StephanieWS

:) normally, that's what I try to do, but sometimes, I get stopped in my tracks and start thinking negative. That's just me being a woman, haha. I try to come here at least once a week and shed some light on other people or have some light shed on me when I need it. I've met two great ladies from here, so, that always helps. It's always nice to find someone that is nice enough to help you out along the way.

Hi Gaotu. I currently dont work, but I do know what you're feeling. Sometimes when I lie down at night, I can just feel my leg ache. Good thing is, its only that one leg. I did research on it yesterday, and it does say that HSV can cause neuropathy. It hasn't been studied on a great deal, but there has been studies stating that it does indeed cause pain. Whether it's prodromal or whether its neuropathy, the pain is, in fact, real. On to the meds, I do not do suppressive therapy. I have only had 2 OB in a year. I do, however, take them periodically. Only when I have an OB or when I feel one coming on, I will start right then. I take Zovirax 800 mgs for 10 days and thats it. It works fairly great for me. I tried valtrex, but my body didn't adjust to it very well. When I do take the meds, the pain that I feel does go away. As long as I take it on schedule for those 10 days. Have you tried any acetaminophen? Usually that will help, too. At least it does for me. It calms the pain, which kinda makes me think that it isn't neuropathy, it's just the virus being activated again. I hope everything does get better and the pain for you does subside. If you need to talk, feel free to message me. :) have a great day!

I'm not worried I'm gonna die from it. I just think that it does cause more than what my doctor lead on. Like I said, I knew it was rare, I just wanted to make sure that what I read was true. After all, it's kind of hard to get research about it, when all you hear is don't believe everything you read on the internet. I don't want to go into my drs office because I am freaking out, because they have so much more to worry about than me being a health freak. I know that every person is different and that my symptoms doesn't always mean your symptoms. I just get a little paranoid sometimes thinking that its gonna cause some nerve damage or its gonna cause something that no one would have expected. :/ I've been fairly good about dealing with it. I've had it 3 years now. However, on occasions, I will come across some information I haven't read or heard before and it intimidates me a tad bit. I'm getting better though. :)

I actually am having that same pain right now. However, I've had numerous herpes outbreaks. This isn't my first at all. I've been having this pain for a week, but nothing is there. I'm starting to freak out a little bit. I have no soreness, and no itchy, tingly pain in my vaginal region. I just keep taking meds for it.

Hi everyone. It's been awhile since I've posted in here. Hope you all are doing well. So, I need some information on herpes encephalitis. I know it's rare, but which virus mostly causes it and should I really be as concerned as I am? I read up on it a few minutes ago and started freaking out a little. Any info is greatly appreciated. :)

So, today, I scratched what I thought was an ingrown hair bump or a razor rash area. After scratching it 3 times, I noticed it was a herpes outbreak. Well, before I realized what it was, I had already touched my face and right below my eye. What is the likelihood that I passed it to my face or eye area? Or do you have to touch your actual eyeball to transmit it to your eye? There was no open cuts on my hand that I scratched it with. Please help me, because I know I touched my two year olds skin as well. Thank you.

Really? That's crazy. I didn't know that it could come in another area. It's upsetting me, because I have two small kids, and I don't want them to catch it, just because they hugged me. I've had it covered with a bandage for the past 2 days, so, it may go away. If it hasn't started clearing up by tomorrow, definitely going to see a dr. Thanks for all your help. I really appreciate it. :)

Right, but isn't that usually on the inner thigh near the genital? This is outer thigh near my hip/pelvic bone. It kinda looks like bug bites, but there are similar sypmtoms I'm feeling when I have an OB around my genital. Which is why I'm worried, because I don't want it to be "spreading" to other parts. :((

Thanks for the feedback. It's definitely not razor bumps. :( I wish it were. I can't really explain what it looks like. I have taken my meds just in case that is what it is. I have never had OB in other areas, so, I'm curious, if this Is an OB, how'd it end up here? :/

So, I've gotten these bump like these on my outer thigh under my hip. I'm not sure if it's an outbreak here or what. Is it possible for herpes to be passed via razors? If not, then how did I get this on my thigh?

I'm just wondering if anyone seems to get more outbreaks from swimming in pools containing chlorine? I have swam twice this summer and have gotten outbreaks both times. Maybe chlorine has some kind of trigger to an outbreak?

Hi crm, That was alot to take in. You just completed a step by telling someone and getting it off your chest! :) Please, do not blame yourself. If the person you were with didn't know that they were a carrier, then they couldn't have told you. I was preached safe sex my entire life and I still got it. To answer a couple of your questions, my initial first outbreak was not the worse. My worse came later on. For some, it could be the first. If you are in pain, I would suggest taking some pain meds to help with the pain or sitting in a hot bath. That usually helps for me. Have you tried taking the prescription medicine that the dr gave you? They have a tendency to take longer once you have the actual outbreak. You will come to find out about your body and will soon learn what is called "prodromal symptoms". Once you feel those, take your prescription right away. It will normally help with the outbreak never coming to surface. As far as the way you feel-that is entirely up to you. I have come to terms with mine and have decided that it will either control me or I will control it. I will not let it control my life. I will be happy and try to shine my light on other people, regardless. No one ever knows that I get down sometimes because of it. I do, I just try not to let it control all of my moods. I don't want it to lead my life. I want to lead it. I was happy before, and I will be happy after it. :) I once felt just like you do. There were many nights where I sat up in my room crying, not knowing what to do. One day, I just woke up and realized that this was not going to happen anymore and put it behind me. I try not to ever let it consume my thoughts though. It took me awhile, because I was in denial, but once I let it go, I felt like an elephant had just been released from my shoulders. I may not have the same life that I had before, but I have a new one. Think of it as a positive thing. Maybe you can shine your light on someone and help them cope with it. :)

Hi Nicole. I hope this finds you doing well. I know that its hard once you get diagnosed, but there will come a day when you can wake up and not think about it. Many people will love you, regardless if you carry this or not. Someone once told me that there are some people who will be okay with it and there are some that aren't. This is very true. Just please keep in mind, the ones that aren't okay with it, are the ones you don't want in your life anyways. Those are the judgmental people. You don't want them around. They will only bring you down. You surround yourself with positiveness. I have also come to figure out, that disclosing that you have this by text message is not the way to go. They will feel uncomfortable if you talk about it with nervousness. When disclosing, I always come forward, face to face, and say it with a positive attitude. Like Adrial said, you don't want to tell them on the first date. You don't want to tell them too late either. You will know the right time. I understand how you feel though. I worry about being rejected, but its a risk you will take when you think you may be falling for someone, rather in deep like or deep love. :) If they are meant to be with you, they will accept it, and never judge you for it. Hope this helps. :) Stephanie

I'm with you on that one. I can't give up chocolate or peanut butter! I have to have Reese cups at least 3 times a week. ;) although, I eat pretty healthy, I think. There we some foods on the chart, that I was eating that I didn't know was high in arginine. However, I will more than likely eat those, just more in moderation. Thanks for all the help. Being able to talk to people is what really helps me. I'm glad I found this website. I was lonely before. :/

I revised it. That's more like it. I think I wrote it out of anger the other day. Haha.

That actually kind of made me laugh because you hit that right on the head. He really is like that. I guess, as long as he doesn't know, then he can always stick with the fact that he doesn't have to disclose it to people. I mean, I love him, I really do, but I just don't know how to go about forgiving him. I don't even know how to let it all go.

Thank you. I believe what kills me the most right now, is the fact that he has never got tested! A part of me thinks that he probably feels if he doesn't get tested, he never had it or gave it to me. He refuses to get tested and I can't seem to figure out why. :(

Hello Judith, Thank you for your feedback. You are pretty much right. However, I do love him and I try to make it work with him, but this is always in the back of my mind. I don't trust him or respect him at all. We are actually in marriage counseling now to see if there is any way that it can be saved. If this doesn't work, then I have to move on. You're right about one thing, though. It is better to try to disclose to someone I can be happy with, rather than to stay with someone I can't. It's hard to get past and I am tired of feeling like I am tied down to him because of this one thing. There is a guy out there some where for me, that will definitely understand and be completely open to this. However, I am in no big hurry to find him at all. I will just wade out the storm for now. :)

I had gotten married to my husband in 2009. Our marriage was rough and rocky. The first year, all we did was fight and argue. Eventually, it lead to separation. We got back together around February 2010 and by March I was pregnant with our son. I tried to make it work with him and tried to move on with our marriage. Around 5 or 6 months pregnant, I couldn't deal with him anymore and I left. I went back home with my family and he went on doing whatever he did. In or around October, he had gotten a new girlfriend and I assumed they were sleeping together. He had something break out on his face and I told him I thought it looked like Herpes. Well, in November, I had gotten an std check because of his face. I didn't have the virus.. yet... After our son was born, we had gotten back together. I had assumed that if he had gotten herpes, he would have gotten checked and would be man enough to admit it to me. WRONG! I slept with him and in December, I had my first OB. I could have swore it was just a really bad yeast infection. Nothing else happened. I didn't get the flu like symptoms like everyone else. I just had this freakishly-itchy rash like thing. It went away and I went on about my business. Well, about 2 months later it was back; disappeared; and came back again. By April, I had had enough of wondering and went and had a blood test. I had also had what I am pretty sure was an OB. Well, the results of the swab came back negative and so I waited patiently for my blood test to come back. When it did, they called and confirmed that I indeed had HSV-2. At first, I thought I was going to die, and I wanted to commit suicide. My husband was gone working at the time and I had no one really to talk to about it. I mean, no one in my family had ever said anything about having it and none of my friends did either. So, I went into this really big depression and I ended up being put on medication after that. I don't know how to forgive my husband for it, but we are working on it. I have faith in us somewhere. I hate that we have it, but like everyone else says, it cannot define who you are. You either let it control you or you control it. :)

I am trying to find a way to have less OB. What did you change your diet to if you don't mind me asking? I have heard that a change in a diet could make them worse or better.

You're very welcome. I have only had one severe OB and that was way after I had already found out. The longest I ever have them are usually 5 days and I will take my meds once or twice a day to make it clear faster. Other than that, meds actually give me a headache and make me a little lightheaded, so I try not to take them on a regular basis.

It will sometimes, and sometimes it doesn't. =/

I am just wondering if anyone else gets headaches + dizziness when taking acyclovir or valacyclovir? I take these only on episodic occurrences, and when I do, I get the worst headaches I have ever had. So bad, that sometimes, I can't even think straight. Has anyone else experienced this or is it just me?

I was on suppressive at first. After awhile, I just stopped taking it because my body didn't react to the meds well. I talked to my doctor who told me to take Zovirax 800mgs 2x a day for 10 days only when I have an outbreak. When I feel my prodromal symptoms, I start right then. I don't want it to ever break surface. Other than that, I never take them. Hope this helps. :)

Hi all, I am a 23 year old female. I am originally from Alabama, but now living in Tennessee. I got diagnosed 2 years ago and have seriously felt like I am the only one with this condition. I know that I am not. I got it from my husband, so I know I am not alone. I can't talk to him about it though, because it makes us argue. If anyone would like to contact me, please feel free to do so. It doesn't matter where you are. I have seriously thought about suicide and trying to just disappear. I have felt like it has ruined my life and I am going to die from it. I know that's not likely, but I feel this way. It has caused me severe anxiety and depression. I don't know anyone else with it. I'm not ashamed of it, but I don't broadcast it to everyone either. It's not something that I enjoy living with, but I wouldn't mind having someone else to talk to about it. :) thank you.