I have been using garlic oil made from capsules and extra virgin olive oil.

As I read the board, many of you using garlic oil are treating the outbreaks themselves. Well, once I used the oil and the last outbreak went away, I was using straight garlic whenever I got a stinging itch in one spot (is this the "tingling" everybody talks about?) or if I got that general, not quite an itch sensation.

What I've done lately is to just apply the garlic oil nightly, whether or not I get any indication of an oncoming outbreak. I have been very free of outbreaks since doing that.

I noticed a small bump, and a few even smaller ones after I skipped a couple of nights, (no itching or anything) and I immediately applied the oil. The next day, they were almost gone.

Anyway I have decided that I will continue to use the oil nightly, whether I get symtoms or not.

To make the oil, I got extra virgin olive oil, then I shopped for garlic capsules. My thinking was that the pills would have other ingredients that would be necessary to maintain the pill shape, whereas with the capsule, I'd get pure garlic powder that wouldn't have additives.

It doesn't dissolve completely in the oil, so it needs to be stirred a little each time it's used. The big payoff for me was that in addition to controlling the outbreaks, it has much less garlicky odor.

I am not taking any prescription medication, and I haven't added the capsules or L*lysine by mouth yet. (I keep forgetting to take them.)

Hope this helps somebody.

G.

I am so glad i read about this whole garlic / olive oil treatment for the herpes. My daughter has been taking Acyclovir everytime she starts with the herpes sores on her bottom (type 1) and it takes up to maybe 5 days or so till they go away. She gets raw open sores and because of her being so young (19 months now) and her wearing a diaper (and wiping her etc etc) the sores have spread so she winds up getting sores over what i would call a good section of her bottom. I am eager to try the whole garlic and olive oil treatment and I thank all of you for writing in about it.

But let me ask.....the best treatment is the mashed fresh garlic (or garlic capsules) with the virgin olive oil applied directly on the sores at the start of an outbreak * for as long as there are sores, right? i want to make sure i do it right and do it long enough.

thank you for the help

Hi... i hate that your daughter has this on her little bottom.
As far as the garlic oil, I haven't tried making it with capsules, only with the fresh. I actually use a garlic press instead of chopping it, it's easier and I think really get's the juices out. I even dump the scrapings from the garlic press in. I apply the oil at first sign and keep doing to until the sore is gone.. and maybe even a day or two after. It's really soothing, I hope that it brings some relief to your baby. I know that it's helped a lot of people go on with their daily activities that they found difficult before. It seems to help with pain, itching, and healing.
Good luck to you.

Ok! I'm the newby here. I just found out I have HSV-2 (herpes simplex virus-2) And I'm going through shell shock. Its been so humiliating. I've probably been too hard on myself, but I can only blame me. It was my own stupidity that allowed me to be exposed to this disease. I trusted my GF and I believe she was untrue. On top of that, her OB/GYN misdiagnosed her. My GF complained of atypical symptoms (irritation, soreness, inflamation, etc.) but no lesions. I advised her to she her Dr. right away. Her OB/GYN told her it looked like an infection and would run all the STD tests. She took a culture of one of the healing sores. But told her it was not herpes. In fact, my GF said all the tests can back negative except for some evidence of a small bacterial infection. The Dr. gave her an antibiotic to take and a prescription for me too. I had no symptoms at all, but figured I should just do as the Dr. ordered. Her symptoms went away, but returned three weeks later. Only this time they were very typical of herpes. She didn't tell me she was having them until after we were physical for about three days. At that time it hurt her so bad she had to say something. She went back to the Dr. and the OB/GYN said she should have given her a blood test instead of a culture. (As cultures are only about 60% accurate.) And thats if it is taken on a open lesion. A serology (blood test) was ordered on my insistance and we are waiting for results. But even the doctor now says it certainly looks like herpes. Two days after she went to the DR. the second time, I started showing classic symptoms of herpes, including:fever, chills, headache, fatigue, and small blisters. As soon as I found out what her DR. said, I became determined to learn all I can about HSV-2. I researched day and night and have become very educated now about this disease.
Here is a few facts I can share to help everyone understand how this disease can so easily be acquired:
25% of women have genital herpes. 1/5 of men. Over 80% of genital herpes cases are misdiagnosed or underdiagnosed in a physicians office. 60-75 million Americans have HSV-2 (genital herpes). Over 90.8% of people with HSV-2 antibodies show unrecognizable symptoms or are asymptomatic (no symptoms at all). Evidence now proves HSV-1 (cold sores/fever blisters) can be transfered to the genital area through oral contact and manifest into HSV-2. 95% of adults over the age of 25 are serologically positive for HSV-1. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can be latent or dormant for years in the human body. Both HSV-1 and HSV-2 can still be transmitted even when latent/dormant through sexual contact. This means that a person could be transmitting/infectining a partner even though no symptoms are apparent. Condoms have a 15-35% failure rate across the board. HSV-2 (genital herpes) is now known in the medical community as "The Silent Epidemic" By 2010 as much of 1/3 of the population will be HSV-2 positive. Thats one out of every three people you know.
Lastly, epidemiologic data links herpes simplex virus (HSV) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission and acquisition. Anywhere from 2-5 fold.
All information I've gathered here is from Medscape and The Center for Health Care Education. Jan. 2003
I hope this doesn't scare you too much. My point is only that we as known carriers must be responsible beyond question. Careful thought must be given before we decide to continue any sexual activity. We don't want to be giving this disease to the very ones we say we love.

What does that mean about the HIV being linked to HSV 2-5 fold??

What does that mean about the HIV being linked to HSV 2-5 fold??
From what I understand the two aren't related in terms of the viruses themselves. They're "linked" becuase when a person has an OB there is open skin, thus providing more places for HIV to enter the body. Therefore, if you are having a herpes outbreak and you have sex with someone who is HIV positive, you're risk is greater than someone who is not having an outbreak.

OK, wait a minute. You can stop having sex if you want, but I will not. According to these statistics, your loved one has more chance of catching h (and possibly something far worse) from someone else who doesn't even know they have it, or who may lie to them about it, than from you, a responsible, honest person who will work with him/her to protect and inform him/her. I'm sorry, I just think this idea of us having to be lonely martyrs is a bunch of hooey, and is a dangerous idea for our loving and beloved partners. Our partners are adults (I hope!) and can weigh the risks themselves. My partner has told me often that he believes his life would be much worse without me in it, even if someday he does catch the h. And you know what? He's right. Before he met me, he dated women that lied to him, manipulated him, cheated on him, and even stole money and jewelry from him. It's amazing that he didn't get a disease! Of course, this was a long time ago...if I kick him out "for his own good" because he may someday get h from me, it would not only break his heart, but nowadays he would also probably end up with AIDS.

question: how does herpes 1 on the genitals manifest itself into herpes 2? and also - what is the difference, if any, between herpes 1 and 2 other than one is typically on the mouth and the other typically on the genitals? i mean they both are blisters, sore, etc etc - is there another difference?

i'm curious

[QUOTE=esam]question: how does herpes 1 on the genitals manifest itself into herpes 2? and also - what is the difference, if any, between herpes 1 and 2 other than one is typically on the mouth and the other typically on the genitals? i mean they both are blisters, sore, etc etc - is there another difference?

yes, this reply is very late but i want to ask that too. could you answer that question above. how does herpes 1 on the genitals manifest itself into herpes2? thanks..

One doesn't turn into the other. The difference is only in where the strain prefers to reside. Herpes 1 prefers to live in the nerves somewhere I believe kind of behind your ear... or that general area. Herpes 2 prefers the nerves at the base of your spine. Either can occur at either place although Herpes 2 supposedly doesn't reoccur too often on the face and supposedly H1 has less rouccurence on the genitals, but I"m sure there are some people here who beg to differ!

What is the formula you use? how many capsules to how much olive oil? shoul it be in paste form? is fresh garlic better?
earthchick

I cut two or three cloves of fresh garlic into quarters, put them in a small container with a well-fitting lid, and pour in extra-virgin olive oil to cover. That's it. It needs to sit about an hour or two to extract the essential part of the garlic.