Newly diagnosed.. Lots of questions regarding hygiene!

[SillyBean]

Hey guys so I have LOTS of questions. I basically got a full sti checkup (blood test and all) before I moved out to rural Africa and it came back totally clean. In theory would they have tested for herpes during this checkup? 

 

Anyways I've been sleeping with my boyfriend for around 8 months developed a UTI and started developing sores at the same time (so initially assumed it was another reaction), eventually I realised it was herpes. Now where I live is crazy rural and there are no clinics or any infasctrucutre to get an official diagnosis but I'm almost 100% sure its HSV 2 (I'm also not going to be able to get an official diagnosis for another 6 months or longer). Also a girl who used to work here left me her razors, I used one down there and nicked myself with it and like 2 days after starting developing sores.. Is it possible I got it from her? This razor must've been left lying around for over 6 weeks before I used it..?! 

 

So I've found some good natural remidies (ACV, zinc oxide cream and tea tree oil).. Does anyone have any other fave natural remedies (I can't access a pharmacy easily at all!) 

Also regarding hygiene... I basically have no access to hot water. Should I be using a different washcloth for my vagina than the rest of by body? Should I be using a different dry towel? Should I be going the extra mile to get hot water when handwashing my towels and pants instead of the usual cold hand wash I normally do to prevent spreading? 

 

Also are the sores going to just pop up where they are going to pop up or is there a risk of me touching one area and spreading it to another?? I just don't know how worried I should be about this factor, like should I be using a different cotton ball for each area I have sores?? 

 

[mr_hopp]

Hi @SillyBean and welcome! 

Here are some thoughts on your questions:

• Full STI checkup: Unfortunately, based on how most clinics operate, even a full STI checkup doesn't include a herpes blood test. Why? Because they figure it's not necessary (I don't agree) since most people in the world have some version of herpes, and a positive diagnosis would make a lot of people unnecessarily scared. So when you get an STI panel, you need to clarify "including herpes."
• Razor: Impossible that it was transferred this way. Herpes is transmitted via skin-to-skin contact with friction (think making out or sex), not via objects. The virus dies quickly in the open air. 
• My favorite remedy by far is your own immune system.  🙂  The basics apply here, but they are foundational and powerful. Taking care of yourself mentally and physically, keeping your stress levels low, working out, eating well, sleeping well, drinking water. It does take 6 months to a year for most people's bodies to develop enough of an immune response to suppress the virus long-term, so if you could somehow get some acyclovir or valacyclovir (Valtrex) that will suppress around 50% of the virus and will help in this interim period as your body is building up antibodies/immunity.
• Washcloth/towel: Only when you're having an active outbreak would you consider using a different washcloth. And even then, you should be fine. Why? Soap kills the virus on contact. But during outbreaks is when you're most contagious to others and possibly auto-inoculation (spreading herpes to other parts of your body, especially in this first-year window of time). Washing with hot water isn't necessary as the virus can't live in open air, and soap kills it on contact.
• Sores location: For the majority of folks, future outbreaks are in the same area, but because of how the virus travels from the base of your spine to your skin, it can take different routes to that general area for future outbreaks. But once it finds a route, it tends to stick to that route (path of leastresistancee).

Hope this helps! You got this. 🙂