OUCH... Oh so painful

[Faith728]

I've have herpes for over 20 years. I was diagnosed when I was 18. They said it was type 2. I didn't have the fancy type of testing you guys are talking about here so I am wondering if I should be retested. Does it matter? I am not on any suppression therapy or anything and wonder if I should be. I only have an outbreak here and there, like one or two a year.

My husband also has it as we didn't know I had it when we got together. We also don't know who gave it to who but I had the first outbreak so he always says it was me. I don't care as it doesn't really matter now. He has only had like 2-4 outbreaks in all this time and his are never as bad.

Currently I am having one and it's a bad one. This is what led me to this site as it's so painful this time. One of the worst I've had since the first time. I was wondering if you had any natural remedy advice for me. Tylenol and Alive doesn't seem to help and I don't want to take stronger drugs just for this. I've used Tucks pads in the past and they usually seem to help and clear it up faster. Any other advice would help greatly.

Also I saw you talk of some book about this. Could I get the link for that as I'd like to read it. It would seem my information is quite lacking...

Thanks in advance...

[gracefromHHP]

for most women, the hormones aren't a big issue. Genital dryness that comes with the changes in hormones as we age can leave you more vulnerable to tearing of the delicate genital skin as well as infections like bv.  Even if you think you don't need to use lube, sometimes using a good sex lube helps a lot as you get older.  If you find you are getting recurrences more often, get properly checked for bv even if you don't have odor or discharge. about half of all women with bv don't get obvious symptoms and we know bv makes hsv2 more active so it's worth it should ob's increase.  

[Maggieddd]

After my 1st OB in my mid 20s I didn't have another until I was about 47. Now I get them monthly. Heard the hormone thing can do this unfortunately.

[Faith728]

Ok new question as part of the rest... So my newest nonbest friend is really playing havoc in my life. You know her, Menopause that cruel nasty c-word. Anyway I was wondering how will this affect my other nonbest friend? Someone told me it might make it come on more often and someone else told me as you grow older you'll have less and less outbreaks till the cease altogether. Which one shall I have the pleasure of looking forward in the coming years?

[gracefromHHP]

I think 18 and stupid pretty much always go together...lol  Of course if anyone had told us that when we were 18.....he he he

ever see those valtrex herpes commercials where they have a herpes ob and are dancing on the veranda? I always thought they should show a woman sitting on the toilet with a death grip on the toilet paper roll and the hand towel wedged in her mouth so she didn't scream loud and scare the neighbors while she was trying to pee over open lesions - far more accurate!   Imagine the pills you could sell showing that and saying our pills will prevent this if you take them every day...lol

no hot flashes yet but the thermostat is definitely messed up. I've never been hot in my life unless it was over 90 degrees out so dealing with being warm frequently is something new for me. I have thick wool sweaters and long johns, not tee shirts and thin cutesy sweaters....lol  

[Faith728]

Well I was 18 and stupid... LOL... Anyway I started having all this pain in my vagina so my mother took me to the ER... They looked and said it was herpes and the Doctor got me a mirror so I could see the sores... Funny I'd never noticed them before... Anyhow he scrapped a few and did the tests and sent them to my regular doctor. I got a call back a few days later and my regular doctor said it was type 2 herpes and gave me the big speech of how its incurable and all that. They put me on the antivirals and pain meds.

Took about 2 weeks to clear up totally and then I didn't have another outbreak for over 5 years. How I don't know as it was a stressful time in life and I've always had bv problems. I never have yeast infections however. One time I thought it was one and I used the OTC stuff and it didn't help so I went to my doctor and asked him for prescription meds and he said let me take a look. They did testing and he told me I had a bacterial infection not yeast. So I've never had a yeast infection, but lots of BV's

I tried the let it dry method today and that wasn't the greatest feeling. Sort of like it ripped every time I moved but I do have to say it felt better when it was dry. Course I had to pee a lot so that wasn't fun. How did one girl put it on a site I read looking for home remedies. "I screamed my face off." LOL

I'll get checked. I know I'm already beginning menopause so I know what you mean by the hormones being an issue. Aren't hot flashes a blast?

Thanks and I'll try the spray. I think I used it when I had my son so that is some good stuff. Thanks again.

[gracefromHHP]

did you even have more than a visual diagnosis 20 years ago?

odds are since you both have it that you do indeed have hsv2 but sometimes it's worth the peace of mind of seeking out type specific herpes igg blood testing to know your full hsv1 and hsv2 status.  

I've found that when I have a humdinger of a recurrence, it's because there is something else going on. For me, it tends to be bv related. bv only causes obvious discharge about 1/2 of the time so it's not a bad idea to be seen and get a proper exam and testing done for vaginitis too.

have you ever tried dermoplast spray?  ( the blue can for the genital area, not the red can ). You can buy it in most drug stores for under $10. You spray it on the lesions periodically for pain relief. It's a topical anesthetic.

soaking in the tubby with epsom salts thrown in is also often helpful too.

like I said, get tested for yeast and bacterial infections vaginally since often it's bv that triggers a severe recurrence. Not unusual for vaginitis to be an issue as we age and our hormones start to change :(

grace