Unbroken

Hey all, I'm seeing woman who doesn't have H (I have HSV-2, yes she knows) and I was thinking about starting suppresive medication. I take famciclovir when I get OBs now, which is so infrequent. I've had it for years and I have an OB probably once every 9-12 months. And I guess that's my concern - since it's so mild and infrequent now, will adding suppresive therapy just make the virus more resistant to the famciclovir when I do have an outbreak? If anyone has experience with this, I'd appreciate it.

It's tempting to think everything is H, especially since you've not had it that long. I've had lip tinglies as well that have not been anything. Just give it a bit as everyone is suggesting. If it becomes a thing, see what your doc says.

@lm44, I had some counseling and it REALLY helped. However, it took some looking and several counselors to finally find a good one who understood this condition. Good luck!

Well put @seeker. As a guy who's not a scumbag I couldn't agree more. Dss, it happens to the best of us. And I think you might have it a bit backwards Dss, I tend to find the younger people in my life are way more liberal and less vulnerable to stigma than the older conditioned ones. You're gonna be just fine. A quality, rational man will see you for you, not some stupid skin condition.

I know, I was quoting him @wscdancer2010, hence the double quotes :)

I'm in tears here, beautiful!!! Good for you :) :) :) WE GOT THIS.

"Life is too f*cking short. And closets are for hangers." - YES. You rock! There's life after rejection, F it. Go for it!

Good luck Dancer. If it's this guy or not, "he" is out there, you'll find him :)

6 year HSV-2 vet here. I had my multi-year funk just like you and sometimes it takes a while. I had some counselling which can help if you have a good counselor. I just came out of my shell one day. One day you'll have enough facts and you'll snap out the funk as well. I think the biggest thing and when you truly make peace with this condition is when you realize and start to live by the reality - there is life after rejection. Disclosing simply does not scare me any longer, I appreciate it's ability to weed out people I don't want to know anyway, i.e., immature, vulnerable to stigma, non-evidentiary, etc. Herpes has truly become my wing man. Rational, mature human beings are very accepting and those are the people you want in your life anyway. Read everything Dancer posts for you, information is your friend. And so are we! That said, I feel for where you're at. Here's my initial post, hopefully you can relate: http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3809/the-stigma-ends-tonight

Welcome Neon. Please hit all the links Dancer has provided and let me add this as well - I have HSV-2, I disclose all the time, I have a healthy dating life, and life is fantastic for a million reasons, so don't fret. We all go through that phase of being livid at whoever gave this to us, you have the right to have those feelings. But as dancer said, the misinformation about this condition is widespread. Say whatever is on your mind here, it will help.

It's tempting to blame everything on H. When I was married I had a giant, awesome German Shepard and I'd get skin reactions from him from time to time that had nothing to do with H. Could be he's getting playing in some plants you're allergic to, could be the flea meds like you say. It's likely not H causing your hives at all, but you're wisely seeing all the docs to see what the root cause is. I wouldn't stress.

Hi granola. I've had HSV-2 for 6 years and it most certainly gets easier as time goes on. I get an outbreak once a year (if that) and they aren't really painful anymore. The first few kind of suck, so you're feeling not just the worst of the outbreaks, you're also dealing with the newness of this. Both get easier, I assure you. At some point you'll also know when they are coming beforehand - there's a tingle before an outbreak that I can easily identify now. As to what drugs to take when you get an outbreak, talk to your doctor of course. Famvir knocks my outbreaks out in like 24 hours, but each person is different. This will be a non-event for you at some point, you got this.

Hope, first off welcome. You're reacting how a 17 year old would be expected to react, but you need to chill my dear. As seeker correctly pointed out, just about everyone on this planet has oral HSV1. You stated - "Prior to this I already had issues with myself. I didn't know how to be happy." That's what you need to work on. You got this, don't worry.

7 years with a positive partner before I got it here and she had gone off her suppresive meds before I got it. It's manageable - use the site and get educated like Adrial suggested.

Welcome! Glad you came here to learn.

"Remember this is just a skin virus if it was on your knee who would care? Its the stigma and the stigma is a lie. " - So true Noel. How many people have "the talk" about cold sores? Nobody. It's a stupid sexual stigma plain and simple. Andro - we all freak out in our own unique way at first, just hang in there. Use the site A LOT. It's full of wonderful info. You got this.

"But I am happy to report I am passed that now and ready to have a personal life again." <-- Awesome! Breaking through that barrier is the hardest part, glad to have you here!

Oh man, did the same thing happen to me in a huge way: http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/3809/the-stigma-ends-tonight I don't believe it's a reaction formation at all. You're affirming yourself. Well done :)

Hey all, in southwest Florida here. Just want to lend an ear to anyone who needs one. Feel free to message me. HSV-2 / genital for 6 years and living quite happily.

"Here is to all of us on this forum who do the right thing everyday not just for our partners or rejectors but for ourselves!" - well put LM. Don't waste your time on jackasses, life is too short and you are awesome.

Man, this kind of thing makes me so freaking livid. LM - it's not your fault that somebody hid this from you. He sounds like a complete scumbag. It is most certainly not your fault that you trusted somebody who didn't care about screwing you over. I know this sucks and you need a bunch of support right now, which you will get here by the way, but don't let that piece of trash cloud your view of humanity. He is NOT every man. You have every right to be angry at him. Somebody cool me off here.

Yep, great post @willow. Ash, It not only gets easier, it gets easy. Talk to any of us anytime.

No suppressive here. My OBs are rare but when I get one - 1,000 mg of famciclovir then 12 hours later another 1,000 mg. Usually knocks the thing out in a day or two.

Everyone here is happy to talk to you. Feel free to message me anytime as well.

No fear. You rock LIL :)