I'm 63 - have been positive for HSV2 for about 5 months. It has been many things to me - scary, embarrassing, sickening (literally), depressing, and generally life altering.
I've had a healthy and abundant sex life since I was a teen - but now much of that has changed and tho I'm very healthy, I'm not interested in sex as I was 5 months ago.
I have looked into many web sites, read lots of forums and publications, purchased many self help books, and investigated diet and vitamin supplements as a way I am certain to see changes occur in my condition.
I have increased my daily dosage of lysine - 500 to 1,000 mg per day min. Vitamins C, B, E, also St John's Wort, zinc, enzymes, also a valerian based herbal product named Formula 303. It reduces stress, relaxes the body and muscles.
I've also found that BROCCOLI is recommended as a major food source for those with herpes, because of some compounds found in the plant. Also brussels sprouts, which I'm growing but haven't tried.
The results to all this are that I feel better, and have had minimum OB's - bare minimum. I feel fortunate, because I realize that many of you have terrible times with OB's. But I seriously wonder if you're doing all you could be with your intake of food and supplements to combat the virus?
Or are you still doing the same old stuff - hamburgers, chocolate, snacks, burning the candle short, stressors, alcohol, etc.... I'm not coming off sanctimonious ... just that I think you can change your sick, uncomfortable and painful condition... but it takes a healthy approach. I'm happy to discuss more with you and also hear from you on your ideas that have helped you get better. I believe I won't wait around for a cure from someone else... because - just like diabetes - there's a lot more money to be made from the treatment than the cure. We can shoot rockets to the moon and beyond, but we don't get cures for even the simplest of ailments...
One thing I realized recently - I have a dog - a pet - a friend - who loves me and cares about me no matter if I have herpes. I suggest if you're alone and having a tough go of it - can't find anyone to help or care for you because you have this std - forever - that you consider a pet. Even a turtle... Something you can give your love to and it will reciprocate and help you heal.
As Boy George said in the '70's, "Any love is GOOD love."
And I love you.
Take care my friends (and fellow infecteds).
D
I must ask what can i do to make my outbreaks stay away longer than a week apart?
Ashleigh:
I am probably in no way a poster boy for the "good" herpes experience. And I am not a medical person in any way (in fact Terri Warren - who wrote a book on herpes IS a doctor, and I think her small expensive new book is sadly missing much information I was hoping to find). I also don't know how long you've had the virus or signs/symptoms. If you've recently contracted it, I would say that your ob's will diminish in frequency/intensity (statistically) as your body and immune system adjusts to its presence. But there are things you can feed it that will speed up the process, and make you healthier and feel better at the same time.
This is my first reply to my post. Thank you for finding some value in it. My own experience started on New Years day. I found several almost microscopic bumps in a cluster on the side of my penis, they were painful for a day or two but never erupted. I was sick to my stomach briefly, then again several more times in the next few days. Overall I was depressed and down and ill for a week. All the negatives took some time to overcome. But I believe as you adjust to the cold hard fact of your new life... You have the resilience to get back to the you that you were... It takes patience. And some effort. And the belief that this won't beat you down.
Here's my program for a question like yours: Study and understand this list of food values:
http://www.globalherbalsupplies.com/herpes/herpes_diet_information.htm
And I would immediately start on LYSINE - 1500 mg per day; St John's Wort as recommended; garlic caps - lots; as many other supplements as you can handle, including a mushroom complex. I don't know if I'm allowed to give company names here, but vitamin distributors online are a good source if, like me, you don't have anything locally. Get the most potent you can afford. I don't think the rx meds work. I've read between the lines on them and they are only treating the SYMPTOMS not the virus. If it's 'feel good' meds we wanted, we could just get loaded and bliss out. We want to BE better. So my idea is that you FEED the herpes what it doesn't like. Lysine-rich foods, vitamins, peace, love, understanding, and the commitment that you deserve to feel better and be better.
Here's the overall premise that keeps me on track - it's not easy to remember on some days when you feel down and sick and ugly, but TRY to keep it in mind as much as possible: How would you deal with this situation if your little girl came home and told you she had herpes???? Yes you would be shocked, and cry with her for a while, and hold her and rock her, and then you would probably say, "It's alright honey - we're going to beat this. We're going to get you feeling better. We're going to find out ALL the ways to fix it. And we're not going to give up until we do. Because I love you!"
As Ondrea Levine so masterfully spoke to me years ago,
"You must treat yourself as if you are your own only child."
I hope this helps, Ashleigh. I hope this helps Ashleigh.
Thank you for letting me expound.
D