JessJunko

I’ve been on suppressive therapy (famvir 2x day) for almost 2 years and it felt like a miracle when I started it because I had regular vaginal outbreaks. I’m now having my first outbreak in over a year which feels pretty devastating - they’ve always been connected to my cycle and for the first time at the beginning of menstruation this month I sensed prodrome and as it ended I got a sore yesterday. Happy Valentine’s Day 💔 Can I up my Famvir dose? Is there any topical treatment?

Is there any topical treatment for genital outbreaks?

You absolutely need to treat your B12 levels, if you want to be Facebook friends I can show you a very helpful group there (I’m Jesse Beardslee - she, pic’s girl with long brown hair)

Good to know they keep creating new options! It is weird how the virus can remain latent and then just wreck lives!

@ash128083 there’s got to be a hormonal link! I’ve experienced the most success on famvir without any need to up my dose around my cycle anymore. Hope we’ve both found treatments that work long term!

@mr_hopp I haven’t checked with a doc since it isn’t painful or anything - just annoying. Thanks for your reassurance, hope you’re right! Have you ever heard anything about herpes infections around the eyes??

@ash128083 thanks for sharing - did you ever get your B12 levels tested? For now I’ve chalked a lot of it up to underlying emotional issues relating to sexual trauma as to why my body’s response is so bad... who knows?!

Wondering if mouth-genital-face transmission could be the culprit behind a mild red dotted rash around my eye. My husband performs oral sex and kisses my face... It’s not like pimples at all, small red dots, hardly raised. It’s the only thing I can think of actually and am wondering if anyone has ever used Vmagic on their face. I seem to recall hearing about eye herpes - in particular related to giving birth... I have had out of control genetical herpes for many many years which has finally been controlled with famvir and Vmagic. I’ve never had a cold sore. My husband has never had any outbreaks of any sort. I actually had such a high level of viral stress on my body that I think it caused a very serious B12 deficiency last year which is what ultimately has lead to my recovery and new found control. The face and skin thing is new and really disheartening. Would appreciate any advice, recommendations or support ❤️

@mr_hopp Terri Warren’s forum is amazing and helpful! I’ll be reaching out to my doctor today and most likely submitting some questions of my own to Terri. Dosing and treating without having any knowledge or care of the condition or the particular case is getting infuriating!

Thank you @mr_hopp for this response and all of your helpful content on this site - I’ve gained a lot already! About a year ago I was struggling with some health issues that led me to several troubling realizations. I’ve always been healthy aside from herpes with a moderately healthy diet and activity level (I like to party a bit, was mostly pescatarian, and am active, though not a strict dieter or exerciser.) Last summer after months of depression and lethargy and some prodding and pleading with my doctor we found a serious B12 deficiency. Like, so low the first course of action was daily injections. Throughout that process I tracked everything I ate, drank and felt, and was disturbed to realize that despite thinking I had my herpes under control, it was not at all. I also began to realize past traumas were also not as well managed as I had thought. Oddly enough I really think that much of this was related to dental work, which was also a serious trauma and trigger. It’s taken a year to realize and confront, but I was in serious denial about a lot of things. I thought my herpes was managed because I could often ward off a full on outbreak by taking lysine and vitamins, being healthy, and not using tampons - but hormonal and stress related prodrome has been leading to outbreaks for some time - and, as I said, I was pretty disturbed to realize that had been close to a monthly occurrence that I just wasn’t acknowledging till I learned about my B12 Deficiency. I sense prodrome regularly (monthly/hormonal during times of stress) and for the past year have been taking Valacyclovir when I feel it coming on (which isn’t always soon enough to stop it from becoming an outbreak - they typically last a week or ten days) No doctor has had any suggestions better than what I do to help. I lost a close friend this summer and BAM got an outbreak. Before that I had been doing good this Summer despite all the other stress, so I wasn’t taking Valacyclovir daily. I just always think I’m good, and although my doctor lets me refill when I want, he’s never put me on an everyday dose. So, I guess it’s only been like semi suppressive therapy. I take it all the time because I have “as needed” doses and need it all the time! Today being a holiday I’m sure I won’t hear anything, but will send my doctor a message looking for suppressive support now that after a year of being on Valcyclovir “when needed” I’m still experiencing outbreaks and regular prodrome. When I was first diagnosed I went on an antiviral - but that was 13 years ago, I think it was a different antiviral, and I remember not feeling like it helped much. I don’t know how long I stayed on it, but I do remember thinking if this is just as good - if not worse than other more natural remedies I’ll get off the pharmaceutical. I’ve tried so many things in the past 10+ years! Thanks for listening and reading. Adrial, thank you for your kind words regarding trauma, I’m interested in the concept of re-parenting and am searching for that support now as well. It was incredible (triggery in a reaffirming way!) to read your recommendation. Stigma around sexual assault and childhood trauma plague me and I’ve been working on not letting them define me. Another thing that my awareness of changed when I moved in with my husband was who my hero really was. I had lived across the country from my family before falling in love (I still am very deeply in love with my husband and want nothing more than to be better for me and him and us.) When my husband swept me off my feet and brought me back home I began to see my parent in reality, not the idea I had worshiped. That has been a very hard lesson to learn as an adult as well.

For a severe outbreak, or recurring outbreaks what is the highest dose that’s also safe? Is there a risk of long term antiviral consumption? I know these are questions for my doctor, but I’ve been through so many and none of them know anything about herpes. Does anyone know of a herpes specialist?!

I’ve had herpes pretty much the entire time I’ve been with my husband. He had never experienced symptoms and neither had I before we moved in together and I first started exhibiting symptoms. I had a swab test on painful vaginal sores and was diagnosed. 13 years ago. We love and accept and are committed to each other. But, the risk of a herpes outbreak often makes me afraid to have sex and I know it hurts us both. My herpes has never really been managed, which I hadn’t even really recognized until recently. I hate the story that people with herpes rarely have outbreaks and their first one is their worst one. I have outbreaks all the time and when they’ve gotten past a certain point they’re uncontrollable and terribly painful. I’m dying for sexual freedom. I also have painful sexual trauma which I’m reminded of during outbreaks and sometimes even sex. I’ve experienced some serious hurdles and breakthroughs but am eager for success. I’d love any help!

Yesterday I read here that some have had success treating with alum and I was so excited to see that! I have been under a lot of stress lately and am hormonal which is a recipe for disaster. I have been on an antiviral off and on for a couple weeks, solid now for four days which was when a more pronounced sore was sensed. (I get vaginal sores in a couple spots.) It was just at a dull roar the past few days and I applied alum this morning. It actually seemed like the sore moved, or popped up a little lower, which I don’t know if anyone’s had that happen, or if maybe the sore just grew, but I stayed the course (I sometimes think if it feels like it’s moving I’m chasing the virus out 🤷🏻‍♀️) I applied alum several times a day, and kept on with my antiviral and water but it seems to have gotten worse. Could the alum be making it worse or is it just running its course? I don’t know if I should stop trying the alum. I’m in quite a lot of pain, which I’m used to, but it’s almost never this bad when I’m on an antiviral also. Took some ibuprofen, cleaned up the last alum application with Good Clean Love Vaginal Wipes, can’t sleep through the pain and I’ll draw a bath in the morning. I’m considering warm compresses with alum, rather than direct qtip application but obviously don’t want to make it worse. In the past when I’ve been this bad I’ve tried to treat topically with salt (direct or compress), alcohol and CBD oil, CBD salve, DMSO, jewel weed salve, and honey. I honestly don’t think any of these have ever been successful once it’s as bad as it is now and I can usually only find relief from a hot tub. Can’t sit in the tub all day though, and as I’m sure all of you know the constant pain is so hard to deal with during your day to day. I was so hoping alum was my golden ticket out of this pain.... Any comments, questions, suggestions or support would be so appreciated!