Long initial outbreak

[Scottman]

I believe I acquired genital hsv probably late august. I had protected sex and I had a minor outbreak 8 days later and I took valtrex which I had for hsv1. I had tingling and burning in my groin and after taking the valtrex I had no lesions and my symptoms left within a week. Then three weeks later (about a month after exposure) I had another episode of burning in my scrotal region and I didn’t take valtrex. By the third day I had lesions on my penis and scrotal area. I got worse and by day seven I took some valtrex and the symptoms improved. I again stopped the valtrex but the symptoms never went away. The symptoms remained the same for the next week but after three weeks my penis began to hurt and it was hard to pee, so I started valtrex again. Valtrex causes insomnia in me and I started with a quarter of a pill each and eventually got to one pill (500mg) per day. The problem is I am now in week 7 of this and I continue to get lesions on my buttock and anal region as well as my scrotum. It’s almost pulsatile in that the pain will improve but then come back later in the day. It appears to be less when sleeping. The valtrex doesn’t help as much anymore and I can’t tolerate a higher dose due to dizziness and insomnia. My questions are

1. Have you had people with this pain that comes and goes through the day?
2. Why is this taking almost two months to go away. I’m otherwise healthy
3. Should I just stop the valtrex and let it run it’s course? Is it delaying my antibody response?
Thanks

[Terri Warren]

1. Have you had people with this pain that comes and goes through the day?
That would be unusual
2. Why is this taking almost two months to go away. I’m otherwise healthy
I think it’s taking two months to go away because it probably isn’t herpes. Herpes doesn’t hang around like that.

3. Should I just stop the Valtrex and let it run its course? Is it delaying my antibody response?

I would strongly suggest that you stop the Valtrex and if the symptoms continue or get worse, go see someone and have it swab tested. And once you’ve been off Valtrex for 12 weeks, get an IgG test looking for HSV 2. I’m not at all clear that your self-diagnosis of herpes is 100% correct.

Terri

[Author]

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