Herpes Medication found in my husbands bag

[countrysidefields]

I have just found empty packets of tablets from an online pharmacy box dated 17th dec 2024 for anciclovir in my husbands laptop bag.
All the empty packets and packing was also in the box, like it was hidden in there.
When I googled that medication it's used for genital herpes. He doesn't and never has had cold sores.
I am obviously thinking the worst seeing how it was hidden away. Please don't judge me, I wasn't actually looking on purposes, I happened to come across it.
Am I right to be assuming the worst?

For genital herpes you take 5 pills ( 200mg) every 4 hrs for a minimum of 5 days , 45 it’s not many

Which he doesn't have.

Go on the sueoedrug website and it's clear you can only get that medication from them for herpes on your lips or genitals

I can honestly say I have never had any symptoms or flare ups so going by that I would say I have never had it. Never had shingles or cold sores either

. Check his bank statements/ credit card and match the amount
from superdrug

400 mg - 15 tablet(s) - Single course
£20.00

400 mg - 30 tablet(s) - First Ever Outbreak
£25.00

400 mg - 30 tablet(s) - Two courses
£25.00

400 mg - 45 tablet(s) - Three courses
£30.00. I would say it’s this one

400 mg - 168 tablet(s) - Daily Suppression Treatment
£49.00

Oh I see. OP said it was 45 tablets at 3 times per day, so maybe it's not for genital herpes?

op you both work from home
so you’re under the same roof as him right now?!
just make yourself a tea and go and talk to him

more than 2 decades of happy marriage op. don’t get sucked in to mumsnet

Thank you this is very helpful

It is because super drug only give that medication for herpes

I can imagine using the Superdrug website rather than GP a week before Christmas.

Thanks - obviously that’s devastating for the OP but useful to know as I thought it could be used for other things as did several other posters.

I would speak to the GP, get yourself checked and then talk to your DH about it.

It is but The OP partner bought it from super drug and the consultant was for herpes https://onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/aciclovir.html

I had a very wild first year at uni, kissed indiscriminately. I never had herpes outbreak and my blood test came negative for hsv1 and 2. I really think paying for a herpes blood test is worth it because your status can inform what you decide to do later with your husband or anyone else.

Also used for eye herpes

I use Superdrug for that prescription as I get coldsores. I do not have/have never had genital herpes.

The 45 tablets cover 3 outbreaks as you take 3 tablets daily for 5 days. In order to get the prescription you fill out a form, where one of the questions is if a doctor or nurse first diagnosed you. He could have lied, or perhaps had an outbreak as a child?

Sorry you've had such a curveball thrown at you, but if you have any questions around the superdrug process itself feel free to ask.

Re eyes herpes Wouldn't your husbands tell you if his eye is all gunky and sore and wouldn't he go see an actual physical doctor with something as precious as eyes?!

I caught it 22yrs ago from my first sexual partner, married my DH 18 yrs ago , he hasn’t got it, I never have sex when I flare up, the longer the time passes ,the less it flares up, now maybe every three yrs or so and is not as bad as 25yrs ago, it’s very mild.
My first flare up was about 4 yrs after I became infected, I didn’t even know I have it .
Speak to your DH , it does sound like it’s genital herpes but that doesn’t mean he’s cheating.

I'm so sorry, I think you need to get tested and see what the result is and then tackle your husband without him knowing. He may try the "I bought it for a friend" approach and if you then introduce that you have been tested, without telling him the outcome, watch for his reaction.

Or tell him you are having some problems down below and you think you may have thrush or something so you are off to the GPs to get it checks out.

One other thing to mention, in case he uses the excuse that he had herpes before he met you and it can re-appear... .Herpes can remain dormant in the body for a very long time, sometimes even decades. Once the virus enters the body, it travels to nerve cells near the spine and stays there in a latent state. Various factors, such as stress, illness, or a weakened immune system, can trigger the virus to reactivate and cause symptoms again. It's important to note that even when dormant, the virus can still be transmitted to others, which is why practicing safe sex and communicating with partners is crucial. So its certainly something he should have told you, his wife about , if it happened before you met. Assuming he knew of course. There is always the chance he contracted it before you were serious and wasn't aware of it until recently.

Fingers crossed for you that this isn't what it strongly sounds like. Stay strong x

Why would he hide it if it was all innocent? Sorry op.

@pompey38 Women are unfortunately more likely to catch herpes and hiv than to pass them due to viral load shed in men ejaculation exceeds the amount that of a vaginal fluid so it probably helped being careful but statistically it is mainly man transmits to man or man transmit to woman than an infected woman to a man

do you have any children op?

Am often prescribed it for persistent coldsores and know of people who’ve had it for shingles. I guess the issue is why you’d not be aware that he’s had either of those in December. Genital herpes can lay dormant for years/decades so if you’ve no reason to doubt him it may have been related to exposure before you met… but, again, I’d query why he might not have told you he had it?

Shingles is one of the 7 conditions that can be treated by Pharmacists under the Pharmacy First scheme, so I don't think it's true to say that Superdrug can only prescribe Aciclovir for genital herpes.

Also, Shingles is not always painful. I know, because I've had it. I had a rash on my torso with some slight burning/tingling but I wasn't really ill with it, nor in the sort of pain that would be noticeable to others.

All that said, my family knew that I had Shingles, because I told them. It's not the sort of thing you need to keep secret.

When the virus is inactive (dormant) inside the nerve cells it cannot be caught by a partner. If there is virus on the skin surface where you get your symptoms, it can be passed on.