Hello all, ive never done a discussion board but reaching out for help. I had been to ER 2x this past week and they kept saying UTI, didnt even look at the pain and excruciating pain while urinating. Went to an urgent care 2 days a ago and told me to immediately stop taking antibiotics NOT uti look like yeast infection.. I did feel some pressure relief but had scheduled gyno appt just as a follow up. The doctor glanced in there, while training an intern, and said yep.. you have herpes... I immediately busted into tears and he told me he would write a prescription. I asked what to do about the pain when urinating and he said really nothing.. u can try vaseline to coax the ulcers but I feel so gross and depressed. I blame my boyfriend and have made him extremely depressed as well. Very selfish right now bc I dont care about him. I feel life is over and im 29 yrs old. Anyways he could have misdiagnosed me? From what ive read though this seems to be the culprit. Any advise or just words of comfort would be appreciated. Thanks,
So sorry to hear about your diagnosis! I hope your doctor is following up with a lesion swab to be sure. It's also useful and important to know which type you have, if you have it, as there are different implications with each.
For me, the first symptom was also like a UTI (but probably just urethritis) and antibiotics didn't do a thing, since HSV is viral. The only thing you can do to relieve the pain, besides taking the antivirals, is to keep drinking lots of water/fluids to dilute your urine and pour water down there while you pee. As the urethral ulcers heal, the urination pain will lessen, then go away altogether.
I have a "useful info" thread pinned to the top of this forum group that may prove helpful. I researched everything and anything under the sun in relation to genital herpes after my own recent diagnosis (I've practically reached "expert" level in what I now know about GH, lol!), and thought I'd consolidate things for the benefit of others (no single site addresses everything, I've noticed).
In any case, this forum group is great for seeking advice and help, plus sharing experiences, so it's good that you joined. I often check in, since I'm not currently working, and there are many others on here to also offer support.
So sorry you're going through this. The pain will pass. Also you can try raw organic honey on any blisters. It will burn but helps to heal them. I understand how you feel emotionally. I'm only 23. I blamed my partner as well. I have done so much damage with my words I actually regret it. So try to keep in mind you aren't the only one dealing with your diagnosis, your boyfriend is too. This isn't a death sentence. More people have it than you'd believe. You will continue to go up and down in emotions and it's okay! You deserve the time to be angry, sad and confused. Here if you need to talk. Wishing you the best!
Thank you very much for your time, I must say how scared of water I am. The pain makes me scream loud curse words but I will try pouring the water while I do it. Thank you for your time, the last doctor I saw was very short and gave me no advice for pain or no comfort and I must say I was very distraught. I had never had anything before then all of sudden this. I have been dealing with the pain for the last week, do you have any idea when the ulcers will go away. I just cant seem to take it much anymore. Thanks greatly,
Thank you very much, yes he keeps pointing that out but I blame him for past girls hes been with. I have said many hurtful things. You are right, I should be understanding he is probably experiencing the same emotions im going through. I just want to mad for awhile and I just feel lost in the dark with it. 2 min convo with the doctor and it felt like my heart fell in my stomach. This means that I take medicine everyday forever right, that I cant have sex at times of break out? Im an active person so to be told all the cant is making me want to rip my hair out
Same here. I've always had a very healthy vagina, then suddenly BAM!!
The pain will lessen over the course of 1-2 weeks, but it may take another week or two for things to truly get back to normal. For me, the painful peeing was worst in the first week, much better in the second week (but I got a few more new lesions; luckily they didn't hurt), and I felt fully normal down there in all respects at three weeks, but I have a couple of bumps under the hair that never ulcerated and have yet to completely go away, otherwise I'm all good. Touch wood!
If you dilute your pee by drinking enough water/fluids, it won't burn much when you urinate. Rinsing while you pee will stop your urine from stinging any external lesions and get rid of the infected urine, which can be irritating to the vaginal opening. Remember to pay dry, not wipe. Applying *diluted* tea tree oil is both antiseptic and can offer soothing relief if you have any itching.
*pat dry, I mean. Also, you can take paracetamol or ibuprofen for general pain, or possibly pyridium just for the burning urination (used for normal UTIs), but check with your doctor first regarding the latter.
I know exactly how you feel. I'm very sexual so hearing I had herpes was like the biggest punch to the gut. You wouldn't want to have sex during an outbreak. It's so painful already. You have the right to be angry! I just don't want anyone to make the mistake I did of going off and now having to apologize. It sucks. I'm still healing..almost done. And I went and bought myself a sex toy. While I still have to figure out how the hell I'm going to bounce back with sex..I'm not dead and I won't pretend to be.
The problem with a lot of guys is that they are asymptomatic or only have it orally. So, while they may feel horrible about passing it on (if they're even willing to admit that; some aren't), they don't have to deal with the nasty and possibly recurring genital symptoms (which tend to be worse for women anyway) and/or the life-long STD stigma (if they only have it orally). So unfair!
Sounds exactly like my first outbreak... I'm currently towards the end of it now.. I thought I had a yeast infection so I self treated with monistat. The itching for worse after I used the monistat. Finally 24 hours after I used it I felt like I was peeing razor blades. Went to the ER said "you have a UTI" started antibiotics.. I got into my gynecologist 3 weeks ago on Monday where I told her I thought I was having a terrible reaction to the monistat. Since there were sores she said she wanted to swab for HSV even though she said she didn't think that's what it was.. 2 days later everything was 10 times worse while waiting on my results. Ended up at a different emergency room 2x in one day on Wednesday. The second time I went on Wednesday I came home with a catheter because I no longer could pee it was entirely too painful. That Friday I went back to my gynecologist where I was given the news. I indeed have genital HSV1. Ive been dealing with this primary outbreak for coming up on 3 weeks now.. I'm on my last day of valacyclovir for the 10 day 2x a day dose. I'm going to be taking it 1x a day for a year to help suppress it and keep outbreaks at bay... good luck to you.... It's an extremely frustrating thing to have to deal with.
Hello again, im on day 2 of meds. I seem to feel some relief until I go pee... however after a shower I was putting vaseline on the ulcers yesterday and today some white stuff came from infected area. First time inwent pee and felt no pain. Does this mean that the ulcers have popped and draning?
Yeah. If you're seeing pus it's draining. So make sure when you pee you pat those areas dry too. And when you pee carry a bottle of water and pour it on your vagina while you pee. That method saved me. And try not to wear underwear. Let the area breathe! Really important
You had mentioned that yeaterday and I wiah I knew that 1 week ago, it made a WORLD of difference.. I actaully didnt feel like I was going to chip my teeth from grinding so hard while using the bathroom. So its a good sign that they are draning. My partner is the culprit, I think I mentioned that already, but since im on antibiotics and when I feel better would it be ok to engage in intercourse? Do I need to finish out all medication and even then what if it comes back after we do it again when im done with antibiotics. Im so sorry to bother you.. I just have no one to talk to and you have been beyond 100% helpful and emotionally life saving.
Honestly I'm trying to figure out the same thing. I don't know how long after healing you should wait to have sex. I personally want to wait a little bit. If you're having sex with the same person that gave it to you I think everything is okay. You can't get more herpes unless you get a different type. And you are no bother at all.
Supposedly once your symptoms are fully gone and the skin completely healed, you are good to go regarding sex. However, my thinking is like yours. If it's with the same person who gave you GH, then this is fine, although I'd be careful in the first 3-4 months while the body is still building antibodies.
If with a new partner, however, I would rather wait. Newly infected individuals are supposedly more contagious in the first year, plus I want my body to regroup and be less susceptible to other cr@p, so I'm tempted to wait at least 6 months. Lol, that seems like forever!!
@Kelly - Glad you are feeling better! The pouring water while you pee trick always seems to work, plus keeping your urine diluted. Some of the other answers you are looking for are in that link I posted earlier. Have a read.
P.S. What annoys me is how all websites only talk about GH and sex in the context of a committed monogamous relationship. Also, they only talk about sex after a general/recurrent outbreak, not a primary one, which is another reason why I've been digging for info on immunity, HSV type cross-protection, contagiousness, etc. Health and advice websites need to get with the times and ask GH folk what they want to know!
Ive read so many different things. When I urinate the stinging has stopped but I cant see inside to see if legions are gone. Like I said earlier ive been on meds for 24 hrs now. Just curious if its ok to give it a go. Same partner but done want to cause anymore pain then ive already been through. Maybe I should finish up meds but its very frustrating in my relationship
Since this is a primary outbreak and you aren't out of it yet, I would wait longer. If you try too soon, it may be painful and could worsen your outbreak. Sex can be a trigger for GH.
Also, especially if you have HSV-1 and never had it orally before, be wary of autoinoculation (spreading it to other areas of your own body). Autoinoculation is more likely to occur during a primary outbreak until enough antibodies have been established (3-4 months from infection).