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Has anyone ever let the herpes infection clear up on it's own w/out meds?

     On the 2nd day of my period I got a little red itchy/tingly bump. I do have genital herpes and this isn't the first time I have had this happen during a period and in the same spot. The other time I believe I did take some meds to get rid of it. But this time since I do not want to shell out the $$ for a RX because I am poor w/no insurance and the meds cost a TON! Putting abreva on the sores down there does help with the pain but I've never tired to just "tough it out" before and I want to know if that is a good idea? Has anybody else let their's clear up on there own and if so how long will it take to go away? If it takes longer than a week(i'm already on day three and it's not as annoying as it was on day one and two) I'm just gonna eat it and pay for the meds because more than 7 days is just murder!
     Is it better to clear it up with meds instead of letting it clear up by itself? Is there more of a risk in letting it clear up by itself towards my partner than treating it with meds?
     I'd really like to hear what you people have to say becasue this would already be my 5th outbreak this year.(it's been a really stressful beginning of the year. Last year I only had two at most 3 never 5 or more!!
Any and all input would be great! Thanks!
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Avatar universal
Your question is even more valid in 2017.  I never used acyclovir until now.  I am elderly.  I have herpes simplex 2 - genital herpes that I have had for 35 years.  Suddenly I am getting consecutive outbreaks, when I had a pattern more like yours.  I have asked physicians about long-term effects of having this virus, and my question was tossed aside.  Now, there is information available about, among other things, neurological effects.  You still won't be able to get a medical practitioner to take that into consideration when you present with a non-herpes-appearing problem.  But, at least there is validation.

So.  Whether there has been a cultural change, a change in the virus itself so that it is more responsive to acyclovir, or they just automatically tell patients that that medication "will take care of it" - which I hadn't thought it would -- whereas, I would have suggested you just leave it be -- now, I don't know.  I wish I did.
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15249123 tn?1478652475
I would go see your Dr and get antiviral meds
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Avatar universal
I have out breaks all month what should i do! I had it for 12 years and never took any meds or home remedies!
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Avatar universal
My doctor as told me to this time around im on pain killers for the soreness but she said it should be heale in a few days! Ive had it for 8/9 years now and this is my second outbreak i got it from an ex boyfriend an ive have had two boyfriends since then that ive both told who ever more that understanding my parents and my two best friends know and i couldnt ask for better people around me!  
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Avatar universal
I don't know about you but I like to KILL the person that gave me this disgusting itchy painful disease! I didn't know he had herpes until a month after we had had sex. We had been having sex for a while but at the time he didn't have anything , until he slept around with the town hoe. The girl did it all boys and girls. Andd he was soo disrespectful after he got it for not telling me at all. When I found out I was crushed. I was terrified because its said that there is no cure for this. But I've been reading on it and even though I hate the fact that I now have something I can't get rid of, after reading I feel a little more at ease. I clean myself more than twice a day because the cleaner the better. Yesss it hurt andd yesss it burns andd itch but I try my best too keep my composure andd go with the flow. I am not on any medication but the blisters are healing because I use Epsom salt and warm water ever time I pee. I also use it in my bath water it makes me feel more clean. I take  600-800mg of ibuprofen. I wanna tell my doctor but I am so embarrassed because I never thought that this would happen to me. I use to cry at night , but I'll leave it in God's hands
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1 Comments
LucyLu85  You are damaging delicate tissues, and also throwing off your vaginal ph with all you are doing, which would lead to infections,  with your cleansing regimen.  The virus can't be scrubbed away.  It is not always true that the "cleaner the better."  I understand how you feel, but it is also not in God's hands - it's in ours.  We make the decision to have unprotected intercourse or sexual contact without barrier protection.  
Avatar universal
Please start your own thread in the herpes forum.
Thanks
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Avatar universal
i know how you feel, im 17. I don't slep around at all, I did it with a past boyfriend when we were out of it. I regret it so much. I've basically flushed my life down the toilet, that's how I felt when I knew I had it. Then I got over it for a bit, but my second time came and im right back at square one. I have not thought much about what i'd do if I was in a relationship with someone, whether I would tell them or not. The shame of it! The trouble is with all the false imformation about it going around. It sucks balls!!!!! I did not know about certain foods which don't help with the recovery of H. would you mind tell me what these are please?
thanks,
kate
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Avatar universal
If you don't want to spend $$ on meds or just can't afford it then you should seriously consider trying home remedies and natural healing treatments like colliolal silver or using baking soda etc..... I wrote more about using home remedie treatments on my blog here http://get-rid-of-herpes-now.blogspot.co.nz/
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Avatar universal
I have had herpes for just over two years and I was taking valtrex to help with my outbreaks which it did, but I found just being body aware also helped. Not stopping eating stuff, but knowing when I am goign to have an outbreak (Right before my period)  
As for telling people you have the virus the truth is that more than 80% of the population has some sort of herpes virus and that is why they don't test for it at any sti clinic unless you have an outbreak, because it is so very common.  
SO the reality of telling people is really just about educating them because odds are in your favor that they already have it or know someone who does, I mean everyone knows someone who gets cold sores, the good thing about genital cold sores is we don't have to wear it on our faces.  I have continued to still have the sex life I had before only being sure to use condoms and really watch my genitals and if I notice ANY signs of a cold sore coming at all I refrain from having sex of any kind..In saying that I will also add that I have had quite a few sex partners as I am a single liberated lady and I have not passed on the virus to one person.  So stop being so alone, and so worried about it, stress is the number one factor in causing outbreaks, and the odd person you go to sleep with that freaks when you say "yea I get cold sores sometimes, but Im good to go now and Im gonna keep it wrapped up anyway so no big deal" well those people are just ignorant and uneducated and you don't want to sleep with them anyway.  Overall I find in life, and with herpes that the only time its made a big deal, is if you make it out to be one yourself.  
Good luck and relax man its not the end of the world, google celebrities who have herpes, the list is endless, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise, Paris Hilton, Orlando Bloom, Jessica Alba, Robin Willaims...etc etc,.....That's right, you have herpes congrats more than 80% of us do.
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Avatar universal
I have had herpes for almost 15 years since i was diagnosed when i was 18...i am now 32...I have had only 1 prescription in that time and that was when i was pregnant with my 2nd child and had an outbreak before i went into pre-term labor. I try to lower my stress level if that is why the breakout is occurring and take lots of long baths. It is usually gone with 3-4 days...
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101028 tn?1419603004
You never, ever, ever, EVER have to treat your herpes if you don't want to. Episodic therapy just helps to speed the healing of lesions. If you prefer topical treatments and just toughing it out - that is fine to do so - it's not any sort of health risk :)

Acyclovir is cheaper than valtrex and famvir.  If your insurance doesn't make it cheaper you can get 100 400mg tablets for under $25 thru the link on the herpes homepage. You still need a prescription from your doctor but you can fill it cheaply thru them. Also you can get 30 200mg acyclovir tablets for $4 at walmart ( and other places too now ).  You can get a script that says - acyclovir 200mg take as directed dispense 30 tablets from your doc.  Then you can either take 2 pills at a time 3 times a day for 5 days or 4 pills at a time 3x/day for 2 days. Both heal ob's up at the same rate.  Just something to keep in mind if you find that your ob's just stick around too long without antivirals.

I'm a fan of tea tree oil myself. I buy it cheaply at walmart - 2 oz for under $5.  Wet a cotton ball and put a few drops on and apply it to the lesions. It smells "herbally" and it sometimes stings for a few minutes but I find it helps with pain and also helps to dry them out faster.  Also dermoplast spray ( the blue can not the red can for the genital area ) is a good topical anesthetic I like too. It's nice because you can spray it on and never touch your genitals ( plus it's helpful for cuts and bug bites too ).  

grace
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Avatar universal
I've only had a few outbreaks in my 20 years but I always let it clear up by itself. Never took the meds.
There is no harm in doing so. I used to get in the shower and let hot water run over the sores and then air dry them.
If they are less annoying already, they are probably starting to scab over and you should notice each day they get less and less irritating. They will probably be completely healed in the next couple of days.
Save your money...you're entering the home stretch with this outbreak.
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