Esquire26

Thank you @optimist

Hi-I had my first outbreak a week ago and also went on Acyclovir. I finished my meds yesterday and the first four days were by far the worst. Even when I started Acyclovir it got worse before it got better. Hopefully this is the worst it will be for you and by tomorrow you will already start to feel better. I took a lot of warm baths and used an icepack.

Thanks for the response. Means a lot. So much of this is a mystery. As of today, I just finished 7 days of acyclovir and my symptoms are pretty much gone. I am debating whether I should see what my body does naturally without meds or if I should take a daily suppressive anti-viral. The idea of this reoccurring frequently in the same severity as I initially experienced is traumatic.

So, I recently posted about finding out I had herpes a few days ago after a horrific primary outbreak. The guy I've been dating just got his test results and he tested positive so that solves the mystery. He had no symptoms and had no clue. We are continuing to date each other and I'm a little confused about what precautions, if any, we should take with having sex given we are both H-positive. I want to avoid having another outbreak and he obviously wants to avoid ever having an outbreak. From what I gathered, you should abstain from having sex at the onset of and during an outbreak. But my question is...if he doesn't get outbreaks and I don't feel myself on the brink of one, is it fine to have unprotected sex? We both have it so does it even matter? Can sex itself trigger an outbreak? If he had it for awhile and never got an outbreak are chances high that he won't ever get one? Thanks all.

Thanks HikingGirl. This info is good to know. I'm still in the initial stages of processing this. You are doing such a great service to this community by being at the other end of these posts.

I'm 35 and just found out I have herpes. Not sure what type yet. Started taking Zovirax 3 days ago and still in a tremendous amount of pain. I've never experienced anything like this. I've been sexually active since I was 20 but for the most part I've used condoms unless I'm in an exclusive relationship and have had the std talk. I get STD testing regularly but I didn't realize until recently that the routine panel does not include herpes. That seems crazy to me. Anyway, about a month ago I met an amazing guy and slept with him without a condom for the first time after having "the talk." He assured me he was fine. We slept together a handful of times without a condom and after the most recent time I began to feel irritated and itchy. I thought it was bacterial vaginitis until I saw the bumps. So terrifying. As soon as I saw them I knew it was likely herpes. I had all the symptoms. I went straight to the Dr. and she confirmed by sight. Waiting on results from the swab. This is a nightmare. Peeing is the worst. I immediately told the guy I've been seeing and the last guy I was dating several months ago. Both of them said they don't have it as far as they know. Both were super-supportive. Neither ever had a symptom. The one from several months ago tested negative on 6/1 snd got retested as soon as I told him and the guy I'm currently dating got tested yesterday and is waiting for results. How likely is it that I could have had this for a long time and only recently after sex with someone new had a first noticeable outbreak? Again I've never experienced anything remotely like this. And I keep reading that people can spread it without knowing they have it. If that's so how do you ever lower the risk? Also, how long does it typically take the anti-viral meds to work and the wounds to heal? I'm at Day 3 and the sores are bleeding and blistering. I just want to be able to pee without crying out in pain. Finally- assuming the meds clear this up-should I be taking a daily anti-viral? What a nightmare on so many levels. This forum is everything right now.