Seeking advice for male FWB who recently tested positive for hsv2
Hello! I’m seeking advice for how to proceed with a male partner who recently was confirmed positive with hsv 2. If it matters, I am a woman in my 30s.
Some context: I am not in a committed relationship with this partner, and that is not what he nor I expect of our dynamic. We both know what it is and are both down for the openness of it.
Symptoms and diagnosis: Recently, this partner was away and slept with someone else a few times. After a couple of weeks after the first encounter, he began feeling some sort of discomfort on his penis and experienced burning while urinating but said he never had a visible lesion. He went to the doctor and they did a blood test that came back positive for hsv2. The doctor did not culture/swab anything because the doctor said there was nothing to swab. In his follow up conversation with the doctor, the doctor told him that if he gets an outbreak that he can take antivirals, but that he does not need to be on them regularly. The testing and conversations with the doctor took place about a month ago in another country.
Disclosure: This partner told me all this when he returned, which I really respect and appreciate. It didn’t bother me, except that now I have to figure out how to proceed as we are not in and do not plan on being in a committed relationship. He says that he is comfortable with whatever I choose to do moving forward. He also said that doesn’t want to take antivirals daily as he has never been a fan of medication. He would take them if he needed to in the future around an outbreak etc. He thinks condoms protect, which I know they do to some degree.
Questions! I’m wondering if you have advice on really anything here. I know there are many risks with sex, and that is why I first and foremost value open communication. Some things I’m wondering:
- Is there anything I need to ask him to follow up?
- Is there anything else I can do or ask of him to protect myself if I choose to continue seeing him?
- Is it more transmittable because it is a recent infection?
- Is it possible he got a false positive blood test?
- If we are committed to condoms, will that help?
I’ll take any thoughts! I should say that I subsequently got tested and am currently negative.