about my herpes BEFORE we start any kind of sexual relationship (with or without protection).

If they have a problem with it, then so be it, but at that point it's their choice what to do. Never hide these things even if you have no symptoms.

If anyone would like any more information - just shout

Wow, thanks for the words of wisdom.