I'm trying and failing at dealing with genital herpes. Help.
Posted , 6 users are following.
So about 7 months ago I was diagnosed with herpes. I got it from sharing a damp towel with my mother who I recently learned had it. For the longest time I was scared and had no clue where I had gotten it from. I was hardly sexually active and only had safe sex. So I was very freaked out when I found out I had it. Since then I have been working on managing my outbreaks and coming to terms with it emotionally. I unfortunately have out breaks very frequently and take Valtrex daily. This however, hasn't been working very well. I still have outbreaks every couple weeks. It's so discouraging and has been taking a very huge toll on my emotional health and self worth. I know all the statistics and that it's really very common to have herpes nowadays, but its so discouraging.
2 likes, 7 replies
FelizCastus emily_34271
Posted
Fyi, you can get genital herpes even with condoms. HSV2 infection via inanimate objects like towels is very uncommon. The towel would have had to have been in direct contact with lesions and used immediately afterwards by you, whilst still damp, on your genitals. Seems most unlikely. Oral HSV1 can pass more via inanimate objects like cups, but if you are having such frequent outbreaks, that doesn't sound like what you have (more like HSV2). Your mother may not be the source. You should both get tested and typed to know which HSV type you each have, if you don't know already.
emily_34271 FelizCastus
Posted
I know that it's HSV2 already, and that I got it from my mother (who also have HSV2). It was unlikely to happen, but that's what happened. All of my sexual partners were blood tested for both HVS1 and 2. All of whom came back negative.
rocky31676 emily_34271
Posted
Herpes virus do not get transmitted from other objects. It needs a live mucous membrane to survive, such as in mouth or genitalia.
ND28498 emily_34271
Posted
The more you stress, you'll continuously have an reoccurring outbreak. Stressing triggers it, don't let work you, you have to work your body and defeat it, take your meds when having outbreak, eat fruits, vegetables, drink water, exercise, soak in tub and make sure your ulcers are dry! I never heard of getting hsv-2 through a towel, very uncommon.
hayley39028 emily_34271
Posted
hayley39028 emily_34271
Posted
I know how you feel about feeling discouraged, and how challenging it is to imagine living your life with this illness. But try to remain positive by focusing on something that you're passionate about, and manage the negative self-talk, about this affecting your self worth. You will overcome this hurdle, and move on to be the person you were always meant to be.
emily_34271 hayley39028
Posted
Thank you so much, I really really appricate your kind words and advice. I'll go look on amazon now for those supliments! I'm hoping for the best and trying hard to stay positive.