Newly Diagnosed with Questions

Hi everyone,

I recently was with a couple at a swingers party...they said they were clean...I asked to use a condom but the guy wound up taking it off later. Which my friend informed me is actually a form of rape. So I'm kind of a mess about that right now.

6 days later I had two ulcer like sores on the inside of of my inner labia. I probably had them there before then, but it wasn't until I felt some discomfort during a shower and used a magnifying mirror to look that I could actually see them. I went in the next day and got a culture and bloodwork. The bloodwork was negative but the culture was positive for HSV2. I was started on acycolovir and I also started taking Vitamin E, Lysine and Olive leaf extract. I was uncomfortable for a couple of days, especially while peeing, but nothing too horrible. They were completely healed about a week later (they never scabbed over, just sort of slowly closed up).

My question is, are there any cons to taking suppressive therapy? I've heard that outbreaks are the worst for the first year, and since I may still have sex on occassion (hopefully), I want to reduce the chance of spreading it. But if I go on suppressive medicine, will that cause my body to not build up its own immune response to it? Like say I take the suppressive meds for a year, and then go off of them, will my body then have lots of outbreaks similar to a person in the first year of having it?

I was also wondering since my outbreak wasn't too bad (just two ulcers and cleared within a week with meds), does that mean I will have fewer and less intense outbreaks than someone with a worse initial outbreak?

Will I always experience outbreaks in the same area? In my case, the inside of my inner labia? Or will it potentially be on the outside of my vagina at a later date? Does shedding happen more or exclusively in the area where outbreaks have occurred?

I would also like to know these same answers . I too have (almost} same story!

I can't personally speak to the question about antivirals as I acquired HSV 18-25 years before I was ever diagnosed and never dealt with that. However, I re-read the chapter in Terri Warren's book about treatment and antivirals, and she doesn't even mention the debate about whether antivirals interfere with the body building its own defenses. Instead, she just states the antivirals have been shown to be quite safe (no matter how soon you start taking them or how long you stay on them) and says it's just a matter of personal preference whether to go on daily suppressive therapy, episodic therapy, or neither. I'm honestly not sure where that debate originated from. Perhaps others have more information about it.

As for outbreaks, they generally happen in the same place (path of least resistance/habit for the nerves), but they can move around. Mine have usually been in the same spot although I once noticed it moved to the opposite side of my labia and I had a bump instead of just redness. Same goes for shedding. The virus can shed anywhere in the boxer shorts region. That's why condoms aren't 100% effective in preventing transmission. The unpredictability of the virus is one of the things that's most frustrating about it. Focus on what you can control....your healthy habits!

Thank you for your response! I just found this group and have been reading for several days since my diagnosis. I have had so many emotions. I do know that our thoughts play a hug role in how we are going to handle this "bump in the road".

The initial diagnosis can really be a lot to process. I know it was for me! The wisdom and compassion on this board has been a godsend.

I was recently diagnosed after starting a new relationship, we both decided to get tested. We went ahead & had unprotected sex before the tests came back. Mine came back positive, but he hasn't gotten his results back yet. My dr. says because of my numbers on the lab results are high- most likely I had it for sometime, probably got it from my ex, since we were married for almost 30 yrs. It's been a devastating blow- he stopped talking to me since & if his test comes back positive, he will hate me forever.....I have no one to confide in, this is the only place I can talk about my feelings, have been very depressed, everyday I wake up, first thing that comes to mind is H positive