What was your herpes timeline?

Mine started with itchiness, then soreness, then it felt raw, then got very swollen unable to pass urine what so ever because of the pain, then I noticed a blister so I got them checked out, doctor saw loads more but struggles as I was so swollen, then my bladder was 800ml full. Got a catheter fitted and I'm so far but getting itchy again

My timeline has been super long and confusing.

4 weeks ago I started getting cold and flu symptoms which is fairly normal around this time of year for Australia.

Every week it was like something new would happen. I was itchy for a few days and then it went away. I would have a cut somewhere but putting cream on it would make it go away. I went to the doctors and got swabbed but it came back negative. A few days after the swab results I started getting these little bumps and finally the infection presented itself.

Unfortunately I probably could have stopped it in its tracks if I knew about the additional symptoms weeks ago.

It's been 8 days since the initial outbreak and I hope its about to end. This is awful

Monday I noticed some SEVERE sensitivity. It was towards the end of my menstral and I had worn pads instead of my regular tampons so I figured it was an allergic reaction. I had also had rougher sex than usual so I thought maybe friction that was amplified by the pad irritation. Well I get home from work and have my boyfriend look and there’s 2-3 sores and one was already in ulcer stage. The others were small blisters. 

Tuesday I cried all day bc the reality was setting in of what it could be. Also it was EXTREMEMLY painful to pee. It made UTIs look like cake walks. I took pictures with my phone and noticed new sores towards the front of my clit and near my anus.  I went and got tested and I have BOTH a UTI and GH. She gave me valtrex 3x daily and an antibiotic for the uti and norco for the pain (which is a joke). More sores had opened.  I peed twice that day. 

Wednesday I was too nauseated to go to work. I did notice more sores on my labia. I peed once that day. I took 3 baths and 2 showers to help with the irritation and pain. That night I broke down and bought some AZO pills for the UTI and Vaseline for the sores. 

Thursday (today) morning was the test to see if that helped with the painful urination. It did not. However, it does help with the friction. More sores have opened or are leaking. I have not examined or counted to see exactly how many sores there are. I know where the major causes of irritation are located, but that’s about it. The only thing getting me through is that I’m halfway through my first week and that this OB will be the worst of them all so if I can get through this one, I can get through the rest. 

I am also dealing with my first outbreak. This has been my time line thus far

Day 0 thursday super rough sex with partner

Day 1 friday pain when i urinate. I thought it was just a tear from him... so I shrugged it off

Day 2 sat. I started having discharge and more pain when i peed but I now think I must have a yeast infection or UTI but there was no itching so instead of calling to request a diflucan pill I made an appointment with the urgent care clinic for the next day.

Day 3 sun. I woke up in a the same pain and went to the clinic they did a pap and Jesus Christ!!!!!! I have never had a pap so bad I wanted to cry. The pain was horrible. He said he couldn't tell if I had a yeast infection or if it was BV because of my symptoms so he calls me in diflucan. I pick it up and go home. Ice seemed to make the pain worse for me. The pain is just getting worse

Day 4 mon. I can no longer take the pain. I start taking 800 mg of ibuprofen like they are candy to no avail. I start googling symptoms and I find herpes relief forums and my thoughts were "they need pain relief in the same areas so let's try what they try". I did and thank God I could finally pee without crying. That didn't last long.

Day 5 Tuesday I make an emergency appointment with the clinic because there is an open sore the size of my fingertip and the way I was leaning to urinate wasn't helping anymore. I also felt a few bumps in a small cluster.

So I get to the Dr they tell me it looks like herpes lesions and prescribe me valtax 1g once a day for 10 days and gabapentin 3 times a day for the first 3 days once daily after that.

At this point I have started using a water bottle to pour water down there as I pee to help dilute and wash away the urine. That night I also had to go to a viewing so I wore a dress and the air was amazing so I figured I'd sleep with no panties. I was right it's amazing.

Day 6 Wed.

I am still in horrible pain the gabapentin doesn't seem to be helping and obviously the valtax isn't gonna work that fast. I hear that the dryer you are down there the faster you heal and boy was that forum right. So I start using the cool setting on my blow dryer to make sure I am completely dry. I am having pain in my groin area and a small fever as well. All par for the course I'm afraid. And I am EXHAUSTED like I get tired walking from the bed to the couch. I have no appetite and honestly no want to even move. My legs feel like I pulled muscles in both of them

Day 7 Thur

Pain is horrible but not so bad I can't handle it with my water and blow drying thing. And the gabapentin seems to be doing it's thing now. Finally. Thank heavens for that.

I have the energy to cook dinner and start some laundry. Still have the leg and groin pain so rest is my best friend. I have found that baths just take to long so I use my removable shower head on the lowest pressure when I need a bit of relief but holy god the pain starts easing off the itching starts. The Dr also called in a prescription for a lidocaine cream so I use that and the itching is worse than the pain but I still feel asleep after fighting the urge to scratch.

Day 8 today Friday.

Hop out of bed to realize I have started my period so I jump in the shower to wash and rinse the blood away. I quickly place my nuvaring back in. (I took it out on Monday cause I thought I was having an allergic reaction or something I didn't know what it was.) My periods are planned and it's not time yet and also i refuse to have to deal with that much pain when i realize I feel absolutely amazing today. The meds are working. It still hurts to pee but not so bad I need pain meds and the sores are healing as well as the cluster or bumps that were on my bum yesterday is gone so I know I'm getting better. The period is still there a bit it take a min for it to go away so i have to wear panties with a pad but the current pain and relief system is as follows

Naked from the waist down.

Shower running lukewarm water

Spray directly into open legs and pee still burns but not 1/3 as bad is it does without.

Rinse well

Get out and pat dry with a towel

Open up the way i did with the water spray and blow dry on the cool setting till I'm dry.

I still have the soreness in my groin but it's easing off too. Still not appetite though I have lost 9lbs.

But the fever is gone and it's not like I'm not eating. I just have to force it and it's not enjoyable at all.

Oh i have also found that the more water you drink the less it burns when you pee just gonna throw that one in there. Now it's time for bed so I hope that this better feeling keeps going in that direction. I'm going to start immune boosting stuff when I get paid. They say the better your immune system is the faster you will heal. Let's hope. If this is your first outbreak know that you are not alone. And that i personally know how devastatingly depressed you must feel right now I have been crying off and on because sometimes it just hits me. This is a life changing virus. But it's not life destroying. You just have to be more careful and safe when it comes to sex. And you will have to get over the stigmas attached to herpes. You have to talk to your partners meaning you'll be more open about sex in general. But in the end this is just something that life threw at you and just like all of life trials you have to deal with it. And remember this isn't going to kill you. You might feel like it at first cause the pain is ungodly horrible but it's not gonna kill you.

You got this. You are stronger than this virus. And don't let your mind go to the dark places. I know I did and I had to have my husband snap me out of it. I'm sorry this has happened to you but welcome to the pool of 1 in 6 women and1 in 10 men that are living with HVS1 or HVS2. YOU ARE NOT ALONE

I've been taking it for 3 days now n it only feels like it's getting worse but this kinda made me feel a little better

When having a outbreak I take 2 tablets a day for a week and back to one it actually works pretty fast . 

My only problem is getting lazy taking the meds everyday ,

Sunday Morning - Day 1: had sex again with the same guy but he didn’t use a condom

Sunday Night - Day 1: My groins felt like both of the muscles had been pulled. Around 7:30 pm, UTI symptoms came out of nowhere- feeling like I had to pee but nothing came out

Monday Morning - Day 2: Went to Urgent Care to treat my UTI.

Monday Night - Day 2: Started to get a sore throat

I haven’t been confirmed by the doctor because it has been so recent but herpes is what I’m suspecting. I just have this feeling that it’s herpes. I’m so upset with myself and scared for the road to come. It’s currently 5 AM because I haven’t been able to sleep all night.