Don't tell me for ONE SECOND THAT THERE IS NOT A CURE!

[ouch]

Seriously, think about it! We have so many cures and medications and vaccinations for diseases far worse than herpes, yet, there is not cure for herpes. Give me a fucking break! The Pharmaceutical companies that manufacture drugs like VALTREX and other suppressive therapy medications do NOT want there to be a cure. Shit, they are making a MINT off our blistering butts, do you honestly think they want to CURE herpes. It is an annoying disease...annoying enough and painful enough for people to get desperate enough to want to buy meds for it. The meds ain't cheap! (especially for those without insurance). BUT it is not a killer disease. So...they can pay off researchers and labortories to hold off and WAIT before coming up with a cure or vaccine for this, because really, why SHOULD THEY CURE IT. Until someone of great importance gets this shit, then maybe a cure will miraculously appear.

I find it ironic they now have a vaccine for Chicken pox (which is in the same damn family, just a different strain of the virus.) but none for herpes. It makes me so angry. Something that can be cured, so simple, and yet, MONEY is the drug that talks in america. It will stand in the way of you and I (all of us) from being rid of this stupid, annoying, (and sometimes very painful, physically and emotionally) virus.

I hope they find a cure before my children are older and sexually active. Or before some well meaning relative kisses them and then passes it on to them. Life sure would be a tad easier if we didn't have THIS to deal with.

People say, oh do not stress yourself out, it makes it worse...well, life is sometimes stressful. Women have periods and pms.....these things play a huge part in our outbreaks. You can try try try to alleviate stress and what not, but it doesn't always work. Then you have an outbreak and HELLO...you are stressed out from that.

So yes, I wish that someone would just say, hey you know what, a cure is at hand.....here are a few tests and voila! Get us all vaccinated against it, then we can worry about REALLY important issues. Not this crap.

And don't even get me started about HIV/AIDS. Same goes with this...there IS a cure out there... I am not big on conspiracy theories (I am not whimsical enough of a person to believe in conspiracies) however, AIDS was an introduced virus. Suddenly all the gay men and IV drug users in Greenwich Village NYC were coming up with this strange flu. Basically, all the "undesirables" in society were becoming ill. As soon as this shit hit middle america, THEN people freaked out about it, but before...it was the "gay disease". There are theories about one particular doctor in the Village who clientele were predominately gay men, and he would give them various treatments and "shots". Next thing you know, these men were all sick. Said doctor suddenly disappears. hmmmm....a planted "thyphoid mary" if you ask me. (no, I don't believe tht people were fucking apes/monkeys...even though that is the origination of this virus....I believe it was introduced into society.)

Herpes has been around for thousands of years. But in the past 30 it has seen a HUGE rise in infected people. I don't think it is due to any 'conspiracy theory" like I do HIV. But I DO believe firmly that the drug makers in the world have the knowledge and power to cure it. And they choose not too. Not until they make MORE money off us.

I myself, do NOT use suppressive therapy of any kind. I found that when I DID use valtrex, it really didn't help much. Maybe lessened the length of time that the outbreak occured and that was it. Plus, our bodies eventually become immune to the anti-viral (just like anti-biotics) then they stop working. Then you are in REALLY big trouble (ie. pain etc.) I occassionally take them if I have a horrific outbreak, but once it is over, I am off of them. I would rather let my body build up strength against the virus on its own. But that is just me.

If my children had this crap, I would probably put them on suppressive therapy until they were old enough to understand how to take care of themselves and clean properly. When they are little, I fear it would be too easy for them to spread it to other areas, like their eyes. I am currently excited to say they do NOT have this shit, not even "cold sores" although I am constantly worried they will somehow catch it from me (despite my over zealousness to ensure they do NOT catch it! hahaha)

Well, that is my rant. I wonder if there are others who feel I do: that there IS a cure for this shit. ?

[DQ4U]

I sure hope there is a cure. This has been out for years, come on.

[Razor]

I agree. The pharmaceutical companies are not in business to cure diseases, they are in business to cure symptoms of diseases. Why pay once when you can pay for life...and the next generation too.

[tnmomofive]

YES I totaly agree with you ouch.Just like this ......I have anxiety disorder well when I went to the doctor about it of course I get scripts for meds.I have been to alot of doctors about anxiety and every time I was prescribed meds for the symptoms never have I been sent to therapy in 13 years.That is exactly what is done they dish out meds for the symptoms never curing the real problem.Then you have people dependant on the meds and they keep raking in the bucks.

I am with you ouch now that I found out I have herpes I would rather not take meds just try and be healthy take vitamins etc.If I ever have a bad outbreak maybe take the pills till thats over.

This is a real shame so what herpes wont kill us it still can be very damaging for people.

[mrstarr]

the pharmaceutical industry in America is second only to the defense spending on the military. It is scary. Without getting political - the Bush administration is particularly scary. Bush has pushed through legislation that is seeing every school kid in America having a mini test to see if they have mental health issues. The medicalisation of perfectly normal reactions such as anxiety and depression is disgusting. They are desperate for us to consume more anxiolitics and anti-depressants. It used to be that we were pushed to be rich, then thin now it is to be happy. My point is that with the average cancer patient being worth upwards of 50,000 usd what chance do we have of cures being found. If a manufacturer invented a car that never broke down or needed servicing or any further consumables do you think we would see that car ?? No way.

Herpes, well i don't see anything on the horizon anytime soon. Sorry to be a merchant of doom but its not sexy enough for campaigners in a mainstream sense and the pharmaceutical giants are making too much money from it. Benjamin Franklin once said that the biggest enemy of democracy is capitalism. The Bush and Blair administrations illustrates this perfectly to me

[ouch]

It is scary....but believe you me...it is not just the Bush administration who has done this underhanded sort of thing (and I am NO supporter of his, believe me!) Look at the Clinton admin, and you will see a whole PLETHORA of coverups, paybacks, underhanded dealings, etc. Can we all say CHINAGATE?!?! And he and his admin were also keen on accepting dollars from various research/pharmaceutical and power companies. He and his whore bag joke of a wife hide under a guise of socialism...we should ALL be equal and all that bullshit, but THEY live pretty damn high on the hog.

So it is widespread. Republicans, democrats, capitalist, socialist (hell, this is why COMMUNISM didn't work....because it SOUNDS nice on paper, but the reality is....it is an utter failure) Everyone from every demographic is affected by the almighty dollar. It is going to take someone with REAL drive and REAL balls to come out into the open and say "hey, ya know what!!?!? I gotta a cure for HIV! I gotta cure for HSV!!! I gotta cure for leukemia!' etc, ad nauseum.

Unfortunately, we are a nation of ball-less wonders. Until someone like BUSH or his sleezy daughters get HSV, there will be NO cure in sight.

Side note: When my son was in the 1st grade he had a teacher who insisted he had ADD/ADHD. She wanted me to get him on ritalin. Who in the FUCK was she to make a diagnosis such as that. I kept trying to tell her, you know what? he is a straight A student, he does well in school. He is acting up because I am going through a divorce with his dad right now.

Everytime I said this, the woman didn't want to hear it!!! I finally said HELL NO, I don't care if he DOES have ADD....HE IS NOT GETTING SPEED TO MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER! TEACH LADY!!!!

(he doesn't have add/adhd...I was right.....his doctor said she needed to be turned into the dean of his school. She was being a lazy ass teacher.)

But it is this mindset that is ruling this country! Over medicate everyone....MAKE them take medicine, even if they don't need it. We should all rename ourselves Elvis, eh? didn't we learn anything from that poor bastard?!!? Doctors, teachers...they ARE falliable. And they tend to over prescribe, wrongly diagnose people.

GRRRRRR........

[Gayla]

One Second?

It would take at least a few hours to tell you all the reasons that support the very "reason" there is no cure.

First being that herpes is a VIRUS!

I'm just going to hold on to the hopeful possibility of a vaccine rather then a cure. It's more believable and likely to happen in our lifetimes.

Gayla

[peppermintpatty]

appropos: copy of my post in another forum

This is hysteria! Sorry guys I hate to bust your bubbles but You haven't stumbled on some miracle treatment.. I'm going to proceed directly to Rant... NOW HEAR THIS>>> NOTHING....NOTHING... NO TOPICAL PRODUCT mentioned in this entire thread Could EVER PREVENT OUTBREAKS by rubbing them into HEALTHY, INTACT skin...Purell hand sanitizer?? dude you're having an attack of magical thinking.. do these topicals Treat outbreaks?... SURE..You betcha... because alcohol based hand sanitizers like Purell, GermX, those essential oils, Choraphor (active ingredient is sulfur which is a powerful antiflammatory), zinc preparations.. are actually souped up skin soothing antiseptics... some are just loaded with worthless CRAP that does zippy for herpes! Antiseptics INACTIVATE THE VIRUS ON CONTACT and help dry up the lesions. Whoopiedo...I've had genital herpes for 22 years... I used Listerine on my coochie lesions... burned like hell for about 5 seconds..got rid of the pox in like 3 days. I experienced fewer and fewer outbreaks as the years went by...Thanks to a good immune system. Your experiences with these new fangled antiseptics aren't anything novel. If you are looking for a safe PREVENTIVE topical that has some good solid scientific evidence behind it...not just anectodal evidence... Lysine applications( Lysine is an amino acid that is an old-school treatment for herpes) may be beneficial for aborting the outbreak when applied on the skin dermatomes. It may also be taken orally. This is because lysine substitutes for L-arginine, an amino acid necessary for a step in herpes virus DNA replication. The virus dosen't know the difference between the two. Heard of Placebo Effect?... Much of what we experience with the herps is psychological...some people claim they are outbreak free from being hypnotized...Of course they're downloading information from the mothership too. Now the following is a subject that really pisses me off

Watch out for the claims made by companies of so-called "Natural Herpes Cures"... Cure? "AMAZING HERPES CURE" kills herpes virus!!! Where? in a laboratory test tube? ...BIG F***KING DEAL... I can do that with soap and water! How d' ya kill a virus...say in a PERSON... HMMM? Now THAT would be impressive... viruses per se aren't living entities.. Herpes virus is DNA... its function is to make copies of itself.. to do so it must invade a host's (your) living cells.. so..to kill a virus... you must kill the host's cell. Fine... if we're talking about killing an infected SKIN CELL.. skin cells regenerate but once herpes invades the skin cells it's ALREADY considered an active clinical OUTBREAK or subclinical SHEDDING. See, these laboratories get away with claims that applying their TOPICAL product to your lesions will HELP PREVENT NEW OUTBREAKS..here's the dirty little secret..ANYTHING applied to active lesions that kills herpes on contact.. a 50 cent bottle of alcohol..or $98 bottle of "amazing herpes cure" will HELP PREVENT NEW OUTBREAKS because IN THEORY less of the virus retreats to the nerve tissue in the spinal ganglion where the sneaky little bastards hibernate. Now that begs the question again...Here's the tricky part...How d'ya kill a LATENT virus... living in your spinal nerve tissue cells... cells that DO NOT regenerate.... without destroying the nerve cells themselves...???? In order to cure herpes..every last dna particle would have to be eradicated along with its every last host nerve cell... where the sneaky little bastards hunker down.... this would be detrimental to the host (you)... because you would lose sensory nerve function..CAPICE? That's why, ladies and gentlemen, there is NO CURE! Don't let these snake oil salesmen exploit your fears, give you a false sense of security and rob you BLIND

[jc74]

If there were a cure, or anything close to it, why don't products like Valtrex prevent outbreaks 100% of the time while being taken? Sure they could still keep the alleged cure secret, but they could also keep those living with the virus symptom free and sell a shit lode more of their product.

I can't imagine anyone with the means not buying such a product to stay symptom free forever. As far as HIV is concerned, I often wonder how many celebrities are living so long with the virus. Magic Johnson has has it for how many years? He's still as healthy as a horse while other people die much earlier.

[peppermintpatty]

As I tried to explain in my long rant.. viruses, by their very nature can't be "cured". our immune system takes care of most of them. The best we can hope for is immunity..either by active infection or vaccine. HIV is a real son-of-a-bitch because it invades and destroys the immune system...the very system designed to fight against it! There are several classes of viruses..they all behave differently in the human body. Viruses are DNA or RNA genomes..like microscopic intelligent software programs. Valtrex(valacyclovir) does not "kill" herpes virus. no drugs can "cure" a virus. Don't misunderstand the action of antiviral meds...they do not destroy viruses like antibiotics destroy bacteria. The word aniviral is misleading. Acyclovirs are actually in a drug class called nucleoside analogues.

How they work is is by interrupting an important step in DNA sequencing during viral replication. Once something triggers the herpes virus to activate... the virus leaves its dormant or latency phase in the spinal ganglion (where it causes no symptoms), travels down the sensory nerve fiber to to the skin surface where it makes copies of itself inside skin cells.. causing the blistering and sores. Valtrex dosage for suppression is designed to prevent HSV shedding and replication(copying) right before the HSV reach the skin and mucous membranes. Why doesn't Valtrex work 100% of the time? No treatment is 100% foolproof.. my God.. especially with viruses! There are too many variables. Unfortunatley, the viral load is sometimes too great for the med to totally compensate. Indivduals have unique genetic chemistries. Some folks might be taking other meds or supplements that interfere with the action of acyclovirs. There are reported drug resistant, mutated strains now etc.

To answer your question about celebs with HIV. All I know is HIV can mutate easily because it is an RNA retrovirus...Magic may have contracted a less malignant strain. I think it is possible for a person to be HIV positive and not develop full blown AIDS. Many people with HIV/AIDS also have other illnesses like hepatitis, herpes virus, drug addictions these factors greatly increase their morbidity and mortality.

[tnmomofive]

wow interesting great points

[ouch]

Vaccine....Cure...whatever.....There has to be something out there to protect those who DO NOT have it...like children. (hsv1 being the most common virus in children.....aka...COLDSORES) I can deal with (most times) having this crap, my bed, I made it....but I hate the thought of my family getting it from me.

Think of the poor people with herpes whitlow....if they are shedding the virus in their hands, then technically, if they shake hands with someone...they can PASS IT ON!! we use our hands for every damn thing...including basic human contact. SO...that being said, people who have herpes COULD get herpes whitlow....(or just contract herpes whitlow through intimate contact, and have a primary infection on hands/fingers) THESE folks can then go and pass it on through simple contact with another human being....

Kinda makes it like the new leprosy. So I can understand why people who don't have it and don't understand the disease HAVE fears. I do not fault them for being afraid (I DO fault them when they ostracize a person because they have it, and/or torment them because of it.)

So, as I said, cure/vaccine, I don't care what the hell we all want to call it, or what the hell we do to alleviate the transmission of this shit, I just want SOMETHING to be done, and nobody can tell me that it is not out there. Again, it is all based on money and greed. Pharmaceutical companies make WAY too much money on our sore butts.....with suppression meds....as do all these other companies with things like Chloraphor (sp?) I am not saying not to use these things...if they help then by all means, do whatever you must to ease the pain/outbreak until there IS some sort of vaccine. (which, a vaccine is not really going to help those of us who already have it right!?!? We have already been infected, so we are screwed...it is only people who ARE NOT infected with HSV. Correct me if I am wrong. But I mean, if you had small pox, would you GET a small pox vaccine? no. Chicken pox? No, not if you had it as a child.....so we are...F.XXX.D. )

Anyhoo....I can rant about his till I am blue in the yazoo....I am not big on conspiracy theories and what not, EXCEPT where drug companies are concerned. (well, and doctors too!) hahaha.

[aloHa]

From what I've read, there are some vaccines in various trial phases. You can search for them here at http://www.clinicaltrials.gov to see where they are being held and who they're looking for. I think there will be a vaccine availble within a decade.

[ouch]

yeah, I knew they were testing a herpes vaccine and for some reason, it only worked in women....(would LOVE to know the reason for that...any theories out there!?!?!)

Must be tricky, cuz they need someone who tests negative for both hsv 1 and 2. (and SO many people have hsv1!!!) So I am sure finding candidates is really hard. It will be interesting to see what comes of it, I think folks are getting worried FINALLY at how many people are starting to obtain this disease and the powers that be KNOW they will eventually have to procure a vaccination for it.

I STILL think the answers are out there....I just wish someone had the balls to tell!

Funny, on a total side note, a gal I know was talking to me today about folks we both know from the "party scene" and which ones have herpes. I was AMAZED at how many people have it....AND.....how many people think cold sores are just cold sores and not herpes! What a gang of delusionoids! THIS is why HSV1 is so prevalent in our nation because people honestly think that a cold sore or fever blister is nothing, and certainly NOT herpes!!!! So they spread the "love" if you will. MORE reason to get a vaccine out there, as well as educate some fools!

[rappaccini's.daughter]

"dude you're having an attack of magical thinking"

ahahaha. peppermint, that was genius, pure genius, i almost lost touch with reality when i read that.

ahaha, i'm still crackin up...whew....

you are very very smart and i am really glad that you cleared all that up. i was sitting here reading all this ALLOWING myself to think the irrational thought in the back of my mind that there is a cure, even though I KNOW ITS IM-FREAKING-POSSIBLE. I find that its better not to sit and wait for some stupid cure-all to save my life.

i'll save it myself.

[ouch]

Okay, let me reiterate something here real quick.

1) I am not into magical thinking. I leave that for people who don't live in reality. While I am a "dreamer", (we all should be, dreams can be the beginnings of a great idea!) I am not prone to histronics and I am completely immersed in reality.

2) I am not a dude

3) if you want to believe that nothing can be "cured" or vaccinated, then continue on with that line of thinking. This is MY rant, and I am here to say that medical researchers I know tell me all sorts of crazy things about big money/government and while certain ailments will never have a vaccination and/or cure in our lifetime.

think about this: We HAVE a vaccination for small pox, which, not even a century ago KILLED people. By pandemic proportions. KILLED them....but there is a vaccine that has helped to elimate this.

We can CLONE another human being for crissakes...we are already doing it with our little cute animals we love so much. But we do not have a vaccine for herpes??? Puh lease!!

We DO have a vaccine for the chicken pox....it is in the same family as herpes. (just a slightly different mutative strain but shares the same DNA)? But none for herpes?

(((perhaps initially I shouldn't have said "cure" I should have said "vaccine" but we are talking semantics here. The purpose of this rant was just that, a rant I had. I think I am entitled to a mistake or two while ranting. My bad. Send me to hell for not using the correct word)))

You all want to tell me that somewhere along the line we didn't have a vaccine for herpes? That maybe in the 70s (when herpes really came to the forefront here in the U.S. YAY STUDIO 54!!) that some old dude wasn't researching this, came up with something, then had to put it on teh backburner? Come on....sure they are testing stuff NOW...why? Because the medical field is finally concerned that maybe making money off our asses is not going to plausible for much longer, because herpes is starting to reach pandemic proportions.It is now spreading beyong the Average Joe and Suzi Q. Statiscally, more and more infants are born with neonatal herpes....which can be deadly.

National Health Organizations are starting to become very very concerned with the rise in the herpes virus, and the mutating strains of it. It is no longer a third world issue where those with suppressed immune systems are suffering greatly because of it and developing secondary infections because of it or where many children are born with it. (whenever you go online to see pictures of herpes...they always take the very worst case scenarios and usually from abroad.) It is happening HERE...in the good ole US of A. Suppressive therapy is only going to help for so long...THEN it is going to become obsolete. (and it only helps the SYMPTOMS....or hinders us from having symptoms....that is it. (I choose NOT to use suppressives, as I found a more natural way of "suppressing the virus" and only use meds when I absolutely have to. I am not going to fatten the pockets of the makers of Valtrex.God Forbid if my children ever did obtain this virus , I would have them on meds to help them, as they are little and do not understand how not to spread it, so suppressives might be helpful to them. But otherwise...phhhht! )

You want to "save your life yourself"? Start being more PROACTIVE and start doing your own research and help FIND the answers rather than sit and wait. Try to DO things to help yourself AND mankind in general rather than to just continue to wallow in the lies we are force fed by the medical community, scientist, pharmaceutical companies, OUR GOVERNMENT. If you do not think that BIG MONEY plays into this, then THAT is "magical thinking".

I am sure there is someone on this board who is more eloquent and have more statistics than I do, I am just an idiot. Perhaps I should have one of my pals who are medical researchers/scientist post here, because they could say things/explain things a whole lot better than I can. But again, this is MY opinion and my belief. And I will fight the dirty fight until something is done.

[ouch]

oh, I should also day that the world health org. is reeeeeeealllly freaking out about the bird flu!!! we are SO unprepared fur it.

cooties. gotta love em

[peppermintpatty]

I believe that a prophylactic vaccine for the uninfected public may be in the forseeable future. I also believe that a vaccine for long term treatment of herpes simplex is possible. The best case scenario we can hope for in treatment will be a vaccine that boosts our own antibodies to a level where our outbreaks are few and far between by reducing viral shedding..Like a shot of Valtrex...but much better. But don't think for one minute that developing a vaccine for herpes simplex won't be a daunting task. Who would've believed that the most recent successful trial with Herpevac by Glaxo would provide immunity in women only not in men? Major bummer for those of us who want desparately to protect our non-h male partners or prospective partners. NO ONE can explain that gender phenomenon... only offer hypothesis.

Many people who post here glom on to every tidbit of info and rumor about a purported cure. I direct most of my rants to those who have unrealistic expectations of a total cure in the forseeable future.

I've posted ad nauseum with my BAH! HUMBUG! attitude about a herpes cure. The latent/lytic life cycle of Herpes Simplex is so complicated it boggles the mind... because of this fact.. I quip... Herpes Simplex should be renamed Herpes Complex. Yes, Chickenpox (varicella) and Shingles (zoster) are in the same class of alpha herpesviruses and all three take up residence in spinal ganglion... but the difference is in the viral genomes themselves...Herpes simplex genes code for frequent replication (shedding) and reactivation...variola (smallpox), varicella and zoster genes do not. Inventing a vaccine to prevent acute infections like in smallpox, chickenpox and shingles is far less challenging than designing a vaccine to prevent chronic infection such as in herpes simplex.

If you want to get a real appreciation for why a cure/vaccine for this cunning little bug continues to allude medical science... visit: darwin.bio.uci.edu/ ~faculty/wagner/hsv4f.html. Warning: Make sure you are well rested before reading this scholarly report as it is very technical... but equally as interesting.

Why haven't the greedy pharm companies developed a cure? In addition to the logistics problem of vaccine development for HSV, one must also take into consideration the possiblity of unintended consequences, ethical liability and the motto: First, do no harm. What is the definition of a Herpes Cure: any chemical or biological agent designed to attack and disable the herpes virus genome in its dormant state. With current technology That action would require damaging the host's spinal nerve cells.. OR.. causing an uncontrolled auto immune response that results in the body attacking its own nerve tissue. NO DRUG COMPANY WILL TOUCH THAT..believe me...a real dilemma that prohibits the quest for a true cure. So scientists have taken the "if it ain't broke..don't fix it" attitude about herpes in its dormant, stable state. Instead, labs are focusing on better treatments(vaccines) for preventing viral replication...after the virus leaves the nerve cell by boosting immune response.

Molecular biology with genome sequencing is a science still in its infancy.

My prediction is that many years will pass before scientists develop a curative agent. Researchers have yet to discover how to succesfully manipulate and micromanage viral genomes to the point where they can"switch off" only specific targeted genes in vivo(in an already infected host) genes that are responsible for reactivation.

Apparently when the Herpes virus is in its dormant state in the nerve

cell, the genome is in a circular configuration. At some point after reactivation.. by some mysterious force... begins, the circle unravels and forms a linear chain..this is when the virus starts to replicate.. turning your cells into an army of virus making machines..So, then I bid all of you..keep it in a circle!

[ouch]

Maybe the vaccine didn't work in the nonH men due to...higher levels of testosterone?!?!? That hormone which causes men to fart and belch louder than us?!?!? hahaha!

Seriously though, that is the only signifigant difference I can come up with between men and women; maybe Testosterone is an inhibitor that works against the vaccine. While we women have some levels of this hormone is our bodies....(it causes our sex drive/libido to soar!) it is no where NEAR what the menfolk have. Would be interesting to see if a non H transgender woman who was taking male hormones would also be unsuseptible to this vaccination, eh? (oh, if only I were smart enough to be a scientist! God help us all!)

Maybe the testosterone eats up the vaccine...maybe testerone is the reason why men do not have as bad of outbreaks as women (that and the fact that their business is allhanging out and free in the wind, thus easier to keep it clean and dry...ours is all neatly tucked away, and moist...thus the virus has a party in our coochies and speads!)

Who knows?!?!?! Something has gotta give though.

[peppermintpatty]

Oh yeah Herpes isn't the only thing that parties in our coochies Coochies are party central

I think the non H trannies should be the "control" group in that experiment...see you're on the right track... HUH! I'm laughing.. but crying on the inside I was talking to a friend of my ex-husband's a while back..he told us he had herps when hubby and I first got married..has had it for 35 years now. He was asking about any news on vaccines...I just shrugged my shoulders and said, "I think someday soon."

You know I'm coming up on my 23rd anniversary with my Herps. I think I'll make a cake in the shape of a Valtrex capsule or the herpes virus itself (sigh). Hallmark should make greeting cards for people with H. Congratulations on your Brand New Diagnosis with the Herpes Happy Silver Herpes Anniversary Hope you have an outbreak free year! Cheesy card For a Man: Congratulations on yet another year with HIMpes! Hell, they make a card for everything else

I've heard H people say "herpes dosen't define me" well, maybe... especially if you are fortunate enough to have a supportive mate. Let us not kid ourselves herpes has redefined all of us in some way, shape or form. This disease has become part of our destinies.

To use a biblical metaphor; I'm tired of wondering in the desert with this virus.. I"ll probably never see the "promised land" in the form of a cure.. but I'm hoping for a little "manna from heaven" in the form of a vaccine to protect non-hers..at least that will lessen some of the social stigma and relieve the anxiety about having "the talk" and concerns about tranmission would all but disappear.

What you told me about the scientist you know is a story I hear all too often. I hate to get political because HIV is a tragic horrific disease..herpes pales in comparison in the degree of human suffering...BUT let's face it... herpes is not a politically correct disease so it is on the back burner here in the US. There are only a handful of small US laboratories diligently working on a vaccine for herpes prophylaxis or treatment. One of them is a private lab literally right up the road from me in Glen Burnie, MD.. lab called AuRx. They are working on a immune-based treatment ..I believe a DNA vaccine... to reduce outbreaks and render the person less infectious..I think the clinical trial is in phase II? let's keep our fingers crossed.

[dumpresearch]

Cure thing!!

Well, guys I understand your frustration. From little research I'm convinced that this infection is curable with a little disability risk or totaly can be blocked. All of us know the Chichenpox that hide in the body for no possiblity to be eleminated but safely controlled lifetime and posses no harm!! Same can be set for this disease. The real frustration is that after decades of researching on it, researches started turning their direction to cancer or other infectious diseases that is lethal in nature. It is surprising they started to play with the virus genes and modify it to be a friend not a an enemy to treat/cure cancers and its proven!! while no conclusion to whether this virus can be just blocked.

There are few methods that has been proven to block it in the lab such as the method of miRNA cleaving, CDK inhibit, or phtosensitivedyn techniques but all still in stage of speculations. It is sad that till this time with many years of research and there is a debate among the scientists whether the virus stay dormant in the ganglia or actualy beneath the skin, go and ask and you will see how they are split on this subject. The bottom line if there is just little desire to provide a cure they will produce it in a few years. I expect that if there is a cure it will be shown two or more years from the finding of a cure for HIV...

DO YOU KNOW: This disease is curable within the 72 hours of the primary infection, if you given Acyclovir during that time and no clinic ever would give you a pill when you report a slight fever after a skin contact (A possibility for some cases), claiming it is already in the body and you have to wait at least a week for the results to show up, How Stupid!! I know it happens for all...

[peppermintpatty]

You know that is interesting that you brought up the acyclovir within 72 hrs. theory. I've heard about this too. You can purchase acyclovir on the internet w/o a script.

I read a brief blip somewhere scientists/doctors are playing with the idea of giving acyclovir to non-h subjects as prophylaxis for herpes. I think they were asking for monogamous herpes discordant couples to participate in this study. I don't remember now where i read about it.

I wanted my non-h bf to take the acyclovir for this very reason but he didn't act too thrilled about the idea. I take the med to reduce transmission chances.

The problem with clinical trials in humans is finding participants willing to take the risk.

[ouch]

I find this very facinating. Even though I am against suppressive meds (I have found out for SURE they do not work for me/on me...more about THAT later) As a means to help prevent passing on herpes is different. hmmmm....

I will have to get more facts about Acyclovir and side effects, etc. Maybe talk to my man about trying it out.

[Guest dangermouse]

Just a reply to something ouch mentioned ages ago in this thread: Bush's brother Neil has herpes.

[tohealth]

You can purchase acyclovir on the internet w/o a script.

Where?