I’ve NC for this.
So I’m a female in my 30s with kids and married to long term partner. He suffers with coldsores, and I have seemingly contracted HSV from him.
Noticed Saturday evening I was a bit burny on my labia and towards buttocks, but thought nothing of it. Sunday morning in the shower I was fairly sore and could feel bumps, I had a look and noticed spots on labia. Immediately thought it was herpes as we had sex in the week including oral, and he developed a coldsore the day after.
It was quite uncomfortable to sit down on Sunday, by Monday (I had self referred to GUM clinic) it was really sore and I was struggling to walk. On Tuesday I heard nothing from GUM clinic so spoke to GP and got a F2F appt. she confirmed HSV, took swabs and prescribed aciclovir and lidnocaine gel. So we are now day 6/7 of outbreak, and it’s just horrific. It is honestly worse than childbirth. The lesions are all over my labia, down to my bum and in between. Weeing is like pouring acid over open wounds, even when I pour water over myself. I can’t wipe after going to the toilet, I have to shower or bath every time. I can’t sleep as it’s always agony. I’m hobbling around, sitting down whilst gritting my teeth. I take regular paracetamol and ibuprofen, the lidnocaine gel is also like acid on open wounds, I’m scared to drink because it means I need to wee again.
I’m crying myself to sleep. I’ve taken 3 full days of aciclovir and on day 4 now (200mg 5 times a day), I think it’s meant to stop it getting worse and help heal the lesions quicker.
I read online 2-4weeks for a primary outbreak to heal, but I just can’t keep going like this. I don’t know what to do. Honestly I have never felt pain like it, I had no idea it was like this. I guess it’s not something people talk about really as it’s embarrassing to know you have it let alone tell others.
Can anyone give their experiences of this at all? Realistically how long will it take to feel better? How can I make it easier? I think the labia ones at the top are improving as they are ‘okay’ but the ones at the bottom of Labia, towards perineum, and in buttocks are horrific. It’s like having barbed wire covered with acid in my arse all the time.
Help 😩😩