New diagnosis

[PrettyFly]

Hi!

 

Well mine is a weird story, as I only found out it was 'H' about a month ago. I get the blisters/OB's on my backside, basically nowhere near an 'intimate' part and I was told about 4 years go it was eczema as I'd been getting that really badly on other parts of my body and never really gave it much thought after that. So I had no idea until a my best friend was diagnosed and she was completely freaking out so I did a bunch of research to put her mind at ease and discovered that sometimes the sore's/rash can come up on your buttocks/thighs as well (I obviously had no idea). Anyhow to be honest, I'm not that devastated by it, its just a rash and I guess Im lucky that it comes out in a part that doesn't cause me great discomfort (turns out my BOTH of my BFF's sisters have it too and one of them has it so bad sometimes she can barely walk - if that give you any indication of how common it actually is). Anyhow, now I must embark on a trying to find a system to prevent OB's - I have no idea how often hey occur, a few times a year and it usually clears up within a week, however there does appear to be some scarring but its not that noticeable - as I didn't know it was 'H' I've never really paid that much attention to it.....although having said that this is the second time in a 6 weeks its come up - but there's been a fair amount of stress and I had been in the sun a lot - that is going to be tricky as I live in Australia - we have long summers!

 

So my main questions are - if anyone can help, how is it transmitted if its not in an 'intimate place'? For example I thought it was though contact with the virus and mucus membranes....so if its in a place that is not (I'm not sure how to put this haha) for sex as it were....is it less likely to be passed on? I'm so confused about the whole thing, I'm 37f, single, and I will admit I have been relatively promiscuous in the past, so I can t honestly say I'm surprised at the diagnosis - however I want to put those days behind me and have no idea where to start with being 'safe' (other than condoms naturally) with a new partner and having 'the talk'. I literally get no symptoms anywhere else apart from this one spot.

 

I've been trying the tea tree oil this week and hydrogen peroxide and it does seem to be drying it out, now that the inflammation has gone down. But does anyone have any tips for reducing the length of OB's or stopping them coming up at all? I do feel the tingle and then it starts little and gets bigger over the course of say 24-36 hrs (now keeping a close eye on it) then its quite sore for a couple days and then it starts to heal and I don't even notice it. I have to go and get some Lysine tomorrow and take that regular from now on.

 

Anyhow any help/advice is much appreciated - thanks in advance!! :) x

[WCSDancer2010]

Ok - first.... how do you know you have H? Blood test? Swabs? Or just assumption?

 

If you had a H+ blood test, that doesn't mean you have H on your buttocks... esp if it's HSV1... odds are you would have that orally.

 

The only way to diagnose this would be to get a swab of a recent (as in, within 2 days of it coming up) lesion ....

 

Just want to clarify this before getting into a long, drawn out discussion :)

[PrettyFly]

Oh hey yeah it was a swab of the lesion, they said it was HSV2 (or at least they said it was the 'genital' one) about a week after it came up - it was nearly healed. To be honest the Dr (not my regular Dr) was really quite nonchalant about it all.....just gave me the results I asked a few questions about safe sex/condoms and antivirals - and I went on my way. Which is one way is good as he didn't freak out but on the other....well not a lot of info was offered!! Should I get a blood test too? Im sooooooo confused about the whole thing. I don't know if they routinely check for it in sexual health check ups in Australia or if you have to specifically ask (as I did) but as I said it was just a swab.

 

I'm literally clueless!!!!! Thanks :) x

[WCSDancer2010]

They really *should* say HSV1 or HSV2 as HSV1 is now making up 50% of all new genital herpes cases ... *sigh*

 

Sadly it doesn't seem that ANY countries routinely test for Herpes ... so odds are noone has tested you for it until now. A blood test would just let you know if you've had it more than 4 months at this point ... not where you have it... and it sounds like you have had it awhile from what you have said.

 

Technically, you can be shedding anywhere in the genital region ... but it sounds like you are mostly shedding on your buttocks. You may want to go on antivirals if you are in a relationship, but that is between you and your partner ... condoms will just help the guy to not get it on his penis ... but it won't protect his other areas so they will only be of limited use for protection in your situation.

 

The links below will help you to get them to dry out ... in your case, you may want to start taking Epsom Salts baths on a more regular basis as that will help to dry anything out that may be brewing ... and keeping the skin dry will help ... so going commando or at least using cotton/more breathable underwear will help too.... but the links have tons of ways to help to attack it externally ... :)

 

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/

 

http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/genital-ulcers.htm#hsv

 

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

 

[PrettyFly]

Ok I'll go back to the Dr and find out see if they have any more info, so are you saying that condoms are virtually pointless in my case as it is a 'non-contact' zone as it were (its literally just under where the edge of my bikini bottoms are) Im so confused! The Dr was so casual about it all, didn't mention shedding or anything! But if it sheds from there it can only be spread if it goes into an open would or mucas membrane is that correct? Stupid things, since it first came up I've had TONNES of blood tests, surgeries, check-ups at new Dr's, all sort of things - surely it would have come up in bloodwork by now! It seems highly irresponsible of the medical profession TO NOT routinely check for it.....and why is it on my backside? Its so weird! Thanks so much this is all very helpful :)

[WCSDancer2010]

I would still use them at least for more casual contact or early relationships, just to at least keep the guy from getting it on the penis ... and while yes, open wounds/etc are a "major highway" for the virus to get in, often the break in the skin is so miniscule you won't be able to see/feel it.

 

And no, just because you have surgery/etc doesn't mean you would have been tested for Herpes ... it's a type specific test and it's only tested for if you ask for it even when you go for STD testing :(

 

And as for why Dr's don't test for it, it's because the CDC recommends against it... so the Dr's are going on what they are told to do by the so-called experts. The bottom line is they don't see it as life threatening or a real issue ... it's a skin condition in an inconvenient place to them .... so they see it as too unimportant to worry about ... and they feel that a positive result in those who are asymptomatic will cause them too much mental anguish .... they just don't get it that finding out you have it because you gave it to someone else sucks 10x worse ... IE: they are not living with the reality of it themselves and thus are going on what they *think* is best ....

 

And I removed the duplicate post ... no need to ask the same question twice :)