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primary outbreak and transmission questions
How do you know if you are having a primary outbreak or a recurrence? I've heard that in a primary outbreak, the symptoms are quite pronounced. However, being a female and having had irritating yeast infections before, I'm wondering if what I thought was a yeast infection was actually an outbreak. However, I never had clusters of blisters before like I did just recently. Also, the subject of transmission is just so confusing. Some sources will tell you that you usually get your first outbreak within 2-14 days after transmission, others will tell you that you can get it months or years after transmission. If you have sex with somebody and have an outbreak a week later, is it safe to assume that that person transmitted the virus? Or should you also try to notify the person you had sex with three months back? This is all so confusing.
It's the first date - why not just worry about what you are wearing and whether you'll be a klutz and end up wearing half your dinner ? :)
grace
grace
I can't believe it, but I'm actually going on a date tonight. First one post herpes diagnosis, which was in April. At that point, I thought I was destined for celibacy. This situation just kind of fell into my lap. I've been getting to know him for almost a month due to work and it's progressed to this. However, I am honestly so scared about having the "talk." I know I don't have to jump right in and tell him my status and that I may not even want to sleep with him after getting to know him better. But, how have others dealt with their nerves when telling someone for the first time? I'm thinking I'll just feel so exposed.
The statements on the website are known as cya statements. In order to say anything different they would have to do more studies and go for additional FDA approval to say anything else. Not going to happen is the gist of that one.
Terrific article by dr stephen tyring called valacyclovir, 20 years of acyclovir safety ( or something close to that ). Your provider needs to read it.
The 8 months part is that the valtrex and reduction in transmission study was only conducted for 8 months. They have not done long term discordant couple studies due to poor compliance in keeping people enrolled that long as well as cost.
The first year of infection we shed the virus about 3x more than we do after the first year or so on average. So yes during the first year the risk of transmission is highest. Info from studies done has shown that couples are most likely to transmit the virus during the first 2 years of being infected but it also shows that you leave that relationship and move on to another later on - the risk is high again during the first 2 years of that relationship. Your providers reasoning is a little flawed but I certainly see where it's coming from.
It's totally your choice what you wan tto do. I know I trust the herpes antivirals compleletely. I've been on suppressive therapy more than I haven't. I was on it for 12 years non-stop at one point - only stopped to participate in a research study. I went right back on it when I was done. I don't have time for ob's and I don't need to worry about my partner either.
grace
Terrific article by dr stephen tyring called valacyclovir, 20 years of acyclovir safety ( or something close to that ). Your provider needs to read it.
The 8 months part is that the valtrex and reduction in transmission study was only conducted for 8 months. They have not done long term discordant couple studies due to poor compliance in keeping people enrolled that long as well as cost.
The first year of infection we shed the virus about 3x more than we do after the first year or so on average. So yes during the first year the risk of transmission is highest. Info from studies done has shown that couples are most likely to transmit the virus during the first 2 years of being infected but it also shows that you leave that relationship and move on to another later on - the risk is high again during the first 2 years of that relationship. Your providers reasoning is a little flawed but I certainly see where it's coming from.
It's totally your choice what you wan tto do. I know I trust the herpes antivirals compleletely. I've been on suppressive therapy more than I haven't. I was on it for 12 years non-stop at one point - only stopped to participate in a research study. I went right back on it when I was done. I don't have time for ob's and I don't need to worry about my partner either.
grace
Hello. Just wanted to try to clear some things up for myself. I went to my provider on Fri. and she could not find any evidence of a reoccurence, yeast, or anything. Stated that my symptoms could be hormonal due to my period. Thought I saw something a few days before, but she said it could just be the normal bumps present in the gential area. Hope I'm not going to become a freak about this. Anyways, I brought up the subject of Valtrex and it's ability to reduce transmission after a year of usage and she said that she usually weans patients off of Valtrex after a year because there have not been any studies done that prove its effectiveness with transmission after a year. She said that the risk of transmission a year after being diagnosed goes down anyways and outbreaks tend to decrease. I was just reading the Valtrex website and read the "For Healthcare Professionals" section. Under "Reducing Transmission Risk" at the bottom of the page, it stated "No data are available on the efficacy of treatment of more than 1 year's duration (for suppression)....." It also stated that the "safety and efficacy for Valtrex for reduction in the transmission of genital herpes have only been evaluated for 8 months." So, I'm confused. Am I misinterpreting the data and what the provider said to me? I certainly hope so. Any thoughts?
If it's been more than 3 days - don't bother increasing your valtrex - the ob is almost over anyways then. Just something to keep in mind for the future. I'm a fan of erring on the side of caution and increasing the meds anytime you think it might be an ob - sure beats waiting until you have a full blown ob that drives you nuts while you are waiting for it to heal.
grace
grace
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You are reading content posted in the Herpes Community
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.
