Recently diagnosed G HSV1 - suppressive therapy? + questions

[Mirabella7]

Hello community, I'm a 25 year old female. a few days ago I was diagnosed with HSV1 on the genitals. The week prior, I was probably in one of the most painful experiences I've ever had in my life. However, I was also diagnosed with a chlamydia which I picked up from the guy I've been dating the past few months. He has no symptoms of either. He told me that he does get cold sores every winter, but hasn't had one since January. I'm not sure if I also picked up HSV1 from him or not, because my STD check, 4 months prior to him, was only checked for HSV2. Is there a way of finding out?

 

Last Friday I felt an initial burning, which I figured was just because I was starting my period, a few days before I believe I felt a little bit of it as well, nothing as bad as Friday though. The next day I found 1 painful sore in the morning, at night I had about 5. The next day it spread all over my perineal area and I could barely walk. I didn't even want to pee, shower, or move. It was agonizing. I spent all of my free time doing research on how to be more comfortable and help heal them. Thankfully, this first outbreak was only painful for about 5-6 days. I found sea salt water helped me, A LOT!

 

What I've done for my outbreak:

First of all, planned parenthood prescribed me 10 days worth of acyclovir before knowing what strand of herpes I have. The clinician just told me that it looks like herpes. She took samples of my sores and sent them to the lab.

 

-I went and bought L-Lysine (with added B vitamins, is that okay?) and started taking 1000mg, 3x a day with my medicine. (I also take a hair skin and nails vitamin)

 

I'm also taking vitamin C that I have in my cabinet. (It has calcium added to it, I heard L-Lysine does something with over absorption with Calcium, should I not take this?)

 

I took ibuprofen when my pain and swelling was unbearable, I'm not sure if it helped because it still hurt.

 

I found that before I would use the restroom I would bring a styrofoam cup with me and fill it with warm water, I would pour that on it before I went pee to get it used to wetness already. Then I would put a little seasalt in the cup before I put water in it, and I would rinse down there with it. I felt like it started to dry up my sores and every time I did that, it made or it feel SO much better. Then at night I would soak in a sea salt water bath. I only used sea salt because that's what I had for help healing a few piercings a few years back.

 

I also read that Destin worked. Initially when I first tried it, during the night I felt like it made it worse. It hurt so bad, and the next morning it was really hard to move. However, that night I felt like it was significantly more healed. So I tried it again the next day, and almost 90% of my pain in my genital area was gone. :) So, I've been using that the past few days, I have no pain right now. Thank God. That was so bad.

 

 

So, I have questions. What is the difference between HSV1 and HSV2 when it comes to how many OBs. Do we have the same trigger foods? Are we the same amount of contagious? The doctor that called me told me that the percentage of me spreading it, without a sore, was very small.

 

I don't think that I can afford suppressive therapy because I'm still a poor student. Do I need to go on suppressive therapy if I am sexually active? Does L-Lysine replace the medicine that I could be taking?

 

Also, I randomly read somewhere that flaxseed was the only seed we could eat. But then I read somewhere else not to, after I bought flaxseed oil. I ended up returning it, lol... I'm being led on with hope. I'm a bit of a health freak, however I love sweets, but I ate a lot of nuts, especially nut butters, and a lot of chia seeds. Nuts, seeds, chocolate, and coffee were my life up until a week ago. :( I even went to Sprouts to search for something that can replace peanut butter. I found something that's made with soybeans. It taste exactly like peanut butter... Is that okay?? How about drinking tea? Green tea in particular?

 

 

I know I have so many questions. I would love advise and help. I honestly was so lost and depressed when I figured I had herpes. I've been reading a lot of forums that are making me feel a lot better about this. The guy that I'm dating seems to be okay with it, he thinks he gave it to me because he also gave me Chlamydia, so he kept apologizing. But what if it doesn't work out with him? Am I going to give my virus to someone if I'm not taking suppressive therapy? What if I get into a monogamous relationship and decide to not use condoms. Will he get it? Also, thoughts on oral sex as well?

 

 

Thank you for anyone who reads and any advise given! I would love to talk to people on here for support.

 

[WCSDancer2010]

@Mirabella7

 

Theres a ton of great info on here so I'm going to point you to some fact sheets and discussions that will answer many of your questions ...then come back with whatever hasn't been answered, ok?

 

A couple quick extras: To help with the cost of the meds, go online and get a Discount Rx Card - that can save you up to 60% ... also Acyclovir is usually cheaper than Valtrex so ask your Dr about that (and call around all the pharmacies near you because the price from one to another can be huge).

 

Odds are the guy gave you H1 during Oral sex given the time frame you are talking about .... many doctors don't mention the possibility of asymptomatic shedding so people think they are ok ... and while the odds are low, they are still there and we need to just plain pay very close attention to our bodies and avoid contact if we believe we *may* be having an OB ... the "good" news is it gives us the chance to play in other ways :)

 

If you really want to know if he gave it to you, the blood test should come back negative for the virus for the next 4 months or so if you got it recently .... if the IGG comes back H1+ you've had it for awhile.

 

(((HUGS)))

 

FAQs:

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1758/frequently-asked-questions-on-herpes-and-popular-conversations/p1

 

Handouts + disclosure e-book:

http://eepurl.com/b4IPP

 

http://herpeslife.com/what-is-herpes-asymptomatic-viral-shedding/

http://herpeslife.com/hsv-1-hsv-2-types-of-herpes/

http://herpeslife.com/genital-hsv-1-herpes-and-oral-sex/

http://herpeslife.com/how-can-you-get-herpes/

Herpes facts video

 

[Mirabella7]

Did you go on suppressive therapy for your hsv1? @wcsdancer2010

[WCSDancer2010]

I have HSV2 as well so I take it primarily for that when I take it ...

 

If everyone went on anti-virals for HSV1 oral, I'd want to take out stocks on GSKlein :/ That's a hard one to answer .... I'd say if you just got it, I might say go on the anti-virals for a year if you are in a relationship till your body get's better control of it. And ALWAYS find out if your partner has HSV1 (oral or genital) because if they do, then their risk is a lot lower for getting it from you in the other place anyway. Beyond that, I'd say that once educated that "coldsores" could head south we at least have the responsibility to tell new partners that we need to talk about their risk ... whether they've had cold sores, if they have been tested, and what their feelings are about the risk of getting H1 genitally from oral sex (given that half of all new cases are H1 from Oral sex). It's between you and them whether you go on them IMO

[Mirabella7]

@wcsdancer2010 thank you so much. I'm just really curious about how other people are treating their genital hsv... I know you've been a lot of help to people. I really appreciate it.

[Allison]

Hey @mirabella7! I'm a 26 y/o female who seems to have the same story as you ... I just found out a few days ago that I has HSV1, and I am currently going through my first outbreak (down there)... I know you had a lot of questions in your first post, but you also provided me with a lot of tips to help ease the pain and discomfort. I am hoping your first outbreak is over?? If so would you mind telling me how all of those remedies helped you??

 

-L-Lysine (with added B vitamins)

-Destin

-Salt water

 

I'm a poor college student at the moment and really just want to know if it is worth it to purchase these things? I don't have a bathtub, but I suppose I can figure out a way to "soak" in salt water if I really needed too.

 

I also heard that putting Tea Tree Oil on a cotton Q-tip and putting it on the lesions helps disinfect and dry them out. have you tried this?

 

When I found out that I had HSV1 I feel like I was a little disappointed in myself because they could mean that I've had it all along and have been putting others at risk. The strange thing is that I ave never once in my life had a cold sore, or a breakout on or around my genitals. I did just start seeing someone who could have potentially given it to me, but the first time we had sex was only a week prior to my Outbreak... can this be possible!??!

 

Anyway, maybe we can chat sometime. Going through this and having to tell everyone the reason that I'm not myself and looking like death is because i have a "Bladder infection" is getting really old, and I think I'm becoming more crabby each time i say it out loud.

[Mirabella7]

@allison hello! I never realized you sent me a message! i would love to trade emails!