Cold sores since early childhood

[heheherpe]

Hey guys,

It is heheherpe here. I am 33 years old now. Been really severly depressed for the last few years now. One of the reasons is my simple cold sores that I get only 3 to 4 times a years. Can't believe that the scientific community cannot find a cure for this virus that have been around since even the Ancient Greeks or even before that.

Somehow I contracted it at a very early age around 8 or 9. Most of my life, I was little embarassed about it everytime I had it. But for the most part it did not effect my confidence and motivation in life and in school or behavior towards others. My friends and others never said anything as if it was not an issue. Don't remember having an outbreak at all during my four college years. However, recently--for the past few years--it finally wrecked my entire life's existance. So, other than going to work to put in my 40/week, I don't care to do anything else; especailly after reading some of the familiar stories on this forum. Why should produce so much for the economy when the System can't even provide me with a simple cure for a simple disease? Which brings me to the recent article on Newsweek titled "Men and Depression." Personally, most men knew that their problems for example like herpes or other diseases cannot be cures and going to see a doctor is an absolute waste of time (I am so cynical towards the medical community). They have to live with ailments for the rest of their lives. That is extremely depressing. Well, that is how I feel anyways.

Anyhow, I am hesitant to date anymore because of this occasional simple herpe thing around the lips area. Feel like my love life is over. Don't want to spread the virus to anyone anymore via kissing. Wish I was dead and in doing so will kill the damn herpes virus along with me. Any other advice folks?

-heheherpe

[WaxedWrong]

so your going to let the "system" ruin your life.

thats great, why dont you just walk outside and get hit by a car.

or move to iraq so u can feel what they dont have here.

women get killed for showing skin.

you have it good- sure the system doesnt have a cure, but you dont have to worry about 1/2 the things that other countries are worrying about.

you need to figure out what wrecked your lifes existance, and fix that issue. herpes didnt bother you before. dating wise, tons of people with herpes date, and are in serious relationships. its really not that hard. there are even sites for people w/ herpes that want to date others.

if you want to date someone> hopefully its for a relationship, and before any of the monkey sex gets started you should know if you want to be w/ this person for awhile. and if they want the same, then you work around the issue, cause you are you herpes or no herpes, you are a person, and if they like/love you, they are going to have to like/love all of you ~herpes included.

[Caliope]

No Cures for Viruses.

I just wanted to point out that currently the medical community or medical research community, hey we can add the prescription drug manufacturing companies in there too - None of them have any cures for any viruses. Yep there are no cures for viral infections. Not HSV,HPV, Zoster, Varicella, Common Cold, Bird Flu . . .

When you think about it there are a lot of viruses out there that we encounter at some time in our lifetime. An example is the common cold and there are probably thousands of strains. In the case of the common cold our bodies can create an effective immune/antibody response. Each time a virus invades our bodies our immune system creates a unique defense to that particular viral attack and it then remembers that defense and uses it in the future as a blue print against future exposures. Each time you get a cold your immune system stops it and each time you get a new one it is a new strain.

The problem with HSV is that it is particularly sneaky and lightening fast. Our immune system can't effectively silence it forever in most cases. Yes some people get lucky and have almost no ob's but that isn't the mass majority. Our immune system does a pretty good job keeping it at bay but the way it hides makes it impossible for our antibodies to stop it forever.

We do have antivirals which help. We do have OTC's that help. We know that clean, healthy living and a strong immune system can put the virus on a time out.

There is no reason to accept defeat. This is a virus not the universe. You do have choices that can greatly improve the quality of your life. You can live a full and happy life even with hsv. It just requires a level of consciousness not unlike knowing there is a freeway outside your door. You recognize that it is there and you take precautions to keep from getting run over. We avoid things every day how is this different. Heck it could just as easily be HIV or AIDS.

You are not prohibited from loving someone or being loved in return.

The choice is up to you - Glass half empty - Glass half full?

[canadadude]

what? something like 90 percent of people have oral herpes dude....why should that be something to be depressed about...EVERYONE has it...and the few who don't realize that everyone gets coldsores...and the only reason they haven't is likely from some natural barrier in their immune system.

[Caliope]

Coldsores are a form of hsv and not everyone gets them only individuals who have been infected with the virus.

People do NOT have a natural barrier they just haven't come into contact with the virus.

I'm sorry you have hsv and it is embarrasing to you but it shouldn't preclude you from dating and having a full and wonderful life.