second try---forbidden topic?!

[VenusdeVelo]

Jasmine,
Also try and find out from your doctor/dermatologist if you can use something like Zovirax cream on your...ummm...."nether regions". Zovirax is an antiviral cream (also Denavir is another brand), available only by prescription in the US I believe. It's used for cold sores, and also the sores you get from any herpes-related visrus, such as the chicken pox virus (it's latent and shows up years later in areas where you have nerve bundles, like lower back area) and manifests in similar sores.

It's an alternative to Valtrex, and although you need to put it on about 2x a day, it may be a good option over taking drugs. I just don't know if it can be used everywhere.

Your breakouts, even if they occur after friction of some sort, are still body stress related. Anytime you irritate skin, it stresses your body and you are likely to get a breakout. A virus does not flare from friction only, but it's just your body's reaction to the skin irritation, ie at a reduced immunity point. For ex, your period will often cause breakouts -- it's still your body under stress of some sort. So a bad workweek, hard training, poor sleep, periods....all of it can cause it.

[fixedgeargirl]

Like CorsairMac, I was wondering if L-Lysiene would help. I get cold sores and feel tingling when one is coming on. I have found taking a Lysiene compund from Quantum Foods helps immensely. The sooner I take it the better, like at the first tingle. I take a large initial dose, then a maintanance dose for several days. I don't ususally avoid the sore altogether, but definitely shorten the lifespan and size. This product has several herbs together with the lysiene. I have not had the same success with lysiene alone.

I've also identified several triggers (wind, sun, aerobic exertion and coffee are among them), and find that a combination of three generally guarantees an outbreak, while being exposed to one or two doesn't cause a problem.

[VenusdeVelo]

From a site I subscribe to...acyclovir is the active ingredient in anti-viral creams like Denavir and Zovirax...

Tea Tree Oil/Melaleuca

Tea tree oil has some interesting research demonstrating it to be an effective antimicrobial agent. The Journal of Applied Microbiology (January 2000, pages 170–175) stated that "The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Its mode of action against the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli AG100, the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus NCTC 8325, and the yeast Candida albicans has been investigated using a range of methods.... The ability of tea tree oil to disrupt the permeability barrier of cell membrane structures and the accompanying loss of chemiosmotic control is the most likely source of its lethal action at minimum inhibitory levels." In addition, "In a randomized, placebo-controlled pilot study of tea tree oil in the treatment of herpes cold sores, tea tree oil was found to have similar degree of activity as 5% acyclovir" (Source: Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, May 2001, page 450).

[mtbdarby]

Venus,
Interesting article. Have you tried tea tree oil? I've tried acyclovir and Zovirax with very limited success so I don't even bother anymore. I've been told tea tree oil works well for scars (was recommended for my cs scar).

FGG, do you know what the other compounds are with the L-Lysiene or have a link to a site for it? I may want to give that a try.

Thanks!

[fixedgeargirl]

FGG, do you know what the other compounds are with the L-Lysiene or have a link to a site for it? I may want to give that a try.

Thanks!

I'm at work, so I can't go read the bottle, but I know that it contains goldenseal and other antiviral/antibacterial herbs. They also make a topical that comes in a squeeze tube and a lipbalm with spf 15 with the same ingredients. I get palliative relief from the balms that I don't get from any other cream/chapstick/oil/butter that I've tried, but it's taking a mega-dose (two tablets) of the oral at the first tingle that really seems to stop an outbreak in its tracks.

Found a link:
http://www.quantumhealth.com/

[CorsairMac]

The herbal yeast-cleanser I use has tea tree oil in it, amongst other things. I have found it to work the best so far to get me back in balance. I'm not surprised to read it reacts the same as a prescription!

[jasmine]

I went out and bought the Super Lysine plus made by Quantum, just seems like an all around good immune booster it has Vit C, garlic, echinacea,licorice,goldenseal.propolis---all good stuff. I also boughtan essential oil mixture made by Simplers called Herp Aid, that has tea tree, lavender, mellissa in an olive oil base---I am determined to figure this out. I'll let you know....I have used tea tree oil for all kinds of things including tick bites, pimples, weird rashes etc---seems to work well.

[Brandi]

I would like to know if tis oil you bought works too. Please let me know. I am outta town as of next Tuesday and gone till the end of te month Pm me if you have any results worth sharing that way i won't miss the thread.

[jeannierides]

Embarrasing subject, but evidentally affects more people that I'd ever imagined! According to my gyn, HSV1 that is transmitted to the genital area is still HSV1.

[mtbdarby]

Alright, since we are "out of the closet" on this I'm going for broke and feel the need to ask this question:

For those that are single with this, how do you discuss this with your SO? I've been seeing someone for a little while now and dread the day this conversation has to take place. How do you bring it up? Do you bring it up, etc? The only guy other than my ex I told, and I felt like pond scum for having it in the first place. Any thoughts, ideas, etc would be appreciated.

Jasmine, aren't you glad you asked????

[mmelindas]

Well, I am no longer single, but once was not long ago...

You see, since having a disease is NOT necessarily your fault, (you could have gotten it without knowing), you should do the SO the favor and medical courtesy of telling him immediately, since you can transmit Herpes without even having symptoms.

He needs to use condoms, avoid oral sex or he will end up with it also, and then he could be angry about it... Since you know you have it, it is your responsibility to protect him by informing him....

You have no more reason to be ashamed to tell any potential sexual partner about Herpes than you would be to tell them if you had cancer, diabetes, or any disease... you didn't choose to have it, did you? Probably NOT!!

[CorsairMac]

Darby: like anything else - don't feel "guilty" because you have it. It happens. But you do need to tell him.....if he truly cares for you, he'll understand and accept it as part of who you are.

and jeannie: I'm not sure the diagnosis was correct. I wasn't "tested" for it she just gave me the script (which didn't work) based on my description of the problem. I never went to see her when I had a flare-up either. But I also don't manifest the normal yeast infection symptoms and once I cut out the yeast and sugar products, the symptoms that I was having which seemed to resemble herpes, went away. Now I only have flare-ups when I'm not careful of my diet or my immune system is compromised ie: major bad sinus infection.

[mtbdarby]

Corsair and Melinda,
I know I have to tell him (he's a paramedic - I don't know if that makes this easier for him or not to understand), but it's the HOW do I bring it up? I've had this for about 15 years (from a cheating bf) and back then we were told you couldn't transmit it unless you had a sore. Now they say you can for a couple weeks of shedding skin after an outbreak. My ex had no problem with it and choose not to use protection and he never got it. To me it's a touchy subject - heck, it's an std! So yeah, I do feel guilty about it because if I had used protection I wouldn't have it, kwim? I'm not the most tactful person in the world so thought maybe someone had ideas of how to broach the subject.

[Brandi]

You tell him exactly that. You got it from a cheating boyfriend. I have delt with this situation with another friend of mine. Her boyfriend had it. Had not had an outbreak but still Gave it to her. He didn't know that by not having an outbreak you could still pass it on. Well she started having problems about a year after they were going out. Both went to the Dr. THe Dr asked her who she had been with, which made her mad cause she hadn't been with anyone else sence this one guy. And then the Dr asked Him and that's when it came out. She understood why he thought it was dormant. And trusted him enough to know he wasn't cheating on her. But they had to go through a lot to get to that point. But the funny thing is she said oh well I have it now so they didn't need to use condoms. and now they have been married for over 12 years.
I guess what I am saying is you don't want him to have a problem then accuse you of cheating. That would really suck!!! Oh and by the way that person is me. Ok I am out of the closet now too. Damn i can't lie to you people! Anyway. My outbreaks where bad in the begining and have calmed down quite a bit. But please tell him so you don't have to go through what I did. And i was using kind words when the dr asked who I had shared myself with. She was a little more rude then that. We never went back to her. And my husband and I are going on 20 years with eachother by the way.

[mmelindas]

Honesty is always the best policy! I totally agree with you Brandi and commend you for honesty and openness.

If this person loves you he would accept your medical condition just as he should accept diabetes, cancer, and any condition. Just because you have an STD doesn't mean YOU SLEPT AROUND!! It means you were a victim and don't want him to become one either.

Just have a quiet talk with him alone and SOON!! You don't want anyone who doesn't accept you completely..Better to know now where he really stands on that issue.

Unconditional love is necessary for any relationship to survive.........