Re: 2 years and counting: recent advice to friend which may help you too

Thank you for your post, it is very helpful. I was diagnosed with herpes about 3 weeks ago (haven't had a blood test yet though) and am feeling _exactly_ the way you were feeling at the beginning. I feel so stupid and my self-esteem has gone south. If I can, I'd like to describe how I got it:

I'm a young male professional who got drunk one night and got with a very older woman. Two days later I got a really itchy, red bump on my scrotum. A few days later I got a small, painful bump on my shaft, at which point I went to the hospital and the doctor told me right away it was herpes. She gave me Valtrex and I took it religously for 7 days 3 times a day. I'm done with it and still have itching and burning at the skin around the tip of my penis. I feel hopeless and don't know who to turn to. I'm ashamed, feel dirty, and just want to die. Reading everyone's post here is a bit of help, but knowing that I'll have this and may pass it to someone else is devestating me. I'm so desperate I'm even considering joining medical research group for people recently diagnosed with it. Can you please offer some insight? Thank you very much.