Medication Question

[chikitta13]

Hi Everyone! I know it's a holiday week, but hoping to get some thoughts around my HSV and meds. I have type 2. Was diagnosed in August 2014. Minimal problems after the first outbreak beyond the tingling. Went on 500 mg valcyclovir daily to stop the tingling. Mostly fine, with just a few outbreaks over subsequent months. My life was very stressful at that time, but I seemed to do ok.

 

I went off meds for a while in the spring as stress had calmed. I did ok until I hit a patch of stress - family, moving, new job, etc. Back on the meds. I continued to have problems despite the meds. I tried 1000 mg daily which seemed to help somewhat. I've also been dealing with chronic yeast infections, for which I am taking Diflucan once a week for the next few months. I'm tired of all this medicine. Especially because I do not feel that the valcyclovir is working as well for me as it first did. I honestly regret taking it in the first place. I feel like I didn't rely on my body to do it's job. Is it possible for it to stop working for me? Has anyone else experienced this?

 

I feel like it's just constant between herpes and yeast infections. I am doing everything I can to manage stress. I do yoga a few times a week and get plenty of exercise. I quit sugar for a month, no change. Tried decreasing coffee off and on. Really need to give that a more genuine effort. Sometimes I drink alcohol more than others but this doesn't seem to affect it. And I rarely have more than 2 - 3 beers these days. The only thing I 100% know affects my outbreaks is sleep, which I do a relatively good job of managing. I just feel like I'm getting worse and nothing I do helps. I was never sick before this and now I am constantly struggling with this.

 

Honestly, I'm ok with having it. I've disclosed and it's not that bad. I just can't stand the constant physical symptoms anymore. I miss sex and am terrified of starting a sexual relationship because I don't think I'll ever be healthy enough for it. I'm so frustrated. I don't want to hear that my body needs time to get used to it. It's been well over a year now and I am only getting worse. I've had pretty much constant outbreaks since the end of June and monthly yeast infections since the beginning of September.

 

There's part of me that just wants to stop taking the meds and see if maybe my immune system will kick in and do a better job. But I am travelling in a few weeks and long plane rides also wreak havoc on me. I know that post holidays I will take a break from all drinking. Maybe this is a good time to kick the meds and see what happens? I just don't know anymore.

[2Legit2Quit]

I can tell you first hand, coffee was the cause if my constant back to back obs the last 5 months. Let's put it this way, it made it worse, last longer and more frequent. I quit coffee about 3-4 weeks ago and started drinking the very berry Starbucks refresher, which just is lightly caffeinated extract of a green coffee bean, so I would try that as a substitute.

 

People have this notion that valtrex like does the work in replace of your immune system and it simply doesn't work that way. It works along w it. H needs a certain type of enzyme that we have on our cells to attack itself to and valtrex basically creates a fake version of this and fools the virus into thinking it's the enzyme and when it can't enter the cell, it starts dying off and our immune system can start going after it.. That's when H realizes that something is happening and rubs back up in the nerves. I'd check to see if the manufacturing has changed from the ones you first took. How long have you been back in them and how long have you had this?

 

I'd question if it was actually yeast infections you're having and not actually the herpes itch. It can be hard to tell what's a yeast infection and what's not the first year w it. I noticed a pattern and annotated it, so I knew eventually that it was not yeast.

 

I also highly recommend that you not take diflucan the way you are.b1. Your body gets used to it and it doesn't help anymore. 2. You are throwing off your natural pH balance now. No wonder you're having constant issues. 3. You need to treat any yeast infection w the 7 day monistat, don't waste your time w diflucan. 3/ you need to start taking a daily probiotic and maybe even insert in your vagina, cause I think your pH is way off.

 

When I hit my one year in July, I too had back to back obs . wouldn't stop. It was weird and went on for four months. Things are slowing down now that I quit coffee. I'd try red wine too, instead of beer. Red wine doesn't seem to mess w me like the others.

[chikitta13]

They are definitely different. I moved and the pharmacy uses a different generic than I used to take. Not sure what I can about that though.

[chikitta13]

Oh and it's definitely yeast. I had it checked at planned parenthood. Three times. All came back as yeast.

[2Legit2Quit]

You can call them and ask if they can order from that other manufacturing company where it worked before. I've had that done w a med before

[chikitta13]

Is peanut butter a trigger for anyone? I swear to god the list of foods to avoid is basically a list all my favorite things.

[2Legit2Quit]

Have you tried natural almond butter? It taste just like natural peanut butter. I've heard peanuts can be a trigger, but I don't eat them much, so I wouldn't know, but they are high in arginine and I found that coffee was a major trigger for me which is high in arginene as well. I quit coffee and started drinking the Starbucks refresher, w some major improvement w my symptoms.

[WCSDancer2010]

Nuts and chocolate *can* trigger for some because of the high Argenine levels. I'd try L-Lysine then, to see if it helps..... Lysine it the natural balance for high Argenine levels...

 

Also, have you tried any of the things we list all over here to attack it externally? Epsom Salts baths, Bactine on the actual OB's (I bet it would kill Yeast too). And I'd start on a good probiotic and try to get off the constant stream of meds for yeast.... get the body back in balance. Sounds like your system is waaaay out of balance...

 

I suggest you keep a journal of what you are eating, activities, stressors, etc ... see if you can see a pattern for what makes it worse. I often say that Herpes is like a "first responder" to the health of your body ... although in the first few months, it's often just that your body needs time to figure out how to get it under control.

 

I find that if you attack it from the outside you can often get it under control faster ... I'm going to put a bunch of links but generally Epsom Salts baths (drop a double handful of the salts between your legs so its concentrated there), followed by thorough drying (even using a hair drier to get it really dry), maybe going commando, and using Bactine (which helps to kill the virus AND numb it thanks to the lidocaine in it) ... or my favorite, Ammonium Alum ... but there's LOTS of suggestions in the links. I find if you attack it from the outside, the inside can do it's job better :)

 

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://bit.ly/Calendula_Salve

http://tinyurl.com/bactine

http://tinyurl.com/Oragelsgldose

http://tinyurl.com/DMSO4HSV

 

[chikitta13]

I've been doing sitz baths, coconut oil, and tea tree. They definitely help. It's hard because I don't necessarily get blisters or lesions. I get the twinge and tingling. Then red irritation. And it's almost intern so I get anxious about what goes up there. I also take a good probiotic daily. I am adding vitamin d3 for immune support. I already take lysine, vit c, and zinc in addition to a multivitamin. I eat a ton of veggies too. And regular exercise and yoga.

 

I am going to start journaling so I can figure it out. It's just that I was fine for nine months, minimal issues. Then the past six months have been constant between the two. I'm not going to continue the diflucan. I wasn't comfortable with the idea anyway. Just frustrated and considering all options. Making an aspiring appointment with a gynecologist this week. I don't think the woman at pp really knows how to help me.

[WCSDancer2010]

I would add a goo broad spectrum B vitamin to the mix, with folic acid. That often helps with nerve issues....

 

I prefer OBGYN for women ... they are the Vaginas R Us for women ... with PP as my second choice.... given your yeast complications I agree the GYN is your best bet :)

[2Legit2Quit]

I k ow girl, you and I both hit our one year and then started having constant symptoms. Mine has settled some, since quitting coffee, but still have two others.