I have an STD! [it's news to me]

[Pferd]

My lip was busted open, it's mostly healed but there's one little red puffy spot.  I suppose it could look like a cold sore.  This happened in class this morning.

Rude Person:  Ew.
Me:  What?
RP:  You have herpes.
Me:  Where did you get that idea?
RP:  You have a cold sore.  All cold sores are herpes.  Ew.
Me:  "What an interesting assumption."  See these crutches?  I busted my lip open at the same time.
RP:  Oh.  Sorry.

Then she went on to tell me all about how herpes is spread and that 80% of the US population has some form of it, but 75% don't know it.  She went on for 20 minutes until the teacher arrived.

At least she apologized?  It didn't seem too sincere, though.

[jimithing]

My friend told me that she had herpes, and given the fact that she's not sexually active, I was a little concerned for her mental health.  She had a cold sore. 

[CeeBee]

That is beyond rude. 

Good use of the line though! I'm not sure if I could could restrain myself to that degree if someone implied I had an STD (unless they were a health professional).

Ewww indded. Her behaviour is what's Ewww!

[Lisbeth]

I think you used the line very well.

She was outstandingly rude.

[ZipTheWonder]

If one has a cold sore, technically one has herpes.  One has a virus in the herpes family, just as would be true if one had chicken pox and any of 5 or 6 other viral illnesses.

YOU, on the other, do not have herpes, as she assumed.  Unless somehow you managed to get a cold sore in addition to your mouth injury.  In that case...OUCH.

[Pferd]

My friend told me that she had herpes, and given the fact that she's not sexually active, I was a little concerned for her mental health.  She had a cold sore. 

You can get it without being sexually active.  Just sharing a drink with someone who has it can spread it.  So can kissing.  Mothers can spread it through childbirth.  You can also get it from a public toilet seat and sharing a razor, but those are unlikely.  It can be spread without outbreaks present.  If you have herpes in one spot, you can spread it to another if they come into contact.
Did you know you can get herpes on your arms, too?
[sadly, I learned this last year through an STD talk given to the senior class because they were worried about the promiscuos reputation we had.  Drile, herself, does not fit into that reputation.]


I've never had a cold sore.

[jimithing]

My friend told me that she had herpes, and given the fact that she's not sexually active, I was a little concerned for her mental health.  She had a cold sore. 

You can get it without being sexually active.  Just sharing a drink with someone who has it can spread it.  So can kissing.  Mothers can spread it through childbirth.  You can also get it from a public toilet seat and sharing a razor, but those are unlikely.  It can be spread without outbreaks present.  If you have herpes in one spot, you can spread it to another if they come into contact.
Did you know you can get herpes on your arms, too?
[sadly, I learned this last year through an STD talk given to the senior class because they were worried about the promiscuos reputation we had.  Drile, herself, does not fit into that reputation.]


I've never had a cold sore.

Oh, I know that you can get a cold sore that way, but when you hear "herpes", it generally implies genital ones, and I typically think sex. Maybe I just have a dirty mind? 

[HorseFreak]

My friend told me that she had herpes, and given the fact that she's not sexually active, I was a little concerned for her mental health.  She had a cold sore. 

You can get it without being sexually active.  Just sharing a drink with someone who has it can spread it.  So can kissing.  Mothers can spread it through childbirth.  You can also get it from a public toilet seat and sharing a razor, but those are unlikely.  It can be spread without outbreaks present.  If you have herpes in one spot, you can spread it to another if they come into contact.
Did you know you can get herpes on your arms, too?
[sadly, I learned this last year through an STD talk given to the senior class because they were worried about the promiscuos reputation we had.  Drile, herself, does not fit into that reputation.]


I've never had a cold sore.

In addition, a LOT of people are asymptomatic carriers. That's why so many don't know they have it. Chances are if you're over 20 you've been exposed to at least one oral strain. Such a fun disease.

[Twik]

Yes, she was technically correct that cold sores come from a form of herpes virus (herpes virii can do all sorts of interesting things, actually).

Too bad she was incorrect about you having a cold sore in the first place. 

[Venus193]

STD's are no laughing matter and should never be trivialized.  How immature.

[Pferd]

Just curious, is there a test for herpes and is it reliable?  Or is it one of those things where "oh, that looks like herpes so that's what you have" type thing?

I'm cracking up laughing because there was just a herpes commercial on TV.  Getting strange looks from roommates.
"I have genital herpes."
"And I don't."
"We want to keep it that way."
Then later it says it doesn't prevent spreading of the disease - which is why I find it funny.


I'm still surprised she thought I had herpes.  I wonder what she said to the person who has acne right on the lipline?


Venus193 - No one is making fun of anyone who has an STD.

[IndianInlaw]

Why did this person feel compelled to tell you?

Is he or she a doctor?

[Pferd]

Nope, but she does have a reputation for being "easy."  Maybe she has it herself?  I wouldn't have been nice to ask, and I really don't want to know anyway.

[goblue2539]

Just curious, is there a test for herpes and is it reliable?  Or is it one of those things where "oh, that looks like herpes so that's what you have" type thing?

If there's no visible sore or outbreak, they can do a blood test to determine if you carry the virus, but it's not exact (at least, it wasn't when I first heard about it) because of the number of strains out there.  If there is a sore, they can test that directly and be more sure.  Does that help at all? 

[Twik]

One does not have to be "easy" to have cold sores, any more than catching a flu that's going around indicates that you're keeping fast company.