Genital HSV1 Positive, Initial outbreak...
Posted , 3 users are following.
My initial outbreak is over (at least the painful/uncomfortable part). I'm on a 10 day course of Valtrex. My doctor just called and my culture came back positive for HSV1. Based on the coversation I just had with my provider, suppressive therapy isn't necessary unless I start having frequent outbreaks which she doesn't think is likely. With that being said, I have OCD and anxiety and will now be freaking out at every single tingle and tickle I feel. My boyfriend and I have sex regularly (unprotected) and he does not want to start using condoms now. He's unconcerned about the risk of transmission especially since it's likely that he's the one who transmitted it to me. I, however, want to protect him. Is it worth asking about suppressive therapy again for peace of mind? Or is this something I just need to wait out?
0 likes, 6 replies
anon56922 s4261738
Posted
I take suppressive therapy as a precaution for my girlfriend. I was diagnosed just before she and I started dating almost two years ago. If it potentially cuts the likelihood of transmitting it to her in half, then I'll do it...
s4261738 anon56922
Posted
So that's the thing- my boyfriend has oral HSV1 so it more than likely got transmitted from him via oral sex during asymptomatic shedding. So he has the virus already, albeit at a different site. The suppressive therapy really would be more for my peace of mind than anything.
anon56922 s4261738
Posted
Oh, okay. Well if he already has the virus and has had it for some time, then no worries. Like your Doc says, go without the Valtrex and see how you do. It's reported that many of those with HSV-1 have maybe one OB a year. Others may never have another after the initial OB. While I'd like to go without the meds, I don't want to risk passing it to my gf who does not carry the virus. Therefore, I take the suppressive meds to be on the safe side. In the two years since I was first diagnosed, I've only had one potential OB. I say "potential" because it was so minor, I'm not even sure that's what it was...
s4261738 anon56922
Posted
My doctor isn't convinced I'll have many other outbreaks, if any at all, because of how minor my initial one was. We're talking 3-4 blisters max for my initial outbreak. I just know that, because of my anxiety and OCD, I'm going to be VERY on edge and I feel like taking suppressive treatment would help me a significant amount. The doctor who did the testing isn't the doctor I typically see (her office is closed because of COVID) so I may wait until her office opens and then see what she thinks.
ari22456 s4261738
Posted
before you make any decisions i think he should get tested first to see if he is positive for it bc if he is i mean ig it wouldnt matter if you use condoms or not .. but if he is negative and you are that worried about giving it to him maybe you should do the suppresive therapy .. but if i was you i would kind of learn your body a bit to see if you can tell when you are going to have a OB .. but if you dont wamma go through that then yea ig you should do the suppressive therapy . see im going to learn about my body to see if i know when im going to have a OB bc i really dont like meds
s4261738 ari22456
Posted
He has had it since he was a child- got it from an older relative. He just hasn't had an outbreak in at least 2 years. So the issue at hand here really isn't prevention of transmission, it's more or less to help keep my anxiety and OCD in check.