Yep, that’s the gold standard test. Takes a day or two to get the results. Hopefully they gave you some lidocaine gel? If not? You can get it at the pharmacy. And they hopefully started you on an antiviral?

Your life isn’t over. There are meds available to take as needed if you feel an episode come on or that you can take all the time if you have frequent flares.

When you don’t have a lesion, you’re very unlikely to transmit to someone else. Some people have one flare and never again or very rarely.

Many people are carriers by middle adulthood.

It’s just real important to know that a condom won’t necessarily cover affected areas so that’s no guarantee.