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Herpes and Menstruation
I am disappointed to find that there is no readily available information about handling a herpes outbreak during menstruation. I'll save my feminist rant for later, and get right to the question:
Any advice on how to manage the pain of an outbreak during menstruation?
I am 8 days into a very painful primary outbreak, with a second set of new ulcers recently appearing and of the first set, half of them still being open. I am also about to menstruate (any day now!). The thought of suffocating the open sores in a diaper and marinating them in menstruation OR shoving a tampon through swollen skin past raw, open lesions is making me want to slam my head into the wall, while crushing my fingers in a door and drowning my sorrows in tequila. Dramatic, maybe.
In thinking through my options, it seems like those "pearl" tampons will probably be my best bet—the ones with the smooth plastic applicator. If I put vaseline on the sores first, and use the right absorbancy so it's full when I take it out and not dry (ouch), I think that should do it.
Thoughts, advice?? Any other happy surprises I should be prepared for when mixing herpes with menstruation?
Any advice on how to manage the pain of an outbreak during menstruation?
I am 8 days into a very painful primary outbreak, with a second set of new ulcers recently appearing and of the first set, half of them still being open. I am also about to menstruate (any day now!). The thought of suffocating the open sores in a diaper and marinating them in menstruation OR shoving a tampon through swollen skin past raw, open lesions is making me want to slam my head into the wall, while crushing my fingers in a door and drowning my sorrows in tequila. Dramatic, maybe.
In thinking through my options, it seems like those "pearl" tampons will probably be my best bet—the ones with the smooth plastic applicator. If I put vaseline on the sores first, and use the right absorbancy so it's full when I take it out and not dry (ouch), I think that should do it.
Thoughts, advice?? Any other happy surprises I should be prepared for when mixing herpes with menstruation?
if it's comfortable to use a tampon, by all means do so. Otherwise using a pad is fine. Even though the pads are all super soft at this point, you can also sprinkle some corn starch in your genital area and on the pad to help cut down on friction.
try soaking in the tubby with epsom salts thrown in. It really helps with the pain, helps to dry out the lesions as well as if you are starting to get cramps, the warm water helps with those too. You can soak several times a day as needed until your ob has healed.
dermoplast spray ( the blue can for the genital area, not the red ) is also helpful. it's under $10 in most drug stores and is a topical anesthetic you can spray on the lesions for pain relief.
no need for extra vitamins because of herpes. none of them have been shown to be of any help. The studies on zinc and herpes were a topical solution not readily available. eating your veggies is always a good thing :)
grace
try soaking in the tubby with epsom salts thrown in. It really helps with the pain, helps to dry out the lesions as well as if you are starting to get cramps, the warm water helps with those too. You can soak several times a day as needed until your ob has healed.
dermoplast spray ( the blue can for the genital area, not the red ) is also helpful. it's under $10 in most drug stores and is a topical anesthetic you can spray on the lesions for pain relief.
no need for extra vitamins because of herpes. none of them have been shown to be of any help. The studies on zinc and herpes were a topical solution not readily available. eating your veggies is always a good thing :)
grace
Thanks for all the info! I'll try both the pad with corn starch and the epsom salt bath!
not my view on lysine but scientific info - it doesn't do anything significant at all for herpes. it doesn't speed healing. It really doesn't significantly reduce recurrences either. we don't have any info if it has any effect on viral shedding. most of us already get more than enough of it in our diets anyways. Terri Warren also covers this in her free herpes handbook that we recommend in our read before posting post on the forum too.
I guess we're going through the same thing then worrying about an outbreak with our periods! I saw my first blister around November 13, 2012. So this is my first outbreak, and I just don't know what to expect once I start my period.
I've been eating blueberries, kale, broccoli, spinach, almonds, avocado... everything healthy I can think of to boost my immune system. I should take vitamin C too... thanks for the reminder! I think I have some Zinc also (It dries stuff out I think? Someone told me to take it when I have a cold).
I've been eating blueberries, kale, broccoli, spinach, almonds, avocado... everything healthy I can think of to boost my immune system. I should take vitamin C too... thanks for the reminder! I think I have some Zinc also (It dries stuff out I think? Someone told me to take it when I have a cold).
When I had my cycle, the sore was developing. It was there, but the fluid wasn't there yet. I had the blister for not even a day cause I touched it with the Q-tip and it solved the problem. I was put on Valtrex the day of being tested, which was November 5, 2012. The sore just popped right before being tested. That was when I was off my period. I took vicodin for the pain the night it throbbed and it put me to sleep. Just stick to ibuprofen and I would take more than one pill. I have taken 600mg of ibuprofen before for pain. Just take a few pills and see if that works. You could also call the doctor's office to check about the MG for you.
Do you normally have outbreaks on your cycle? I'm suppose to start on Wed. or thursday and I haven't had any symptoms of an outbreak yet. Just freaking out about it though. I'm trying to workout and eat right...taking more than 1,000mg of Vitamin C daily...along with a on daily vitamin for women, which includes Zinc that is good for herpes.
Do you normally have outbreaks on your cycle? I'm suppose to start on Wed. or thursday and I haven't had any symptoms of an outbreak yet. Just freaking out about it though. I'm trying to workout and eat right...taking more than 1,000mg of Vitamin C daily...along with a on daily vitamin for women, which includes Zinc that is good for herpes.
Thanks for the response!
I'm on famciclovir but started it late (6 days in) so the doc said it may not be as effective. I only have ibuprofen for pain. The doctor mentioned using vicodin if it's really painful but I've used that before when I had my wisdom teeth out and it gave me constipation - which would also be painful.
How have pads worked for you with open sores? I have about four clumps of multiple sores, so there's a lot going on right now and I can't imagine using a pad on top of all of that.
I'm on famciclovir but started it late (6 days in) so the doc said it may not be as effective. I only have ibuprofen for pain. The doctor mentioned using vicodin if it's really painful but I've used that before when I had my wisdom teeth out and it gave me constipation - which would also be painful.
How have pads worked for you with open sores? I have about four clumps of multiple sores, so there's a lot going on right now and I can't imagine using a pad on top of all of that.
Intense pain, it sounds like. Is there anyway you have access to pain killers? I can always find a person with them on hand. That is how I got through an awful UTI and my first herpes outbreak.
I decided not to use tampons since I've been diagnosed.
Also, my first outbreak was when I had my period. I didn't touch the sore during my period. Yes, it hurt, but I needed to get my period over with first.
The way my blister popped was using a Q-tip and just going over the blister gently and it just throbbed all night and I knew then the fluid was out.
I would just say a pain killer for now.
Do you have any Valtrex or other medication for a fast recovery?
I decided not to use tampons since I've been diagnosed.
Also, my first outbreak was when I had my period. I didn't touch the sore during my period. Yes, it hurt, but I needed to get my period over with first.
The way my blister popped was using a Q-tip and just going over the blister gently and it just throbbed all night and I knew then the fluid was out.
I would just say a pain killer for now.
Do you have any Valtrex or other medication for a fast recovery?
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Herpes spreads by oral, vaginal and anal sex.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
STIs are the most common cause of genital sores.
Millions of people are diagnosed with STDs in the U.S. each year.
STDs can't be transmitted by casual contact, like hugging or touching.
Syphilis is an STD that is transmitted by oral, genital and anal sex.
