Herpes Recurrences

Kind of a long post...sorry...

I first started having herpes outbreaks on the left side of my throat (around where my tonsils would be if I had tonsils) about 11 years ago.  I had a few outbreaks before going to the doctor and being diagnosed.  After a few more outbreaks and a few more rounds of Valtrex, I was outbreak free for 7 years.  I ate, drank, partied, and didn't even think about herpes.  For the last 4 years, I have been having outbreaks almost every month.  I assume the recurrences were triggered by a long period of extreme stress otherwise known as graduate school.  That period of stress has been over for about 1.5 years now, but I am still having outbreaks every month around the time of ovulation.

I have been tested for everything from thyroid to Celiac Disease to anything you could possibly think of, but everything comes up negative.  I am perfectly healthy aside from the outbreaks. My gynecologist doesn't believe me when I tell her that I didn't get it from oral sex as I have never had oral sex (neither given nor received).  I either got it from kissing someone or from sharing a drink.  My ENT says it is very common, and I could've gotten it from my parents when I was little. My primary care doctor told me that it is just that the immune system takes a long time to recover from the stress.

How long does it usually take for the immune system to recover?  Will I ever be outbreak free again?  I sleep well, eat well, and exercise.  I've even tried alternative therapies, but nothing seems to work.  I appreciate any information and advice.  Thank you.

[gracefromHHP]

did you have a lesion culture done on these that confirmed herpes or just a visual diagnosis of herpes?

grace

[justme127]

Visual diagnosis, but I don't see what else it could be.  It starts off tingling, then the prodrome, then oozes, then crusts over, and finally falls off only to be swallowed because of its location.

[gracefromHHP]

A visual diagnosis isn't adequate. make them prove it with lesion cultures. it is unusual for herpes to reoccur in this area like this and odds are it isn't herpes causing you all these frequent recurrences.

consult a different ENT specialist for further evaluation each time you have symptoms .

best of luck!

[justme127]

I fit herpes symptoms perfectly, and Valtrex works.  Any idea what else it could be?

[gracefromHHP]

ovulation won't trigger oral herpes to reoccur.  

odds are your symptoms would go away just as quickly whether you took valtrex or not I betcha.

follow up on this more to get more accurate answers.

[justme127]

I've read on plenty of forums of women have outbreaks during ovulation.  Estrogen levels are higher during ovulation, and there are studies showing that estrogen is linked to herpes.  This is why women seem to have herpes more than men.  It is just that women present more than men do because we have more estrogen.   If I don't take the Valtrex, the outbreaks progress to oozing and crusting over.  I really don't see what else this could be.  My question was more about my immune system anyway.  Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

women contract herpes easier than men do because we have more mucous membranes in the genital area, not because of estrogen.  We have more surface area to be exposed to the virus and get infected than men do.   Women get herpes more often, men have more ob's.

I've yet to read a study that shows that estrogen has anything to do with herpes.

[Mistakeguy789]

Interesting that you are telling another woman who has HSV-1 and HSV-2 that more outbreaks are present during ovulation.  Being that she has the same body she I am sure would know about those studies as well.  :-)

[justme127]

Mistakeguy, everyone is different.  Not everyone has the same triggers.  I was speaking for myself, but I have also read other women (not ALL women) on other sites posting that they sometimes have outbreaks during ovulation.

[justme127]

Just to be clear...I never said that more outbreaks are present during ovulation in general.  I said they are more present FOR ME during ovulation.  I was curious about any information regarding herpes and the immune system.  I've been to various doctors.  I think it's pretty obvious that something is a cold sore when it's oozing and crusting like that.  Currently, my primary care and ENT doctors are two of the best and most well known in Boston.  I wanted to see if I could find some more info on this site regarding the immune system as related to stress/herpes, how long it could take for the immune system to rebound, but I will make a doctor's appointment instead.