Had herpes for 25 years with very few outbreaks...now, continual outbreak for more then 3 months

I have had herpes for 25 years with sometimes years between outbreaks, and have never needed to us prescription drugs. I only needed to take Lysine if I felt an outbreak coming on. I am 47 and in the last 3 months, have a  continual outbreak. Mostly, it's minimal, however it never goes away, then it comes back again just when I think it's about gone. I did end up going to the doctor and getting my first prescription for Acliovar?? (spelling)

The main thing that changed with me was that I started a Medifast diet with very low calories just about the time this started happening, and the diet required eating large amounts of soy. After a couple of months, I started reading about links to diet and herpes outbreaks. I read to stay away from Argenine...which soy is very high in argenine. So, I stopped the diet, and within a few days, I started getting better. Although it never did go away completely, I was feeling better and could tell a difference...had no more of the "tingly"feelings.

It's been about two weeks now, and I am still taking the meds and also still at the same point I was. Just one tiny place, no pain, and I feel like I am going to get a cold soar on my lip, that never surfaces. Now, I don't know what to do next.

If you have any advice, I would really like to know your thoughts. Thanks.

[luvabull]

Hi I;m luva bull,  (love pit bulls)  Anyway, I am very curious about your situation.
I have had sv1 since 1997, I have it genitally.  Just in the past 2 years I have started to have outbreaks on my butt!  They get more severe each time.  I had 3 this year alone.
I, like yourself, had very few outbreaks since I got it.  I also eat a lot of soy.  I recently had to start Valtrex I will be on it 1 year according to my DR.  I am wondering, how often do you eat soy?  Are you female?  ( I am)  Are you in your 40's? ( I am.)
Are you perimenopausal? ( I am.)  I am really curious if what you are describing is happening to me and just maybe you have just helped me out with some possible triggers.  I hope you are able to get it under control, I am just wondering if we have some common habits that maybe causing our recent, recurrent outbreaks.

Have a good night I hope to hear from you soon
thanks

[gracefromHHP]

are you male or female?

soy can really affect your hormones too. it's a natural estrogen and I know some women who have had a humdinger of a time due to using it.  Have you been to the doctor for any additional testing? been tested for yeast and bacterial infections? Are you having frequent diarrhea or looser stools while on the medifast diet?

How are you taking your acyclovir?

grace

[bjoh]

Hi Grace,

I am female. I know about soy and the hormone thing. I have always eaten soy based foods, but not to the extreme that the medifast diet requires...so I assume that is what must be happening?? I called the nutritionalist line with Medifast and all they had to say was that I needed to go to the doctor and talk to me like I had leprosy. I forgot how IGNORANT the public is about this subject. I had triplets 3 years ago thru IVF and was on a lot of drugs at the time, which threw me into early menopause. Haven't had a period in 2 1/2 years.

I am taking the acyclovir just once a day (500mg).

[bjoh]

Hi Luvabull,

As I stated in my last posting, I am female, in early menopause, and 47 years old. I do think that this soy thing is triggering my issues, but not sure. It seems that Grace (above) is pretty knowledgeable about this...so I plan on hearing her input.

I mean no disrespect to you...but me and my dog were attacked by a pit bull last year by some moron walking his dog without a leash. We were standing at my front door with my triplets just inside the door. The coward who owned the monster, just picked up his dog and ran and left us for dead. We spent many thousands of dollars on my dog's surgery and my medical bills and I also had to go through the series of rabies shots. My dog did survive, however he will NEVER be the same and we can't even take him for walks any more because he is so traumatized by other dogs. We were just standing at my front door, not hurting another soul. Can't imagine how anyone could like an animal that could cause such harm for no reason at all.  Since this happened, not far from us another little 2 year old boy was killed by a pit bull because their neighbor didn't keep their fence properly mended and their pit bull got out and killed their little baby.

I don't mean to go on another tangent on this forum, however when I hear that someone loves a pit bull, I just have to tell my story. This poor animal has been bread to cause harm and it's in their nature to do so.  

I wish you the best with your situation...

[gracefromHHP]

acyclovir doesn't come in a 400mg dose and it can't be taken daily. please check your bottle to see what medication/dose you are really on  - thanks!

I'd go to your provider and get tested for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally too.  1/2 of all women who have bv are asymptomatic and bv is a known hsv2 trigger as well as sometimes mimics hsv2 ob's too.

grace