Herpes and Hep C

[Diane12855]

I just found out that what I thought was shingles on my lower back for the past 14 years was actually genital herpes. I am almost ready to start treatment for hep c and now this comes up and my doctor wants me to wait until the results from a culture come back. Is there a chance he won't allow me to treat because of the herpes? Has anybody else dealt with both at the same time?

[gracefromHHP]

this isn't a risk to the kids. no worries there!

I can't even being to imagine how overwhelmed you feel! Hang in there and best of luck with your hepatitis treatments :)

if you've been having recurrences of your herpes more often, daily suppressive therapy should really reduce them so that you are more comfortable more often.

grace

[Diane12855]

Yes, it is too bad, especially since I had it looked at by my OB doctor when it first showed up, my GP when it kept coming back the first couple of years, and most recently by my internal med doc, just because he was curious when I told him how long I had been having relapses. None of them ever mentioned it could be something else.

When I found out I have hep c my new GI was telling me all the side effects of the treatment meds and then asked if I had any questions and I asked if he thought they might help shingles because I have had one breakout after another since January. He had me show him and said no treatment until I go to a dermatologist. The dermatologist was the first person to mention herpes simplex to me. She took samples to send off to find out what kind (1 or 2) it is.

It is kind of scary that the medical community is so ignorant about this form of herpes. I wonder how many people there are out there with it on their lower back who are spreading it around and have no idea. Yes, I will have my new husband tested. I feel really bad that I may have given him something I got from my ex (we had been married 16 years when mine first showed up). What about my kids? Some of the breakouts have been right where my backside meets the toilet seat. Do you think they could be in danger too? How long does the virus live on surfaces?

Sorry about all the questions. I'm kind of overwhelmed lately... first with the hep c discovery and now this.

Thanks for your time.
Diane

[gracefromHHP]

too bad it took you so long to get a proper diagnosis. shingles rarely reoccurs and certainly doesn't reoccur regularly for 14 years.

you haven't treated your hsv2 in 14 years.  it's totally up to you if you want to even treat it or not except for when you have recurrences to try to speed healing. having hep c/treating hep c isn't an issue.

if you have a regular partner, they too need tested for herpes to know their status.

grace