Antivirals for how long?

[misskellyrenee]

I just started suppressive therapy a few weeks ago and since my hospital doesn't have a contract with the usual meds fo suppressive therapy, I am on Acyclovir two pills twice a day.

The doc told me that I could try that for a year and see where I am after that.

My question is, what happens in a year? I do believe I have HSv2 because i was having recurring outbreaks.

How likely am I to have recurring outbreaks after suppressive therapy?

What if I meet someone at that point who does not have HSV2....is it reasonable of me to not want to remain on suppressive therapy for years?

How do I explain to them that we just need to watch for outbreaks and wear condoms? What do I tell them about when we don't want to wear condoms?

[zyphen]

Hello misskelly,

I am on my phone right now, I am sure others will beable to post the links here in a bit.

First off, just breathe. Take this one step at a time. The purpose of being on it everyday for your first year is to control or help control future outbreaks, while building anti-bodies to help fight it. If you dont have any outbreaks that first year, the doctor will more then likely reduce the dosage you have to take.

 

Its going to be hard to tell about future outbreaks as everyone is different. We all have different triggers, learning yours is going to be the hard part.. what triggers mine may not trigger one for you.

 

Everyone has different ways for suppressive treatment. I do not take mine everyday. I have had the same 90day bottle since july last year. If I feel an outbreak coming I will take them for about a week straight. However, if I was in a relationship I would just take it everyday to help protect my partner.

 

I am on limited time right now, I will type more later, I hope this little bit helped some. It will be ok.

[WCSDancer2010]

@zyphen got it right - every person is different. So your reaction if you come off may be different from someone elses AND it may change depending on your personal health, hormones, stress levels, age, etc. I *would* say if you come off, cut back gradually so your body has a chance to acclimate and take over the suppression.

 

If you meet someone who doesn't have HSV2...well, it's between you and them about whether you go on anti-virals... make sure they get educated about the risks (especially make sure they understand what Asymptomatic shedding means for them) and then discuss how many precautions you want to take. Every couple is different... just as if you are with a smoker - some always smoke outside (in ALL weather), some will smoke near an open door and blow the smoke outside, and some just go ahead and smoke wherever they are. In this case, you have to figure out what you are ok with and if your partner is not comfortable with that, they may not be a good fit for you (just as you may choose to leave that relationship with the smoker if they insist on smoking inside). Life is about CHOICES ... which are not necessarily a reflection of another who disagrees being "right" or "wrong".

 

How do I explain to them that we just need to watch for outbreaks and wear condoms? What do I tell them about when we don't want to wear condoms?

 

If you go bareback and without anti-virals, there are stats for that... and stats for using the meds and'or condoms. Give them the stats, then let them tell you what they feel about the risks....

 

AND, remember (as I have said many times) there are many, many things we do every single day that *might* cause us harm (getting in a car ... many jobs that people do, climbing a ladder, whatever). We don't think twice about doing them, do we? But we know at the back of our mind that we need to be careful and each person does things (some more than other) to try to keep from getting hurt/killed. Herpes is no different.

 

Print out the handout and get to know the facts... go to the FAQ section in the discussion boards (top of the subjects) and read all you can there...read the blogs. Then figure out where YOU fit in all this...and THEN you will be ready to tell someone else what it might mean for them ;)

 

Handouts:

http://bit.lyh-opp-diagnosis-handout/

http://bit.ly/h-opp-disclosure-handout

 

Disclosure e-book:

http://eepurl.com/b4IPP

 

 

[misskellyrenee]

I'm comfortable with talking about their risk of contraction when I am on medication and risk of transmission with condoms and without on medication- I've mentally practiced those numbers.

Also well versed in asymptomatic shedding, the percent of days shedding etc.

The part that gets hazy is when they either want me to remain on meds to stay with me (which would be a pain in the arse because of how many I need to take per day) as well as the up in the air and unknown nature of whether or not I am shedding. I can explain the percent of days and can explain that condoms reduce the risk by X percent, but I can't give them numbers and data on if they get tired of wearing condoms and what happens when they don't want o do that any longer.

I also didn't mean that we *just* need to watch for outbreaks. Sorry, was super early for me when I wrote that haha.

[WCSDancer2010]

meds cut the risk in half - condoms cut the risk in half... so if (for easy numbers sake) your risk was 8%..with meds OR condoms it would be 4%...with both...2%

 

The big thing is to not get so wrapped up in the numbers anyway..again, you take risk with many things in life.... this risk is about average for many things we do every day.

 

And regards the meds, that is your call...and maybe you could meet in the middle and take one daily...it would give some protection without taking it 2x/day. You have to create whatever works with your partner.

[misskellyrenee]

Yeah, cuz I can tell the taking pills thing every day.

as a reminder, I take 4 per day. Two in the morning and two at night.

Its the unknown thing again that worries. Me. I have the IUD which should keep me from getting OB so often but I was getting them easily when finals exams would come up or if I would cut myself shaving down there. Plus I am just kinda chronically stressed out as a student. Apparently an autoimmune disorder runs in the family, as many of us get sick easily if we aren't getting enough sleep or are stressed.

[WCSDancer2010]

Do remember the first year is the worst. So it may settle down after that.

 

And many of us find that Herpes makes is look at ourselves and our lives differently...so this may be your opportunity to start to do things that are healthier for you and to reduce your stress as much as possible (and as a student, I get that you have the worries of getting everything done, but please, DON'T over-stress about straight A's... I found when I graduated that NO ONE looked at my GPA when I applied for jobs... it will only matter at all if you are going on for a higher degree ... and even that won't matter as much if you work a few years in between.

 

So find places where you can reduce your stress....and your H will be your barometer of how well you are managing it ;)

 

(((HUGS)))

[WCSDancer2010]

Do remember the first year is the worst. So it may settle down after that.

 

And many of us find that Herpes makes is look at ourselves and our lives differently...so this may be your opportunity to start to do things that are healthier for you and to reduce your stress as much as possible (and as a student, I get that you have the worries of getting everything done, but please, DON'T over-stress about straight A's... I found when I graduated that NO ONE looked at my GPA when I applied for jobs... it will only matter at all if you are going on for a higher degree ... and even that won't matter as much if you work a few years in between.

 

So find places where you can reduce your stress....and your H will be your barometer of how well you are managing it ;)

 

(((HUGS)))