Yes, I have herpes and have since last July.
These questions, I always feel uneasy answering, because I know that the person like I did myself w others, is asking as a method to guage what theirs will be like. What worries me is, if it doesn't go that way for that person and their expectations are not meant and they have more emotional distress.
Everyone experiences this differently than the next. I've met only one other person on here, that has had a pretty similar case to mine, but I had worse when it cane to some things and she had worse on a thing or two than me. Everyone else, was very different.
On average, it seems to me to look as I'd things get to being more "normal", by week 4. For myself, I have never felt the same since having this, but I also know that I am the exception, not the rule. I have a couple autoimmune disorders, so my body is busy attacking itself, instead of attacking the real intruders. So I don't want you to judge this as to be what your experience will be like. I do feel like age plays a role in how well it is handled as well. It seems the females in their 30s have more severe obs that last longer and the females in their 20s and younger, seem to heal much faster. Again, not the case for everyone.
I had symptoms daily.. Itching or strange nerve sensations or skin being irritated since my first ob. I have been off of meda for over a mo the and have less symptoms off meds than on. Previously I was breaking out once a month on my cycle and usually a second time, due to going out super late and drinking lots of alcohol. That would trigger a bump or two. They never turned into what the ones did on my first ob and were just tender.. I could about my life like they weren't there. I have been off meds over a month and have not had any more obs on my genitals, but have had some red itchy bumps on my buttock here and that, that disappear in a couple days. I just finished my cycle and I ended up breaking put inside w two internal sores. I can't feel them and they don't bother me, unless I'm inserting or removing a tampon they appear on the third day of my cycle and then my inner labia and around the opening will feel like it has a mild sunburn when I wipe. Nothing serious. I've not had any sores or bumps on my vagina since I was last on meds back in February or late January even maybe. My main issue is the nerve sensations.. They're a contact reminder and annoying, but I don't feel them when I'm out and about and busy. Just when laying there doing nothing.
It's normal hun to feel scared, but nothing to be scares about. You are very young and your immune systems will likely handle this very well. You're likely not to have many obs, if any at all, but there's always a chance.. You never know. Pur immune systems are as unique as pur thumb prints, so nobody can really tell you what it will be like for YOU.
Like ibsaid, it will just be annoying for you, after you get through this. I'd say, as annoying as getting a bad yeast or BC infection and a period can be even more annoying than this, once the primary ob is over. It may take some time to feel normal down there again, but be patient.
Take a daily probiotic w live cultures.. 70% of pur immune system is in our gut high sugar diets are a trigger for some. Drinking lots of alcohol and staying out late is a trigger for me, for some, not so much. My period is a trigger and stress. Load up on zinc, vitamin C and Bs.
You'll be OK darling... It really is more of a nuisance after your primary ob, than anything else. Don't be afraid to ask any other questions.