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Suppressive Therapy & Subsequent OBs

Posted , 7 users are following.

m28548
m28548

I began taking acyclovir as daily suppressive therapy immediately after my diagnosis of HSV2.  My doctor did say, and I've also read that, the initial outbreak is generally the worst, and they get better--less frequest and less severe--over time.  With taking suppressive therapy, I haven't had any symptoms since my initial OB healed.  My initial OB was more flu-like symptoms with shooting pains down my legs, sensitive skin, swollen lympth nodes, and internal lesions since I thought I originally had a UTI.

I'm wondering though... since I'm on suppressive meds, if I ever get off of them, does the virus try to make up for lost time?  Is it possible that I get off of them and have a bunch of OB's, or does it not really work that way?  Would I just get them as often as I have been....infrequently.. (which thankfully so far is never).... ?

0 likes, 29 replies

29 Replies

  • FelizCastus
    FelizCastus m28548

    Posted

    Coming off the meds after a while of taking them daily can bring on an outbreak. You would then experience your natural frequency of recurrences. No "making up for lost time". However, what your natural frequency is remains unknown, since you have never been off the meds. How it's been like while on the meds is not natural, so can't serve as a guide.
    • m28548
      m28548 FelizCastus

      Posted

      As always, thanks for your thoughts.  If and when I do come off of the medication, I don't look forward to having an episode, but good to know that my body wouldnt react like, hey! you've been suppressing all of these episodes, now you get them all at once! lol
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus m28548

      Posted

      Lol, no, you wouldn't get all the ones you averted at once or in series, but do be prepared for an outbreak soon after stopping.
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus m28548

      Posted

      Not everyone gets an outbreak after stopping, but a number do, so just be on the look out. If you're lucky, you may get nothing until your first natural recurrence!
  • Kate1552
    Kate1552 m28548

    Posted

    I would think once you got off the meds you might get a flare up. Maybe not too severe though. I was just diagnosed two days ago. I'm currently on Valtrex but my outbreak is very mild. It looks nothing like all the pictures I've seen on Google. But since you do take a daily suppressive therapy, I have a question for you. My doctor only prescribed a 10 day course of Valtrex. I called her nurse back today to ask to be on a suppressive therapy because I read it would reduce the risk of transmission but she said this was false and that it wouldn't matter and they would only give me a suppressive therapy if I broke out more than 6 times in a year. I don't want to go through this 6 times just to get on a daily regime. Any thoughts?
    • m28548
      m28548 Kate1552

      Posted

      I completely disagree with your doctor, and that is not what my doctor said.  My doctor suggested that I take them now since I am dating a bit--not sleeping with anyone -- but spending time, and of course if I plan to take it to the next level, it's better to be on suppressive meds so as not to pass it to an uninfected partner.  I was prescribed Valtrex for 10 days to help with my initial OB as well.  For suppressive therapy, there are a couple of options.  You can take Valtrex (valacyclovir) 500 mg/day which is just one pill, or you can take acyclovir, which comes in 200mg tablets.  I take two pills in the morning and two at night.  I opted for the acyclovir simply due to cost.  It is much more affordable.  

      If you are seeing anyone now, or plan to in the near future, I suggest you take the medication.  I think another reason I started taking it so early on after my 10 days on valtrex was over was simply because I was terrified of how my body would react to this virus.  As FelisCatus pointed out, I don't know how my body would react without the meds. 

    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus Kate1552

      Posted

      That is false. Suppressive therapy does reduce transmission. However, it is not a bad idea to know what your natural rate of recurrences is, provided you are not sexually active with a negative partner. Recurrences are not usually anywhere near as bad as the first outbreak, and your first sounds pretty mild. You can also take episodic therapy to treat recurrences as they begin versus daily suppressive therapy, but this does not reduce transmission.
    • amber88854
      amber88854 Kate1552

      Posted

      Hey , my doctor did the same thing and i got tired of having outbreaks and being in pain . So i went to planned parenthood and the doctor their proscribed me subressiom theropy and i have been on it since no outbreaks. I would suggest going to plan parenthood
    • Kate1552
      Kate1552 m28548

      Posted

      It's really annoying honestly. I feel like I shouldn't be denied the course of treatment I think would be best for my body. I plan on seeking a second opinion. How did you deal with the emotional distress associated with this? That seems to be my biggest problem. My spot doesn't even hurt. It's just knowing I'm infected with a virus for life and that my dating life will completely have to change now scares me to death. I feel rejected and disgusting already.
    • Kate1552
      Kate1552 amber88854

      Posted

      When I first suspected I had herpes I went to our local health department. I unfortunately live in a small southern town. I walked in and knew every person working there so I made up some excuse about needing a copy of my vaccines for school. So I may have to look into going to one a county or two over, or seeing an OB/GYN.
    • amber88854
      amber88854 Kate1552

      Posted

      After i went to plan parenthood i felt alot better . No body told me about this or anything about this disease i got on her and thought talking to ppl with the same disease would help and it did . I also stopped looking on the internet. I know i have it but i am learning to live with it .
    • m28548
      m28548 Kate1552

      Posted

      I still feel like that sometimes.  I cried a LOT in the first few weeks after finding out.  It really just takes time.  I know that doesn't give you a solid answer, but the shock will pass, and you will begin to feel better.  If you think that suppressive medication is the best route for you, then you definitely need to get  a second opinion and get the prescription.  Even though I am on daily meds, I still get paranoid and check myself out on a normal basis.  I probably worry more than I should, but I don't let it control me.  I've been spending time with someone -- I'm now at the point that I need to decide if I want to tell him about this, or just take our 'relationship' for what it is -- that he's a good cuddle buddy and fun to spend time with, but not take it to the next level.  I'm strugging with that. 
    • Kate1552
      Kate1552 m28548

      Posted

      Have you had to tell a guy in the past? If so how did he react?
    • Kate1552
      Kate1552 amber88854

      Posted

      This place has helped more than anything. I think google just made me feel like I was worthless.
    • amber88854
      amber88854 m28548

      Posted

      It took me a while to tell my bf and i did and he has no syomtoms the chances of a guy getting herps is alot lower then a girl . I think since u are on daily pills just take the relationship as it is and not force anything on it . If u guys have sex suggest a condom or just go for it and trust the pills thats what i did
    • amber88854
      amber88854 Kate1552

      Posted

      Yes this place has helped me alot to . Google just scared me to death and now I don't get on it
    • Kate1552
      Kate1552 amber88854

      Posted

      Is it hard to even enjoy sex anymore? We've already done it so I'm already feeling nervous that he may have it now. I asked him to get tested. But I feel like when the time comes, IF, the time ever comes again, it'll be all on either one of our minds. I've always been so confident and had such high self esteem. Now I just feel shameful.
    • m28548
      m28548 Kate1552

      Posted

      Actually I have.  I'm spending time with two different guys right now -- not sleeping with either one of them.  I haven't had sex in 5 months since finding out about this.  Guy A and I started spending time together last November.  I thought that we were getting along really great so I told him in December.  He actually took it a lot better than I thought he would.  I rambled for a bit, told him how common it was, and blah blah -- he just looked at me, and said "is that it?". I was so relieved.  He said it wouldn't stop him from wanting to date me. I offered to send him articles on it and information.  A while later he asked for it, and I wrote a long email along with a couple of links to articles on the stigma around HSV and some stats.  He got my email but we never talked about it.  He lives a bit far from me -- we still talk all the time, but things have kind of fizzled (not b/c of the HSV, just our personalities).  So i met Guy B in January and we've been hanging out -- I like him a lot. We have a strong sexual tension but I haven't let it go beyond making out.  He's from my hometown and we know a lot of the same people so if he doesn't take it well, I'm scared of what might happen.  I think I'm just waiting, getting to know both of them more as individuals and deciding from there.  I think Guy A has turned into just a really good friend.  Guy B, I'm more into, but I am going to wait a while longer, ask his intensions, and if he isn't looking for something casual I might move forward.  
    • Kate1552
      Kate1552 m28548

      Posted

      My boyfriend and I are very serious. I feel like I know you guys already so I might as well tell you everything haha you've already made me feel a ton better. But anyway, he has two children from a previous marriage. I'm about to start pharmacy school so that in itself is a huge burden, but I willingly accepted his children because I feel very strongly about this man. Last week he got a phone call from the woman he dated before me. She said she was 12 weeks pregnant. He told me as soon as he found out like I did as soon as I found out about my HSV. I cried when he told me. But I told him it didn't change how I felt about him and it's not like he cheated on me. I told him I would stay. I'm hoping that bombshell will make him think differently about my bombshell. I just pray he doesn't change his mind. Rejection would be hard.
    • m28548
      m28548 Kate1552

      Posted

      If he already has two kids, I can't imagine that would make him reject you in any way.  You've already been open about your bombshell -- and staying with someone for the sake of a child is the wrong reason.  I think you will be fine. 
    • Kate1552
      Kate1552 m28548

      Posted

      How do you think it'll be when you sleep with someone for the first time after you've found out about this? I think I'll be so worried and ashamed that I couldn't even manage it.
    • m28548
      m28548 Kate1552

      Posted

      I'm really not sure.  I'm scared to get physical. HA -- if I ever have sex again, I'll let you know smile 
    • lee46461
      lee46461 Kate1552

      Posted

      Mine gave me the initial dose of 10 days too but didn't put me on daily meds yet because she wanted to see how many outbreaks I would hav . Some people rarely get outbreaks and would therefore not necessarily need the daily meds. I was concerned too because I wanted less of a chance of passing it on to someone else with or without outbreaks. I wasn't sexually active so I wasn't as concerned about that yet tho. I did however have 5 outbreaks within a 5 month period so I was then put on the daily meds.
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus lee46461

      Posted

      HSV experts do usually advise seeing what your natural recurrence rate is like first for the initial months to a year, provided transmission is not an issue. I am currently single, so have not taken any meds for several months and have had a handful of recurrences to date, but most except one were quite mild and didn't warrant any meds, not even as episodic treatment. If I were going to have sex again, or should my recurrences worsen, then I'd go on the meds.
    • monique62171
      monique62171 FelizCastus

      Posted

      I have been reading all the information regarding the suppression meds. I went to the clinic almost 2 weeks ago. They did all the test and everything comback negative. Problem is I was only given a visual diagnosis for HSV, when I call they say the results for that test is not back. I am on meds, but is it common that it takes this long for a diagnosis because right now I am in limbo and it sucks? Is a first outbreak always severe because I have had absolutely no pain or discomfort
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus monique62171

      Posted

      Do you mean all of your other tests came back negative, but you are still waiting on the herpes test? What type of test was it, and how long ago? First outbreaks do not have to be severe. In fact, some people don't even realise they've had a first outbreak, thinking it was just yeast or jock itch, etc. Regarding Type 2, a lot depends on whether the person already carries HSV-1, which can cause HSV-2 to be near-asymptomatic in some.
    • monique62171
      monique62171 FelizCastus

      Posted

      So I noticed 2 bumps on a Friday, went to clinic on Monday. During that time no itchong, burning, or discomfort. On Monday a swab was done. They told me to call in a week for results, it was a week this past Monday and still nothing. I know when I first went they said something about the virus needs to grow and that it usually does in a week bit they let it go for 2. I am so confused right now and don't know what's going on. I did start on the meds they gave me and have taken them everyday. Not sure how fast they work but like I said I have never been uncomfortable. I have looked and never saw the scabbing or anything.
    • FelizCastus
      FelizCastus monique62171

      Posted

      Call them again. Sounds like they did a viral culture swab. They should have your results. Lesions on female genitalia don't tend to scab. None of mine ever have.
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