Flowerteacher55

@ellemmell (previously effe It gets better. I promise ☀️🦋 Just when the caterpillar thought its life was over... It became a butterfly 🦋

Hi, Yes! It's great to be honest early on, because this way it lessens the burden you feel and helps strengthen your relationship. You are worried, and of course you respect her! You can explain how your ex had it but you honestly didn't think about it until now. You can explain how you would never deceive your partner, and of course you can explain how you've been tested before, etc. Don't omit anything, either; honesty is the best policy! 😊 I'm also surprised she didn't even give an examination or look at the area! HSV wouldn't show up in your urine, however the doctor probably just wants to rule out a UTI or bladder infection, or other STIs. Make sure to ask the type of blood test (IgG or IgM or both). Keep us posted! Blessings!

Hi @ellemmell (previously effe ☀️ I am so happy that you are alive ❤️ The world needs you and is so blessed to have you here!! 🌍☀️💛🦋 I completely understand what you mean. Part of the human experience is growing, and growing can be painful sometimes. However, I think of it like this... the smallest of plants and flowers can grow through the smallest crack in concrete. Even when we feel pressure and pain, we can grow through what we go through ☘️ 🌱, and it makes us even stronger! Plus, it gives us the ability to empathize with others and lift them up. Truly beautiful! I don't think you got HSV because you were once repulsed by it. You didn't attract this to yourself. Things happen, and while we cannot control so many of these things, we CAN control how we choose to respond to them. And so wonderfully, you have responded to your diagnosis by growing and thriving and now helping others! Thank you for your kindness and support. You are living proof that fear, self-hate, and sadness can be overcome by the power of radical self-acceptance, self-love, and healing! 💛☀️ Sending blessings your way! 💛🦋

Hello, Take a breath. You are beautiful. You are pure. You are safe. You may feel so angry or upset with your body. Please know that it isn't your fault or your body's fault; your body is trying to hard to keep you well. Be kind to yourself and hold your head high. You are a survivor and you will get through this! 🙂 The anemia and heavy bleeding does not sound fun, I hope you get the treatment and support you need to heal and feel better! So, the doctor ordered the blood results, and they came back positive in an IgG or an IgM bloodtest? Also, what type of HSV did the test come back positive as? Also, have you ever experienced symptoms or outbreaks before? You could have oral HSV (usually HSV-1), so if you get cold sores, it is possible the results came back positive due to this! While at the hematologist, you could ask them about the blood results you received (they would actually be great at answering questions about this, and they could also explain how sometimes IgG and IgM antibodies are influenced by other herpesvirae and infections as well. Use this time with the hematologist to your advantage-- your health matters! Stay strong and exhale those worries. As my great grandmother used to say... worrying is like a rocking chair... something to do, but you don't get anywhere! I am praying for you! ❤️ Blessings!

Hooray, Louis! It's so wonderful that Dan's words helped comfort you and give you the strength to be honest. Hold your head high; you have no reason to be ashamed. I am sure you are feeling so many feelings; guilt, shame, confusion, fear... but remember, love is the strongest force on the planet. Nothing can come between it! And, honesty and respect for one another's health helps keep love strong! If it helps, you could tell your partner that you experienced a rash, so you went to get it checked out, and the doctor is testing it for herpes (which you forgot your ex wife had). Your partner may be upset, but remember, you are upset too. Perhaps by talking about it now and then again when the results arrive, you can both avoid a major argument or miscommunication. Also, she may offer support and comfort as you await these results. Also, as a safety reminder, as you await these results, avoid any physical intimacy with your partner and your lower region. When you get the test results, ask the doctor to explain it to you. Sometimes results can be overwhelming and confusing to read, especially blood results. Also, did the doctor swab the area or did they just pull blood? Be kind to yourself. Breathe in the good and exhale the worry. You can do this! We are here for you 🙂 Blessings!

Hello, I hope you are doing okay ❤️ It is so scary that you were hospitalized for the transverse myelitis. It is good that you got a diagnosis, and that they ruled out other possible infections/illnesses. You are totally right... there is a lot of disconnect with HSV and the medical community. I mean... since so many people have HSV, isn't that all the more reason they should be researching it and finding treatments?! Stay strong and keep us updated! Blessings!

@Stressed1 Hi! I hope you are doing okay 🦋! I am so sorry about your pain. It's great that your seeing the doctor tomorrow. It would be great to show them the bottle of L-Lysine you purchased from Pure Encapsulations, just so they can verify it's legit and make a note that you're taking the supplement in your chart. I have never heard of the company, so buy with caution! Make sure the vitamin bottle had a safety seal, and verify that the ingredients are safe. You can even make sure the product was made in a safe facility. I hope this helps! Definetely see if the doctor could give you Famcyclovir or Acyclovir, since the Valtrex isn't helping and sometimes switching up medicines helps. Let us know what happens with the doctor's appointment tomorrow. Advocate for yourself and don't let them dismiss your requests or symptoms! We are here for you!! Sending prayers of heal and happiness your way ☀️🦋!!

Hi! No worries at all! You aren't scaring people; this is an open space for people to share their experiences and provide support for others! Please don't hesitate to share things! 🙂 So do you have HSV-1 and HSV-2? Is this caused by GHSV-2? Many people, children and adults, have oral HSV-1 which presents as cold sores/fever blisters. They are common and 2/3 of the world has oral HSV-1! When it comes to passing HSV to your husband, find comfort in the fact that he accepts and loves you regardless. You may feel like you are dangerous, but you are safe. You are not a danger to your husband. If you are afraid of passing GHSV to your husband, you could always lessen the risk of transmission by using an internal or external condom, monitor prodrome symptoms and even track them (similar to how periods are tracked). You could see what your triggers are and write down when you feel an outbreak coming on and then track how long it lasts, what happened before or after the outbreak, etc to see what could have triggered it and what solutions help things heal. Be kind to yourself ❤️ This is not your fault! You are doing wonderful at making your health a priority, and it's great that you advocate for yourself to doctors! We are here for you! Reach out anytime!

Hello, Congratulations on your baby, and thank you for sharing your story with us! 💛 I am so sorry that you experienced undiagnosed medical opinions and a lack of competency when it came to getting your diagnosis. The fact that this went undiagnosed for so long is most likely what contributed to the transverse myelitis (for those who do not know, transverse myelitis is inflammation of the spinal cord). I cannot even imagine how painful the myelitis was, and the nerve damage it caused must be painful, too. Pregnancy changes the body in so many ways. As the baby grows, organs shift and more weight is placed on the bones and spine, which could contribute o nerve pain. Plus, GHSV-2 lives in the nerve bundle at the base of the spine, and I'm sure having a tiny human growing in your pelvic area doesn't help the nerve pain! As I'm sure you know, the doctor will deliver the baby via cesarian if you have an active outbreak/prodrome symptoms to prevent the risk of transmission to the baby. Sometimes people decide to take suppressive medication a little while before the due date to help reduce the likelihood of shedding the virus, but you said Acyclovir doesn't help. You could talk to your OBGYN or doctor about trying Famcyclovir or Valacyclovir, as sometimes people have better luck trying one of the other types of antivirals of one doesn't work for them. Also, you can take intravenous antivirals, which may significantly help you, since IVs bypass the digestive system and go straight into the blood, or can be injected closely to the point of infection. You could ask your doctor about these options as well. Stay strong! You are a warrior ❤️ Thank you again for sharing your story, as so many people can relate to having the medical community dismiss their pain or symptoms, and/or have also experienced changes with their HSV symptoms while pregnant or while having hormonal changes occur. Congratulations again on your baby 🍼🕊️💛!! I am praying for you and your family!! Blessings, grace

Sounds great. I am happy you feel happier now! Stay calm and stay kind! ☀️

Hi, Okay. So you have gotten cold sores before, and they just told you to put ointment on it? That's so odd that they didn't tell you that then! I would call them and ask about the strain of HSV it is. They really should have been better at communicating this to you! I am so sorry about that! You deserve better! The medical community is not doing as great as a job as they could be when it comes to educating people about HSV. In recent decades, HSV-1 (usually seen in the oral area) has been infecting the genital regions of folks, because in recent decades oral sex has become so much more common. So, while having oral HSV-1 is super common, people are not being told that if they have a cold sore, they can pass it to their partner's genitals if they preform oral intercourse on their partner. Also, they can pass it via kissing as well. Earlier you explained you weren't sure how you got it, and honestly so many people do not know how they contracted H, especially oral HSV-1. Children can get it from their parents if their parents give them a kiss while they have a cold sore. Other times, it could be from kissing someone else. You can pass oral H without being super sexual with someone; a kiss can pass it, too! However, this doesn't mean every partner you will have is at constant risk for contracting H. Just monitor your symptoms, and if you feel like you're about to get a cold sore, or maybe you have the flu and you know that is when a cold sore always appears, just avoiding kissing your partner or preforming oral to them. It's that simple! 🙂 Also, H doesn't pass through speaking to someone or through droplets in the air. It's passed from skin-to-skin contact with the area that is shedding the virus actively (prodrome symptoms (tingling, itching, burning, redness, presentation of a small bump, etc) or showing a sore. Rest assured, you are safe. You are not dangerous and this will not ruin your dating life. Remember that the fear and confusion and shame is all from stigmas, not from facts. The fact is you are wonderful and it will all be okay. Stay strong! Meanwhile, you can call your doctor and ask them to verify the type of H it is.

Hello, First, take a breath. All is well and you are safe. I am so sorry you are struggling with so much right now. Having this stress plus family stress is difficult. Remember that you are not defined by anything life throws at you, but instead how you respond to it all. Please know you are not a danger to yourself or others. You are not dirty or risky or bad. You are pure. You are good. You are safe. You are deserving of love and kindness and acceptance, not only from others, but from yourself. Oral herpes is something that about 2/3 of the world has, in the form of HSV-1. Many people do not even realize that cold sores are HSV. When I told my mother I have H, I explained to her she has it too, as she gets cold sores/fever blisters, and she was shocked. So many people don't even realize that accepted and common cold sores and HSV-1 are one in the same. Do you know if you have oral HSV-1 or HSV-2? If it's HSV-1, this means you can tell your partner about it, and educate them about how you won't preform oral sex if you have an outbreak/blister, or if you feel an outbreak occuring (tingling, burning, etc). If you have type 2, you can still tell your partner and explain how it's more likely to be transmitted, etc. How did you get diagnosed? Did they swab a sore? Did they take blood? Please know you're not a bad human! Remember, "cold sore" is non threatening, while "herpes" is. It's only this way because society deemed it that way, and society makes stuff up all the time!! Don't let societal stigmas get you down. The truth is that you are a blessing and you are amazing. Having such a common virus doesn't change that at all!! It's all okay, I promise. I'm praying for you!! Be kinder to yourself ☀️🦋!! Reach out if you need any support! Blessings, grace

Hi, Friends! ❤️ I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to reach out and share some interesting and happy finds from this week that I felt compelled to share with you! I work in an achives unit. One of the collections we are currently working with are thousands of plant samples that have been preserved from the 1800s. While imaging and working with the samples the other day, I came across a plant species called Herpestis. When I saw this I was like, "Woah that's so funny and interesting! I wonder what the plant looks like!" So, of course, I opened the folder and the plants were gorgeous. The plants pictured below are from river banks from the state of Delaware, from 1848, collected by Thomas P. James (botanist). If you look up the Herpestis/Herpestris plant family, you will see pretty flowering plants, like these: When you get overwhelmed and you feel dirty or bad or unlovable, stop the negative thoughts and replace them with, "I am pure, I am good, I am lovable and so loved; I accept and love myself as I truly am," and think about these plants, and remember that you can grow through what you go through! ---------------------------------------------------------- And, while shopping for cat treats yesterday, I came across this bag of cat treats... I started laughing because I did not expect to see Lysine supplements for cats, and I have no idea why these treats are almost $11.00 USD. Try and find laughter and sunshine wherever you are, because you deserve to be happy! Love yourself and be kinder to yourself, because you are purr-fect just the way you are ❤️😺 If you find anything that might make our days brighter, feel free to add to this post and comment with your interesting finds! 🙂☀️ ☀️ Blessings to all! ☀️ grace

Hello! I'm happy to hear that the rash is going away. And it's great your eyes weren't affected, I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay! Stay well and be kind to yourself 🙂 !

Hi! I hope you are well. Since this is your first outbreak, it makes sense that the outbreak is just more aggressive to medication. Give it some time and observe it; if it starts going through the healing stages or fills with fluid, etc, it's most likely a sore from the original outbreak. Yes, HSV-1 typically results in less frequent outbreaks. I have GHSV-1 and I have only had my primary outbreak and then two tiny outbreaks since then, and it's been about three years. Stay strong! ❤️ Blessings!

Hi! I'm so sorry 😞 Sadness! I hope you are feeling better today! 🙂

Hello! It's great that you are cautious about intimacy. It is a very special thing, and both parties must be consenting to everything about it. If you do not want to have unprotected sex, you do not have to! Regardless of STIs, you have a right to say no to unprotected sex. Your thoughts and wants and needs are valid and deserve to be heard and respected by your partner! Have you asked him if he's ever been tested for STIs? If not, ask. You have a right to know before you are intimate. Honestly, you both can go get tested! HSV isn't a part of STI testing, however STI tests are just good to do before being with someone, for your health and theirs. The right person will willingly agree to get tested. It shows respect and kindness for you from this person 🙂! In regards to the peeling skin, that could be do to a few things, from infection to chafing to dermatological issues. I don't recommenced you posting the picture since you don't have their consent to post it, and that would not be ethical 🙂! Stay true to yourself and honor your mind, spirit, soul, and body. It's okay to ask about getting STI tested, and then asking the person to show you their results! Blessings! grace

Hi! I hope you are well. Please know that you are safe. You may feel scared and like your body is a danger to your partner, but your body is not a danger. Your body is safe. You are pure. You are good. You are beautiful. H cannot change these truths! Thank you for sharing your story with us. I'm sure so many folks can relate to your feelings of worry about transmission, as well as the symptoms you are experiencing. First, let's talk about your symptoms. Since it's only been two months since your first outbreak, it makes sense that your body is still adjusting to having H. Inner labia skin is basically one giant mucous membrane (where H typically enters the body), and it's very sensitive to change, pain, and skin irritations. People do report a change in discharge, or a larger production of discharge, when they have an outbreak. Furthermore, hormones are a large trigger for many people, especially those with periods. It is helpful that you have identified a trigger. Anal herpes can really be painful, because of bowel movements, and because internal sores are possible, too. What you can do is keep a symptoms log, to identify what specific times during your cycle you feel symptomatic. You can also see if diet, exercise, clothing, or activities trigger it or make it better. Collecting data is really helpful and empowering! These are the toughest months right now. But have faith! Trust your body. Your body is not your enemy. It's trying its hardest to heal and adapt. It will be okay ❤️ To answer your questions: 1-How/when is taking the vaclovir effective, how many days before it can effectively reduce the risk of transmission? (reduce the viral load) This is a great question! I did some research, and according to a scientific study in Oxford's The Journal of Infectious Disease, called "Valacyclovir and Acyclovir for Suppression of Shedding of Herpes Simplex Virus in the Genital Tract" https://academic.oup.com/jid/article/190/8/1374/878164, and the study concluded, "Viral suppression is not immediate and takes 5 days to achieve. After the cessation of therapy, the suppression effect lingers and returns to pretreatment levels in 5 days. This lag may reflect the inhibition of viral replication that occurs not only at the mucosal but also at the neuronal level." Furthermore, the study found that patients who used Valacyclovir "shed virus on a smaller percentage of days than when they received Acyclovir (although it was just by about 5%). The study also explains how some people experienced "occasional episodes of high copy numbers of HSV DNA shedding" even though they were taking daily suppressive medication. Basically, it depends on many factors, including factors we really have no control over (such as viral shedding). However, suppressive medication definitely can help. In general, it isn't magical. If you see a sore and you take an antiviral, it doesn't make the virus stop shedding 110% right away. Plus, it's best to wait until the sore has completely healed, even if you are taking suppressive therapy. Similarly, if you feel an outbreak coming on (prodrome symptoms), it is best to avoid intimacy, even when you take a tablet, since it takes days for the antivrials to cease the shedding of the virus. If I had an outbreak but three days earlier I was intimate with someone (again no sex), what is the chance of them contracting the virus? Another great question. This depends on many factors, such as, were you shedding the virus. You may have been, but even if you were, it doesn't mean they contracted it. It all comes down to chance; the spot could have been touch, or it could have not been touched. Also, just because someone touches the virus, it doesn't mean it will break through their skin (hand skin is thicker than genital skin and lip skin, and the hands do not have mucous membranes). He could have hypothetically contracted it, but it's not too likely. If you or they are worried, monitor symptoms. If I was on vaclovir for 7 days, had an outbreak 7 days earlier, was wearing underwear, no sex, but hands on buttocks, thighs but no genital to genital region rubbing/grinding what are the chances of transmission? The risk here is very low. HSV doesn't spread through clothing. You can snuggle with someone even if they are having an outbreak, since clothing acts as a barrier! You can also share bedding with them and do laundry in the same load as them. HSV spreads from skin-to-skin contact, not clothing. Also, you were on the medicine for 7 days. Did you still have any sores/symptoms? What test should he do? I've read after 12 days you can do a test even if there are no active sores, so he will need to get swabbed? Your partner could get an IgM blood test, which shows IgM antibodies, the first antibody the body makes when you contract HSV. These antibodies spike in number at first, but then decrease as IgG antibodies build up. It takes about 12 weeks for IgG antibodies to build up into detectable numbers. However, it is not recommended you get an IgM test, because they cannot distinguish between HSV-1 and HSV-2, and IgM tests can be misleading as other herpesviruses can cause an increase in IgM antibodies, causing a false positive. Interestingly enough, according to the American Sexual health Association "IgM antibodies can reappear in blood tests in up to a third of people during recurrences, while it will be negative in up to half of persons who recently acquired herpes but have culture-document first episodes. Therefore, IgM tests can lead to deceptive test results, as well as false assumptions about how and when a person actually acquired HSV." Source: https://www.ashasexualhealth.org/herpes-testing/ Overall, your partner should be fine ❤️ You are so kind to ask all these questions. You are a good person, and you were honest with him. You did your part; you took your antivirals and waited 7 days. No matter what happens, it's not your fault. ❤️ Be kind to yourself! We are here for you. Feel free to reach out with any questions! 🙂 Blessings! 🙂 grace

Hi, Have you tried GoodRx? They actually really help. You can prescriptions for a fraction of the price by basically showing a coupon card. I've used GoodRx before and it does work! Attached is a picture of the ingredients of the lysine cream I used. I do not believe there is lidocaine in it! Since your pain is so bad, you could try soaking in Epsom salts, as it could help relieve the itch and inflammation. Stay strong!! This is temporary. It will get better!! We are here for you ☀️ Blessings! 🦋🌻

Hello! I am SO sorry that the cream is expensive, even with insurance. That's terrible! I have never heard of Wisp. I looked it up and the issue is it seems it is operated by non-medical personnel, which makes me think it's most likely unregulated (which is NOT good). It seems just too good to be true. I am going to check this out more and see how Wisp obtains their medicines, which pharmaceutical company makes these medications, and how exactly everything is regulated. The website doesn't really offer a lot of information about who they are and how they operate, and there are plenty of positive reviews but sadly companies can always make up reviews! By red spots do you mean the sores are turning into red spots, or new red spots are appearing? In terms of vitamin C, you can try taking one pill a day (one tablet is 500 mg, I believe). Take it for a few weeks and see if you notice any improvement. I hope you feel better! I am happy the Destin is helping. Something that helped me was Lysine ointment made by a company called Quantum Health. It was a tiny tube, and actually is for use as a lip balm, but because it was thick and balm-like, it really soothed my skin. The kind I used smelled like lemon and the vitamin E and Zinc Oxide added in the balm most likely helped reduce the pain, too. The active ingredient in it is menthol, which helps with pain management and a "cooling" feeling to reduce pain. You can buy it at health food stores or at Amazon or Vitacost. I'm praying for you!

Hi! I am so sorry that the itching and burning have been so severe 😞! It's great that you called the doctor and got the cream, I hope it helps! Stay well and keep us updated! Sending happy healthy prayers your way🌻☀️!

Hello, First, please know and remember this truth always: You are not dirty. You are not bad. You are not unworthy or unlovable. You are pure. You are good. You are worthy of love, respect, and kindness. Things will get better. You did not deserve his disrespect, his dishonesty, and his cruelty. The way people treat us is a reflection of THEM, not of us. You are a blessing. You are a survivor. You are a warrior. You can get through this. You are not alone. ❤️ The feelings you expressed are completely normal. Take the time you need to heal. Grieve, cry, be angry. All emotions are okay to feel and are valid, but it is what we do with them that matters. Don't take it out on yourself. Be kind to yourself, build yourself up. You are a beautiful mountain, stand tall, hold your head high, and nurture yourself. Take this time as a single person to build yourself up and rely on positive friendships, including being your own friend, too. ❤️ Disclosing to others when you date is hard, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. When you emotionally heal and overcome the internal conflict of guilt and shame, disclosure is so much easier. Disclosing is so hard and we feel so much guilt because of society's ignorance and judgement towards HSV. The good thing about this is that it's constructed by people, therefore it can be dismantled by people (us, everyone here on this site, and other advocates!) Change starts from within. Remember that you are not defined by this, or by the way chumps treat you. Don't let the chumps get you down. Rise above it and build yourself up! 🙂 We are here for you! Reach out if you need any support or a friend to talk to. Sending prayers and blessings your way!! 🌻☀️ - grace

Hello @J1010! I hope you are feeling okay and you have seen some improvement regarding your two sores since January 16th. I am so sorry you struggled with getting diagnosed? Have you officially been diagnosed? If so, have they prescribed you antivirals to take? That may help the outbreak heal quicker. You shouldn't have to suffer for another few weeks! You could try an antiviral cream to help heal the sores, too! It's called Zovirax. It may be a good idea to head to your doctor to talk about treatment options and to make sure you're all good, especially because this outbreak sounds more severe than 🙂. Its less common for people to have a fever, chills, sweats, etc during non-primary outbreaks. Did you have these symptoms with any other outbreak? Also, have you noticed your outbreaks occur in a pattern (around hormonal changes, stress, etc)? Many folks have reported about the vaccine changing their HSV outbreaks. This does make sense since the introduction of something into the body which triggers an immune response can trigger HSV outbreaks (since the body is under stress). I am praying for you! Stay well and be kind to yourself ❤️ Blessings!

Hello, I am so sorry you have this rash! Since you are asymptomatic, it sounds like it is most likely sea live (which actually aren't lice, but jelly fish larvae). However, the larvae are usually tapped where clothing/a bathing suit is, and your rash is all over. Were you wearing a shirt also, or just trunks? Also, sea lice can stay in the same clothing, so avoid wearing your previous clothing again until it's washed (honestly try washing it twice!) Do you have any other symptoms, such as headache, tiredness, chills, fever, itching, or anything else? You said you couldn't see the blister very well; has your eyesight been affected since the rash appeared or can you just not see the blister because it's in a hard spot to see? Sometimes sea lice stings turn into blisters. You could go to the doctor, and they could give you an antihistamine injection if they think it is best. You could also trying taking Benadryl to reduce your body's inflammatory response. Lice cream won't work because sea lice isn't actually lice! I hope this helps. Feel better!! Blessings 🍀☀️

I'm glad you are feeling a little better! A good site is Vitacost. Always remember to read the ingredients and look up companies before you purchase anything, too! So many companies are not regulated by the FDA and sadly so many companies sell bad products that can even potentially be harmful! Have a happy day!! Stay kind to yourself ☀️