Here and There

[MissModular]

I can't seem to find the answer to this so I'm starting a new post on location of outbreaks.

 

I believe I had my first outbreak in June when I was abroad as I had swelling, blisters and pain on my left labia majora. I assumed it was from the 5 miles of walking a day and wearing synthetic undergarments when it was warm out (i.e. friction burn). This was very early June and it seemed to clear up within a week or so without me doing anything for it (had no concept it could be herpes then).

 

In July, I had an outbreak on my right labia. This lasted longer and it was much more painful as it seemed to be the papercut type. It was in July when I was diagnosed. And I haven't had a recurrence until now and it is on the left again with the blisters, pain and swelling with right side looking just fine.

 

My understanding is that the recurring outbreaks will happen at the same places each time -- is that correct thinking?

 

But my question is, could you have alternating break-outs? Like mine appeared to be.

 

Do other people's outbreaks seem to mimic previous? (i.e. is this a pattern thing)

[PositivelyBeautiful]

Heya, normally the outbreaks will happen in the same places... but it's possible you contracted it in two places and it's just coming out in one or the other area on occasion. I suspect if you're immune system is really weakened, then you would likely be able to have an outbreak in both locations. But it shouldn't randomly move around. There's also a period where you could have spread it (very initial phase of contracting the virus), but again, outbreaks shouldn't just randomly appear in different locations.

[WCSDancer2010]

I have about 2 or 3 areas where I get OB's ... most of them are on one spot but I have a second area that can act up at times....

 

Yes - outbreaks occur in the "same place" but the virus may have entered your body in several places when you were exposed to it... and it's possible that you could have "auto-innoculated" the other labia with your first OB... and there's no way to tell for sure what happened ... and knowing wouldn't change anything anyway :)

[MissModular]

Thanks. I think it is entirely possible that I did auto-inoculate during the initial outbreak as I sat in a hotel room in a foreign country with a tiny hand mirror trying to figure out what was going on down there. At the time I thought it was "friction burn" so I was not using gloves and not being precious about handling at all.

 

I guess I was just wondering if it will go back and forth from the left and right sites. The first two occurrences were left then right but not concurrent.

[fitgirl]

Because the nerves in the genitals/anus are connected, the outbreaks can travel down different nerve endings but its the same virus and not necessarily "spread" from one place to another. I get them on my tailbone at times, rectum and various locations on my vagina. The nerves "down there" are all part of a system and in some people the outbreaks can appear in different locations in that network. Just as if you had hsv1, your cold sores don't always appear in the exact same place. I do echo @wcsdancer2010..... it really doesn't matter :)