Question:
Hi, my name's ken and i'm 17.
I just don't understand...
I mean...i'm a virgin in every sense of the term...and I have this..."virus"
I feel as if, it's like this punishment...I mean, I'm a very, very, VERY positive, social, outgoing and lovable person...and then I have an outbreak...and i'm the most negative, non-social, literally a festering cold sore is the visual replicat of my personality when I have one.
But the thing is...I can't get just one...I have to get them all over my lip...like today.
I woke up...felt fine, looked fine...I head downstairs, I stretch...
and then I feel that god-awful, stomach sinking tingle...I instinctively touch my lip...and alas...there I feel it...
I go to school today, normally laughing, having fun...enjoying life. But i'm keeping to myself...and i'm very self-conscious, it seems like everyone is looking and laughing..."Oh he has herpes...he must sleep around a lot."
i've had comments in the past that...I choose to forget...
It's been 2 YEARS since my last outbreak, and now...of course...this week I get one...I have a drama performance, I have to lead a tour group around my school, and I have an oral report to give ( lol)
I just want to go upstairs to my room, curl up in a blanket and just hibernate and become a hermit in a dark room untill this goes away...I hate it...i've had it all my life, and now i'm sick of it...my first outbreak I remember was at the age of 6...and I was picked on and humiliated...I was picked on throughout my life for various reasons...and that made me self-conscious...and now when I get these it's just become more torture...and my self-esteem is shot...
No one else in my family has this...they've never had outbreaks...and it hurts because even my own mother looks at me like i'm some sort of incubus of viral plague...which is probably what I am.
I won't go to school tomorrow, idk what i'll do.
It really is my curse.
But why though?:confused:

Answer:
DO not think of yourself as being cursed. We all have it and we dont think that way.

"The Lord is Our Shepherd"

You're weakening your mental state when you think like that. You're weakening your spirit. You body needs your mind and spirit to work together to heal itself.

Yes..it is not a good thing to have, it puts a tremendous strain on your life. What I have read is that stress is a possible inducer of the OB. I dont know if you have any medication to take...continue to take them if you do. You might want to examine your diet. There are foods that can bring on the OBs and some that help restrict it. Try to remember what you might have eaten. This Website has a section on Diet and nutrition

Hope that you have read it already.

Other than that all I can say is hang in there. Get some multi vit and just try to keep a good diet and keep healthy.

I believe there will be a cure and we wont have to go all our lives like this. I so strongly believe that, that it leave no room in my head to even consider believing anything else. So try to keep strong. We all here together to help each other.

Not to belittle your feelings of distress right now but the one thing you have over a lot of us is that your situation is already known. In a way you dont have the added pressure of trying to keep it from infecting and a secret from everyone...including the people you love and who love you.

having and keeping secrets is one of the worse things people can do. You feel it festuring, boiling inside of you. Its a lie in a sense.

Answer:
Hey Ken,

I'm sorry to hear.. why don't you try asking your mom for help? (aka, take you to the store to get stuff to make it heal faster). Don't worry, it will go away soon :) Also, read up a little, so once you start having sex, you know what to do so you won't give it to your partner.

Take care bud.

Answer:
Hey kiddo,
I agree with what the others have posted. And yes, stress will not help out your situation. I too, was plagued with "cold sores" since I was about 7 or 8 years old. Who knows who gave it to me, but understand that the majority of the population here in the U.S alone have herpes simplex 1, SOOOO you are not alone.

As time marches on, these outbreaks will lessen. I rarely get coldsore and if I feel the beginning of one, I have my own little regiment to keep them at bay.

Make sure you DO get lots of good vitamins. Vitamin C is amazing and will keep the ole immune system boosted up and help fight this virus. Another vitamin I take is B-complex. B complex is good for your central nervous system (where the virus like to hide and hang out!) and is just darn good for you in general.

I also take lysine, but please talk to your mom and a doctor before you do so and you are young so be careful and do not over do it. These are just a few proactive things to keep your cold sore break outs to a bare minnimum.

Once you DO get a cold sore, try cleaning it with good ole hydrogen peroxide. if you have to , lance the blister carefully when it appears, maybe with a qtip, get a cotton ball saturated with hydrogen peroxide and clean the spot carefully. Throw that cottonball away and use another on any other spots you might have. Also be sure to keep the rest of your face nice and clean. After touching the sore, be sure to wash your hands very thoroughly, so to not spread the virus elsewhere (particularily to your eyes.)

What I find is that hydrogen peroxide dries out the sore alot quicker. Cleans it good and dries it up. Once the sore is in the "dry" phase...I like to use something like caramex to keep my lips from getting chapped and the sore from getting all gnarly looking.

Some people use products like Abreva and it works well for them. Perhaps have mum take you to the drug store, get this product and see if it works for you. Apparently if you use it right away, like at the first sign of a tingle or sore, it makes the sore go away quicker.

Try a few different things, take the vitamins, and see what works best for you. Keep on doing good in school, and hone in on your thespian skills! Try not to stress too much (yeah, I know right! High School = STRESS! ) and you will be fine.

Take care!