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Herpes and the frenulum
I'm 25yo male, posted on this forum a year or so ago and got some good answers but there is something that has been concerning me for a while. When I contracted HSV-2 in 2007 (confirmed via swab test) the initial outbreak was half way along the left hand side of my penis. In the next two years 2007-2009 I only had 1 outbreak a year and they were both in that spot.
From 2010 onwards I was getting outbreaks almost every month, I had 6 outbreaks in the first 8 months of 2010 and so decided to go on suppressive therapy (500mg/day). This has stopped the outbreaks but I occassionally (every 6 months) stop taking the suppressive therapy to see if I can start going without it.... I can't. I get an o/b within a week or two of stopping the valtrex.
What concerns me is since 2010 and the regular outbreaks, they are nearly always (I'd say 90% of the time) now on the frenulum just below the head. The o/b's are always very mild, usually a single small hard ball under the skin on the frenulum. They don't itch or hurt but I can feel them with my finger. They are gone in a few days when back on valtrex, but it's always the same place, and not where I originally got it. If it weren't for this area I could probably stop suppressive therapy and just deal with the 1-2 outbreaks in the original spot per year.
Is it common to get outbreaks on the frenulum?
Will I ever be able to come off suppressive therapy and not suffer from multiple outbreaks per year?
If I choose to stay on suppressive therapy are there any long term side effects?
From 2010 onwards I was getting outbreaks almost every month, I had 6 outbreaks in the first 8 months of 2010 and so decided to go on suppressive therapy (500mg/day). This has stopped the outbreaks but I occassionally (every 6 months) stop taking the suppressive therapy to see if I can start going without it.... I can't. I get an o/b within a week or two of stopping the valtrex.
What concerns me is since 2010 and the regular outbreaks, they are nearly always (I'd say 90% of the time) now on the frenulum just below the head. The o/b's are always very mild, usually a single small hard ball under the skin on the frenulum. They don't itch or hurt but I can feel them with my finger. They are gone in a few days when back on valtrex, but it's always the same place, and not where I originally got it. If it weren't for this area I could probably stop suppressive therapy and just deal with the 1-2 outbreaks in the original spot per year.
Is it common to get outbreaks on the frenulum?
Will I ever be able to come off suppressive therapy and not suffer from multiple outbreaks per year?
If I choose to stay on suppressive therapy are there any long term side effects?
I will but I'm a bit apprehenisve about staying on it long term. In my opinion taking any medication llong term can't be a good thing. I'm just trying to figure out why it's always on the frenulum. If it weren't for that area I'd be HSV free basically. It gets depressing having to depend on suppressive therpay long term.
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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.
