My outbreaks - advice please

[Angelina1]

Hi there.  I hope someone can help me.  I was diagnosed with genital HSV 2 about 5 months ago.  I suspect that I caught this several years ago as I had mild symptoms back then and not the horrific pain that most people talk about when they have a primary attack.  I also had swabs taken several times of areas that were irritated and they always came back as negative.  This recent swab proved otherwise as I had an obvious lesion.  So my doctor put me on Valtrex and the lesion cleared up within a week.  Now 5 months later, I have found that over the last 2-3 weeks that I keep getting little cuts on my vagina and I also had a minor lesion come up as well.  These generally heal up pretty quickly and I am not taking Valtrex any longer but taking Lysine instead.  Why is it that I seem to be more sensitive now and having these minor outbreaks?  Admittedly I am very distressed about having HSV and having a hard time coping (and I also smoke more ) but is it normal to get more outbreaks now (minor or otherwise) and if so why did I not get these outbreaks when I first contracted HSV?  Thank you for reading.

[gracefromHHP]

try the 400mg 2x/day dose of acyclovir for suppressive therapy. Tends to have less side effects as far as the headache, nausea, abdominal pain and run over the train feeling that valtrex can give.

give them a call monday to see if any vaginal infections were detected on your pap test.

study after study shows no real benefit from even large doses of lysine. it doesn't really reduce recurrences and doesn't help speed healing. Most of us get more than enough of it already in our diets anyways so supplementing with it is of little use.

[Angelina1]

Thank you Grace for your reply.  I had a pap smear yesterday and I am waiting on the results.  I'm not sure if the doctor had taken swabs for anything else so I will ask in my next appointment.

Unfortunately Valtrex didn't agree with me when I took it last year and it made me really spaced out and I couldn't concentrate at all.  Actually when my doctor first prescribed it I asked if I could take it every day and he didn't want me to. Even if he agreed to it I couldn't possibly continue with it as I literally was not able to function that week that I first took it.  Is there anything else that you can suggest?  Also, why do you not recommend the use of Lysine?  I hear from many people who have HSV that it really helps them so I would be interested in your thoughts.  Thanks again and god bless.

[gracefromHHP]

lysine isn't really effective for treating herpes. we don't recommend it's use at all!  no wonder you are still having ob's!!!

go and be seen and get properly examined. make sure you don't have a yeast or bacterial vaginal infection further complicating things. Try daily suppressive therapy with valtrex or acyclovir and see if that clears things up. If you are still having ob's while on suppressive therapy, time for more work up to find out what else is going on down yonder.

grace