Sore throat, body aches, butt comfort

[_a_rayofsunshine_]

I got diagnosed in May after having pain from getting a brazilian. I’m convinced brazilian waxes are triggers. Anyway, this week I believe I’m on my 3rd outbreak and it has been tough more mentally and emotionally than physically. I’ve been crying every day, extremely exhausted, have had a sore throat but not a regular sore throat where it hurts to swallow. This sore throat is weird. I know it’s there but it doesn’t hurt to swallow or anything but it’s clearly inflamed (went to clinic today & doc said it’s definitely viral). Along with that, I have neck & shoulder pain, shoulder blade and back pain. No fevers, but I have had days this week of being colder than usual (im normally cold). My first outbreak was at my perineum and it literally had cuts. So painful. 2nd week lasted a few days and was like a rash, dont remember it much. Probably wasnt an outbreak. This time after my period & last week of stress about my purpose in life, it’s on half of my perineum, half anus and it’s just itchy w/ minimum pain (if i overextend/stretch the area).

So, what do you all recommend? I saw somewhere about Tucks wipes for anal discomfort? What do you all take for supplements (vitamins, oils)? Im going to get vitamic c, echinacea & goldenseal, l-lysine, & raw probiotics for women. 

I think my triggers are: stress, period, waxes, & hopefully that’s it. 

My partner penis head came in direct contact on two days w/ my lesions before we knew what it was. It’s been almost 3 months & he hasn’t had any noticeable outbreaks & i told him to wait until the 16th week from my 1st outbreak before he got his blood tested. I saw it takes 12-16 weeks for the blood to create antibodies and I also know he may not get it at all. I’m 26, he’s 50, so if he does get it I just pray its mild on him. Who wants to be up in age with an std?! Painful at that!

[LotusBud]

 Lol at "up in age." I was 51 when i caught herpes after 13 years with my partner. (He was 11 years older and had it for 40 years.)

I tried the Tucks, but it didn't really do anything. Over time thru research and self-experimentation, I've learned that simply folding up some toilet tissue and placing it over the lesions helps. It prevents rubbing on other parts of skin and helps keep things dry.

I usually take naproxen (Aleve) for those aches and/or nervy pain. Suffering with pain unnecessarily is just another stressor. 

I posted the info below in answer to another question on the forum.  hope It helps. It contains my protocol and reasons for it:

I researched and dug around focusing mainly on natural treatments (because my strains seems resistant to the antivirals) and on the fact that the virus is a living organism that responds to its environment. There are 3 main things that have been useful to me and what I do to prevent outbreaks.

1. I learned that HSV2 prefers a warmer, moister environment than HSV1. This explains the locations where the viral outbreaks "usually" occur (i.e. warm, moist genitals for HSV2.) It also gives a clue why there's a lower rate of transmission (4%) from women to men.

2. Both HSV1 & 2, as well as herpes zoster (aka chicken pox/shingles) like to hang out in the nervous system when not active. HSV2 likes the base of the spine particularly, so prodrome often shows up as low back ache or nerve pain down the leg.

3. HSV2 likes the amino acid arginine, but not lysine.

My self care routine specifically for HSV2 (not including general health maintenance like exercise) goes something like this:

For active outbreak, make the environment as UNHEALTHY FOR THE VIRUS as possible.

Keep the area as dry and cool as possible. (This is also soothing for painful lesions.)

Sit on a gel ice pack; sleep with it over the affected area. Put a cloth between pack and skin; just needs to be cooler not frozen.

Let a fan blow on the affected area for about a half hour as many times a day as you can stand it. This cools and dries. Watch a comedy while you wait. It goes with the ridiculous position you might find yourself assuming in order to fan the area. (Some recommend hair dryers, but they tend to blow warm air.)

During work when you can't do any of the above, place small pad of folded up toilet paper over the lesions (I'm assuming they're in the genital area) so that it stays dry and isn't contacting any other moist areas. Change every time you go to restroom.

Get lots of sleep especially for active outbreak and prodrome. I drink Nighty Night herbal tea by Traditional Medicinals if worrying prevents me from sleeping. (This is what works for me; not an endorsement.)

I avoid high arginine foods. Unfortunately, this means chocolate. In retrospect, i wonder if my first outbreak went on so long because i was eating so much of my favorite comfort food cuz at the time. Nothing will bring on an outbreak for me faster than eating chocolate 3-4 days in a row. You might have different food triggers. You'll have to pay attention to see if there are any connections

I take 3000 mg of lysine 3 times per day during OB and prodrome. 3000mg daily for maintenance. Lysine counters arginine so if I forget and indulge in too much chocolate, then I'll take extra lysine.

For my nervous system, I take lemon balm in capsule form (1600mg daily; times 3 during OB or prodrome. ) Lemon balm has traditionally been used as a nerve tonic.
It seems to have a calming effect and I feel less stressed. It also seems to help with any nerve pain that might crop up. An ice pack on low back helps too. And because I find the nerve sensations annoyingly exhausting, as well as painful, I'll take naproxen (Aleve) to take down the inflammation. 

Avoid stressing your system. Yes, manage the usual stress, but also be diligent about taking care of yourself. For example, if you have allergies, take your meds and avoid allergens. Your body doesn't need to fight allergies AND herpes.

Nowadays, my outbreaks, when I have them, last 7-10 days tops following this protocol. I'm not sure how often I have them anymore; it's become such a non-issue. I can usually pinpoint something I've done like eat chocolate that brought it on. I can also catch it during prodrome and stop a full outbreak from happening.