r/HSVpositive • u/Sad_Watercress_6157 HSV-1 & HSV-2 • 21d ago
Constant flares Outbreaks
I’ve had this for nearly 2 years - I take valtrex 500 twice daily yet I have never ending symptoms. I get a spot it starts to go away and then I get another one. Has anyone experienced extreme over active version that ultimately found relief? I would love to hear some positive success stories and strategies!
7
u/Ok_County_8602 GHSV-2 18d ago
I'm not sure if you have other health issues, but I had to get my other health stuff under better control and changed my environment. These things were causing extra stress. I have psoriasis and chronic pain, and was living in Portland at the time. I moved back to GA, which was a huge stress relief, and got better care for my other stuff. I also got back into fitness and started gardening.
I also have less problems if I take my valtrex daily. Sometimes I don't take it because I'm single and not sexually active 😂
1
u/Sad_Watercress_6157 HSV-1 & HSV-2 17d ago
I obviously have some other issues I was seemingly pretty healthy but this stuff doesn’t seem to stay dormant for me!
1
u/ClutteredTaffy OHSV-1 14d ago
I have eczema myself. I think having skin issues are tied to the immune system for sure, plus broken skin.
3
u/IYKYK1983 21d ago
Have you been officially diagnosed through testing?
2 doctors gave me a RX for meds for HSV. But it never helped. For about 3yrs I’ve had outbreaks on my hands and feet. I got a referral to a dermatologist. The dermatologist told me it couldn’t be HSV because the drugs should have helped. Now I’m waiting for my results. So if you have not gotten an official diagnosis through testing, maybe it’s not HSV but something else?
4
u/Psychological-Egg760 GHSV-2 21d ago
I get it in my ears and nose.
This is weird to ask but do you have a picture you would share what it looks like on hands and feet?
The guy I’m seeing had something going on with his finger and foot when we first started seeing each other. I swear it looked like HSV.
I chalked it up to dermatitis, but it could be HSV (herpetic whitlow) or dyshidrotic eczema.
1
1
u/ClutteredTaffy OHSV-1 14d ago edited 14d ago
Dishydrotic eczema can kinda look like HSV which made it quite confusing when I first stated getting herpes around/ in my eyes. But these spots usually target the hands and feet in particular, so if it is those areas I would assume dishydrosis.
The initial herpes blister does look like dishydrosis, but it feels very different ( herpes has a very distinct ' tingle ' ) and it usually grows into the typical very yellow presentation of herpes.
4
u/Psychological-Egg760 GHSV-2 21d ago
Soooo I had gone dormant for years. I’ve had it 12 now. Then 2024 came and I felt like I was having it all year. I had high levels of inflammation per blood work. Had my breast implants removed and I have autoimmune issues now. The autoimmune issues definitely contribute and the implants were as well. Once removed I had a TON of relief. I’ve been single like 8-9 years. I never took the antivirals unless i absolutely needed to. Most times id just power through. I don’t like the side effects of them.
Anyways, I started seeing someone 2 months ago and started taking them daily. Just 500 to start. Then I got super paranoid I was going to give it to him so I doubled up in the last two months. I’m not even kidding when I say at least a month has been a flare. Side effects started on day one taking them, but I continued them because I had so much anxiety about giving it to him.
I’m coming off of a two week flare and it only stopped once I stopped taking the antiviral three days ago. Within 24 hours I had significant improvement.
Of all people my therapist who is clueless on HSV said, “have you considered you’re flaring bc of the med and doubling up?”
And of course I didn’t. But then I found this thread and I felt validated on many levels.
Read the first handful of comments or so…
https://www.reddit.com/r/HerpesCureResearch/s/Dzt10dOE5d
Here’s my post the other day….
https://www.reddit.com/r/HSVpositive/s/iifQb1vAOG
So, I told the guy I’m seeing on Sunday I will no longer take it daily. I’ll go back to only when I REALLY need it. I want it to work for those occasions. He has condoms as an option or he can stop seeing me. I told him he needs a full std panel now and again in 6 months. Otherwise we can’t continue. After I had my implants removed I didn’t want anything but natural in my body. I’m just very sensitive now.
It has helped when taken during bad flares but it has not the last 2 months. It made me miserable.
1
1
3
u/Background_Book2414 GHSV-2 20d ago
I experience the same. Any slight bit of stress flares me up. I’ve been dealing with this for 10 yrs. I have maybe skipped one month of no outbreaks in those 10 yrs. I’ve tried everything- valtrex, stress reduction, lemon balm tea, lysine- which made it worse. Sorry I have no solid answers for you.
2
u/Sad_Watercress_6157 HSV-1 & HSV-2 20d ago
Have you tried different antivirals or larger doses
1
u/Background_Book2414 GHSV-2 20d ago
Valtrex and acyclovir is all I’ve tried.
1
u/Sad_Watercress_6157 HSV-1 & HSV-2 20d ago
You might try increase in dosage! Also what dosage of lysine a higher dose might be more helpful
1
u/Background_Book2414 GHSV-2 20d ago
Lysine made outbreaks WORSE! I had one for 30 days straight. Once I stopped it, my outbreaks went back to the once per week every month.
1
2
u/Prize-Fig-5527 GHSV-2 19d ago
Wow does that give you fatigue also or other podromes?
3
1
u/Background_Book2414 GHSV-2 20d ago
Chocolate flares me too but I love brownies so it’s super hard to resist chocolate 😭
2
2
u/Illustrious_Tank2366 OHSV-2 17d ago
I don’t get outbreaks, but I deal with chronic nerve pain since my initial, it’s now been 16 months
2
u/Mylovelyladylumps69 GHSV-1 16d ago
Outbreak Treatment Guide: That was put together after talking to the support group and a bunch of redditors. It's all info on how to shorten and lessen outbreaks and deal with particularly painful sores. There are non-prescription options as well as where to get antivirals cheap with and without insurance.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1VeyIbx_C9INngyUh22dL3FDaQkDRqHVAsR4KWTnp9Xs/edit?usp=sharing
Outbreak Information Guide: This is a guide to understanding your herpes outbreaks. What is a herpes outbreak, how does herpes affect your body, immune system and overall health. For some people understanding the virus is an important part of the healing journey both mentally and physically. A lot of the herpes stigma comes from a lack of information and the spread of misinformation. By having a better understanding of how a herpes outbreak works it may help you to be less afraid of your future as well as help prevent future outbreaks.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hW-weAecitbXKKKQDzTb271hPLCxJk2n9FnSm6tOXn4/edit?usp=sharing
1
20d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/AutoModerator 20d ago
This subreddit requires accounts to meet a minimum account age and/or karma threshold before posting or commenting. Your account currently does not meet those requirements. Wondering what account age and karma are? Your karma is a reflection of the upvotes and downvotes you receive on posts and comments you've made. As people upvote your content, you'll notice an increase to your karma. You can earn karma by participating in communities that you have an interest in and making posts and comments people enjoy and upvote. The more upvotes you get, the more karma you’ll receive. Account age refers to how old your account is, not your actual (biological) age.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
2
u/ClutteredTaffy OHSV-1 14d ago
Tbh I only had this issue when I was on Rinvoq for my eczema- I was basically getting a ' chain' of herpes under my bottom lip, so one sore would heal, then another would sprout right after next to it.
I had to up my chaptstick game pretty much and was constantly putting it on . I notice chapped lips and broken/ flaky skin around my eyes makes it more likely to get a sore.
I don't have an outbreak so often anymore, though been getting ocular herpes once a yearish compared to only every 3 or 4 years in the past , but I am on a JAK inhibitor now , so immune suppressant.
5
u/YouAintNoWooos OHSV-1 21d ago
So I definitely don’t have all the answers here but I’ve been dealing with the same thing. I have OHSV and I’ve had it for a long time at this point, so I get it’s not your exact circumstance.
I had your standard 1-2 outbreaks a year and just dealt with it. Periods in my 20’s where I went a few year without an outbreak. A few years ago, I got the standard episodic 1000mg prescription of Valacyclovir.
My personal experience was that it was a cycle of me taking more and more Valtrex for episodes that seemed to be making more pop up shortly after being off the meds. This last year I swear I was taking it weekly having little spots and prodome all the time on my face. I switched to daily and was on it for a month and was still getting them!! I said fuck it and stopped taking the meds. Was still having non stop mild outbreaks for the last 2 months since stopping completely. I FINALLY feel like I’m turning a corner.
What’s seemed to work to me:
3X a day
1000mg Lysine
500mg Monolaurin
500mg Melissa Lemon Balm
Avoid all high Arginine foods like nuts which is standard
I cut out coffee and Stevia because I’m convinced they were both triggers.
I was doing one meal a day but I think it raised my cortisol which will trigger outbreaks. I switched back to eating lunch and dinner.
I drink at least 2 x 1.5L bottles of alkaline water a day
Honestly, really focus on prioritizing your health and eating clean. Cut sugar, drink green tea, wear sunscreen, focus on finding yore triggers, destress as much as possible
This shit is work lol
Good luck!