I'm 43 and have experienced an increase in the frequency and the severity of outbreaks over the past six months. Acknowledging that I am under a lot of daily stress (always have been), I still wonder if there could be some other reason. Could I have picked up a second strain and now have alternating attacks of H-1 & H-2?

Maybe *shrug* although apparently if you have HSV-2 genitally, the chances are very remote that you could get HSV-1 there. The HSV-2 seems to provide some degree of protection. Have you had a full check-up with your doctor lately? Maybe there's another medical condition that's aggravating it.

You say you've always been under stress, but our experience of stress can change at different times in our lives simply because our perspective and circumstances tend to change. Also, one type of stress isn't always equal to another type of stress brought on by different circumstances. I'm just suggesting that although it might seem like the "same old stress" there might be something in you that sees different stakes or implications in it and therefore it's having a harder effect on your system. It's something to think about anyway.

About 4 years ago, after about 12 years of regular 3-5/yr OBs, it suddenly went nuts and spread to neighbouring areas where I'd never had OBs before and I was plagued with back-to-back OBs. I trace it back to stress and the onset of hypertension and diabetes, which can interfere with the body's healing ability. I'd been going through gradual, mounting stress over a few years so it seemed like the "same old same old" at the time but looking back, I think I just hit the saturation point and my body went on strike.

You might want to check out the antiviral drugs or alternative remedies, or other strategies to build up your immune system. Anyway, good luck. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

TheOneInFour

Yes, I agree about the stress, sometimes it's a very tricky thing to recognize and correct. Another thing, I recently got a cold and because I've been taking a pile of immune building vitamin's, herbs, etc., the cold was remarkably less severe. However, I think the drain on my immune system allowed the herpes virus to activate somewhat. I didn't get a full outbreak, but had some prodrome symptoms that showed up with the cold and left as the cold died down. Could be just coincidence, but the timing was right on.

So, if you have had another ailment within the last six months, this could be what is happening to you. If you are not aware of any other illness, you might want to get a complete physical to see if anything shows up. There has to be a reason why your outbreak patterns are changing, although it may be impossible to find out what it is, since there is still alot not known. Good luck.

NonExist

Originally posted by Nonexist:
I think the drain on my immune system allowed the herpes virus to activate somewhat. I didn't get a full outbreak, but had some prodrome symptoms that showed up with the cold and left as the cold died down. Could be just coincidence, but the timing was right on.

In my experience this can definitely happen. Several years ago there was a strain of flu going around that would hit, then get better, then hit again, then get better, then hit again, and on and on for months. I was sick as a dog with this for about 6 months. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

What made it even worse, though, was that just as I was getting better from the flu, I would get hit with an OB. Like clockwork. And yes, I'm sure the flu was really the flu (and not simply prodrome symptoms) because all my friends had the same flu (without the OBs, I assume http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif ) It left me tired all the time and feeling weak and vulnerable.

The only thing that seemed to stop that flu cycle were heavy doses of antibiotics. I also started on vitamins/minerals (natural source, mega doses) and herbal remedies (most notably, high doses of antioxidents A, E and C; Kyolic garlic capsules with astragalus and vit.C). I took these steadily over a few months which strengthened my immune system and got my energy back.

Since then, whenever my system feels weak I'll often feel prodrome and/or OB symptoms. I suspect that while the body is busy fighting a flu or other bug, it doesn't have the strength to also fight the activated herpes virus, so we're more vulnerable at those times. I suspect the opposite may be true as well -- that when the body is busy fighting off an OB, we're more vulnerable to getting the flu.

It really does pay to keep ourselves as healthy and stress-free as possible.

TheOneInFour