Flowerteacher55

Hi!! Oh golly, I am so sorry! Happy Valentine's Day to you (sadness about the outbreak!) You could up the dose, as it might help speed up the sore and healing, but you could also try an ointment to help with the burning or u comfortable itching/other symptoms. You could try Femiclear. Or, instead of upping the Famvir, you could ask your doctor about Zovirax (which you may need a prescription for, it's basically topical Valacyclovir). It is also possible your body is just over the Famvir. Some people find that they newed to switch up their antiviral type after a while. Consult your OBGYN or doctor about it first before you make any changes, of course! 🙂 Feel better!! 🙂

Hello @Wen1234, I am so sorry that you have been struggling with the physical and emotional stressors in your life. Please know you are not alone; we are all here to support you! It sounds like the vaccine may have caused your body to go into a really extreme inflammatory immune response as the virus was reintroduced to your body. When the body is struggling, it can trigger outbreaks, and it sounds like your body is just working in overdrive. I am so sorry. You don't deserve this. It will get better ❤️. If you doctor is not helpful, as for a referral to another doctor; an OBGYN, a virologist, or an immunologist. They are specialists and perhaps could help you navigate this and heal. In terms of your relationship, love is the strongest force on the planet. H can't come between that!! Don't let fear prevent you from enjoying your relationship, and neither should your partner. A kind partner will understand what you are going through and sympathize. It's not your fault. ❤️ Be kind to yourself and take care ❤️ You are in my thoughts and prayers!! Blessings, grace

Hello! I am so sorry you are dealing with this stress. Please know that it will all be okay! Pregnancy hormones could be the culprit for the sudden outbreak. Hormones are a trigger for some people, and changes in hormones could possibly trigger an outbreak. HCG hormone levels actually rise the highest in the first trimester. I hope this helps! If you are concerned, you could ask your OBGYN about experiencing outbreaks during pregnancy. The only thing the doctor may say is that if you have an outbreak when you are going into labor, they may opt for a cecarian section. However, everything else should be completely okay!! 🙂 Stay strong, and congratulations on your baby!! Blessings, grace

Hi Friends! ❤️ I hope you are all doing well. I wanted to reach out and share a recent experience I had with a very very special human I recently met. After feeling so lonely, so rejected, and just honestly, just tired, I made an account on an H dating site, something I have never done before. For me, an essential quality in a partner is having someone who can connect with and understand me. I am a very sensitive person, and I am very cautious, due to traumatic experiences. I joined the dating app hoping I'd meet a person, even just to talk to as a friend, about the H experience. Amazingly, I ended up meeting a really beautiful soul who amazes me with his love that radiates from his thoughts, words, and overall energy. After talking to him for a little less than a week, we decided to meet one another (yesterday!). He truly is a blessing. His kindness, compassion, and ability to calmly listen and support without judgement have all lifted my heart and spirits so high, I am just in awe with him. He has reminded me that I am good enough and I am deserving of being happy. I know it is really soon, but I really really like him. He is such a beautiful human being. I feel safe with him. I know I can be myself with him. And, I think he sees me the way I need to see myself. I know we all can be hard on ourselves. The negative thoughts sneak in and make us see ourselves completely incorrectly. But, he makes me remember I am good and pure, and I want to make him feel the same. We all deserve someone who makes us feel accepted and beautiful just as we are ❤️. I want to be there for him always and I want this bond to blossom into a might oak. I have been worried about initiating things with my family (they are strict when it comes to me dating), but honestly, truth be told... fear is a liar. This special human in my life reminds me I can do whatever I set my mind to, even when I am scared. The amazing thing is, he doesn't even need to verbalize this; his eyes and energy and presence is enough to make me feel a blanket of comfort and safety and hope that truly heals my heart... not just band-aids it, but heals it ❤️. Sometimes we may feel as though we walking through a dark tunnel. Perhaps many of us have been walking in this tunnel for months, years, or even decades. When hope pierces the darkness, we are able to see a light at the end of the tunnel. We may be saddened and fearful of the long distance that lay ahead until we reach that light, but... the most amazing thing, is that the light is not an illusion... the tunnel is. Hope is closer than you know. There is always hope for you, and you are deserving of this hope. You are living proof that hope and love are the strongest forces on this earth. Although I cannot see the future, and although I want our relationship to work out, even if it doesn't, I will of course be in his corner as his friend and be forever grateful for the impact this person has made on my perspective of life, of myself, and of the world. And of course, I'll forever have a love for him and his beautiful, beautiful soul that the world, and all those who meet him, are so blessed to have ❤️ To those who are in a tunnel: Maybe you are struggling to get out of bed. Maybe you feel hopeless about finding your soulmate. Maybe you are afraid of the future. Maybe a loved one has passed. Maybe you were just diagnosed with H. No matter your tunnel, please know there is a light at the end of it. You will get there, and it's closer than you think. ☀️☀️☀️ You can and will find your special human, and they can and will find you! Stay hopeful, and remember to unconditionally love and accept yourself as you are. If you need someone, reach out. You are worthy of help and support. ❤️ 🌎 You are not alone. Today needs you. Tomorrow needs you. The world needs you 🌎❤️. Embrace these truths and pass it on! Sending love and prayers to all ❤️ grace

Hi, @89star! I hope you are well! Thank you for your positivity and kindness ❤️ It's wonderful that your outbreaks are not as severe as they were in the beginning. That truly gives to many friends hope!! I was curious about the Femiclear, as I have never heard of that, and I checked out the ingredients to share some info with friends on the site! Femiclear is made with a plant called Melaleuca Cajuputi (known as Cajeput), which is made into an oil and helps reduce inflammatory skin responses. It also has antibiotic and analgesic (pain-reducing) properties. So, of course, if you are allergic to anything in this plant's plant family (myrtle), you shouldn't use this product, and of course it is always a safe idea to test it on a small section of your skin first before applying it to a large area or on your sores, especially with this product because Cajeput oil is very strong (even when diluted into a cream). And of course, talk to your doctor before you try any new products, too! I am happy that you found products that help you, especially from a Black Owned Business! As a reminder to everyone, many small businesses are not regulated by the FDA and therefore buy WITH CAUTION. While some companies use research-based methods, make products with quality ingredients and no toxic chemicals or fillers, and utilize scientifically-backed evidence to create solutions that are safe and actually work, many companies are out there to just make profits and sadly so many consumers are harmed by these products. So of course, friends, as a reminder, do your research and be a smart consumer!!! Sending happiness and blessings your way 🙂! grace

Hello, @My_dog_is_hungry. I am so sorry you have been struggling with the prodrome symptoms. You don't deserve this pain. Please know that there is hope, and it is temporary, especially if it is due to hormones. Hormones are a trigger for many people, especially people who get their period. If you notice your symptoms getting worse around your cycle, you could talk to your OBGYN and possibly try a method of hormonal birth control to level your hormones out. I have PMDD and I have been on birth control to help regulate my moods, and it has helped, which is great. At first, I was worried the introduction of the pill might actually cause outbreaks, but it didn't which is wonderful. Other things that may help are exercise and stress reducing techniques, especially because hormones can cause stress and then we stress about the fact that we feel stressed, and it causes a cycle of stress! 😞 If you ever need to vent, please feel free! I hope that you feel better!! I am sending you happy healing thoughts and prayers! ❤️ Blessings! grace

Hello! I hope you are well! This is a great question! For some people, shaving triggers outbreaks (since it causes skin irritation around the hair follicles, and razor burn can trigger outbreaks for some, too). However, for others, shaving does not bother them! It all really depends. I sadly have accidentally shaved over a sore (I didn't realize I had one at the time) and it hurt pretty bad (ouch!) so it took a lil longer to heal than I had hoped, but it didn't cause any issues! 🙂 In general, shaving creates microscopic cuts on your skin, which open it to infection (from anything, really). This is why it is recommended not to shave your legs before you go get a pedicure or go to the gym, for example! So, shaving may trigger outbreaks, and if you shave while you have an outbreak you hypothetically could cause the sores to spread to the parts of the skin that are freshly microscopically cut, but in general, you should be okay. Remember that you are safe and it will all be alright! If you are worried, you could try trimming with scissors and even waxing, or try an electric razor. See what works for you! It may not be the most comfortable at first while you see what works or not and what your skin sensitivity level is, but it will all work out in the end. I hope this helps!! Blessings!

Hello! I hope you are well! Your situation is common among so many folks; they have a type of HSV and so does their partner, but in different locations. Please know that yes, you should both be safe! 🙂 It's great that you make sure you weren't having an outbreak and waited 7 days after the sores healed before being intimate, and that you even went to the OBGYN to make sure you did not have sores! That really shows you care about your partner! How lucky he is to have you! 🙂 Because the body has built up antibodies to the HSV strain it has, it helps prevent us from reinfecting ourselves or a partner who already has the same strain. Is it hypothetically possible to contract it anyways, sure! But it would really take some effort (like, licking a bunch of open sores (but why would you do that in the first place?)), or the skin would have to have an opening (a cut for example). If someone has not yet reached a high enough count of IgG antibodies (which usually takes about 12 weeks), it is possible they can contract it elsewhere. If someone is on an immunosupressive drug or has an autoimmune illness, they are also more at risk for contracting the same infection elsewhere on their body because their body is either not able to produce/keep the antibodies. However, for the most part, and in your situation, things should be all well and good 🙂 Of course, if he notices symptoms on his genital area, he should get it checked out. I hope this helps! Blessings!

Hi! Ugh, weeks can feel like they take forever! Time will pass! It will get here soon! I have not heard of anyone passing it from their hands or fingers on the forum. I have heard so many friends express worries and fears about transmitting it via their hands to their partner or children, so it seems we all tend to share that common worry! Luckily, we usually have nothing to worry about. Hand washing and the fact that transmission rates of passing via indirect touch are low helps us stay calm. Although I have not talked to someone who has personally experienced this on the forum, I do understand how it can occur biologically, and the medical consensus that it is very unlikely. I hope this helps! Stay strong!!

Hi! I am so happy you had a conversation about it. Speaking up is essential! 🙂 It's great that the four days of antivrals have helped! The scabbing is perfectly normal. Usually folks have clear runny discharge, but perhaps the yellow discharge is from possible sores that developed after the exam. If the discharge continues, head back to the doctor to make sure there's not a UTI or infection occuring. Remember that you are beautiful just the way you are, and nothing can change that! We are here for you! Sending happiness your way!

Hi @Neverwouldathought, I am so sorry about that!!! 😢 It's great that you asked her about it and that she was honest. You deserve to be with someone whom you have chemistry with! I am doing much better, thank you!! It'll be alright!! There's a match out there for everyone!! ☀️

@RingofFire Hi! Thanks for the update. I am so sorry that you are still experiencing these symptoms! It really does sound like it could be another illnesses besides HSV. Doxycycline is a pretty strong antibiotic, so if you had an infection of some kind that was causing inflammation, it should have helped. Perhaps you could try seeking an immunologist (allergist). They may be able to provide answers, since it seems this could be an inflammatory response of some type. Feel better!!!! Blessings, grace

Hello, First, I am so sorry you are having this experience! Please know you are not bad or dirty or unlovable. You are good. You are pure. You are deserving of love and respect! I want to first say that it isn't okay that he used a finger without asking first. I'm sorry that happened. That violates your personal comfort, so tell him that and that wasn't right and in the future to ask first and be gentle. You have every right to feel physically happy and comfortable and emotionally happy and comfortable ALWAYS, including during physical intimacy. Your symptoms sound so uncomfortable. The excessive discharge has been a reported symptom on this forum, however when doing research it's pretty hard to find that as a symptom. It's possible you have more than one thing happening. The sores could be HSV, and then if he used the same finger to touch your vaginal area, it's possible he passed some of the anal bacteria to the very-sensitive vaginal area, which can cause infections like yeast or BV. Also, you can have internal sores, which can occur inside the anal or vaginal cavity. They can be very painful and inner vaginal sores can cause excessive discharge. An OBGYN can use a plastic see-through speculum to inspect for sores. I am so sorry you are experiencing so many symptoms! Also, maybe a PAP smear would help provide answers. Also, you could get an IgM test, which is used for the first few weeks after having symptoms. IgM antibodies shoot up in number during the first exposure and soon drop off as the IgG antibodies build up. So, an IgM may be a good choice if you wanted a blood test sooner! You said he preformed oral sex on you; it is possible he gave you HSV orally is he has a history of cold sores. The scabs on his penis may be from HSV, but they could also be from other things. He should definetely get that checked out for his health and your health, too! I hope this helps. I'm so sorry about this. If your symptoms don't get better with the antiviral, head to the doctor. Your health matters! ❤️ Its unlikely that you would get it orally since you have antibodies to protect yourself from getting it elsewhere on the body, HOWEVER, it takes 12 or more weeks for these to build up. So, yes, it may be a good idea to avoid oral sex for the time being. Also, hypothetically it is possible for you to spread it to other parts of your own body, so if you touch a sore or apply cream to it, etc, just wash your hands with soap and water ☺️. It's great you talked to your mom about it. Please know you have NO reason to feel ashamed. This is a common virus. The social stigmas attached to it are socially constructed and do not have any truth or reason behind them! Hold your head high and be kind to yourself ❤️ Love yourself unconditionally! I'm praying for you! 🌻 Blessings, grace

Hi!! Yes, it's totally normal to feel not the best down there after intimacy, especially with a new partner. Give your body some time to rest and heal. It is odd that the symptoms intensified during the healing stage. It could be possible that the Monistat caused some burning or other issues. You also could have a yeast infection and an outbreak at the same time, since the pH of the vagina is so sensitive, changes in pH or introducing new bacteria into that area can cause discomfort! If it doesn't go away soon, head to the OBGYN. 🙂 Feel better!

Hi! I hope you are feeling better! I am happy that the outbreaks cleared up after taking the Valtrex. It is possible that the friction from sex caused some burning and irritation. Also, it is possible to have sores inside the vaginal cavity. Even though the sores cleared up, it is possible that the skin is still working to heal up the blisters. Skin cells are wonderful because they are able to reproduce quickly to help areas heal, but of course it is normal for things to still not feel the best down there. Friction from sex, especially from a new sex partner, can cause irritation down there, too! New sex partners expose our sensitive vaginal pHs to new bacteria and the body takes time to adjust. Also, have you noticed any other symptoms? I hope this helps!

Hello! I hope you are well 🌻. Thanks so much for sharing your story! I am very sorry someone was unfaithful to you. You did not deserve that. The outbreaks may be becoming more frequent and last longer due to your autoimmune illneses, and also possibly hormones. Depending on your age, your hormones may be fluctuating, which could be causing these spikes in outbreak severity and length. Have you talked to any of you doctors about suppression medicine which you could take every day to help stop or reduce these outbreaks and symptoms? Perhaps they could prescribe Acyclovir, Valacyclovir, or Famcyclovir. I hope this helps! You are loved. You are worthy of love and happiness. ☀️🌈 Blessings ☀️!

Hello Everyone!! I have not yet received an email back so I'm going to call University of Washington tomorrow afternoon! Remember you are wonderful just the way you are 🌻🌈.

Hi, @Neverwouldathought, Thank you so much for your kind words! Yes, like... dude at least discuss it first before automatically judging! Congratulations on meeting a nice woman! It's great that she sees H for what it is, something common that many folks have that doesn't determine the type of person someone is! I hope you a great time on your date! 🙂

You were not careless. You didn't intend for this to happen and it is NOT your fault! Okay, so the discharge only lasted two days, and the antivirals probably helped with that and easing other symptoms. For your own peace of mind, hang in there and perhaps wait until she could get a blood test to confirm. Stay strong and hopeful!

Hello, No need to apologize at all. This is a space where questions are welcomed! I am so sorry you are under such stress. Its unlikely she got it from hand transmission, but of course it's hypothetically possible. If she's still experiencing these symptoms weeks after the symptoms initially started, that's a sign that she should perhaps see a doctor again and even get a PAP smear to see what's going on internally.

Yes! I am unfamiliar with Dr. Hook but Terri Warren in very accredited in the H medical community! Herpes and the hands is interesting. There is something called herpetic whitlow (herpes on the hand/finger), which is where the HAND is infected, which could possibly pass to another. If A DIFFERENT area (oral, genital, etc) is infected and you touch it and then touch someone else, transmission liklihood is low! I hope this helps! 🙂

Hi! Living in the Internet Age comes with the stress of having excessive amounts of information everywhere! However, make sure that these folks are quoting quality, medically-backed, scientifically-proven studies and/or are nurses or doctors in the medical community. Also, when you find a piece of information, cross-reference it with scholarly sources (PubMed, WHO, NIH, etc) to ensure the information is indeed true. You do NOT need to pay for any information, I promise you that! Sadly there are SO many sites out there that prey on people who are stressed and struggling for answers, but trust me they are most likely a scam. Discharge is a possible side-effect of herpes for those with vaginas. One of the reasons why is because some people have internal outbreaks inside the vaginal cavity, which impacts the secretions. Others experience discharge due to other impacts herpes has on the vagina (it's very sensitive to change!). I know it is so overwhelming right now, but try not to get stuck down the internet google rabbit hole of medical questions and answers. If you need to speak with someone, I recommend you call a Planned Parenthood or local STI clinic and ask if your wife can either be seen or if you can ask questions to the on-call physician. Also, your wife can call her OBGYN and ask to speak to the on-call nurse or doctor for inquiry. I hope this helps! 🙂 Stay strong and stay calm! It will all work out. We are here for you and your partner! Also, I hope your surgery went okay and you are healing well!

@panosM. Thank you so much! I am so happy for you and your girlfriend! 🙂

Hello! I totally understand. It can feel scary to reveal your status with someone! However, remember you have nothing to be ashamed of. When you disclose, hold your head high. You don't need to apologize AT ALL. You are doing your part by being honest with someone, and how they react is a reflection of THEM, not of you! If you need help scripting your disclosure or coming up with something to say, feel free to reach out!! We are here to support you! 🌟🌼

Hi, @Caiti!! Thank you so much for your kindness. You are totally right!! Blessings to you!! 🌈💛