How daily suppressive therapy changes herpes symptoms

[lifelonglearner]

I am a 43 year old female with herpes for 25 years. Until I began suppressive therapy recently, I had frequent outbreaks. I knew very well my prodromes which were: irritability, then soreness at outbreak area, then within 12 hours outbreak would surface. My episodes would always look and feel the same: raised area of intensely stinging sores, sores lasted for about 4 to 6 days. I started taking Valtrex 1g daily about 4 months ago. I "think" I have only had one minor episode since. While that is great news..the fact is now everything I used to know about my body has changed. I'm no longer sure about when I am getting an episode. There have been times when I have had mild itching in that area and it was slighty red and irritated...so I don't know if it may have been an outbreak just a lot more mild due to the Valtrex. So my question to all out there is how has suppressive therapy affected your experience with H ? I'm currently in a long distance relationship with a great guy who is hsv- and he knows I am hsv2+. Hopefully soon we will actually be able to be in the same room with each other :) Before that happens, I need to have a handle on my "new" experience with H. Just as a side note...up until my divorce 4 years ago I was married to a man who was also hsv2+ for 18 years. This long distance relationship, which began 7 months ago, is actually a "rekindling" with an amazing man I had a relationship with 20+ years ago (he found me). And by the way, the Only relationship since my divorce. Anyway, thanks for reading all this...and thank you for sharing any experience you all have had with this type of situation.

[WCSDancer2010]

@lifelonglearner

 

First - Hello and Welcome to another Herpes Veteran (I'm a 35 yr veteran myself) :)

 

The bottom line is, just like when you first got H and you had to figure out YOUR symptoms, you are starting again and it will just take time for you to figure it all out. It certainly sounds like the Valtrex has basically knocked the virus down but it's still trying to break through ... you may want to double up on the meds on the days you feel that coming on ... so you can knock it right back down. With luck it may settle down a bit faster that way.

 

Just like Herpes, everyone's experience with Valtrex and the other suppressive meds is different. ;)

 

(((HUGS)))

[seeker]

Howdy. Fairly new to H and antivirals. The meds dont kill the virus like antibiotics, they stop/slow the replication of the virus. It stands that OBs would still occur only (usually) milder i just had an OB, swollen lymph nodes in groin, a bump, back pain. But no where near what had been normal for those symptoms as im just past my 1 year w H mark.

[ann122]

I only had one initial outbreak and havent had one since. I have also been on suppressive meds the whole time, so I'd say it works pretty well for me.

[dreamingofsomeone167]

I still tend to get my original prodomes, sore right knee, lower back pain, constipation, and night before OB I tend not to sleep well. That being said, it does sneak up on me like it did on Saturday morning. I usually get my OB'S on the right side ,but the last two times it's switched things up on me and been on the left. Maybe I might have felt prodomes, but I'm so in turned to my right side I might missed the left side. I have tried lowering my dosage from 500mg to 250mg but I'm going back to 500mg because I'm experiencing minor ob's. I'm 48 and have had gas 2 for 25 yrs. Good luck ☺