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Is there another solution!?!?!

My story behind being diagnosed is so long drawn out and very exhausting to tell that I dont even plan to take it back that far so I will just get to the point. I was visually diagnosed in 2008 with genital herpes (of course the nurse took a swab of the leison) and put me on 200mg of Acyclovir 5x's a day for 2 weeks. After that initial outbreak, I hadn't had an outbreak for 3 mos and then POW another one. Initially I was treated by my campus clinic for the first two outbreaks, but soon there after I returned home and informed my personal GYN. My boyfriend at the time was aware of the my situation (at that time we didn't know who gave what to whom, but its safe to say we found out later this was due to his cheating ways) and we continued to have unprotected sex. YES, risky much, but we figured we had been having unprotected sex ALL OF THIS TIME (3yrs) before the outbreak. Anyway, I had read up on daily suppressive therapy because my outbreaks were happening every 2-3mos. Not severe, but spotting a sore every now in then in the anal area or getting that tingling itching feeling right before a bump/sore appeared in the initial spot was becoming annoying and making me paranoid so we began daily suppressive therapy.

We began this therapy using 400mg of Acyclovir 2x day. This was going well for a few months, no signs of an outbreak and my depression and paranoia began die down. We did this daily supressive therpy for 6mos. Once taken off of the Acyclovir I had an outbreak occur within that same week and had to be placed RIGHT BACK on suppressive therapy, this time for a year; Using the same drug. If your wondering why I havent yet tried Valtrex, its very simple -ITS TOO EXPENSIVE and my insurance barely covers it, the prescription plan sucks. Furthermore, I completed a year worth of daily suppressive therapy using the same dosage and while doing this faithfully for one year i had 6 outbreaks occur. I started to think that there was something else going on so my GYN tested me for HSV1 & HSV 2 in 2010 (via blood test). I tested positive for HSV2 (i dont have my igG numbers w/me as im typing, but this is what she called me to inform me of). After I asked her to increase my dosage and to extend this therapy she recommended me to an "infectious disease specialist". After a consultation with him, and me giving him the HISTORY of my situation, he wrote me a prescription for 800mg Acyclovir 2x daily for 4mos. My first question is, IS THIS SAFE? my second question is, IS THERE ANOTHER METHOD? I am exhausted with medications!!! I am almost on month 2 w/this dosage and so far so good, no outbreaks whatsoever. Will I have to continue doing this FOREVER (is that common)? since I seem to not only have an outnreak when I am poping pills! Also, my boyfriend who is now my EX boyfriend after admitting to cheating informed me that he finally decided to get tested for HSV1 & 2 (as we were just going off the notion of we're not using condoms and I have it so more than likely he did as well) and his results came back negative for both! o_O....he has recently had a baby and the mother of his child tested negative as well. This has puzzled me very much since we had unprotected sex for 2yrs knowing that I had been diagnosed with this. Is this possible?

I have someone new in my life and he is HERPES FREE and we're trying to keep him that way. We are to the point where we are not sexually involved with one another anymore until we see what is going to happen with this new dosage. He has read numerous times online that he can still contract herpes even w/a condom and suppressive therapy that he is TERRIFIED! This is hurting me emotionally and is definitely draining ALL of my energy because i have NO answers for him, just test results. I need answers PLEASE HELP!!!

-NJGirl
10 Responses
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101028 tn?1419603004
as to how often you'll get recurrences over time, that differs from person to person . One study showed that after 5 years of being infected, 25% of folks had less ob's, 25% had more and the rest all had about the same amount.  shedding stays the same after the 1st year of being infected over the long term regardless of how many recurrences you are aware of.

Valtrex and famvir had to prove that they were just as effective as acyclovir in order to be marketed.  they are about the same as acyclovir - it really is a matter of convenience.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well i got test + on igg non-specific testing which grace said it high false positive then i got neg on my specific test but planning retest just to make sure. I have no symptom, no outbreak. My question is basely wondering how long did you developed your first outbreak before getting exposed; some people will have their first outbreak 2-20 day after having sex with infected person. ( sorry if im confusing you, you don't have to answer it). I just been studying and researching about herpes. Yeah it is possible you won't transmitted to your partner
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Avatar universal
Thanks for your feedback. I've had herpes for a little over three years now so everything your telling me as far as condoms and prevention, I've been hearing for 36+ months (no offense). Your asking me questions to answers that are in my initial question as well as in my responses to you, but to repeat myself once again and to make it as clear and thorough as possible: I had my first outbreak in february 2008.....ONE day after the outbreak started I went IMMEDIATELY to the clinic and they swabbed the leison that was present at the time which tested positive for herpes in FEBRUARY 2008. My personal GYN did her own bloodwork in September 2010 for other reasons and via me asking for bloodwork to have in my file.

I find it ironic because your telling me that Valtrex is better, but as you can see Grace has stated that there is really no diiference. I've read that their really was no difference a few times throughout some forums. Only difference is how often you actually TAKE the meds verses the effectiveness.

I've been hearing that ALOT "as you get older, the outbreaks decrease". If you dont mind me asking, how long have you been dealing HSV2? The nurse who took care of me during my initial outbreak told me that she'd been living with HSV2 for 25years and hadn't had an outbreak in 20years and hasnt transmitted it to her husband and they (at the time) were married for 20years.
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Avatar universal
Thanks Grace for your responses. I havent had any outbreaks since being placed on the 800mg, but I am definitely observing and will definitely visit my GYN if one occurs while on this dosage. So there is no difference between acyclovir and valtrex? So they both pretty much have the same results as far as being effective?

According to my follow up visit with the nurse at my university who swabbed the leison, her exact words were "So, this is herpes but we can help you deal with it."

Helpful - 0
101028 tn?1419603004
there's really no difference between acyclovir and valtrex as far as effectiveness. you just take valtrex less often than you do acyclovir to get the same results.

was the lesion culture you had done also + for herpes?

at this point, I recommend that you be seen every time you think you are having a herpes recurrence. I know it's a pain in the butt to do so but we have to be sure at this point whether you are having herpes recurrences that often while on daily suppressive therapy or not. When you have symptoms, be seen within 48 hours of the appearance of them , get a lesion culture done as well as get tested for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally too. Once we find out just what all is going on down yonder, you can better treat things.

is it safe to take acyclovir 800mg 2x/day? yes it is. no worries there. is there a lot of benefit from increasing to 800mg 2x/day?  no there is not but it is certainly worth a try.

grace
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If you had your first outbreak on feb. When did you get tested? Valtrex is a good medicine to take daily to prevent your partner from catching herpes, always use condoms, and don't have sex if you feeling a outbreak is coming. Valtrex and condoms will reduced your partner from getting herpes. Usually you will have fewer outbreak as you get older. And for your question about how many dose to take, let grace answer that.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had my first outbreak in February 2008 right after being treated for Chlamydia. Let me break it down a little further. I was away, my boyfriend had come to visit me, he returned home, called me three hours after being home saying that he just left the ER and was just treated for Chlamydia and that I should go do the same, he was sorry etc etc he didnt know. I immediately hung up the phone, went to my campus Clinic, informed them that I just had unprotected sex with my boyfriend the night before and that he has jus informed me that he was treated for Chlamydia. They drew blood for HIV and took a vaginal swab anyway & without having any result, gave me a shot of penicilin and wrote me a prescription for doxycyclin. Two days in to taking the doxycyclin I noticed a crack on the side of my Labia that began to spread and travel all the way to my anal. A few more began to appear throughout the day and I soon began to realize this was not an "allergic reaction" to the meds. I went back to my campus clinic and the doctor as well as the nurse there informed me that it appeared to be herpes. Took a swab wrote me a prescription for Acyclovir and the rest is written above.....
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Avatar universal
grace is not a doctor but he trained to answer any question you have. and yes you have to pay to post on doctor. My question was when did you have your first outbreak before you got exposed to genital herpes.
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Avatar universal
Grace? The Dr. who I would have to pay $20 to ask a question? and what exactly is your question? you said "Just wondering if you test 2010 bloodwork"......but to answer that question about my initial outbreak, I already had been diagnosed in 2008 with HSV2 before getting bloodwork done in 2010.
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Avatar universal
Grace can help you with your question. Just wondering if you test 2010 bloodwork, how long it take you to have your first outbreak?
Helpful - 0
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