Managing your first herpes outbreak

[solbird]

Hi all,

 

I was diagnosed on Monday with herpes after an outbreak popped up on Thursday. It is horribly painful and I am so glad to be on medicine now. I can already feel it doing its job. A couple questions ...

 

1) I usually run a couple times a week but it hurts to walk. Does anyone find a way to circumnavigate this and still get exercise in the middle of an outbreak?

2) Also, the doctor said if I take the daily suppression medicine, I wouldn't have another outbreak and wouldn't be able to infect people, but in doing my own research online, that isn't entirely true. Is that correct? Either way, I plan to take it so I don't infect my boyfriend in the case that he doesn't already have herpes.

 

Does anyone know how to make it hurt less? Emotionally, I feel okay ... my boyfriend was extremely supportive and considering he is probably asymptomatic as I'd never experienced anything like this prior to being with him. I feel like it can be managed properly and not impact my lifestyle drastically. I just want the sores to heal up so it doesn't hurt so much down there! Any tips for coping and living with herpes are much appreciated! :) Thanks in advance.

Bree

[lelani]

Ouch - I know it can be so painful the first outbreak and I feel for you solbird.  Not much you can do about the running until you feel better - glad the medication is kicking in.  I doubt your future outbreaks will be so bad so having to stop exercise won't be a problem - right now your body if fighting an unknown virus and its doing alot of work - you need to rest hand heal.

I drink lots of filtered water - Vit C 1000mgs 3x a day.  Take 2000mgs lysine and get some zinc tablets as well.  Water is a big thing - you need to flush out your system. Lots of fruit and fresh vegetables...cut back on bread, sugar and no alcohol.  Just being healthy really.

For the sores - organic virgin coconut oil with tea tree oil in it (make it up yourself) its soothing and healing.  Dabbing them with organic cider vinegar is good (dilute half and half) - hurts but heals fast. A bath with epsom salts can help too - add one cup.  Soak 20 minutes and then apply the coconut/tea tree oil.

Its great you have a supportive boyfriend as that really helps.  I am on my own and its a bit harder to deal with it sometimes.

Your doctor isn't totally correct - suppressive medication only reduces the transmission rate by about 50%.  I will take it only if I am dating someone HSV negative (only because I like using natural stuff to heal my body before I resort to drugs). Your boyfriend needs to get tested asap - if he is positive no problem and no need for suppressives (which can, but not always reduce outbreaks) and if he is negative then you need to talk about going on them reduce the chances of him getting it. If you have had at least one other sexual partner then you could have contracted it from them - the virus can lay dormant for lengths of time (took me 6 months to have my first OB from being exposed). 

This virus makes you care for your body to stay healthy and to be very aware of it- not a bad thing. Learn all you can - there are heaps of natural health sites for herpes.  Be wary of 'wonder' treatments...good old natural stuff that is cheaper can be just as effective.

And Bree you are welcome...we are all in this together and its a privilege for me to share my experience with you. 

Lelani :-) x

[mr_hopp]

Hey Bree,

First off, thanks for reaching out and asking questions! Amazing how much horribly wrong herpes information there is out there!

For your first question, Lelani certainly has that handled. Great, solid, practical treatment info there (thanks Lelani!). In addition to what she said about increasing your Lysine intake, try to stay away from Arginine, too (Lysine and Arginine are amino acids that cancel each other out; Lysine = good ... Arginine = bad). 

For your second question, I'm BLOWN AWAY that a doctor would say that so definitively. It's actually scary that the medical profession can be so out of touch about how such a common virus can be transmitted. Nothing is ever 100% when it comes to protecting a partner from herpes except staying away from sex (and who wants to do that?). ;) I've heard the same statistic as Lelani: Suppressive therapy decreases the possibility of passing herpes by at LEAST 50% (I've read in other trusted sources upwards of 94%!). I take 400mg of Acyclovir twice daily to protect my herpes-free girlfriend (but check with your doc about your dosing specifics).

And yes, you would only take suppressive therapy if your partner is indeed herpes free. If he doesn't have genital herpes, then even when you aren't having an active outbreak you could be shedding the virus around 10% of the time. It's called asymptomatic viral shedding. Suppressive therapy decreases the viral load in your body across the board, which would decrease your likelihood for outbreaks and decrease viral shedding, too, which will protect your partner that much more (but never 100% protection).

Sounds like you have a great relationship. That's beautiful. I'm so happy for you! :)

Please let us know if we can help you with anything else!