Newly diagnosed totally confused

I have HSV 2 what happened was I have sjogrens which I take a low dose of plaquenil . I had what we thought was an allergic reaction on my forehead and eye so they put me prednisone for 5 days , I had never taken prednisone . Then after 3 days I got along with the rash pustules went back to dr and it was shingles . When I finished the prednisone is when I got the first outbreak . A month later now I have an outbreak again . I left a message to see if I can try one of the other medications . The only thing I have is the acyclovir ointment which I didn't use the first time because it really burned a lot . Is the ointment worth trying again ?

Wow, it sounds like the prednisone really messed things up. I know it can trigger genital herpes outbreaks, but it is ironically used to treat shingles, albeit in conjunction with an anti-HSV med like (val)acyclovir. That's good you are off it now, but unfortunate how you still got a second outbreak. Personally, I like acyclovir cream, find that it helps hasten healing, and don't have any stinging issues. Not sure if the cream is better than the ointment in the latter regard, but the cream is preferred for subsequent outbreaks, so perhaps you can try that. For pain relief only, it's the usual, so ibuprofen, paracetamol or topical lidocaine. These should all be OTC items. You can also try occasional soaks in an Epsom salt sitz baths, which offers relief and helps to dry and thus heal lesions. Let's see how it also goes with the other anti-HSV meds.

Thank you so much for all the info.This has helped me alot .  I did have one question that concerns me about spreading the virus.  At night i try to let it air out but only one of the blisters has popped and if i lay on my side and the area touches any where else on my body will it spread there ? Thank you .

No, it should not, as you are already infected, so should be immune from getting it elsewhere, especially under regular circumstances. Besides which regular skin is a thicker barrier than mucosal skin (mouth, vagina), so without cuts and lots of hard rubbing, nothing should get in that easily. Usually when people with herpes get an outbreak elsewhere it's because the virus has simply selected a different nerve pathway to exit, not because the infection was spread by contamination.

Having said that, self-infection (autoinoculation) is possible, but it's not common and only tends to happen in those with brand new infections who are still developing antibodies, so nothing you need to worry about. Of course, I would still never touch a lesion then rub my eyes immediately afterwards, as there's no need to tempt fate, lol. Plus that's rather gross! But regarding your scenario, I would not worry, no.

Thank you so much . I just wanted to be sure because my initial outbreak was in April of this year and now this is the secound one so I didn't know if since I have an autoimmune disease Sjogrens if that would make a difference in my body to acquire antibodies if it would take longer .

Your first outbreak may have been in April, but without any new sexual encounter to acquire a new infection around that time, it is presumably an old infection that was triggered by the prednisone, in such case you should have antibodies by now. You can check your antibody status by doing an HSV2 IgG antibody (not IgM) test. Did they run that test on you? Also, did your partner get tested for HSV2 IgG antibodies?

 So in other words i could have been infected at some point and not have any outbreaks until they gave me the prednisone . What will this blood test show ?  I went to the gyn dr and they did not do any blood work . I am going to make an appt with my primary to get this done and my partner has not been tested .

Doing the HSV2 IgG test will let you know your HSV2 antibody status. If an old infection and if your immune system mounted a decent defence despite your autoimmune condition, you ought to test positive. If somehow a new infection, it may or may not test positive now, but should do by 3+ months after your first outbreak.

Thank you so much for all your help . Please forgive me for all theses questions I am just so overwhelmed about all this . I will let you know what happens .

i was on prednisone for poison ivy and it triggered my first out break as well i have no idea when i actually aquired the virus but i had terrible itching and pain which i thought may have been due to poison ivy but it turned out to be herpes. epsom salt baths are amazing even if it seems like the outbreak is sensitive trust me it helps me so much

You made me feel alittle better knowing that I am not alone in this . Even though I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy . Concerning the epsom baths I don't have a bath tub so what would be the best way to do this . Or could I make a salt water solution and dab some on there and let it dry . Also have you ever used the acyclovir ointment . Am afraid that if I put some on the area and then my panties will it spread it . Thank you for taking the time to answer my concerns .

I am doing much better the blisters have popped . Still some pain , I don't have access to a bath tub for the epsom salt baths can I make a salt water solution with table salt and dab some on there to help . Any other suggestions or what would be the ratio of salt to water ? Thanks

Do you not have a small plastic basin you can sit in? That's all you need! Salt water is antiseptic, so there's that, but Epsom salts help with relief and drying. Only dabbing salt water probably won't do much.

HI FelizCastus, just got my results for the HSV 2 IgG it was 18.50 and the HSV 1 IgG was < 90 . What does this mean ? My first ever outbreak was in April 2017 . Thanks

 

Unfortunately, this just confirms that you definitely have HSV2, without question, and that you have had it for over three months. Were you tested for IgG at the time of your first outbreak as well?

Hi FelizCastus, unfortunately I wasn't tested at the time of first outbreak. I did have another question, resently   i started with a sore and burning tongue along the ridges and the tip of the tongue.  It feels like canker sores along the ridges. No other sores or anything else . I went to gp today and she said that i had like canker sores probably herpes on the ridges of my tongue. Can this be possible if my HSV 1 is less than 90 and ever since my first outbreak of HSV 2  i have not had any relations with anybody . Thanks .