What was your first herpes outbreak like?

[Guest]

I am going through my first herpes outbreak and I just wanted to know what you guys have to say from what you went through. What did you learn were the do's and don'ts as well as the physical/emotional changes you experienced?

 

[lelani]

Hi dani - hope the outbreak's not too bad. I think i had it before I had an outbreak severe enough to go to the doctor. I had a couple of yeast infections in the months beforehand with a BV (bacterial vaginosis) infection with one of them - didn't think anything of it really as they weren't bad. Then i got small patches of a rash that looked like a heat rash next to my navel and on my tailbone...i thought that is what it was...then about 3 spots on the outer edge of my perinuem and the headaches started, felt like i had the flu, very tearful with a temperature. I had an awful weekend as i knew i had it, I cried until my eyes were so swollen I couldn't open them (not a good look!!!)...had been exposed (responsibly dammit!) with a partner about 6 months earlier.

 

Went to the doctor and she said she didn't think it was H and wasn't going to test - I asked for the test and voila herpes! I didn't have a bad time with peeing or anything - just felt like i had the flu. After that i had constant outbreaks for about 7 months with the BV infection too - that I hated the most! I have been symptom free for about 3 months now and am eating an alkaline diet - mostly raw fruits and veges - minimal sugar and carbohydrates and drink lots of water. I take powdered barley grass every day but no other supplements (did the whole lysine, olive extract, zinc, vit C...was bloody expensive!). I am not on medication but if I am in am intimate with someone I do.

 

Everyone is different, and different things work for each of us. Don't despair...it does get better and you have joined what I like to think of as an elite club. We know, unlike most others, that we have this and therefore we can deal with it, get healthier, and minimise the risk to any partners. This will take you on a journey of learning about yourself, your body, your thoughts and emotions and how you relate with others. It's not easy but nothing good ever is! Sending you love and healing :-)

[inspired32]

i am not sure the type you have but i have type one and it was (not to be negative) the worst experience of my life. At the time i was 19 (now 20) and it was literally 2 days after engaging in oral sex. I first got a really bad yeast infection and took monistat which did not help and when i noticed the next morning, bumps around my areas i knew deep down what it must be but didn't want to face it so i assumed oh it must be an allergic reaction to the monistat cream. I went to an urgent care because i was in excruciating pain where i was able to have open lesions to be tested as cultures. A couple days later they called me telling me i was positive for HSV type one. I was devastated but had a feeling that was it. I couldn't walk, sit, stand, pee, anything. It was the worst pain i have ever endured and i remember crying (wailing) in the bathroom alone. I couldn't tell anyone at that time (roommates and friends around me) so they all thought wow that is a bad yeast infection since i avoided going out to party. I am only telling detail because you are not alone! everyones outbreaks are different but that was my unfortunate initial outbreak and luckily its been a year since and i have only had a mini scare. Stay healthy like lelani said, i also do drink alkaline water, my mom yells at me when it is not in my house! haha :) but i try to stay as healthy as i can, its hard when i already had a gluten allergy :( i hope things continue to get better for you we are all struggling with this but we are all strong too!!

[edmanrck]

I caught type 1 from my ex girlfriend. We did the deed and the next day I was getting itchy and sore downstairs. I talked to her and she told me she was coming down with a "yeast infection". Later that night I saw bumps down there. It just got progressively worse. I think it lasted for around 3 weeks. I remember just wanting to rip off my junk. It itched and was pretty much unbearable. God, I remember those days. It's been about 4.5 years since. An outbreak now consists of a bump or 2, and a few days later it's gone. I've only had 4 maybe 5 outbreaks in total. Just remember, it gets better with time.

 

Also, you need to learn how to improve and maintain your immune system. Also, don't stress. Stress is one of the worse things you can do for your immune system. Also, you really should look into getting into a support/social group. They are everywhere. Let me know if you need help finding one. I run one down in Louisiana, and we have networked with others so I can help assist you if your looking for one in your area.

[geegee]

I was unlucky in that my first outbreak was very bad...Sitting, walking, lying down, everything was painful and the first few days I felt properly ill. I had massive swollen glands coming out my groin and under my arms and felt very out of it. I also had sores everywhere 'down there' including in my bum (happens, apparently :(...) This was so painful I couldn't go number 2 for a week... which caused an anal fissure, which then became chronic and a year later required surgery....

 

I've been so lucky I haven't been someone where H really reoccured but this complication from the first outbreak was pretty bloody traumatic, embarrassing and just generally a massive bummer (pun intended).

 

Putting that added complication aside, it did take a while to feel normal again (I'm thinking 3 weeks?) and it was about a month before I could have sex again.

 

For the following year I had recurrent thrush, pretty much continuously from April to September. This had never been a problem before but I do feel was linked to the herpes (or possibly the fissure and the fact I had to have so many baths to sooth that). Either way I was not 'happy' down there for a good while. Sex could also feel incredibly painful for no apparent reason. I'd get this stabbing pain exactly where they'd been a sore that first outbreak and me and my ex would have to stop. I was told by my doc this was psychological though and given the not so good nature of my relationship with my ex, this could well be the case.

 

I'm sure this all sounds rather horrendous but although I felt things would never get better, they really did. I feel fine now :)

 

I think the things to remember with your first outbreak is that for 99.99% of people, if your H reoccurs it is NEVER as bad as your first time. Your body is getting it all out the way and learning to deal with the virus. So just take take it easy be kind to yourself, eat well and get lots of sleep. This WILL pass. Hot baths with lots of salt poured in also does wonders for any pain.

 

 

 

[Guest]

Hi Dani.. My first ob was horrible and on top of it I had a uti. I couldn't do anything but lay in bed for about a week. Being in my second one now (about two months later) I can say from experience it does get better. I agree with edmanrck, taking showers/baths also made me feel a lot better. It's good to keep the area of your ob clean & dry. As far as do's & dont's, I haven't chained my lifestyle because of herpes in the least. During an ob maybe, but other than that just doing what I want. Message me if you wanna talk :) (I know this post is a few months old but....)

[Faysharlene]

Mine was horrible as well. Ive been with my bf for a couple years, him and I equally had many partners before we committed to eachother. I was about 5 months pregnant when I had my initial outbreak. I didnt know I had herpes at all and they never tested me at the beginning of my pregnancy. Neither my bf and I ever had any kind of herpes symptoms and dont know where it came from and didnt argue about it, we both knew its pointless and just accepted it. I was sooooo sick with a fever and my skin hurt like the flu. I was so itchy down there, I thought I had a yeast infection so I bought a kit from the pharmacy. Obv that didnt work and then the blisters and ulcers came. I knew something was not right, I went to a clinic and the doctor knew right away and said Im sure its herpes. I was so upset. But now we have a beautiful baby boy that was delivered safely vaginaly and I hardly have any outbreaks....I think only one since I had him 8 months ago. I had lots of outbreaks while pregnant because my immune system was comprimised. Now my questions is this. I have done quite a bit of research on herpes and how its contracted and on almost every site it always says this "Symptoms can vary greatly from person to person. Most people never have any symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms are so mild that people may not notice them or recognize them as a sign of herpes. For people who do notice their first infection, it generally appears about 2 to 14 days after they were exposed to genital herpes". My bf has never had an outbreak and he hasnt been tested. But if thats true symptoms generally appear 2 to 14 days after they were exposed...then he would have had to have an outbreak (maybe mild n he didnt know) passing it to me, then 2-14 days later I had an initial outbreak...? OR I got it who knows when maybe years ago with no symptoms whatsoever...? Whats more likely? Whats happens more often to people? People contract it and dont know it for years no symptoms, or people contact it and have their initial outbreak 2-14 days later? I know your probly thinking why am I even wasting my time racking my brain on where it came from...lol

[Shannon (SingBlueSilver)]

I had intercourse with a condom but oral without. Three days later I felt like I had a bladder infection. I went to the doctor who confirmed I did. One day later, I found a sore. It looked different from a pimple. I just knew what it was. I went to the doctor who said it also looked like it. I cried and she wondered why I was so upset. She said it wasn't that big a deal and most people have it. I went back and insisted on a blood test to confirm I had HSV type 1. Since then, I haven't had any sores but I seem to feel like I have bladder infections at least once a month. Does anyone else have that? I can't believe that I"m getting bladder infections that often. I'm taking my medication when I feel that way and it helps but nothing feels "quite right" anymore. My doctor said you could have all sorts of symptoms including feeling like you have paper cuts! So, a condom isn't safe. And I got mine within 5 days of sex and sex only one time. They don't tell you this information in school, that's for sure!

[crissy]

Hey SingBlueSilver,

 

It can be quite normal to feel like you have a bladder infection and maybe that once a month is around your period? My new experience once in awhile is feeling like I have a UTI. I never had that feeling before but it can last for a couple of days and then its gone. I personally.... and this is not a dr's advice but from my own research for myself over the past 14 years that I try to take a daily vitamin and find that superbcomplex works well just hang in there you are ok!

 

 

Hang in there SingBlue :)

[boot_fist]

Faysharlene, your boyfriend can easily have HSV and never have symptoms, but pass it to you through viral shedding. There are often no symptoms (at least none that someone that has no idea would notice), but the virus sloughs off through the skin. I got HSV-1 genitally through oral because of viral shedding. My partner had no idea she had it, and very likely got it when she was just a kid, since her sister and dad both actively get cold sores.

 

To answer the thread question, mine was pretty bad. I got sores as a kid, but only one or two max, and it turns out they're pretty common in pre-pubescent girls who are juuuust starting puberty, so I didn't think too much of it at first (this was only about 2-3 weeks ago). Once a few more popped up, I knew. I was really hoping it wasn't H, but I knew deep down. It was incredibly painful. I've always gotten headaches, especially sinus and tension headaches, so I didn't think much of that, either. A lymph node in my neck swelled two days into it, and it freaked me out but it's not usual for my lymph nodes to swell. When the ones in my pelvis swelled, I was sure. I got to a doctor in time for her to culture them, and she said that since my blood still came back negative it was a very recent infection. Honestly I was more devastated the weekend I had to wait (labor day, of course) than I was when I got the official news. All my sores are healed, but I'm still a little itchy, although I suspect that's more mental than anything. I told my friend what happened and she felt horrible about it, but there's no way she could have known. We're luckily still best friends. I was more worried about our other friend who was also involved, and although his initial reaction was freaking out, he's also accepted it and we're all pretty much back to normal. He hasn't had any outbreaks, but he's going to get a blood test soon just in case he did get it. They only kissed and he had no open sores anywhere, so we're hoping for the best for him.

[zonique]

Hey I need some advice or help I just found out that am positive for both hsv 1 and 2 and am devastated because am trying to find out more about hsv and no help from the net all they do is scare me. I just need someone to tell me more about hsv and tell me that everything is going to be ok.

[WCSDancer2010]

Hey Zonique...

 

40% of people with Herpes have both types... Adrial and I are both in the Two-fer club. :p

 

Have you read the disclosure handouts and ebook that Adrial has provided here?

 

Handouts:

http://bit.ly/h-opp-diagnosis-handout

http://bit.ly/h-opp-disclosure-handout

 

Disclosure e-book:

http://eepurl.com/b4IPP

 

That will give you a lot of info to start with...then you can come and start your own conversation with any other questions that you have.

 

I will tell you that it WILL be OK...promise. I know it doesn't sound like it right now but this IS really just a nuisance skin condition in a really awkward place.... with an unfortunate and unwarranted stigma.

 

There are tons of great stories of people who have gone on and met someone who loves them "warts and all" ... who sees them beyond the Herpes and loves them unconditionally. And really, that's what we all want - unconditional love. If someone rejects you because of the herpes, they have placed a condition on their love - and they are not the person for you...

 

(((HUGS)))

[camilo]

No tingling that I remember, an itchy rash on underside of scrotum, lasted a couple days. A couple days after I had a painful blister form on the cubicle of my index finger, which I am sure is Whitlow.

[Akashicbeauty]

I just found out that I have HSV1 and I'm having my first outbreak. I was unfortunate enough to get it orally and genitally at the same time but I only tested positive for type one. I noticed it about a week after receiving oral sex. I did not know the guy had HSV1 and the next day he broke out with a cold sore in his lip. I didn't think anything of it and had no idea that it was possible to get genital herpes that way. Just a couple of days after the encounter I started feeling a little sore down there, but I thought it could just be raw and swollen from sex. At the same time I noticed a sore inside of my mouth that I passed off as a canker sore. Within a week there were so many sores in my mouth it was impossible to eat and even sucking through a straw was extremely painful. I started feeling flu like and achey, and lymph nodes in my neck and one in my groin swelled up. I still didn't have any idea that I had herpes. I assumed it must be strep throat or mono... And I still hadn't made the connection with the sore spot on my vagina... But within a day or two i noticed the spot was very very sore and it burned soooo bad when I peed. I decided to finally take a look down there with a mirror and I was shocked when I saw a white blister looking sore right where I had been feeling pain. It all pretty much came together right then that I had herpes. I started panicking and researching it and found out that I was experiencing all of the symptoms, and I immediately went to the emergency room to get checked. They took swabs of the sores in my mouth and vagina and broke the news to me that I had hsv1 both orally and genitally. I also had a bladder infection from the virus. I got a 7 day prescription for Valacyclovir, and started taking it immediately. Even after I started the medication two more sores appeared down there. I have one more day left and the sores in my mouth are completely healed and the 3 genital sores are almost healed as well. I've read that because I have type one and not type two the outbreaks happen a lot less frequently and are a lot less severe, and I hope that's true. I don't have medical insurance so it is not easy for me to see a doctor and pay for prescriptions on a regular basis..