Question:
Hi everyone, I am new to this experience and looking for, I don't know, maybe a little reassurance. I had a severe, severe first OB. Five days after had chills, fever, the doctor thinks I caught the flu at the same time as it was going around work. Flu symptoms for over two weeks. I had been super stressed and working very hard everyday for a month and a half and also continued working thru all of this. A physically demanding job to boot. I think my immune system was shot completely and I am hoping that is why it hit me so hard. Not to mention the emotional stress, crying, panic attacks I experienced when I first found out. The sores are only in my anal area. I went to the ER thinking I had a hemroid. Found out it wasn't. He put me on Acyclovair and told me to follow up with GYN. Don't have a normal doctor b/c just lost my insurance. The pain started going away but the next weekend went back to the ER because the stabbing pain in my uretha was unbearable. I was constipated (I am sorry to be so graphic) for over two weeks and am now able to finally go. The pain when I urinate is also subsiding. This is the fifth week since I caught it. Five days after my second trip to the ER I went to clinic b/c it still hurt to pee and I was really tender between my legs. More STD tests, all negative. Diagnosed with a bacterial infection. 10 days of antibiotics. The day I got home from the clinic I noticed a red throat. 4 days later turned a little sore. Allergies maybe? Nothing else, just red and tender. It has been about a week now and I still have a sore throat. Has anyone had these symptoms? I also had pins and needles in my legs and feet a couple of weeks ago. And then also some tingling in my anus. Don't know if I had another outbreak already. I didn't feel anything in my anus after the tingling like an outbreak, just a couple of days of tingling. These past couple of days have been better emotionally but I had a month of sickness and bad emotional stess. Could someone please help and let me know if they think this is normal. I want to thank everyone up front. Just reading your posts today has made me feel so much better. Do you think this sounds like a normal primary outbreak? Thank you again.

Answer:
You are having a really rough time. First, do you know if you were diagnosed with HSV-2 or HSV-1 genitally? If you had a Herpes Select Blood test run specific for HSV-2 or HSV-1, please post your results here so that we know your strain.

I'm going to assume that you have HSV-2 for now, because you are already experiencing another outbreak. Are you on suppressive therapy? If not, you probably should be. In the first year after outbreak, you can expect to have five or more outbreaks. When you are having an outbreak, you use therapeutic levels of Acyclovir or Valtrex (Acyclovir works just as well and is much less expensive). During an outbreak, you would use 400 mg. 3x a day for five days. Then, you resume suppressive dosing of 400 mg. 2x a day everyday.

Your sore throat is likely caused by something else - viral or bacterial. Old school but helpful is to gargle with warm salt water 3x a day for the next few days. If it worsens, doesn't improve or you start running a fever, you have to go back to a doc and be seen. Period.

Try to take this one day at a time. A lot of people newly diagnosed with Herpes have symptoms of anger, depression, etc.. So, you need counselling and support if you are feeling this way right now.

If you have any questions or we can help in anyway or you just want to vent, post away! Somebody here will try to help.

Hugs.

Answer:
Thank you so much for responding so quickly. The viral culture came back positive for HSV2. When I told the guy about it he said he was negative. Said he went to the doctor and had all the tests and they were negative. I know the truth though. I am trying to keep my emotions under control. I have had severe panic attacks and bouts of crying for the past three weeks. I know stress is a huge factor for your immune system. I am scared out of my mind that I have HIV. I was tested for that with all of the other tests and came back negative. But of course the test was one month after possible exposure. Could be too soon. The doctor said if I was having symptoms related to Hiv the test would have detected the antibodies. He said that should be the least of my worries. Weird how doctors sometimes dismiss you and how you feel so easily. Absolutely no help or support until I came here. I know all I can do is wait it out but I am so scared. I will go in a couple of weeks to be tested again. I plan on once a month until the 6 months mark. I figured it was viral or bacterial (my sore throat) but was hoping for allergies. Especially since I was on an antibiotic this past week and it is still there. I am assuming it is viral which scares me so bad. I was just, and still am, hoping it was because Herpes knocked me for such a loop and I continued working hard and not resting through the whole month of my horrible outbreak. I hoped maybe that is why it hit me so hard. I am otherwise extremely heathly. Work out daily, eat right. Thank you again for responding so quickly. This is a great place to come and know you are not alone. I stopped taking my Acyclovir after 10 days. I will immediately get back on it. I was afraid of building up an immunity to it if I took it too much.

Answer:
I forgot to mention I started my period this morning also. Do you think all of this could be tied in? Other than the red throat I feel great. More energy than I have had in over a month.

Answer:
A lot of women experience new outbreaks at the time of their period. Have you read the Herpes Handbook? If not you can read it online or download it at http://www.westoverheights.com There's really good information for you there, and you'll be glad you took the time. It tells you everything you need to know about how to protect your partner and take care of yourself. Not to frighten you, but just so you know, people with HSV-2 have a 3X greater chance of acquiring HIV if they are exposed. So, the more you read and learn the better off you'll be.

If you have a medical question related to your herpes, you can post a question on Terri Warren's Genital Herpes site at WebMd. You might just want to browse the other posts to learn about herpes.

Anytime your immune system is compromised (cold, flu, etc.), you are more likely to experience an outbreak of your herpes. So, if you have a viral infection in your throat, that could prompt your herpes outbreak.

If you have a problem affording your Acyclovir, you can apply for free meds at: http://bridgestoaccess.gsk.com/

Hope this helps you out! Hang in there. It does get better with time and support.

Answer:
Thank you so much fastforward. You have been an extreme help. I will check out the handbook and thank you again. I never even thought about the HIV until I read that HSV makes it easier to acquire when I started researching the Herpes on the internet. That is when, how do they say, all hell broke loose in my mind. I am normally a very positive person and will definately get on my with my life if the HSV is all I have to deal with. And I am sure if the outcome is different with the other test I will cope and deal. I am sure everyone would agree the not knowing part is what can make your mind insane. Thank you again for everything. I will definately visit again and hopefully one day I can ease someone's mind like you did mine and help them with what I think is a very traumatic experience. :)