It would be wrong for me to try to emulate the many sites which give excellent factual advice and diagnosis, treatment and statistics. However, the incidence is becoming more and more evident in the reports and over the years, I have seen many with this condition.

Some suggest that the incidence in females is 1 in 20 and in males, the figure cannot be calculated as the symptoms may never show. It is easily transmitted by penetrating sexual contact even before the blisters show and by oral sex.

I am not going to differentiate the many viruses involved and their respective peculiarities. I will leave that for your own investigation. For the purpose of this paper, the effect is the same and I do not intend to talk of the very low incidence of cancers arising from certain strains.

I have seen cases where there has been no sexual contact at all and cases where the partners of those affected to appear to have immunity.

This page is not intended to replace or substitute any advice that may be given by a medical practitioner but as a help and discussion page for those who are carrying this virus in secret and are in some torment over what are the effects. I will endeavour to publish comments or reports from those reading this site and to be candid, the more responses the better will become the overall picture and understanding.

It is reported to me by patients and other therapists that there seems to be a case for looking further into how the viruses are contracted. Immediately, one is lead to the surmise that there has been sexual contact. That is what we are told is the way to get it.

One lady reports her assertion that she was not infected before giving birth and she erupted 2 weeks later. Her statement is that she was examined post delivery by someone not wearing gloves and the outbreak was on the external labia. Whether there is any truth in this, I do not know. The upshot is that her whole life has been affected.

Another reports the wearing of spare underwear belonging to another girl when she found herself in an embarrassing position of having leaked in her period. Another reports a similar episode where underwear had been handled by another who had warts on her hands.

I have not seen any medical evidence to support this but I do believe the people concerned are convinced of the veracity of their statements. On my files, there are numerous cases such as this and each will remain completely anonymous.

Others report that their male partners have been unfaithful and brought the condition home to them. Some of those have not been to the Doctor as they are too embarrassed to do so for fear of being branded unfaithful themselves. In each case the marriage has fallen and in each case, the woman finds herself in an awful predicament when faced with the prospect of a sexual encounter with another partner. Often they feel they are ruined for life and have lost all prospect of ever having children.

In virtually every case there is a feeling of personal disgust, invasion and loneliness when the condition is discovered, at whatever age that may be. There is anger and disbelief amounting in many cases to a total denial episode during which the person concerned has sex with anyone who is willing and deliberately seeks to spread the condition.

This syndrome is found in many other contagions and is difficult to comprehend for one not in that position. After being aware of the condition for many, many years I still do not understand it.

In my youth, a male friend showed me his penis and asked me what I thought of the eruption to one side when erect. It was in the fold of the foreskin and I told him that he should have it examined at the VD Clinic. He did so and in the two weeks before he got the result, he has unprotected sex with at least four women. He described the manner of his examination as crude, with a scraping being taken on a glass slide and he was made to feel as though he had leprosy. He excused his illogical behaviour as arising from the way be had been made to feel.

I protested to him that he was acting very badly and he should wait for the results. When the condition was revealed, he had an almost breakdown and denial. He then pursued the course that he was only contagious when the scabs showed and he went on the have unprotected sex with perhaps hundreds of women in many countries.

He was of the mind that one should never buy a book when there is a library open to him. I’m afraid that I gave up trying to stop him and hoped I would never go out with anyone whom he had seen. I left his company some 35 years ago and he is still active.

At this point, I will insert to the text one quote, received from a patient who was told of this piece and wished to contribute. This is cut and paste from her e mail to me.

The feelings endured during this episode of my life stay with me, despite the many years past. I was brought up under a very strict post Victorian attitude wherein sex was considered 'not a thing ladies enjoyed, more endured. I can remember distinctly, feeling 'disgusted', as though I had bought this situation upon myself through being 'promiscuous' and maybe this was a punishment for having sex before marriage!

I can remember having a very embarrassing time at the Doctor's and she, at that time, gave the impression that she felt I had been promiscuous and that feeling stayed with me for a long time afterwards and each time I visited the Doctor for any ailment whatsoever. I still had the feeling she was condemning me.

In hindsight, I knew that I never 'slept around', had long term relationships and that this particular disease could have been innocently transmitted during normal sex with my long term partner at the time - I never realised, and it was not explained to me, that warts could be passed to the genital areas via. any part of the body.

In my Clinic, every person is able to feel entirely free to discuss any matter in a comfortable environment that is private, confidential and safe without any judgement or criticism. As such, one hears the deepest insights which are not disclosed to those who adopt the more clinical approaches and have another in the same room during treatments or may be overheard.

How therapists conducts themselves, how old they are, how the Clinic is set up and one’s reputation are all factors that may be overlooked in trials or forum meetings. This determines the depth and accuracy of the comments and treatment. Often, I am told of poor counselling methods. Equally, I am often told of excellent work by the Doctors and specialists who deal with the matter in a compassionate, objective and constructive way. It is only to be regretted that there is this apparent disparity of standards of care.

To help other come to terms with this condition, one looks at the stages of acceptance and coping displayed by cases that one has had experience of over many years. If one has personal experience, then you are in a better position than anyone else to help others. Until that time, you may not understand fully what it means to be told ‘ You have herpes’ after tests have been completed.

So, what advice may one give.

Always wear protection when having sex with anyone. Never exchange worn underwear. Check the 10 year medical history of any partner before having unprotected sex and they must wear surveillance equipment and tags when out of your sight. Never let anyone touch you anywhere. Develop total paranoia and live a life of complete exclusion whilst wearing a bin bag. Take a box of anti virus tissues to spread on the seat of a strange loo and to use on the door handles and cistern lever. Never touch push buttons on hand dryers. Never touch your self without wearing Marigolds......Yeah..... Got the picture. Spread a newspaper on a cinema seat. Wrap yourself in cling film Always totally over react.

Good advice ??? Face it, this is a condition of our time and our views of it MUST change. Just as our views have changed towards heterosexual and homosexual HIV.

There are sensible precautions such as not getting into a situation where sex may result until you have developed such a relationship that will accommodate the disclosure. Decide what you want from life with a realistic attitude that has regard for the condition. There are drugs for those affected to minimise the risk to a foetus and for temporary viral suppression. Let’s here from those who have used them.

I am quite happy to publish here any constructive comments or case histories that may help others but, no-one I have spoken to will welcome a group therapy scenario. Quite simply, attitudes have to change before such a thing could reasonably take place.

As to prevention of recurrence and outbreaks, there is little one can do to absolutely determine the condition for ever but, a good clean diet, eating with the seasons and avoiding foods that alter the PH of the body, reduce stress, get adequate sleep and in general, keep your immune system in good working order. In terms of therapy, for some people and mainly women, I have found that the use of moxibustion over the kidney points will immediately trigger an outbreak. Localised heat lamps may do the same thing but this is not true of every one.

Wear loose fitting underwear to minimise the build up of sweat or abrasion and to allow air to circulate the area. Consult your Doctor as to anti viral compounds and procedures for your particular case and history. I am told that in most cases, an outbreak is heralded by a day or two of an itching sensation or heavy feeling in the perineum. With such warning signs, it may be possible to predict and plan your movements and activities.

Do seek and get proper medical advice with a competent, caring medical practitioner. Attitudes of the examiner will determine how you feel about this condition but accept that it is prevalent in the UK and in many countries all over the world. Millions are affected either directly or indirectly through no fault of their own. It is the quiet, unspoken condition that has to be halted by openly declaring and taking proper precautions. It is the secrecy and taboo that allows it to spread.

Power to the H People.