Ttc with herpes

[worrywilma]

I'm ashamed to say I have genital herpes. It's embarrassing, painful and makes me feel disgusting.

I was diagnosed about 7 years ago and we've been ttc for 18 months.

I have a few outbreaks a year and they tend to be during my TWW but id really like to know if anyone else has had any experience with herpes and ttc.

I'm worried that as I get a few symptoms (even if I don't get an outbreak) during my TWW, is my immune system kicking in to tackle the virus and maybe preventing implementation?

You really, really don't need to be ashamed, it's very common - something like 7/10 people have it but only 1/3 have symptoms.
(I have it and so do several of my friends). Have you tried speaking to the herpes.org.uk helpline? They were really helpful when I was first diagnosed and in the first couple of years (I haven't had an attack in over 10 years now).
Good luck!

herpes.org.uk

Thank you @bluejelly that's really kind of you to post the link.

I haven't spoken to anyone really and I suppose I'm just clutching at straws for reasons I'm not getting pregnant.

I'd pay good money for a cure!

I know what you mean! I hope you can get some reassurance and advice. My instinct is that having herpes shouldn't affect fertility but I'm no expert at all! Just know that h is much more common than people realise and absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

You'll be fine. I've had herpes for over 30yrs and am a mum to two strapping 6ft odd DS in their 20s. No problems ttc, you only have to mention it if you have an outbreak during active labour.

Don't be ashamed. So many people have the virus.

Please don't feel ashamed it's so common, I have it and I have had my daughter and currently pregnant again. It has no impact on conception, but your feelings of stress and worry caused by the outbreaks may be having an impact.
When speaking to my midwife she said she has seen many mothers with the virus, hopefully you will fall pregnant soon and they may then offer you anti virals towards the end of pregnancy to prevent an outbreak at birth. But please try not to worry, as you have had for a while (same amount of time as me) you will not cause any damage to implantation or baby when it comes 💖
If it helps, look up high lysine/low arginine foods and take lysine supplements, lysine helps to prevent outbreaks/make them less severe!
It's nothing to be ashamed of 💖

This is a topic I am really interested in and there seems to be very limited info out there… I have HSV2 as well and my partner and I struggled to conceive for over two years. Two months before we were due to start IVF I started taking suppressive aciclovir as I didn’t want to get an outbreak due to all the hormone injections and general stress. The next month I fell pregnant naturally… I have no idea if the aciclovir had anything to do with it or whether it was just coincidence.

Have you tried taking suppressive aciclovir?