Name: Sunshine
Age: 17 (going on 18 on May 26)
Sex: Female
Type: Genital HSV 1
Yr Infected: 02/15/00
Number of OB/year: Just the first & I wish the last

Prodomes: I had aching legs, headache, nausea, tingling, itching.

Method of Control: I took 4000 mg of L-Lysine during each day of my OB. Now I take 500 mg a day for prevention. During the start of my next OB I will take Valtrex. I am trying not to stress (pretty hard), eating healthy, and I am going to start taking Vitamin C & pechnoginal (sp) supplements to keep my immune system up.

Medical Experiences: I suspected I had it. I went to a clinic that I normally go to for pap smears, pill pickups, etc. I told her my story, she examined me, took cultures, and blood samples, and told me I was probably right. I also had a UTI and a yeast infection. That pap smear brought me to tears, it was so painful. She got the results back & that confirmed it. In a week I am going to my normal doctor to talk to her about depression & Valtrex.

My Story: I was back with my boyfriend who I had lost my virginity to. We had broke up for some time & then we got back together at the end of last year. On 2/15/00 he performed oral sex on me. The next day I noticed that he had a cold sore. That Friday I suspected that I had a yeast infection. By Sunday night I was so uncomfortable I could not sleep. On Monday morning I had blisters. By the end of that week I was covered in blisters and ulcers and sores everywhere in my genital region. My gyno told me that
they were on my cervix and in my vagina. They spread to around my anus & on my buttocks. I had severe edema (swelling) and that weekend I had a 4 day trip planned on which I had to ride 9 hours on a bus & I could not back out of it. Those 4 days were hell. Finally, I started to heal, and now I am almost fully recovered, but sometimes I have slight itching.

The News: My boyfriend broke up with me two nights ago. He said that it was for other reasons, but his timing is so bad I do not believe that. The time when I need the most support, he is not there.

The Conversation: It went around my school that I have herpes last week. I was able to convince most that it was only a UTI & a yeast infection. However, there are always those who just want to cause others pain.

The Support: Three friends have been very good in listening, although because one of them asked another person "How do you get herpes?" the rumor went around about me. I have a teacher that I trust & has been a tremendous help. He went out w/ a girl who had H. I told my sister and her husband & they wonderfully support me. And of course, I think that this forum will be a great help.