iamgemma

Hi RegularGuy, thanks for your response. I've been trying to work through this. Unfortunately, my doctor is less than useless. My health insurance got switched this year and I can no longer work with my long-time doctor. I have to go to an HMO and I get a different person every time. They don't care, they just shrug and prescribe antivirals which still aren't working. I'm getting an outbreak about every three days. They're not severe -- just red, irritated skin that fades within a day or two, then I have a "quiet" day with no symptoms where I start to feel normal for a bit, but the next morning -- boom. Red skin is back. In addition to the antivirals, I'm taking about 2500 mg of lysine a day, olive leaf extract, lomatium (antiviral herb), reishi and turkey tail mushrooms for immune support, b vitamins and folate, an herbal hormone support my former doctor recommended, cod liver oil, beta carotene, minerals and probably one or two other things I'm not recalling at the moment. I also use a topical skin ointment with vitamin A and lysine and some other nutrients in it. All of this is expensive, and maybe it's helping reduce symptoms but they're not gone entirely and that's wreaking havoc on my mental well-being. Whenever I wake up in the morning with the red, sore skin, I crash into a deep depression. I'm sure therapy would be helpful, but I have the crappiest of crappy insurance and that's not an option, plus I can't afford the $150 a week to talk to someone out of pocket. And while I'm not wealthy by any stretch, I make too much money to qualify for low income programs (doesn't take much to top out of those). I fail to see how baked chicken and white rice would be helpful. There are zero micronutrients in that. Also, I really hate chicken. I eat a healthy diet, have plenty of hobbies and friends and pets that I love. My life is really wonderful -- except this stupid virus. And I wouldn't even care if I had it as long as I didn't have the damn symptoms. Even an outbreak once in a while -- once every couple of months or so -- wouldn't be that big of a deal. But these constant and unrelenting symptoms are driving me crazy. I can't switch my meds -- stupid HMO won't give me anything but Famvir. I was on Zovirax before and I think it worked better. I'm watching my diet and finding things that I never reacted to before seem to be giving me trouble now. I don't know what the deal is. I keep doing internet searches for CRISPR and hoping to god that they get that shit going so they can CRISPR this fucking virus out of my body.

Thanks Lostgirl. He didn't develop any signs of HSV1. I don't know whether the burning tongue feeling was viral or not but since nothing came of it, he was unconcerned. He was a lot less panicked about it than I am!

Hi all, I'm stressing big time. I got herpes seven years ago and it was an awful experience -- really painful outbreak, plus the guy tried to accuse me of knowing I had it and trying to give it to HIM. I'm certain he gave it to me because I never ever had a symptom until a few days after we had sex. Anyway, I hated myself after that. I got into a relationship with an alcoholic, emotionally abusive man and stayed there for six years. We rarely had sex because I didn't want to, which is a big part of why that relationship ended (although it's for the best). Now, I'm finally, FINALLY seeing someone that I truly like. I would almost say I'm in love, but we haven't been dating long enough to be sure. He knows about the HSV and we've had sex a few times. I usually take acyclovir episodically. The first two years I was diagnosed, I tried all the natural stuff, but I was obsessively examining myself. I finally gave up and realized I couldn't fix it so I was going to ignore it. My ex didn't care about it, so there was no reason to worry about spreading the virus (and he suspected he may have had it too due to some symptoms). Anyway, after I discovered that corn and oats are big triggers, I really haven't had a bad outbreak in years. I get frequent symptoms, though -- mostly what I call "achy skin" which is just where the skin feels tender and thin, like wet tissue paper that will tear easily. It resolves in a few days, typically. Now since dating this new man who is HSV- I've been taking suppressive acyclovir and it's not working!!! I got a small outbreak last week that was just basically red skin and went away quickly, right before my period. Now my period is clear, my diet has been great, I'm taking umpteen antiviral supplements AND the suppressive acyclovir and I got a HORRIBLE outbreak. The skin started out sore, and now I have small red bumps everywhere!!! I haven't had blisters in YEARS! The only thing I did differently was to put a bit of zinc ointment on the area because I read that it can stop outbreaks from forming and I thought it might help with the red skin herpes rashes that I get. Could this have made things worse?! This just sucks. I'm feeling so down and depressed. I finally -- FINALLY -- meet a man that I'd actually like to be intimate with, like I actually enjoy it, and I'm dealing with this crappy virus. I feel like the only way to end the virus is to end myself.

Hi! Kinda new here but 7 years w/ HSV2. I wrote a whole other thread about my situation, but in a nutshell, I got HSV1 from my ex, never had a cold sore, but when I was kissing my new boyfriend last week something popped out on my lip. Didn't worry too much about it, thought I bit it or something, and anyway I was on antivirals for the HSV2. Turns out it probably was a little cold sore blip and he was DEFINITELY exposed. I did mention it to him with a brief interchanged where he indicated he may have had them in the past. See other thread for details (Called: I'm terrified I gave my partner cold sores.). Here's my question: he told me this morning in a text that his coffee and everything he drinks/eats feels carbonated on his tongue, like he burned it. Could this be a prodrome symptom? Could he be developing an initial outbreak? I've been panicking all day! Please help!!!

Hey all, Totally new here, never posted. I've had HSV2 for seven years and I have my struggles with that. Getting it was a rocky situation and it caused me to hate myself enough to stay in a relationship with an alcoholic emotionally abusive man for six years. We recently split up -- his choice, actually -- and to my surprise, two weeks after he moved out, I met the most amazing man ever. He's a treasure. We had the talk, I disclosed herpes. My ex had cold sores, but I'd never had one at all. I suspected I'd gotten the virus because at times I'd have a small tingle and a red spot, often it would disappear within a couple of hours. I figured it was possible, but that I was asymptomatic. I did not disclose cold sores because, well, I wasn't sure I had them and because everyone kinda does (I've read stats of 85-90% of American adults). Talking about herpes nearly caused me a panic attack, but he took it very smoothly. Well, last week was my birthday and I spent it with my new man. There was much kissing. In the middle of a several hour long makeout session, I developed a swollen bump on my lower lip. I told him I thought I'd bit it, but shortly after, it started to tingle. I immediately checked it out in the mirror, and it looked like maybe a cold sore. I told him I was afraid that's what it was, and asked, "Do you ever get those?" He replied, "I mean, not like a lot." Or something to that effect. All I heard was, "I've had them in the past, even if it was just one and I was like five years old." We snuggled in to bed -- did not have sex -- and when we woke up the next day, he asked me how my lip was. I ran my tongue over it and there was no tingling, no bump whatsoever. I decided I must have psyched myself out since I take twice daily antivirals for the HSV2 anyway and it would be super unlikely to get a cold sore under those circumstances. It was probably a lip bite. Later that morning, after he left, I looked in the mirror and saw what looked like the remnant of the blister. SHIT. I freaked out but decided to just play it cool. After all, he'd kind of said he got them in the past, and I had at least an 80% chance that he carries the HSV1 virus. Sidenote: I ran a full STD panel on myself just to be sure even though my ex and I were monogamous and the results came back positive for HSV1 antibodies, so I do have it. I just didn't know it at the time. I kind of forgot about the whole thing. We've been spending more time together. Today he made a random comment in a text message about how his coffee tasted carbonated today. I didn't think anything of it and made some light comment. Later, he said he must have burnt his tongue because everything tasted that way. SHIT. I asked a bit more and he said it's like sparkling water on his tongue whenever he eats or drinks anything but he doesn't feel it when he's not eating or drinking. I'm in full panic mode. Could this be a primary herpes outbreak prodrome symptom? I've scoured the internet and my fear is that yes, it could be. What are the chances? Couldn't I just be lucky and this guy would already have it? God, I want to die. I don't know what to do. I would be devastated if 1) I gave this to him, especially after we've only known each other around six weeks, and 2) he broke up with me over it. I really, really, REALLY like this guy. As in, he could be the one. Again, only six weeks, but I'm a decent judge of character (yeah, yeah, when I'm not self punishing by staying with someone abusive, but I knew that was bad for the whole six years of that relationship). Help? Advice? Thoughts? Prayers? Miracles? I need anything you've got.