Question:
So, I need some guidance from our more senior members on this board who have experimented and succeeded.

I've been doing some research to try to figure out how to dose myself up on the proper suppliments to keep H-2 at bay. I know that the recommended level of L-Lysine is 1250mg so I have upped my dosage on that(was taking 1000 mg daily), but as for the rest?? I'm not sure, but here's what I'm taking currently:

1500mg L-lysine
500 mg vitamin C
800 IU vitamin E
Bayer Daily Mulitvitamin Vital Body & Cells (Immunity vitamins) which contains 60 mg of Vit.C and 30 IU of E along with a laundry list of other vitamins, minerals, etc...

So, my question is, what is enough? When is it too much? I just read an article that stated that too much vitamin E becomes detrimental? What dosages are you taking of this to keep H at bay? I'd like to avoid antivirals if at all possible because they give me diarrhea, headaches, acne, etc. (you name the side effect, I get it).

To make this easier, I am a very healthy, very active 34 year old, 5'9, 144 lbs. No other health issues beyond Herpes. (which truly is seeming more of a nuisance that I'd like to avoid than anything- far from my initial raging freak-out reaction).

Thank you :) (oh, and despite it nearly killing me YES KILLING ME!! I cut out chocolate from my diet... It was worse than my initial OB. I'm in mourning.);)

Answer:
I'm sorry that chocolate was a trigger for you. That is hard.

I don't take any multi-vitamins because they sometimes contain stuff I don't want to be taking but we each have specific needs.

I also don't take vitamin e. Instead I take fishoils at 1000 mg. daily. It does contain a small amount of vitamin e but is mostly omega 3.

When I am having symptoms I up my lysine and vitamin c. My normal lysine is 1500 mg. daily and my vitamin c is 1000 mg. (it includes bioflavanoid, rutin and hesperidin.)

I also take co-enzyme b complex, siberian ginseng and calcium/magnesium daily. The lysine I take contains a small amount of B6 to assist in absorption.

I need to add that I got the lysine requirement from an article but the others I followed the daily recommended dosages for.

Answer:
I actually had questions very similar to sosadsoworried, so your reply was very helpful, Caliope. Valtrex is way expensive even with insurance, and my boyfriend doesn't have insurance so we were looking for something like Lysine that would be cheaper and do the same to suppress the virus.

I do have one additional question. Can you take the recommended dose all at once or do you have to space it out during the day. Because I found a supplement that was 1000mg, so I figured we could each take one and a half tablets a day (if they were the splittable kind) and be set. But would we have to take it morning and evening, or would just once a day be sufficient?

Answer:
I don't recommend taking L-Lysine at night. It can disrupt sleeping patterns.

Look for L-Lysine from natural sources. I prefer the capsules myself and I take mine first thing in the morning and the entire dosage at one time. If I find that I am having symptoms, such as tingling, I'll take an extra dosage at lunch time but not later than that.

I have found that food really can trigger outbreaks. I have to be very strict about avoiding corn and nuts or within 72 hours of eating them the tingling becomes constant and I know I'll be in trouble.

I think that vitamin c with bioflavanoids can really help with hsv as well. it helps our bodies to produce interferon and interferon fights viruses at the cellular level.

Answer:
I'm sorry that chocolate was a trigger for you. That is hard. Thank you for your reply, it's very helpful. As for the chocolate, I don't know if it was a trigger or not, but I'm avoiding it because there is no way in HELL I'm giving up coffee and something has to go, I'm sure, it's the price we pay. ;)