I'm having my first herpes outbreak and it's terrible. I have a lot of questions.

[amazonwarrior]

So the other day, I started my OB. At first I thought is was a combination yeast/urinary tract infection. I went to the gyn and she told me what was what. She prescribed 800mg Ibuprofin, valacyclovir, and lidocaine. When I got home from picking up the prescription, I started my period. Of course. It's so painful down there that I can't use tampons. I'm using a pad, but it really hurts. I don't know what to do, I feel disgusting. My mom's been calling and texting asking about the Dr but I don't know what to say. I don't know how to tell her that I have herpes. I don't know what I'm going to do. Will I ever be able to have a sex life? I'm on my second day of medication and I'm a lot better than I was yesterday or even last night. The problem is, the first few days having my OB, I couldn't lie down, stand, or sit with out severe pain. I cried. And going to the bathroom was the worst! I had to bite my arm to keep from screaming. Will it be like this every time? Also, will I need the same medication every time? How often should I expect outbreaks? Once a month? I don't know if I could handle this.

I'm 21 and I got herpes from a coworker I drunkenly slept with. I didn't use protection and I will NEVER make that mistake again. It was the first and last time. I don't know if he knows he has herpes, because I feel like if he knew he would have never risked going bareback like that, even when drunk. Should I tell him? But at the same time, I'm so awkward about this type of stuff I don't know if I could do it.

[WCSDancer2010]

@amazonwarrior

 

It's late and I have to get to bed so I will be back to add more, but here's some links to help you to dry up the OB ... so you can at least try to get that under control...quick tip for peeing ... pee in the shower or pour warm water over the area when you are peeing and that will help dilute the urine so it won't sting as much :)

 

And short answer is, we can't tell you how YOUR body will deal with this... every single person is different .. but I got it at 17, in the 1970's when we knew nothing and didn't have any anti-virals, and I survived, got married, had 2 daughters, divorced (not because of H), had 2 post divorce H- BF's, and have had a great life...

 

I'll be back with more thoughts but read these for ideas of what to do to dry the OB's up :)

 

(((HUGS)))

 

Treatments/medications

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/6024/dealing-with-outbreaks#latest includes links below

http://supporttruthanddialog.com/easy-simple-self-help-tips-for-relief-from-herpes-outbreaks/

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/4810/bactine-for-oral-and-even-genital-herpes

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-treatment/

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-medication/

 

Links to some of the items suggested in the links

http://amzn.to/1CHUzZE Link to Alum

http://tinyurl.com/Aloecream

http://amzn.to/1F10r3V Fractionated Coconut Oil

http://bit.ly/zincsoap Zinc Soap with coconut oil

http://bit.ly/Zinccream

http://tinyurl.com/bactine

http://tinyurl.com/Oragelsgldose

http://tinyurl.com/DMSO4HSV

 

[DazedNewbi]

@amazonwarrior

 

I was right where you are now a month ago. And I was beyond miserable. I don't really have any insightful tips of my own to share because i'm still so new to this but I can reassure you that you will feel better! And its great to see your medication is working! I had days where I honestly worried (against all logic) if my sores would ever go away and if this would just be my life forever lol

I have all the same questions you do and one of the hardest parts is not knowing how my body will react in the future to this.

I'm currently trying to figure out if my OB is finally over or not. And boy is it confusing....

I just wanted to say Good luck and tell you that you CAN handle this. I had weak moments where I wondered if I could as well. It seemed so daunting. But then I realized regardless of it I thought I could take it, I had to. And after almost 3 weeks I shaved my legs, put on a nice dress, heels and make-up and went to see my 2nd youngest brother graduate. And shockingly that was the boost my body seemed to need. Within 2 days of my getting back to me, this massive lesion I had finally stopped bleeding and healed shut! And its only been getting better down there since then. :D When I think back to the 1st 2 weeks of my OB and how it would have been almost impossible to do that it seems daunting again.... but it reminds me that it doesn't stay like that forever.

I wish you a speedy recovery and hope you get feeling better asap :)

[LiveNLearn]

I have had hsv for three years now. It is true that everyone's body responds differently with this virus. It is a tricky little virus. For me, I have more pain from the virus than actual sores that come from OB's. In the first year, I had an outbreak a month. Each time I would get my period, I would get an OB. I felt so hopeless, and I tried acyclovir and the meds made me feel worse than I felt without taking them. I would get dizzy and weak and nauseous. So, I got through my OB's by using tea tree oil to dry out the blisters. I did a ton of reading and researching hsv so I would know what I was dealing with. However, that first year was horrifying for me. I was afraid to try any other meds because of my bad response to the acyclovir.

 

The past two years, the OB's come, but I hardly ever get actual blisters. I get skin hypersensitivity, hip pain, sciatic pain, and lower back pain. All of my pain is on my right side. I feel nothing on my left side at all. I have a constant burning on the right side of my lower back that radiates over my right hip bone. At times my skin gets so sensitive that it hurts to have clothing on it.

 

Just this year my insurance began covering famvir, which is an antiviral that I will use when my body is feeling wrecked. I don't take it daily, although my doc tells me to take two 250mg tabs per day. I don't like to take meds of any kind, so for me, I only use them when my pain is unbearable.

 

I have to also tell you, that from my experience, it seems that women tend to suffer more from hsv than men do overall. I know some men experience OB's that are painful and they have the aches and pains, but I also know many men who seem to get off so easily with this virus. My ex husband gave it to me, and he never had one OB in his life. He doesn't even remember having any low back pain or any type of suspicious symptoms. So, he tested positive through blood work for both type 1 and type 2, but never had a symptom or a cold sore, ever. There are also many people who say that the first year is the worst, and then it gets better. Then, there are those like me, who seem to have more visits from the virus.

 

I have had endless blood work and tests to see if something else is wrong with me, if some other problem is causing my tendency to have ongoing hsv symptoms, but I have a clean bill of health. All my blood works and tests have always come back perfect and negative. The only issue I have ever found was that my vit D was low. I supplement that on a daily basis, and it has not been low for the last year. Everyone is different. You can't even begin to know how your body will handle it, until you work through it and time passes.

 

If you can take the antivirals without issue, then take them. You can actually use a small dose on a daily basis for the first months and some docs believe this helps your body better handle the virus. You can also use the meds when you feel an OB coming on. You will get tingles and weird shooting pains that will clue you in to the fact that the virus has become activated. You will get to know how your body is going to respond.

 

Some people swear by lysine. For me personally, I did not see any improvement by taking it. The only thing I have that gives me relief is the famvir. And, as I mentioned, using tea tree oil topically helps dry out the blisters quicker. I know you aren't supposed to use it full strength, but I do.

 

I'm so sorry you are having such a hard time thus far. I am here if you ever want to message me with questions. It will get better. Use your down time to learn more about hsv.

[2Legit2Quit]

@LiveNLearnLiveNLearn did your husband give it to you not knowing until you broke out and how long did it take for you to get it?

[WCSDancer2010]

Just as a FYI, my ex hubby got it from me (we didn't know what my "rash" was till he got it... it was the early 80's and Dr's were even more ignorant back then about it) and he had horrid flu symptoms for the first few years with his OB's .. swollen lymph glands, etc. So believe me, some men SO get it bad ... the hard part for us women is that we have so many folds of skin that we can't easily dry out, it's hard to attack the OB's externally to dry them out :(