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Preventative medicine


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I notice that I read alot about ....preventative medicine.... my doctor did not prescribe any medicine, she said she would if I felt it necessary. What types of medicine is the most popular, I really don't want to wait for an outbreak to get started.

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There are different opinions about this. If you are an asymptomatic carrier and haven't had an outbreak, you might never have one. So why take medication if you don't really need it? The pills interfere with the way the virus replicates during an outbreak so that it can not continue to reproduce. So those that are having outbreaks get relief from the medication because it stops that viral reproduction and in doing so shortens the outbreak itself. But in your case (You've never had an outbreak right?) you would only have to worry about shedding- and I do not think those meds stop shedding from happening. You might want to look into that. (Valtrex and acyclovir are popular ones). If it makes you feel better, you could also look into l-lysine or vit B12.

 

(I had forgotten you were poly, so I'm assuming this is to protect them? Have they been tested?)

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@MMissouri Some asymptomatic people take antivirals to reduce shedding and therefore reduce risk of transmission. I believe shedding of HSV2 is reduced 50-80%. This brings the asymptomatic shedding to about the same average level of shedding of oral HSV1.

 

The first nurse I talked to told me there was no reason to take it, wouldn't even discuss it with me. Then I asked the doctor if I could take it to reassure future partners and reduce risk of transmission and he agreed to prescribe it for me. He and a second nurse both said they felt it was unnecessary, and I understand it seems inconsequential to halve a risk of transmission that is already so small, but I feel like it's one of the few positive things I can do with this knowledge I have of my status.

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@optimist, I'm aware of the reasons asymptomatic people take antivirals, but if you read her post she just commented she wanted to stop an outbreak before it happened. (That's why I asked at the bottom if this is to protect her partners- because she didn't mention that.)

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No apologies needed! I do tend to advocate not using the medicines if it isn't necessary at that point in time. (Meaning the outbreaks are bearable and you don't have a partner at the moment). I replied, then realized who exactly I was replying to, then put two and two together. LOL

 

And thank you! I did learn something in your reply! I wasn't sure if the antivirals reduced shedding. I thought they did, but I wasn't positive.

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