Hello, I've been looking through the forum and have already found so much help and reassurance. I will try to keep my story short but want to also give background to get insight from others.
I am a 50 year old female who began a casual relationship with a man in February. We had a slow build up to intimacy and would see each other every couple weeks and have oral/penetrative sex separately or in some combination on most occasions (once or twice a month). We relied on the quick I'm safe are you conversation and had unprotected sex. Well, in April, I discovered his prescription for Valtrex. I was shocked but confronted him with an open mind and we had a very productive conversation and I got a very quick education on how low transmission rates were—he had been diagnosed decades ago and has been on Valtrex long term and said he hadn't had an outbreak in years. I made the decision to continue to see him.
Well, in the beginning of July I had my first outbreak—I think—I had what were like individual little bitty pimples on labia (which I have occasionally gotten) but multiple and they were preceded with the tingly feeling which is not typical of pimples I had in the past. Nothing was every blistery looking and nothing scabbed up. It took about a week into the "outbreak" for me to get in to my doc. She took a look and said "that's not herpes" and if it is, I can't get a good swab because nothing is oozing. She said it may have been a reaction to first time laser hair removal that I just had or just a pimple outbreak. She did a pap and ran HPV testing (negative). She also declined to give a blood test stating that they were so unreliable at this early stage. She sent me on my way and I felt reassured. Until a few weeks later when the same thing happened...so I called and had a phone consult. Again, she said if it looked the same as last time she wouldn't swab but based on the recurrence and tingles and that I had been with a confirmed HSV+ person, she prescribed 1G Valtrex daily. She said I should take for a year.
Well, now, two+ months into taking the Valtrex, I still am having outbreaks right before my period. Again, these aren't very dramatic—the prodrone with the little pimples that seem heal quickly. Is it common to still be getting outbreaks if I've been taking the Valtrex daily? Should I talk to her about modifying the dose or changing to something else, or does it take time for the body to adjust? Any recommendations on other supplements that people have found relief from?
Is there a chance that this isn't herpes and could be something else?
I would like to receive some sort of lab confirmation. Should I push for blood testing or go to my local planned parenthood and ask for testing? What is the gold standard for testing, if any and when is the ideal time to test? Will my taking Valtex affect the test accuracy? Are there home kits or online sources that are recommended? I'm pretty convinced that it's HSV but what if it's something else? I want to be open and disclose to other sex partners (I am no-longer seeing the man who I got it from) but I don't have a definitive diagnosis and tell them exactly what I have.
My outbreaks are mild but frequent and I was really hoping that Valtex would've suppressed them by now. I know I've asked a lot of questions here and any insight and advice would be so appreciated. Thank you!