HSV-2 for 5 years. Just started getting cold sores

[tiredandlonely]

This post is mostly about cold sores. I have HSV-2 as well, but it has not caused me any trouble lately. I am really struggling with becoming recently infected with cold sores, though. It appears that I now have both HSV types 😞

I was diagnosed with HSV-2 at the beginning of 2014 during an extremely painful/traumatic initial genital outbreak. At the time the sores were swabbed and I had a blood test. Swab was positive for HSV-2, blood test was negative. Several weeks later, I redid the blood test and it was positive for HSV-2, so I knew it was a recent infection. This test also showed that I was negative for HSV-1.

Since then, I have taken generic valtrex 1 g daily as suppressive therapy. I haven't had any subsequent outbreaks. 

I met my husband about 10 months after my HSV-2 diagnosis. By that time I had disclosed to a few people successfully, and had mostly come to terms with it. 

My husband was tested and was negative for HSV-2 but positive for HSV-1, although he has never had cold sores. 

About a month ago, I developed a cold sore on my lip. It was extremely painful. It did not get too big and did not blister or ulcerate, which I assume is because of the valtrex I'm already taking. However, it never fully went away and I've been having terrible nerve pain/symptoms (lightening bolts, tingling, numbness, etc) in my lips since then. These symptoms will go away for a day or two, but always return. I also have a red spot on my lip that has not healed. 

Today, the red spot started getting more inflamed and I'm experiencing a lot of pain in that exact area, so I believe I'm having a second cold sore in less than a month. 

I'm really struggling with this. I am embarrassed to have this on my face and have to go to work/interact with people. I feel more like a leper than I ever did with genital herpes, because at least then I could decide who got to know. But the worst part is that I feel totally helpless and out of control. I am already on valtrex, which has worked wonderfully for genital herpes, but doesn't seem to be inhibiting cold sores. I have tried almost everything I have read about treating/preventing them (L-Lysine, vitamin C, zinc, Abreva, Campho-phenique, Compeed Cold Sore Patches, etc), I do yoga almost every day to manage stress, I rarely drink alcohol, and I have essentially cut out foods high in arginine. 

I don't know what else I can try. I feel like I can't escape this. I am embarrassed every time I go anywhere, constantly in pain, and just mentally worn out from this. I know that stress only makes it worse, so I am trying to keep my stress levels low, but I don't know what else I can do.

[Fmals]

It sounds like a newly acquired HSV 1 infection...your body just needs some time to adapt to tame it down. Also, what seems like a huge embarrassing spot to you most likely isn’t too noticeable to others. Be kind to yourself ❤️

Give your system a chance to adapt...from what I’ve read, I believe it takes your body a few months to build up anti-bodies. It kept your HSV2 in check, it will keep this one in check too! 

 

Also, just a natural remedy (if your brave enough 😬 ) 91% alcohol on a q-tip...hold it there for 30 seconds a couple times a day. I’ve recently done it to a ghsv2 small spot and it STUNG but then almost instantly (within a day) healed. I know I’ve read that alcohol does not do anything except burn but some people swear by it...worth a shot 🤷🏻‍♀️