Hi, I guess I just need a little support and some direction. Since I was a toddler, I had gotten cold sores on the right part of my lips. They have never been severe, and I always just treated them with an over-the-counter cream. My understanding had always been that I was exposed young before developing a resistance to the strain, and that although a herpes strain, I understood it to be different than the STD's strain of the virus. I am not uneducated, took health classes, practice safe sex, am not promiscuous, and I just recently found out that I have spread it to my girlfriend after going down on her after a recent outbreak (which today is usually triggered by stress....I'm in graduate school and the term just ended.) I guess I just feel very betrayed by my doctors and sex-ed classes growing up. I had even gone into physicals in the past when I had cold sores and was never warned about it spreading this way. Has our knowledge of the virus changed so much over the past 27 years that there is reason for this lapse in communication? Is there a medication that I should have on hand in the event of future outbreaks? My girlfriend understands and holds no ill will towards me, thank God, but I just feel like I have been irresponsible and negligent.....