Suppressive Therapy

[Donkey42]

I have Herpes and have an outbreak 2 or 3 times per year.  These outbreaks are not severe, but each time I have one, I get extremely stressed out.  When I do get an outbreak, I take aclovar (I can't remember the name) for 10 days.  I am considering suppressive therapy instead to try to prevent future outbreaks.  It would give me more peace of mind.  My doctor does not think it is that big a deal and does not feel I need it as I don't have frequent outbreaks.  Is there any reason why I would not want to go on suppressive therapy?  How effective is it?  Any side affects?

[feeling_lost10]

I have been in hospital over the past week as 2 doctors told me it looks like i have genital herpies. I cry in pain. There are many sores. One started right above my anus and it went from there. Today they had to put a catheter in as I didn't pee for 33 hours. They took a swab and blood as I said I need to know. I have been really really stressed. I was married 22 years and had the odd boil, usually when I worked out, now I am working out again and the same thing happened, but they seem sure it is herpies. I left my husband 2 years ago and have been with a man for 1 year 1/2 why am I having my first huge flare up now? Is that why my new man never went down on me? I am in so much pain = day 9, I was put on valacyclovir and am on my 3rd dose. what is supresive therepy? does it stop this from coming back? as all anyone is talking about is it protecting your other half. I just need to know for me too as this is more pain than I have ever been through.

[gracefromHHP]

at this point I wouldn't even consider yourself hsv1+ genitally. the only way to know that would be if the next time you get a recurrence, you are seen within 48 hours and get a lesion culture and typing done.  

even the best blood tests still miss 1 out of every 10 hsv1 infections. hard to tell if your initial blood test was accurate for hsv1 or not.

grace

[Donkey42]

Genital sores.  Although my symptoms are very mild.  The area gets red and I don't notice any open sores.  Maybe one or two, very small.  More like pimples.  I got tested just a few days after the first outbreak and the blood test came back negative.  A few months later I got tested again and it came back positive.  My wife was tested and does not have it.

[gracefromHHP]

so do you get cold sores or genital sores?

how long into things if this is genital issues did you get tested with the blood test?  I assume your wife has been tested too or just assuming she doesn't have it?

grace

[petal130]

A blood test only tells you you have herpes. Only a swab/culture of symptoms can tell you where you have it. Clearly your should, at your next OB, get in within 48 hours to be certain your symptoms are in fact herpes. Other things can mimic herpes, and it's uncommon that you're having such frequent OBs if you have HSV1 genitally.

As well, find out what blood test you had. You can request a copy of the results. Post them here when you find out.

[Donkey42]

blood test.  I don't remember what kind of blood test, but it was whatever my doctor ordered.  

[gracefromHHP]

hsv1 doesn't shed very much. the odds of your wife contracting it genitally are pretty low.  as I"m sure you know from reading the book by now, we don't really know if suppressive therapy reduces transmission of hsv1 genitally or not.

out of curiosity, how were you diagnosed as having hsv1 genitally?

grace

[Donkey42]

I have hsv1 genitally.  My wife is unaffected.  My concern on the other post was if my wife did get affected.  We don't want that, but were trying to figure out what would happen if it happened.

[gracefromHHP]

I'm confused with your 2 messages.  do you have hsv1 genitally or do you and your wife have hsv1 orally and you also have hsv2 genitally yourself?

grace

[Donkey42]

Thanks for your comments and info.  My wife is great and understanding about the whole thing.  I never thought anyone could be understanding about it when I first learned that I had it.  I guess you are lucky as well.

[luvabull]

Hey just read your message, I have hs1 my husband does not have it either, and we have kept it that way for 11 years.  I just recently started getting outbreaks about 3 p/yr over the past 2 years, Just started Valtrex as suppressive therapy p/ my dr.  She felt with my history of low (sometimes years between outbreaks) outbreaks with NO therapy, that it was time to start.
Just some info, I am 44 yrs old, perimenopausal(could be a factor for me not you;))
am a vegetarian ( soy which I just learned can trigger it)  just a thought for you and your wife to ponder and talk about.  It may a good choice to protect your wife.I hope this helped you and yours :)   P.S. your wife is as great and understanding, forgiving as my husband.  Tell her she is great!!!
LUVABULL

[Donkey42]

Thank you for your response and information.  I do have a wife and she does not have herpes.  We would like to keep it that way.  I always use condoms and the biggest concern and the main reason for wanting to go on suppressive therapy is for peace of mind that I will not give it to her.

[gracefromHHP]

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/8280?personal_page_id=2773  is a journal post I made awhile back that might help you with this decision.  it's totally up to you how to treat your herpes.  Do you have a regular partner? do they have herpes?


No reason to treat your herpes for 10 days each time you have a recurrence!!!  it's acyclovir 400mg 3x/day for 5 days or 800mg 3x/day for 2 days. Both speed healing the same amount.

keep asking questions as you have them :)

grace