Intercourse and herpes

[Gypsy86]

Hello. I just got in a long distance relationship and only take my antivirals if I have an outbreak. I was going to start taking them a few weeks prior to me and my bfs planned meetings. I did this time and the first time we had sex I had an outbreak. Would it be a good idea to double up on the dosage a few days prior to meeting up? Do you think that would reduce the chance of having an outbreak? This time we didnt use lubricant and I know the doctor mentioned friction will cause a breakout. Thanks!!!

[BallroomD]

I am no doctor but in my experience lube is your best friend. I would talk to your doctor about that as far as doubling up because that depends a lot as far as duration and frequency of outbreaks. Personally I take one a day and double up during an outbreak after many conversations with my doctor and them understanding a little bit about my sex life.
I would also pay attention to how your mind and body feel and act prior to outbreaks. Anything strange or out of the ordinary make a mental note of it and look for patterns. I have been positive for just over 5 years now and I’m very well in tune with my body and my mind and I am usually able to sense when an outbreak is coming. It doesn’t stop my usual sexual activity I just use extra layers of protection(not multiple condoms! I will start another post about methods I use) and lots of lube all the time, I prefer raw coconut oil as it’s natural and is edible which is more pleasurable for oral play because of the taste. The final thing is communicating about it with your partner. Let them know the patterns you notice and also ask them if they notice anything. It may be more difficult for you being in a long distance relationship but communication is the most important thing to keep your partner safe. I hope this helps!

[Gypsy86]

Thank you @BallroomDthat was helpful. I do double up if I’m in an outbreak but I was hoping prior to sex would work too! (May be wishful thinking). I’ve been positive for a couple years but I still can’t determine what causes them! I was getting an OB monthly at the beginning of the year and since May I haven’t had one until now. I don’t feel like I was stressed but maybe I was going into to the trip (meeting new ppl and we hadn’t seen each other in a couple months). I need to start noticing my body more and I was hoping I’d gain some insight by not taking the pills but they I started having OB often and then rare! Any tips you have would be appreciated!

[mr_hopp]

Hey @Gypsy86!

Congratulations on your long-distance relationship! It's great that you're being proactive about managing your situation.

Considering your recent experience, it's definitely a good idea to discuss your situation with your doctor. They can provide personalized guidance based on your medical history and the specifics of your relationship. @BallroomD's suggestion of using lube is important too, as it can indeed help reduce friction and potential triggers.

As for doubling up on antivirals before meeting up, that's something your doctor would be best equipped to give details on. It might depend on your individual situation, outbreak frequency, and the medication you're taking. I haven't heard of any specific studies that look at using a short regimen of medicine before a sexual encounter to decrease the potential of having an outbreak. The only ones I'm aware of is either episodic (to treat actual current outbreaks) or daily suppressive therapy (for asymptomatic viral shedding).

There is this interesting study that did find that a shorter regimen is effective in treating actual outbreaks: Two-Day Regimen of Acyclovir for Treatment of Recurrent Genital Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection ... Participants took 800 mg of acyclovir by mouth three times daily for two days. This shorter treatment significantly reduced the duration of lesions, symptoms, and viral shedding compared to a placebo. But it's hard to say if this would port over to answering your specific question. Again, this is doctor territory. 😉 

It's clear that you're approaching this with care and responsibility, and that's awesome. Keep the lines of communication open with both your doctor and your partner – this teamwork will contribute to a safer and more comfortable journey.

Wishing you all the best in your relationship! Bravo!