Lozpot

Hi there, I cant help you too much with advice on getting tested but I will share my own experience. I got HSV1 genitally from my long term partner via oral sex. I knew he got cold sores but had no idea at that time that one could contract genital herpes from a partner with cold sores. At the time he didnt even have one. It cropped up a few days later. I TOTALLY share your view that education in this area is poor in the UK. I consider myself to be pretty aware of things but was unaware of this. Subsequently I have found out everything I can about it. Anyway, I was able to have a swab test done at the time which diagnosed HSV1. I got antivirals and it cleared up. However, in the last 2 months I have had what I think are repeated outbreaks. Minor, but one after the other. They consist of itching for a few days then a small outbreak of a tiny spot or two which look just like the lesions from my original OB. Because they have occured in a cyclical pattern over the last 2 months (ususally after sex) I went to my GUM clinic for advice on how to manage it. I have had a full health screening twice since my original diagnosis and had a third sexual health MOT this week. I am clear for all other stds and problems. Depsite me saying clearly that I had HSV1 and was getting what I thought was repeated outbreaks the doctor seemed to dismiss this entirely. She said it might be thrush (even though I tested negative and canesten doesnt work on this problem) I specifically asked for advice on dealing with Hsv1 ourbreaks and she seemed to think none of it was relevant. Yet this is the ONLY CONDITION I HAVE so what else can it be?!!! So I have resorted to sorting it out myself and paying for antivirals online and managing the condition with advice from sites such as this. I have to agree with you fully that the approach to Hsv seems woeful in the UK. Yes, that may be because it is common but at the same time there is stigma and a lot of people having to deal with the irritation of having the condition. So frustrating Loz

Thank you both for your repsonses - @WCSDancer2010 especially. I have been reading your advice on other posts as well. The problem I have is that the itching starts up about 4 or 5 days after any 'activity'. Then the spot or spots appear about a week after that. I am currently in my third round of the sex, itch, spot cycle in the last 6 weeks. The itching subsides and the spot appears. This time it's one tiny tiny pinprick that looks like a mouth ulcer - how my H spots seem to manifest themselves. But, I also feel very under the weather this time. Tired, weak and wobbly with a crushing headache. I am really afraid that sex may be becoming a trigger and that would be awful. Loz P.s I dont take benedryl but clarytin does calm the itching down a bit...

Hello, I'm new here and am pleased to have found this site and forum . I contracted hsv1 genitally, from my long term partner during oral sex just before he had a cold sore outbreak. There was no sign he had a cold sore coming and at that time neither of us knew that I could get hsv1 genitally from him in this way. This was 2 years ago. It was treated with aciclovir and then for 2 years nothing. I was symptom free. Well, since April I have experienced intense itching on and off. After the first bout of itching a week or so later 2 microscopic spots appeared which looked like tinier versions of my initial OB (that had been pretty mild) So I took acicolvir for 5 days and it cleared up very quickly. After a week or so, and after sex, the itching started again. One tiny spot appeared about a week after that. So I decided to try acicilovir twice a day and keep taking it for a few weeks to see what happened. The spots seem to disappear very quickly - within 24 hours. Now, 3 or 4 weeks later I am still on the meds but the itching is still there and driving me mad. It comes and goes in intensity but is always present. I'm not aware of any more spots coming but my lady area is quite red and rashy looking. And the spots were so small I cna hardly tell anyway if there are any there. I think the redness is from irritation and me scratching (although I'm desperately trying not to) In fact it looks a bit more like thrush now although there is no discharge. Thrush meds make no difference. Any sort of itching cream - eurax, canesten, vagisl, lanacane makes no difference. It appears that any sort of sexual activity triggers it off. This is really worrying me now as up until now I had no ill effects from having the virus. Also, if you're taking anti virals as suppressive therapy surely things should calm down? Especially as I've read that hsv1 on the genitals is meant to be milder with fewer OBs. I feel like I've been in one long OB off and and on since the end of April and the meds have not made a difference. I'm going to the GUM clinic next week to get some advice and a complete MOT, but I'm concerned that nothing is working. I'm a school teacher in an infant school so it is hard to manage my personal care in peace and quiet! Can anyone shed any light on this for me or give me some advice? Is this a low grade H outbreak? Or something else? The itching is maddening and stressful. I'd rather have soreness... I can cope better with that... Thank you to anyone who may be able to help Loz x