gadamsgrega

yea that's what happens to me too... just before a trip.... It's because you are all excited about going on the vacation leading up to it.. there's a lot of anticipation about how things will go... It can bring on an OB or some unwanted anxiety... As for meds... I'm not a med guy so I can't say what you should do with it... But I can say, I've heard from Dr.'s that say to never do something out of the ordinary or different then what they've told you.. esp before something big...

today I had uncomfortable itchy colon, drowsy, slight anxiety, loss of appetite... So this kind of shows that chocolate does have an effect and there is SOME kind of tie with triggering a herpes outbreak... I haven't gotten to the outbreak part yet but all these symptoms since then sure make it seem that way... Sincerely, Your official lab rat...

yes, shaving down there will irritate your skin and cause an outbreak... esp when hair just starts to grow back and is course

Yes, what you are experiencing is normal... all the symptoms you mentioned from the leg pain to numbness is common among most of us... It can last for many many days too so just be patient with it and don't let your head start thinking it's a real health concern of something major cause it's not...

Ok so I am on day 4... and yes, I started to develop a few symptoms of prodrome... (loss appetite, slight nausea, blister on tip of tongue, sleep issues, mild depression)

Good point Grace! I agree with her... anyone that wants to try this... Do so at your own risk... This is just an experiment for our own selves.. So far, so good for me.... I have not had an issue since eating the candy bar...

Since I have been on this forum, I keep coming across that people say their outbreaks occur just after eating chocolate... I am testing this idea out...I'd hope that all of you reading this will too... I just now ate an entire hershey's chocolate bar... I hope that all of you will too... The purpose - to see if we get any kind of reaction in the system from it or if it was all just bad timing of an episode... So if you are reading this... grab a chocolate bar and eat... Then in a week or so... reply to this message telling us how you are feeling... any symptoms, anything going on mentally.. anything on your mind about it... Let see if we can get somewhere with this...

I've been reading on here about chocolate being a food that causes an outbreak... I'll be the lab rat then... I just ate a Hershey's milk chocolate bar... ate the whole thing... I'll let you all know if I get a problem...

I've had both situations... I'd get ALL the symptoms then an eventual outbreak which would end things.. Or I'd get symptoms... and no outbreak which happens a little less often. Yea, not a good idea to be having sexy during that time when you are feeling those symptoms.. better off to be safe with it all, just wear protection... But I will say that during these times, the sexual desire isn't really there anyways... let it pass..

I've had hsv2 for 20 yrs or so... and yes, what you are dealing with is common...I've had all the symptoms for a couple weeks (ie no sleep, lower back pain, fatigue, sadness, anxiety,many more) and then nothing ever happens... just goes away... You'll know when it's done its traveling when you wake one morning and suddenly you are in a good mood... Right now, I'm currently in the prodrome phase and about my 2nd-3rd day... I made the mistake of using the body hair trimmer and was also out in the sun quite a bit... These are both very herp provoking... The good news for you... it goes away once you're immune system takes hold... Just be strong right now and don't take the negative thoughts too seriously.. yes, it does that too..

I think the hardest part of all of this for you will be being able to continue on sleeping with your wife as if nothing happened between her and your friend... You know they did and so that will stick in the mind... I know this from experience of course... my relationship was never the same with her after that...

itchy colon is common before an outbreak for me...

Wendy, you have a lot of people on here that know your situation as you can see from a few of the replies... You are not alone in this even if those moments feel as though you are.. I've had it 20+ yrs now... some would suggest taking the HSV pills they have out there... I try to do this all naturally so I personally don't do any medications... I've talked to Dr.'s that just look and stare after I asked for help... All comes down to trial & error over the years... Sometimes when you are in a stressful situation... it brings on the prodrome... If you get easily stressed out about stuff, yea you'll get outbreaks happening more often... if you are a carefree type, then pat yourself on the back... that's ideally how you should be with this where it will not move through the body.. it'll stay dormant so you can live your life normal.. Lastly, yes, the mood thing, itchy colon, gurgling stomach, back aches, tenderness in feet, and flu like symptoms are the WORST! Just remind yourself it's just a stage in this and it's continuing to improve each day as the body builds a new tolerance.. Trigger #1 for me - Stress followed by sex Food Trigger - Chocolate, alcohol, greasy food

Since a lot of people have been commenting about this lately, I'm just going to go ahead and post my own topic... I've had genital herpes for a little over 20 yrs now.. I don't take valtrex, I just learned to live with it... A lot of people have been posting wondering if just before an outbreak occurs, how a person may feel... I'm here to tell you, you get a lot before hand (for some.) For me... I can tell when I have any of these symptoms, an outbreak may occur soon- -fatigue - sleep issues, toss/turn all night - frequent urination or urinating to point of dehydration - loss of appetite - shaky body - nausea - back pain/joint pain - anxiety/depression - sadness (feeling of wanting to cry for no reason) - tingle in back thighs -itchy eyes/redness - dull feeling of not wanting to do anything - not interested in sex There are probably a bunch more which I'd love to hear from all you on what you deal with... Of course not ALL these symptoms happen all together... but during the course of all the years of having it... these have come about... maybe a few at a time... Sometimes you end up having an outbreak after... sometimes you don't... I tend to like when the outbreak happens though cause I know that's the last stage of all this drama... feel free to chime in...