herpes

[lizziecake]

Every month around period time, i break out on the lower left side of my back,by my hip, in small painful blisters that are about the size of a half dollar,the itch,break open,painful and last about a week,then go away. Dr. says a form of herpes,not genital. Doesn't run a test as he says its all the same viris and treated the same way. Does this sound like herpes to you or shingles?? Thank-You.Liz

[gracefromHHP]

Slacker until you turn your icon blue I will never consider you a real man :P

Yes - hormones are big triggers for some women. Some women get ob's monthly that coincide with hormone changes - ovulation for some, periods for others.  Other women never get ob's , go on the pill and ta da - ob central.  While still others can have genital herpes for years and years and not know it, start going thru menopause and ta da - ob's start becoming obviously.  

grace

[slacker101]

So this is true Grace that a period can trigger an outbreak? That's real interesting. Another point being a man, hahaha

[gracefromHHP]

This absolutely isn't shingles. Shingles doesn't reoccur regularly like this.

I'd bet a dozen donuts that this is hsv2. And yes it is still genital herpes even though the lesions so far are not appearing on your actual genital area.   Go get yourself a type specific herpes igg blood test for hsv1 and hsv2 just to be sure but don't leave that office until you have a prescription for suppressive therapy with one of the herpes antivirals. If your insurance keeps valtrex affordable - stick with that but you are going to need the higher 1gm/day dose if you are having ob's monthly ( use the coupons on their site too if you have a copay over $10 ). If your insurance doesn't make prescriptions cheap - go for acyclovir instead.  I'm sure you don't want to keep having these itchy, bothersome rashes monthly do you?

If you have a regular partner - they should get tested too.

So what do you do when you have herpes on the hip area? Well you still avoid sex whenever you have them and take the same exact precautions as someone who gets lesions on their actual genitals if your partner is negative for hsv2. You are shedding the virus from the area of the rash as well as from the entire anogenital area during recurrences.  You are also shedding periodically in between from the anogenital area.  the skin on the buttocks/hip area is more keratinized and thicker so the virus doesn't come thru to the skin as easily from those areas as it does from our more tender genital skin so those areas are only an issue with obvious lesions present.

Let me know if you have any questions about what I wrote - it's early so I might not be as awake as I think I am....he he he

also check out the herpes handbook at www.westoverheights.com. Terrific info there too for more reading.

grace

[lizziecake]

Thanks for your answer, i will do that tomorrow since i have an appointment. He said it was hormonal (thus period) that causes the outbreak,but i also haven't had a period in 3 months due to age,lol, turning 49, so that can't always be true.
I jumped on the Valtrex friday as soon as the itching and blisters appeared and it kept it down. This never gets bigger then a half dollar spot and always in the exact same location on my lower back. It can stilll be herpes with out being genital? Thank-You.

[slacker101]

Your Doctor is an idiot. Demand that you get a Herpes Select IGG Test. It definitely described herpes but getting herpes only during your period seems kind of odd. Grace is going to have to answer this one to see if what you say happens because I never heard of this scenario. But definitely tell your Doctor you demand an IGG Test at once and don't take no for an answer. MANY MANY Doctors mistaken herpes for other things and even Doctors that know herpes sometimes get fooled so get checked at once!!!!