4th August 2007
Hello Oceanus. First of all, from a old salt who spent 25 years boating I compliment you on your username. I'd love to find a "compatible" ocean going woman some day, but pardon me I am off course again.
Well my history......I have to say first that I am the most unlikely guy to ever get H. I married the woman I lost my virginity to and she was the only woman I ever had sex with until the day we divorced some 30 years later. Unfortunately, she could not claim the same fidelity. Yeah the first few years were bad, one outbreak after another. The Drs. in the early 80's knew nothing about herpes and thought that my (ex)wife and I could pass it back and forth. Of course we now know this is untrue. Only your own body, dertermines when you have an OB and another external exposure does not influence it at all. Zovirax was useless, as were the creams. Many times after I masturbated it would result in another OB, that was my trigger. The first initial OB was torture, like someone beat you all over with a baseball bat. After that, it was just a prodome sore muscle feeling in my thigh, then came the sores.
I sporadically did maintenance doses of Zovirax for many years until Valtrex came along and had much more better luck with that. I stayed on a maintenance dose of Valtrex for a few years and it worked great. I would stop and maybe 3 months later suffer an OB that was minor. I felt that the more my virus aged, the more it had been beaten down by my immune system and the Valtrex. I actually stopped it 4 years ago after my divorce and until this month had only an OB every 18 months or so, again usually from masturbating. Oh well, never learn I guess. I thought I was immune from more OBs, nope. I do believe 100% in the effectiveness of Valtrex, and now that I have proven to myself that I can still get OBs, I will stay on it.
I haven't tried the holistic treatments at all. I am involved in a support group here in New England and spoke at length to a guy who tried everything holistic, including the red algae stuff. Although he had a lot of faith in them, he admitted they did not work for him. Most of the people who I have met who have gone the holistic way are those who don't have prescription drug coverage and can't afford the $90 a month for Valtrex. Fortunately I have insurance so I will go with what is proven to work for me, although I hate taking any drugs.
Anyway, back to your situation, things will settle down and the OBs will become less frequent and less severe. Get on Valtrex and stay on it. Recent studies suggest that as the virus gets older, the likelihood of asymptomatic shedding decreases and that eventually, the virus may actually lose enough potency to infect another person. (wouldn't that be great, a life without latex!)
One last word of advice.....The problem is only as big as YOU make it. I have entered into several relationships with non-H people and have never transmitted it to anyone, despite not using condoms. And I have met people who have been together for a dozen years, had children and the non-H spouse was never infected. Know your triggers, recognize your prodomes and act responsibly. So keep your head up, your sails full and good luck to you.
Well my history......I have to say first that I am the most unlikely guy to ever get H. I married the woman I lost my virginity to and she was the only woman I ever had sex with until the day we divorced some 30 years later. Unfortunately, she could not claim the same fidelity. Yeah the first few years were bad, one outbreak after another. The Drs. in the early 80's knew nothing about herpes and thought that my (ex)wife and I could pass it back and forth. Of course we now know this is untrue. Only your own body, dertermines when you have an OB and another external exposure does not influence it at all. Zovirax was useless, as were the creams. Many times after I masturbated it would result in another OB, that was my trigger. The first initial OB was torture, like someone beat you all over with a baseball bat. After that, it was just a prodome sore muscle feeling in my thigh, then came the sores.
I sporadically did maintenance doses of Zovirax for many years until Valtrex came along and had much more better luck with that. I stayed on a maintenance dose of Valtrex for a few years and it worked great. I would stop and maybe 3 months later suffer an OB that was minor. I felt that the more my virus aged, the more it had been beaten down by my immune system and the Valtrex. I actually stopped it 4 years ago after my divorce and until this month had only an OB every 18 months or so, again usually from masturbating. Oh well, never learn I guess. I thought I was immune from more OBs, nope. I do believe 100% in the effectiveness of Valtrex, and now that I have proven to myself that I can still get OBs, I will stay on it.
I haven't tried the holistic treatments at all. I am involved in a support group here in New England and spoke at length to a guy who tried everything holistic, including the red algae stuff. Although he had a lot of faith in them, he admitted they did not work for him. Most of the people who I have met who have gone the holistic way are those who don't have prescription drug coverage and can't afford the $90 a month for Valtrex. Fortunately I have insurance so I will go with what is proven to work for me, although I hate taking any drugs.
Anyway, back to your situation, things will settle down and the OBs will become less frequent and less severe. Get on Valtrex and stay on it. Recent studies suggest that as the virus gets older, the likelihood of asymptomatic shedding decreases and that eventually, the virus may actually lose enough potency to infect another person. (wouldn't that be great, a life without latex!)
One last word of advice.....The problem is only as big as YOU make it. I have entered into several relationships with non-H people and have never transmitted it to anyone, despite not using condoms. And I have met people who have been together for a dozen years, had children and the non-H spouse was never infected. Know your triggers, recognize your prodomes and act responsibly. So keep your head up, your sails full and good luck to you.