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"Long term outlook...."

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katkin	Apr-24-00, 08:53 PM (CST)
"Long term outlook...."
Having had herpes type 2 for just over a year now and coping pretty well physically (the emotional issues seem to take the longest)....what is the outlook for most of us who have had herpes longterm ?? My main concern is what my body will be like when I am 50 (in another 11 years YEEKS). I am always optimistic about them finding a cure for this virus and/or better treatment, but it scares me hearing some of these stories, especially if your immune system becomes compromised. Rattus....do you have any medical information on this topic ??
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Table of contents

RE: Long term outlook...., Rajah, Apr-24-00, (1) Great, Della, Apr-24-00, (2) RE: Great, Katkin, Apr-25-00, (3) RE: Great, Will, Apr-26-00, (5) RE: Great, J, Apr-26-00, (8) RE: Thanks J, Betty, Apr-26-00, (9) RE: Great, windy, Apr-26-00, (6) RE: Great, will, Apr-26-00, (7) RE: Great, windy, May-02-00, (19) Odds are pretty good, Della, Laurie, Apr-29-00, (13) The many faces of HSV..., J, Apr-26-00, (4) long-term outlook, Jewels, Apr-29-00, (10) RE: long-term outlook, Katkin, May-02-00, (17) RE: Long term outlook...., theoldguy70, Apr-29-00, (11) Wow!, Rajah, Apr-29-00, (12) RE: Wow!, J, May-01-00, (14) Awwww, thanks, J :-), Rajah, May-01-00, (15) Thanks!, Della, May-01-00, (16) RE: Long term outlook...., Katkin, May-02-00, (18) RE: Long term outlook...., adelheid, May-02-00, (20) RE: Long term outlook...., Terry, May-07-00, (21)

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Messages in this topic

Rajah	Apr-24-00, 09:22 PM (CST)
1. "RE: Long term outlook...."
I am 54 and can't say that I have any difference yet in my OB pattern since it settled down after I got it 5 years ago. Now if you are talking three or four more decades, there might be some noticeable difference. My grandmother had trouble with shingles, herpes zoster, when she got to be about 96. Rajah
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	Della	Apr-24-00, 11:38 PM (CST)
	2. "Great"
	That's JUST FREAKIN great. Are you serious Rajah??? In thirty years, I'll be a measly 48 year old. That leaves at least thirty more years of living (up to at least 78). Tell me that won't happen to me! What are the odds? The usually happy, but now paranoid: ~Della P.S. I'm on b.c. and a somewhat heavy smoker (a pack a day). I'm gonna die at 30 aren't I?
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	Katkin	Apr-25-00, 06:31 AM (CST)
	3. "RE: Great"
	Thanks guys.....i do feel better now I shall now go and watch one of my fave shows.....'Buffy' the Vampire Slayer.....nice to get lost in a little fantasy now and then . best wishes always katkin XXXXXXXX
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	Will	Apr-26-00, 08:12 AM (CST)
	5. "RE: Great"
	Hi J, your right, a cure in the definition that ths virus will be expelled from the body would be difficult. but a clinical cure is what cantab is working on currently with their disc vaccine. this approach will alter the dna of the cell which will enable the virus from replicating. It will still live in out bodies but will lay dormant. www.cantab.uk.co If I am wrong, someone please correct me.
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	J	Apr-26-00, 01:55 PM (CST)
	8. "RE: Great"
	>Hi J, >your right, a cure in the >definition that ths virus will >be expelled from the body >would be difficult. Awhile back we talked about natural receptors for HSV (A,B,C, etc.) and which ones correlated with HSV infecton. HSV "flags" cells it infectes which prevents other HSV virions from infecting the same cell (multiple infections may mess up the genetic information), however, this "flag", doesn't prevent other viruses from infecting the same cell (possible cohort influences on disease expression.) If we could alter a virus to infect "flagged cells" with new genetic info or even kill the infected cells, we might get a true cure. but >a clinical cure is what >cantab is working on currently >with their disc vaccine. >this approach will alter the >dna of the cell which >will enable the virus from >replicating. It will still >live in out bodies but >will lay dormant. Depends on how you define a clinical cure-for those already infected, DISC perhaps can generate a greater immune response but it's my understanding that immune responses have a ceiling effect. So, if your immune response is already the maximun it can be and your OBS are still a lot, you're just SOL. DISC will not alter the genetic code of cells already infected. As for the uninfected, DISC is a single replication cycle vaccine-hence, infects once which will generate an immune response, but the virus lacks the ability to replicate/infect further. Assuming the immune response is strong, further infection is eliminated or greatly reduced (i.e. exposure to real HSV) but, still possible. Again, assuming the immune response is great, a person exposed to a large viral load may still get infected but not to the same severity if they did not have the vaccine. It really depends if the immune response is great and if the virus can make it to the nerve cells prior to being recognised by the immune system. Unfortunally, some nerve cells are close to the surface of skin. J
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	Betty	Apr-26-00, 02:39 PM (CST)
	9. "RE: Thanks J"
	I think I actually understood your terminology! That's kind of what I thought, that it may help infected people, but some will still have outbreaks. I just wonder about how much it will stop asymptomatic shedding?
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	windy	Apr-26-00, 10:56 AM (CST)
	6. "RE: Great"
	Della, If it's any consolation to you, I've had oral hsv1 for 38 years, and it hardly ever bothers me. And the gential hsv2 only bothers me a little more often than that. As for the timing of your impending demise, I keep hearing from different sources that this world will end in 2012, so you'll be, um, 30 then, right. Take care, windy
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	will	Apr-26-00, 01:51 PM (CST)
	7. "RE: Great"
	Windy, How long have you had hsv2? how often are your ob? are you married and if so does your partner have the virus too? Thanks.
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	windy	May-02-00, 04:52 AM (CST)
	19. "RE: Great"
	LAST EDITED ON May-02-00 AT 04:57 AM (CST) Will, I've had genital herpes for 9 years, and was with my donor for the first 5 of those years. My first year was constant ob, then it slowed down. Had about a year of frequent prodromes (pin stab sensation). Then it slowed to about 2-3 ob/year. windy
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	Laurie	Apr-29-00, 11:29 PM (CST)
	13. "Odds are pretty good, Della"
	That you will see 100.
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J	Apr-26-00, 00:49 AM (CST)
4. "The many faces of HSV..."
We used to have a virologist on the site and she seemed convinced that there would be a cure for HSV in our life time. If you think about this, it would really be quite amazing. This would be more than just supressing the virus. It would involve identifying every infected cell and altering the genetic information in the cell (booting out the HSV genetic code or perhaps deleting "key" components.) I, personally, think this is far less likely than developing a vaccine (lucky for the uninfected.) Vaccines may also help severe sufferers but it probably won't help everyone (some people will still have regular recurrences.) J
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Jewels	Apr-29-00, 06:36 AM (CST)
10. "long-term outlook"
Hi Katkin, I have had genital HSV-2 for almost 20 years. During this time I have not been what I would consider a chronic sufferer, but most days I have felt some type of tingling, random pain or irritation, with recurrent outbreaks several times a year. My symptoms have not changed significantly in all this time, and I do not notice any change in my immune system or response to other illnesses. I recently started taking Valtrex on a daily basis and it has reduced the daily discomfort substantially. From my experience, however, it is your stress level and the general state of your nerves that has the most impact one way or the other. I recently had a bad case of burning and shooting pains that lasted for 3 months. This was something that had never happened in the past so there could have been other factors involved, but I attribute it to an exceptionally high level of emotional stress during that time. The problem has now almost entirely cleared up, back to the "normal". I would not worry about what will happen over the course of time, but instead concentrate on the things that tend to reduce your symptoms. The long-term impact of that effort will be much more beneficial than worrying about all of what will most likely never happen, even if there is no vaccine or cure. Take care of yourself.
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	Katkin	May-02-00, 04:00 AM (CST)
	17. "RE: long-term outlook"
	Thanks for sharing that with me....actually thanks to everyone on this site....you guys and gals keep me 'sane'. I guess I am coming more to terms with this virus and keeping as healthy as i can...but I mainly fear anything happening to me, as I am the only person in my four kids lives and I always want to be there for them. It is better to stay optimistic, as my dad keeps saying to me " Sh*t Kate.you could get hit by a bus tomorrow....lighten up....herpes is one of the oldest viruses known to man and NOT the nastiest one either. Think yourself lucky" and he is right. My suppressive therapy is working well with taking Famvir twice daily (250 mg) and overall I feel pretty darn good. Back to the land of the living...and I plan to live for a VERY long time....like my 80 year old friend who still teaches yoga Best wishes to you all and much love to you all XXXXXXX
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theoldguy70	Apr-29-00, 10:26 PM (CST)
11. "RE: Long term outlook...."
I'm 71. My genital herpes is 52 - older than just about any person on this list. I had it 5 years before I knew what it was; 20 years before I knew it was sexually transmitted; 25 before I knew it was something to be ashamed of. I got it from my sex partner of 53 years with whom I've been married 50 years. She has never had an outbreak. Go figure. Over time my outbreaks diminished from 6 or so annually to an average of about one. I have developed a regimen that seems to help. 1) Avoid physical and emotional stress. 2) 1000mg vitamin C daily. 3) Stay as healthy as possible. 4) Keep the antiviral compound handy - (currently Valtrex - twice a day is easier and it doesn't make me feel as bad as Zovirax.) 5) Start the antiviral at the first sign of the prodrome. 6) Use a band-aid to avoid secondary infection. Outbreaks usually occur when my immune system is compromised by a cold, flu, sinus infection or stress. I never had the psychological anguish that many suffer. Herpes wasn't common when I got it and I've never had to confess to a prospective sex partner. After prostate surgery, coronary bypass surgery, skin cancer, GERD (look it up), hypertension, arthritis and other delights of advancing maturity, the herpes is a minor pain-in-the-ass. (Sometimes literally.) Life is still worthwhile even though I hurt like hell when I wake up in the morning. My advice to all is calm down and live with it. It is the price of your sexual liberation, or your partner's.. Herpes blossomed after multiple partners, serial partners and oral sex became common; probably because HSV-1 is endemic in the population and easily spread through oral-genital contact. Until a cure is found the only way to avoid it completely is keep the fly zipped, the panties on and the kisses above the waist. But of course, that advice is too late for all of us here.
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	Rajah	Apr-29-00, 11:00 PM (CST)
	12. "Wow!"
	You take the official title of the most senior person to be posting on here. I am 54 so I was born a couple years before you were infected and I was the old guy before you came along. Your input sounds right on and I appreciate very much you chiming in here. Please feel free to join in at any time. Regards, Rajah
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	J	May-01-00, 00:30 AM (CST)
	14. "RE: Wow!"
	Raj, You've never been the old guy on the site... ...just the respected elder (((HUGS))) J
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	Rajah	May-01-00, 11:33 AM (CST)
	15. "Awwww, thanks, J :-)"
	What a very sweet thing to say. (((HUGS in return))) Rajah
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	Della	May-01-00, 08:35 PM (CST)
	16. "Thanks!"
	Thanks, "Old Guy". You're input makes me feel TONS better! I will rest easy from now on out... ~Della (Thanks to Laurie, and anyone else who replied to my paranoia, as well.) did i spell that right?
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	Katkin	May-02-00, 04:06 AM (CST)
	18. "RE: Long term outlook...."
	Thankyou so much for your words of wisdom Oldguy....but I bet you are young on the inside. My eighty year old yoga teacher is my best friend and she told me that you literally are as old as you allow yourself to feel. No....she doesn't have herpes, but she has helped me to ensure that i eat well and try to love myself for who I am. We are more than the sum of our parts....it truly is what is on the inside that counts.....our bodies are merely vehicles that we use to travel around in while we are on this planet...just some are a bit more battered and bruised than others . Thankyou 'not so old' Guy Take care, Katkin.
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	adelheid	May-02-00, 07:51 PM (CST)
	20. "RE: Long term outlook...."
	To the Oldguy and other helpful folks on this site: Thank you! I am an Internal Medicine resident who contracted HSV2 two months ago - have already reviewed plenty of medical information on the virus, transmission/prevention, and med/vaccine research - but nothing eased the psychological burden of having an as-yet incurable infection until I read some of the postings on your site, e.g. Oldguy's. Thanks for showing it's possible to have a well-adjusted and optismistic attitude toward life with herpes, and thanks for reaching out to others!
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Terry	May-07-00, 03:11 AM (CST)
21. "RE: Long term outlook...."
I took on Herpes in 1971 when it was rumoured to be terminal. I can't recall when I last had an outbreak, maybe over ten years. The old guy gives me more ease - I guess I don't have to sweat nerve deterioration as my paranoia suggests... Live long & everything
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