Glad to have found this group, lots of questions

I was very recently diagnosed with HSV1 that I got from an unfaithful longterm partner. I took the news really hard after my diagnosis but was starting to feel better since my primary outbreak on my chin started clearing up/scabs started falling off but now I have another cold sore forming on my lips. I am kinda freaking out again because I have a lot of athletic interests that I pursue and feeling rundown like I have been the past few weeks has not been good for me in that aspect or mentally. I have been taking Valtrex for the last 5 days. How do you know if you should go on suppressive therapy? I have been a little OCD about treating this since I don't want to spread it to anywhere else on my body, changing my pillow case daily, only applying ointment with a q-tip, tons of hand washing. Anything else I should be doing? Are there any supplements that can help keep outbreaks under control? I've been taking lysine and monolaurin.

My biggest question, because I have done a lot of internet "research" regarding most of my other questions: what do you tell friends and family when you have a giant outbreak on your face? I have a job where I have to talk to tons of people face to face all day and the giant bandaid on my face was not much better than the actual sores. I have not disclosed my partner's infidelity because we are trying to work it out and I don't want to turn friends or family against her. Her outbreak was on her genitals so it feels very unfair that everyone can see mine and not hers. I also want to avoid spreading it to her face. Obviously not kissing when blisters and sores are present, but what else can I do to prevent that?

Thanks for all future advice and responses! I am very happy to have this group to ask all these questions to and to see how other people are living their lives with this diagnosis.

Welcome, @fitnessfanatic! As for what to say regarding the cold sores if someone asked, I would probably just say something nonchalant like, "Oh, it's just a cold sore." If a good friend pressed further because they're not used to seeing you have them, I' might say, "turns out if you carry the virus, they can pop up at any time, even if you've never had one before."

For what it's worth, I personally don't think anything of seeing someone's cold sore. (I have HSV1 and HSV2, but I've never experienced a cold sore--only about a third of those who have oral HSV1 actually get cold sores.) At worst, it's like a pimple....you just kind of hope that person doesn't have a hot date that night. Please know that I'm not trying to minimize them at all. I'm just offering my perspective to show you that most people don't think they're a big deal.

It sounds like you're doing everything you can to avoid transmission. I'm pretty sure your pillow cases, etc are okay. The virus doesn't live but more than a few seconds (I think I heard 10 seconds once?) outside of the body on clothing, etc.

Thanks, I just am not really sure what to expect for outbreaks since this is my first one and it was a doozy. My partner told me last night that she had never seen a cold sore as bad as the one that I had but she just didn't want to say anything until it was almost gone so I didn't freak out. It started out as just a tiny dot but within 2 day was almost the size of a quarter and I never touched it except to apply ointment with a q-tip. I am hoping that that will be the worst one I ever get.