herpes outbreaks

[johnsmith226]

I am 23 years old and I was diagnosed with herpes type 2 in 2007. at the time i had my first outbreak around 10 days after being with the girl i was with back then. i then went to a clinic and had a swab test that confirmed it was HSV-2.

In the following years (2007-2009) i have only had 3-4 outbreaks. when i get an outbreak i use famvir, 2 tablets at first then 1 every 12 hours for 3 doses. these always worked quickly and the outbreaks were never severe and didn't last longer than a week or so start to finish.

In the last 2 weeks (jan 2010) i had a small outbreak that i immediately took my usual dose of famvir for and it cleared up, almost totally within 5-7 days. that period was from friday 15th jan until the following weekend. however today, 24th jan, a week since my last outbreak, the herpes has come back in exactly the same place and same symptoms as last week! this has never happened before with only 3-4 outbreaks in 3 years, and now 2 in less than 2 weeks! how can this happen?! shouldn't the famvir still be active after a week? and shouldn't my body have built up immunities since last week to get rid of the virus? so wouldn't this mean that i shouldn't have another outbreak straight away?

any views on this would be greatly appreciated as i am quite depressed at having this 2nd outbreak so quickly after the first.

[gracefromHHP]

sometimes it just happens. I know typically there's no real rhyme or reason behind my ob's when I get a couple in a row.

grace

[johnsmith226]

thanks for your advice. i am treating this 2nd ob like i usually do, and hopefully it goes away in a week like usual.

i was just wondering, i have only just started working full time in the last 3 weeks and i am abit tired from the early mornings etc, could this be a factor for 2nd outbreak? also, a week after the first ob, when the symptoms were all but gone i masturbated and this caused the area to become abit more red than it was. is it possible that this aggrivated area and could have led to the 2nd outbreak?

sorry for the additional questions, but it would be good to know in order for the future.

[gracefromHHP]

no the famvir isn't still working a week later. Herpes antivirals don't work that way.

Can you get ob's back to back like this? Yes you can and sometimes it happens. treat this one like you usually do ( or consider the 1 day dosing of famvir even ). if it takes longer than a week to heal or you get another ob soon afterwards, follow up on things wtih your provider to make sure you don't have anything else going on and to discuss treatment options.

grace