Awful itching

[Lozpot]

Hello, I'm new here and am pleased to have found this site and forum . I contracted hsv1 genitally, from my long term partner during oral sex just before he had a cold sore outbreak. There was no sign he had a cold sore coming and at that time neither of us knew that I could get hsv1 genitally from him in this way. This was 2 years ago. It was treated with aciclovir and then for 2 years nothing. I was symptom free. Well, since April I have experienced intense itching on and off. After the first bout of itching a week or so later 2 microscopic spots appeared which looked like tinier versions of my initial OB (that had been pretty mild) So I took acicolvir for 5 days and it cleared up very quickly. After a week or so, and after sex, the itching started again. One tiny spot appeared about a week after that. So I decided to try acicilovir twice a day and keep taking it for a few weeks to see what happened. The spots seem to disappear very quickly - within 24 hours.

 

Now, 3 or 4 weeks later I am still on the meds but the itching is still there and driving me mad. It comes and goes in intensity but is always present. I'm not aware of any more spots coming but my lady area is quite red and rashy looking. And the spots were so small I cna hardly tell anyway if there are any there. I think the redness is from irritation and me scratching (although I'm desperately trying not to) In fact it looks a bit more like thrush now although there is no discharge. Thrush meds make no difference. Any sort of itching cream - eurax, canesten, vagisl, lanacane makes no difference. It appears that any sort of sexual activity triggers it off. This is really worrying me now as up until now I had no ill effects from having the virus. Also, if you're taking anti virals as suppressive therapy surely things should calm down? Especially as I've read that hsv1 on the genitals is meant to be milder with fewer OBs. I feel like I've been in one long OB off and and on since the end of April and the meds have not made a difference. I'm going to the GUM clinic next week to get some advice and a complete MOT, but I'm concerned that nothing is working. I'm a school teacher in an infant school so it is hard to manage my personal care in peace and quiet!

 

Can anyone shed any light on this for me or give me some advice? Is this a low grade H outbreak? Or something else? The itching is maddening and stressful. I'd rather have soreness... I can cope better with that...

 

Thank you to anyone who may be able to help

 

Loz x

 

 

[WCSDancer2010]

@Lozpot

 

Hello and Welcome!

 

Well, it's very possible you have more than one thing going on ... you could be dealing with a yeast or bacterial infection, or something else all together. Best to get tested for everything while you are at the GUM clinic and see if something else shows up....

 

Also, have you changed condoms/lube? It could be a reaction to something you are using.

 

It could also be a reaction to your partner's body fluids. Yes, you may have been with him awhile, but sometimes our bodies get too efficient with wanting to get rid of "foreign" substances (which is why our vaginas often get irritated for awhile with a new partner... our bodies are rejecting their fluids). Perhaps try a Benadryl right after sex and see if that helps ... if it does, it's an allergic reaction then you need to see if you can figure out what is causing it.

 

As for anti-virals, yes, they *should* suppress it, but if something else is off in the body (ie, your immune system is compromised) then they may not work. And for some, they don't work at all.

 

I'm guessing you have an allergy going on which is then opening the door for the virus to take advantage of .... so I'd start there.... and if the Benadryl works, tell your GYN and see if they can help you to determine what the cause is :)

 

(((HUGS)))

[2Legit2Quit]

I get itching on and off as well and for me, I take that as a sign of shedding and its always in the same locations. My lavender Epsom salt baths stop it immediately and then nothing after that for another mo th almost x where the itching presents again.

[Lozpot]

Thank you both for your repsonses - @WCSDancer2010 especially. I have been reading your advice on other posts as well. The problem I have is that the itching starts up about 4 or 5 days after any 'activity'. Then the spot or spots appear about a week after that. I am currently in my third round of the sex, itch, spot cycle in the last 6 weeks. The itching subsides and the spot appears. This time it's one tiny tiny pinprick that looks like a mouth ulcer - how my H spots seem to manifest themselves. But, I also feel very under the weather this time. Tired, weak and wobbly with a crushing headache. I am really afraid that sex may be becoming a trigger and that would be awful.

 

Loz

 

P.s I dont take benedryl but clarytin does calm the itching down a bit...

 

 

[WCSDancer2010]

Ok - so try this: do you have anti-virals? I'd ask at the GUM clinic to get tested for anything that could be causing the itch (and I'd actually have sex timed to make you have the symptoms around the time you go so they can see it and get good swabs). They can be funny in the UK with regards to anti-virals, but see if they will give you a small supply to try when you have sex. I'd say take them as soon as you've had sex and for maybe 3 days after ... hopefully that would help to keep the symptoms down. If that doesn't stop it then likely it's more of a reaction to your partners fluids or something you are using (lube/condoms/whatever) or a yeast infection. If it's yeast or bacterial they need to treat your partner as well as they will keep passing it back to you otherwise.