Outbreak or not

[bluefrog]

in order to have an "outbreak" do you have to have visible signs; cuts, sores, lesions, etc.???

if you have prodome symptoms but end up with no visible signs of an outbreak, do you still have an outbreak?

reason i ask; i have had a very bad backache this week. today i have terrible aches and pains in my legs and an itchy sensation in my vaginal area. If I get no visible signs of this virus (which is what i am hoping for), does this mean that I did or did not have an outbreak???

oh, yeah, and my buttocks hurts badly today too. hurts to sit, no matter what position i try.

[annyi]

I would say it sounds like it. Up your supplements and maybe anitvirual as if you would take when you have ob. In my last ob I did not take valtrex. It took longer to heal. I remember Caliope said taking antivirual drug helped pain in her case...

[bluefrog]

my doc did not prescribe antivirals; said only if i have lots of obs. i have only had one that i know of, until this pain this week, more so today. i just took 4 ibuprofen so hopefully that will make me feel better.

[annyi]

Better to keep antiviral meds on hand... this virus comes onset overnight once you feel the tingling, once it is there, it has to go through its course... In the beginning I always ran out of my meds and sometimes on weekends I had to watch that damn thing grew bigger because could not reach dr. So later I just asked him to give me double doses so can have some spare...

Ibuprophene did not help me for my tendonitis when I was told to take them... I don't know if you were to try some feminine wash... I used saline solution on myself last month when I had the shooting pain. This month I have not got them yet. But I don't know about side effects doing this... I was suspicious if I had an internal OB when I had the shooting pain...

[Cutegal]

Yes....outbreak is when there's a visible symptoms...blister, red bumps , sores.

Prodome is like a warning letting you know that the virus is currently travelling towards the surface of your skin... Prodrome may include tingling, itching, and/or burning sensations at the site of impending outbreak, and/or shooting pains, numbness, aches, or other sensations in the lower back, buttocks, or thighs (in genital infections). Other possible symptoms are fever, headaches, soreness, and swollen lymph nodes. Prodrome may also include an onset of listlessness and irritability, as well as increased sensitivity to environmental factors. When these symptoms are present, the Herpes Virus is active and risk of transmission is high.

Some people feel a few or many of the above Prodrome sensations from time to time without having full-blown outbreaks or any visible signs. Again, even though there may be no visible symptoms, the virus is active at these times, and precautions should be taken to avoid transmission.

Hope I helped you understand it,

[Christy C]

once you feel the tingling, once it is there, it has to go through its course... ..

That's not quite true. You can stomp it even once it's there. You can stop it in pre dome or you could heal it up real fast once it becomes a sore, cut abrasion whatever you wan to call it.

How

Try cayenne pepper if you're that brave. You have tingling... it will knock the virus for six. Make sure you're not doing that on an empty stomach or you'll be on the floor in pain. Helps to line your lips first. Don't start with a loaded table spoon work your way up.

Or an easier route is to completely eliminate all acid forming foods in your diet for a while, replace it with alkaline forming foods. Do a grape cure, a water melon cure, a lemon juice cure til your body rebalances and drink lots of water to flush out the now neutralised acid wasted in your body (the stuff which viruses love). Add this to having a nice long bath with a pot of ginger tea or any warming spice going (bay leaf for example, peppermint...) and let your body sweat out it's acid over dose.

For a complete understanding of the relationship between outbreaks and acidity check out my article Outbreak Free and Proud to be and Stay Alkaline Stay Outbreak Free. The link is in m signature. Use the meds as last ressort. By guess is that you may never have need of them once you adjust your diet accordingly.

Christy

[bluefrog]

Quote by cutegal: "Prodome is like a warning letting you know that the virus is currently travelling towards the surface of your skin... Prodrome may include tingling, itching, and/or burning sensations at the site of impending outbreak, and/or shooting pains, numbness, aches, or other sensations in the lower back, buttocks, or thighs (in genital infections). Other possible symptoms are fever, headaches, soreness, and swollen lymph nodes. Prodrome may also include an onset of listlessness and irritability, as well as increased sensitivity to environmental factors. When these symptoms are present, the Herpes Virus is active and risk of transmission is high."

Thanks cutegal. this is the information i was looking for!

[tothefuture]

Sign = sore, blister, reddness etc (it's what can be SEEN, even by others).

Symptom = pain, itchiness etc (must be reported by the 'patient' as they can not be seen by others). Symptoms occur DURING outbreak.

Prodromal symptom; great description by Cutegal. See these as early warning signs and so if you find anything that can stop the outbreak then now is the time to put it into action.

[annyi]

Anyone who have or had internal outbreaks? I mean, inside the vagina, how to find out? Any special symptom for that? I am pretty paranoid about it now...

[awake67]

On the Verge

You are on the verge of an outbreak when you get the symptoms described: pain and discomfort: lower back (where the virus sits on the tail end of the spine) and legs, especially private area. Yes, the sores may form anywhere the virus wants to make itself known. BE VERY CAREFUL: if you should have a cut on your hand,fingers..the virus will enter any other opening and infect that area the rest of your life! Don't mean to scare you, but after addressing your wound, DON'T FORGET TO WASH YOUR HANDS BeFoRe anything else!

After your body builds up natural antibodies, you will have enough to fight the virus into it's remission spot (tail end of spine). You will then experience less and less outbreaks.

Stay calm...if you are hyper excited for long periods of time, your nervous system will be worked up and the virus will exit it's "home." If you overwork your body too, the same will happen. Even athletes need a break or two!

Be strong and be happy. You will get through this and you may live a "normal" life. It's up to you.

[bluefrog]

awake67: thanks for the information. I do not have the severe back pain or leg cramps anymore, and as far as i can tell, i do not have a visible ob. i have slight burning sensation on occasion in the vaginal area but that is it. could the burning be considered an ob? this is so confusing. i guess, since i have only had one ob that was visible, i am not quite sure what, for me and my body, constitutes, an ob.

[awake67]

ob?

Technically, sores need to be present for an outbreak. Open sores then allow the virus to exit and spread.

The first years, especially the first one, I experienced discomfort, redness and tenderness, itchy, burning (especially relieving). I treated these symptoms as if they were an actual outbreak! I took the medicine my Dr. prescribed and used the cream.

Burning skin is not the outbreak, but it should be treated as though it was. It only takes minutes for the sores to form. Think about it, if the virus is attacking the inner side of your skin, wouldn't you take it for a possible outbreak?

Take care of yourself. Eat right and use medicine you feel comfortable with that works. Then keep your mind occupied with other things! Don't let the discomfort rule you. You have other things to do!

Keep smiling! Be Happy.

[ouch]

I would also agree that when you start to experience all these symptoms to up the ante on your vitamin regiment. Lots of C, take a b complex, more of the lysine. Sometimes it can thwart the herpes virus from developing full blown outbreak. However, you should indeed take all the precautions as mentioned by AWAKE67 as if you were indeed having an outbreak. Can't hurt to be safe.

Also, watch some comedies...laugh your buns off. Laughter is the great healer. Keeps us strong. Do something fun like go for a good swim. Nice and cool AND good exercise that doesn't put any stress on your body/bones/back!!! Maybe go and relax with a nice pedicure or something like that. I am telling ya, watch what happens. I do the things and I swear I think that it tells the little herpes "monster" to go back into hiding and stay where it belongs! Somewhere hidden in my spine. Kinda juvenile thinking I know, but man, it seems to help!

[annyi]

Bluefrog, by the symptoms and different stages of pain, itchy, burning feeling, I do suspect that you maybe experiencing an internal one. Definitely treat it as an OB. I remember one post said dr told her has one on her cervics, in that case, no visible sores but still the pain...

[bluefrog]

thank you everybody for your input. I did not even think to up my lysine intake (I take 1500 mgs currently), or my vitamin c or any of the other vitamins/herbs that I take daily. I did start taking Alkamax on Sunday, my alkaline level is so low it did not register on the litmus paper. I get a manicure and pedicure every two weeks:) I relax with my kids and my friends as often as I can; I def do not want to let stress cause me to have an ob. thanks again, this forum is my lifesaver!

[Cutegal]

Quote by cutegal: "Prodome is like a warning letting you know that the virus is currently travelling towards the surface of your skin... Prodrome may include tingling, itching, and/or burning sensations at the site of impending outbreak, and/or shooting pains, numbness, aches, or other sensations in the lower back, buttocks, or thighs (in genital infections). Other possible symptoms are fever, headaches, soreness, and swollen lymph nodes. Prodrome may also include an onset of listlessness and irritability, as well as increased sensitivity to environmental factors. When these symptoms are present, the Herpes Virus is active and risk of transmission is high."

Thanks cutegal. this is the information i was looking for!

I'm glad that i able to help you

[scareddepressed25]

bluefrog, what's alkamax? what is it used for? does it help with lessing ob reoccurences?

[MsLucy]

I'm curious, too, Bluefrog. What is Alkamax? I never heard of it.

[bluefrog]

After reading Christy C's post(s) about being OB free and maintaining your body's alkalinity, I went on line to the site I have been buying all of my vitamins and herbs and found something called Alkamax. There are many different brands/types of things to balance your alkalinity, this is just the one I opted for. Check it out (her posts) I think it is def. worth a shot.

[bluefrog]

well, two weeks to the day of my initial thread "outbreak or not", I am having an OB. I am sad because it is happening, but I am angry that I did not take the advice in the responses to my question, in this thread that I started, regarding increasing my vitamins. I think deep down, especially since the prodome symptoms eased up after a week, I figured I was not going to get an OB. DUH, talk about ignorance. I could kick myself in the ass right about now. And to make matters worse, I am due for my period tomorrow. Double wammy.

[annyi]

Bluefrog,

Don't be hard on yourself... this is a truely frustrating process to know your body. You will be surprised many times that our body doesn't function as we thought it to be. So just take it as a matter of fact, and with a scientific eye, like looking at something else new... Keep a clear detailed track of what is happening. The record will help you a lot over time. I have been doing this for a year and two months now with so many outbreaks, I still can't say I surely know how it will react under certain circumstances... I am actually more worried about your long prodrome, the time it started should be the time your immune system at its lowest(two weeks before your period starts), that was why I suggested you to check on and take action of the possibility of any internal OB. Also, when an ob lesionopen wound lasts more than a week, you may want to check on secondary infection, meaning antibiotics maybe of useful... For me OB occurs overnight or at most two days after I feel weird--tingling those things.

Don't cry, just think about it and take measures and watch how it goes. If not working, try other measures. We have to try and see how our body works...

Take care and peace.

[bluefrog]

thany you annyi,

well, today is Monday, four days after my ob. my ob was: ob on thursday morning, used h-balm, had the worst burning sensation for over an hour. Smelled like a medicine cabinet too. Anyway, Friday morning, left for PA for the weekend with my daughter and youngest son, so there was no way I was bringing the h-balm and smelling all weekend while sharing a hotel room with them. Anyway, aside from the discomfort of having my period; I had no other pain or discomfort as I did with my first ob. I do have a rash in the crease where my inner thigh and torso meet, but no pain, no bumps, no lesions, etc. Who knows, with this virus. But, I have been keeping track, well since prodome and lesion last week, so we shall see.