Your Initial OB and those after...

[quietpendulum]

OK, forget the statistics.

I want a show of hands of how many people can honestly say that their initial OB was their absolute worst.

I've read so much conflicting information and I'd just like to hear from people here first-hand as to if their initial OB was the worst or if the ones after the first was just as bad or worse.

Thanks!

[Luxxe]

My first was the most painful. It also had a pretty big sore.

For all my recurrent outbreaks, the sores were definitely smaller. I get only 1-3 sores per recurrence.

I'm upset because I have frequent outbreaks 6 since April

[utg21wh]

My first was the worst by far. The whole area was so bad. I just thought maybe it was a yeast infection. But when the doctor said that it was H, I got on the meds and it subsided within a week or so. I was 3 weeks pregnant at the time too. The rest of my pregnancy I only had about 2 OB's. I thought that I just wouldn't have many with the virus. That is up until this last year. I was diagnosed with it in 05 but this last year has been hell. I went from having 4 a years time and not being on valtrex, to this year being on it daily and still getting 1 to 2 a month!!!!! I even upped the dosage and it just doesn't make a difference. Is everyone using something else or maybe I'm becoming immune to it. CRAP!!!!!

[bluefrog]

I have only had 2, but my first was worse than the second.

[tiredofthis]

yep

my first was the worst also

[Caliope]

okay hold on to your seats.

My 3rd ob was absolutely outrageous with every known symptom in the book.

I figure I contracted this virus in about 1995 with few symptoms and no blisters or sores but itching like crazy and back pain. Saw dr he gave me cream for itch and sent me home without mentioning hsv. I thought I was allergic to something.

Fast forward - 2005 - small painful sore - negative test. Thought wow this is weird thankfully it was over in 3 days. Big sigh of relief. Wish I'd known about this site then.

January 2007 - mother of all ob's. Fever, discharge, muscle aches, back aches, head aches, burning sensation, pressure, blisters . . . had swab test that day and it was positive for hsv. This lasted for a month and a half. Finally took antivirals to shut it down.

[WaxedWrong]

my first one left me in a bed for 4 weeks. my genitals front to back, looked like a rotting piece of meat /1 gigantic sore.

ive had 2 more outbreaks, which are no comparison. 1 tiny little cut that last a few days, no pain, doesnt make me rearrange my life for it.

[annyi]

Three weeks for the first time, then about ten days for later ones for half a year, valtrex at the sign of prodrom did not do much. Then with topical stuff less severe to 3-4 days(talking about blisters, redness last longer).

[Belladonna]

yep

My first OB was in June, 2005. I had a fever, chills, nausea, aches, pains, and at least 10 sores. I would look at my crotch in a mirror and cry; and then run to the internet to find pictures that were worse to make myself feel better.

Relief came as soon as the Dr. put me on tons of accyclovir. But I still cried when I took a look at my nether region. It healed in about 10 days, and my downstairs area got back to normal pretty quickly (I was shocked, I though I would have scars for life!).

Since then, I've never had more than two blisters at a time. And most of the time I don't even get a blister or anything --- just excruciating back pain (thinking about asking the Dr. about pain managment), and a fever.

So yes, my first ob was my worst. It's pleasant knowing that I will never go through THAT again!

[Anon]

My second was MUCH worse. But for my primary outbreak, I forced my way into the gyn, even without an appt, and demanded attention. I thought I had some weird superinfection. So I was treated with valtrex 1,000 twice a day for one day and then 500mg for 7 days, as soon as I saw something was wrong with my skin. I didnt do anything when I had tingling (only because I have Lyme and I get paresthesia everywhere, so i figured my lyme was flaring) but as soon as I noticed the skin was messed up below, I was treated. I think this shut it down quickly and hopefully cut down on the latent amount.

for my second one, since it took 7 months for it to reoccur, I ridicukously thought to let me bod hanndle it so I could build lots of anitbodies. I didnt take anything. It was very painful and spread during this time. Eventually, I took something to shut it down. I reget not taking something sooner. I will alwys take high-dose antiviral for 1-2 days when it /if it comes back.

[esperanza25]

My first ob was the worst by far. I went to the hospital because it hurt so bad when i peed. The hospital said it was a bad yeast and urinary track infection. Then I went to my doctor and she asured me that it was H. But that was by far the most painful!!! I barley have outbreaks now, but to my lovely surprise, I got one yesterday, and I haven't had one in over a year

[itsjustme1210]

if my second turns out to be worse than my first.... i will jump in front of a train

[Angel Eyes]

only one so far

my primary outbreak was on June 8, 2007....it was pretty bad. small (very small), not connected in clusters.they were external, on my cervix and in my urethra....it sucked!!!

it is now mid Sept and so far havent had another outbreak... I have made it a point to excercise more and eat right... also i use all attempts to keep a positive attitude... i think that alone is key

[Willpower07]

My fourth was the worst by far. Don't get me wrong, the first was there and noticable but the fourth was a mess. That was about the time I went to the doctor for supressive therapy, which worked great for a full 12 months.

[smiles1513]

is it true? the first OB is the worse?

hi there,

i know what you mean...i dont even want to look down there. i can see bumps on top and dont even want to know about whats deeper in there. well, this is my first ob and was just diagnosed yesterday. my doctor told me that im a wreck down there but thats the good news...im like WHAT? he told me the first ob was the worse and that when i do have a reoccurrence, my body will have learned to fight the big war with the first ob that my body will easily fight any other ob that will come later. i hope this to be true. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW LONG THE FIRST OB USUALLY LASTS?

[FloridaJeremy]

Most definitely the first was the worst. The first had the largest sores, was the most painful, and took the longest to heal.

The second wasn't as bad, and the symptoms drastically diminshed on each outbreak. Now, in the last 8 months I don't think I've had one outbreak. Just an occassionally itching (if that's even Herpes because I still shave down there). I hadn't even been taking anything in the last 6 months but now that I'm dating someone I take Valtrex everyday.

[UdidThis2me]

my 1st

For me it was the worst thing ever and I didn't know what was going on because the guy I was seeing didn't tell me he had it until after the fact. My leges were in sheer pain, I couldn't even take the sheet on my bed touching them, so that along with the hemroids that showed up as well made for a great 1st time. I couldn't even sit at my desk I was in so much pain, I remember being sent home by my boss that day. Oh did I mention that I had a scraping done yep that was a lot of fun, I could barely walk after that treat.

So now when ever I'm about to have an out break my toes go numb for some reason so I start taking my meds. I use to have OB pretty offten (i've had "the gift" for about 3yrs now), now it's down only when I'm very stressed out, and that's the only time I take my meds. Although there is something that puzzles me. There is one area that feels like it never heels down there. I've only seen one other young lady post about this same issue on another site but she never got to the bottom of it either.

[Eresh]

if my second turns out to be worse than my first.... i will jump in front of a train

Hell yes. This primary is just getting worse and worse and worse - to the point now where even water touching the blisters makes me cry (so much for soothing baths...)

One question though on a very related matter (don't worry, no hijack)... does anyone think that the severity of recurrent episodes is related to the severity of the first? IE, if the first is very bad, is it possible/probable that later episodes will be relatively severe? Or is this a luck of the draw kinda thing?

[okokokok]

There is definetly a positive correlation. The severity and location of the inital outbreak will directly correlated to potential future outbreaks. Maybe you will get lucky and not have re-occuring outbreaks...

[spike]

Since I got herpes (October 06) I have at least two OB's a month which is really making me feel down down down. It gets better with time but it still bothers me because I cannot have a normal sexual life. This year has been a hell and I really hope it will get better with time because I don´t want to go on like this. I was put on a supressive therapy but I decided to stop it because I didn´t only take antiviral medicine but also antibiotics for quite a long time and didnt want to damage my liver. and 400mg aciclovir a day wasn´t really helping as I still got outbreaks. Now I only take aciclovir when I have OB but thinking of going on supressive therapy again. Hmm.... I am really not sure what to do or what would/could help me.

[annyi]

Hell yes. This primary is just getting worse and worse and worse - to the point now where even water touching the blisters makes me cry (so much for soothing baths...)

If one OB lasts very long, try antibiotics. Since it might be the secondary--bacteria infection took over. Mine three weeks first OB ended by antibiotics.

[kylee]

ME personally I have only had one outbreak thank god, but I was in So much pain my doc gave me vicodin which if I did not have who knows how I would have managed. I am scared for my next outbreak.

[alwall0828]

My first was definately way worse. So bad I went to the ER to be misdiagnosed. Thought I had a yeast infection. Used some creams and man oh man was that a mistake. I was so swollen and jacked up that I was told it was a bad infection. Ended up going to OBGYN and he told me what was up.

Sucked to because Ihad to pay out of pocket for the ER visit. I tell you it was an emergency to me. I could barely sit, stand, or walk. And it was 10 at night.

Since then they are just more of a nusciance (sp?) than any pain.

[knowledge148]

hi there,

i know what you mean...i dont even want to look down there. i can see bumps on top and dont even want to know about whats deeper in there. well, this is my first ob and was just diagnosed yesterday. my doctor told me that im a wreck down there but thats the good news...im like WHAT? he told me the first ob was the worse and that when i do have a reoccurrence, my body will have learned to fight the big war with the first ob that my body will easily fight any other ob that will come later. i hope this to be true. DOES ANYONE KNOW HOW LONG THE FIRST OB USUALLY LASTS?

first ob last 10 to 14 days