NightFury

@LotusBud I'm so glad it could bring a smile to ya and YES, I saw that Toothless is going to have a special friend. Love those movies! I am so sorry to hear that you went through this ordeal. I hope you're now finding your strength from it. Gosh! The things that we have to go through in order to grow. I would have liked for this growth spurt to have never happened, but here we are! And I can see the silver lining. I am very grateful for my life partner. We just have to work out how he'll try to stay OB free. And I have to figure out how not to freak about any tiny mouth sore he may have. It's gonna be a journey!

Hi there @Catlady12! I feel like I started on acyclovir about 4-5 days too late for it to make any significant difference, but with this being my first outbreak and a very bad one, I can't be 100% certain. I got my diagnosis about 2 days after my doctor prescribed it to me. Vitamin E (100% helped with the healing which was kinda itchy, but not too bad. Some nights I applied an Rx steroid cream called Clobetasol. During the harshest part of the outbreak these were my besties: Rx Lidocaine, ibuprofen and vicodin, vaseline (a must for me to urinate sans pain), a warm to cool shower--also for urinating sans pain, lots of sleep and rest, tons of water. Doc had prescribed the antiobiotic cephalexin when we thought it was a staph infection. I think that this helped keep the infection part as bay, even though there was zombie like oozings (green pus). About halfway into my OB, I starting taking lysine, olive leaf supplements, red algae supplements, grapefruit seed extract (oil), and oil of oregano. I know. Seems like a lot! I think they helped---if anything mentally. Good luck to you, dear. I def. feel for you and remember you're not alone. This is so common this virus. Let me know if you have any other questions.

No, that’s not the title of a C-rated horror flick. If you’re reading this, then you’ve probably Netflixed and chilled ... on a bag of peas. Wow. Where do I start? Is it a “Whodunnit”? Perhaps it’s a film with Oucho Marx. Levity, take me away! All jokes aside, this is my first outbreak (zombie outbreak mind you) and I was just diagnosed a few days ago with genital hsv-1. I’m still freaking out a bit. Let’s just say that less than a week ago I was 100% positive that this demon spawn of an OB (look at me with the lingo!) WAS NOT herrrrpeeeees. Like burpees, yet more hated. How did I get it? My husband unknowingly passed it onto to me via oral sex. He's has hsv-1 since he was a tot, but was just diagnosed after my symptoms.The answer is right there, but I still find myself asking myself in these early days, 'How, after all this time, did I, ME, catch this awful virus?' It must be punishment. (on bad day). It must be an opportunity (on a good day). During this whole ordeal, despite my not being able to walk sans pain, I have tried to focus on all I have going for me. I was not brutally murdered in a BART station. My dreamboat of a husband has my back (and my front) like none other. Good job, health insurance, blah blah blah. Can you go back? No time machines yet. Is it curable. None of the stuff Sam Inc. pumps out is. [Little conspiracy theory there for ya]. You good otherwise? Sure am! So it’s settled. This doesn’t define you and you may even be able to use this mf to spur much needed change. All that being said I would love to hear from folks who are far on the other side of their first horrid ghsv-1 outbreak and from those who contracted it while in monogamous relationships. We're already in marriage counseling so here's another topic of discussion for $165/hour. However, would rather not pack HSV into 50 minutes a week. We need to have healthy, open communication about status that we share. Advice, tips--most welcome. Thanks, all!