I have Herpetic Whitlow

I have had Herpetic Whitlow on my left thumb for 12 years. I contracted it back in 1996 and I have no idea how. I have been struggling living with this debilitating disease and I find it really hard to care for my two children. I constantly wear latex gloves when bathing or changing them and am still in fear of giving this to them. From what I understand, in-tact skin doesn’t shed, so as long as I am not currently having an outbreak, I am not contagious. But I struggle with this aspect and even when I am not experiencing an outbreak, I still wear the gloves.

When I first got this, I was breaking out on an average of every other month, it was awful. But then my doc put me on Famvir, 500 mg, twice daily. Over the years, my OBs have become less frequent. I believe this is due to the Famvir and the virus getting weaker over time. I broke out a week before my first daughter was born, which sucked and then two years went by and I hadn’t broken out at all until I was pregnant with my second child. Then, I broke out at 7 months pregnant and again a week before the birth of my daughter. Luckily, I have a very caring and understanding husband who was willing to do all of the bathing and changing until my outbreaks healed.

This may sound completely ignorant, but I honestly feel that if I had Herpes genitally or orally, I wouldn’t struggle with this as much. For the simple fact that I would still be able to change diapers, bathe my children and interact freely with them without concern. Having this on my hand is very hard to deal with when having children. - M

How many years did it take you to stop having outbreaks from sickness?

When I was first diagnosed with genital herpes type-2 I got outbreaks (so it seemed) all the time. If I wasn’t having my period, I was having an outbreak. It seemed in the beginning that I got them every two to three weeks and sometimes more often than that.

Eventually I started to track my outbreaks on a calendar along with the days that I would take my Valtrex and how many I would take. For outbreaks I would take 500 mg twice daily. I also tried Acyclovir and Famvir and eventually decided that the Valtrex was kicking the outbreaks in the butt much quicker.

After tracking my outbreaks and checking to see which medicine was working the best for me, I decided that I would like to go on suppressive therapy because I was so sick and tired of having to deal with outbreaks all the time. So I did, I went on suppressive therapy for the next two years taking 500 mg once daily but always having enough Valtrex on hand to bump up my dose to 500 mg twice daily just in case I did get an outbreak while I was on suppressive therapy.

It was 1995 or 1996 when I contracted herpes and now it’s 2008. So you see, I’ve had genital herpes for a long time. I don’t really deal with outbreaks any more and I am no longer on suppressive therapy. In fact, the only time I put myself back on suppressive therapy was the last 6 weeks or pregnancy with my last two babies. I did that to do what I could to prevent outbreaks during labor and delivery. It seemed to do the trick because I was able to have vaginal deliveries with no complications.

You can read all about that on my Herpes Biography

Now there is a generic for famvir

The FDA has approved Teva Pharmaceutical Industries’ ANDA to market famciclovir 125, 250, and 500 mg tablets, indicated for the treatment of recurrent herpes labialis (cold sores) in immunocompromised patients, recurrent mucocutaneous herpes simplex infections in HIV-infected patients, acute herpes zoster (shingles), and the treatment or suppression of recurrent genital herpes in immunocompetent patients. The medication is generically equivalent to Famvir by Novartis. Teva has been awarded a 180-day period of marketing exclusivity.

Read what people have to say about Famvir

Talk about Famvir and other Herpes Antivirals

International Herpes Week 2007

This year the International Herpes Week will take place July 29th through August 4th.

Herpes Treatment and Herpes Testing is better than ever!

Reliable tests for genital herpes are now widely available and treatments are more effective and more convenient to take than ever. This means there is every reason for anyone who thinks they may have been infected with genital herpes to seek medical advice. These are the key messages of International Herpes Week 2007, a regular awareness campaign run by the International Herpes Alliance.

Genital herpes is very common and can affect anyone who is sexually active - it is estimated that in many countries, around one in five people is infected. However, up to 90% of those affected have no idea that they are carrying the HSV virus. Genital herpes can be spread to sexual partners even when the person infected shows no symptoms. Therefore, many people transmit the disease on to other people without ever being aware of it.

Charles Ebel, Chair of the IHA, the organization that runs International Herpes Week, highlights the importance of being tested for genital herpes:

“In many cases, the only way to be sure whether you have genital herpes is to be tested. Accurate, reliable tests are now widely available in many countries via family physicians and health clinics. If you do find that you have been infected, the really good news is that treatments are more effective and simpler to take than ever and there is now data about the precautions you can take to protect partners. More and more people with genital herpes are arming themselves with the facts, taking control of their condition, and getting on with living life to the full.”

Facial herpes (cold sores) and genital herpes are caused by two closely related types of herpes simplex virus, HSV-1 and HSV-2. HSV-1 is the most common strain and usually causes facial herpes, while HSV-2 is more frequently associated with genital herpes. However, cross infection between the two types of virus does occur and in some regions of the world, genital herpes infections are increasingly caused by HSV-1.

Reliable and accurate tests for herpes are now widely available. Viral cultures (swabs) are recommended when visible symptoms are present and a range of blood tests can be used when no symptoms are obvious. It is important to be tested for both the HSV-1 and HSV-2 types of herpes virus. The most accurate blood tests detect IgG antibodies and can show whether a person is infected with the HSV-1 or HSV-2 virus. Many older tests, particularly those that test for IgM antibodies, are less reliable. For an accurate result, it is important to wait for 3-4 months after exposure to the virus, and whenever possible, the result should be discussed with a qualified health professional in a face-to-face appointment so that any questions or concerns can be dealt with immediately.

29-year-old Sophie from France describes what prompted her to get tested for genital herpes:

“An ex partner told me that he had genital herpes, and although I had no signs or symptoms, I decided it would be sensible to get tested. I was really surprised when the test showed that I did have genital herpes, but I’m pleased that I found out, because I now know how to treat it if I do have symptoms and I can take precautions to reduce the risk of passing the virus on to future partners. I really appreciate my ex being honest with me - his attitude has made me realize that talking about sexual health is a normal, adult thing to do.”

Although there is no known cure for genital herpes, treatments are better than ever before. Antiviral therapy can reduce the frequency, severity and duration of outbreaks. It can be taken for a few days at the first sign of an outbreak (episodic therapy) and, in the case of famciclovir, a new single-day treatment option is now available. For those who wish to reduce the chances of further outbreaks or limit viral shedding (periods of time when the virus is present on the skin) antiviral therapy can be taken on a daily basis for a number of months or years (suppressive therapy). Suppressive therapy with valaciclovir has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of transmitting genital herpes to an uninfected partner, when used with safer sex practices.

The IHA provides a wealth of information about herpes. The `All about herpes’ section on the website, www.herpesalliance.org, includes detailed information in a number of languages on a variety of herpes-related topics. These include: signs and symptoms; diagnosis; treatment options; talking to partners about herpes; reducing the risk of transmission; and pregnancy. Further support and information is available from health professionals and also from local support groups around the world, details of which can be found on the IHA website.

For further information please contact:

Gayle Sawyer, IHA Secretariat
herpes@packerforbes.com
Tel: + 44 20 8772 1551 Fax: +44 20 8 772 1552

International Herpes Week is supported by an educational grant from
GSK and endorsed by the American Social Health Association (ASHA).

References:

1. National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES III:1988-
1994)

2. American Social Health Association (ASHA). Learn about Herpes

3. Scoular A et al. Longitudinal study of genital infection by herpes simplex virus type 1 in Western Scotland over 15 years. BMJ 2002; 324: 1366-1367

4. Coyle PV, O’Neill HJ, Wyatt DE, McCaughey C, Quah S, McBride MO.
Emergence of herpes simplex type 1 as the main cause of recurrent
genital ulcerative disease in women in Northern Ireland. J Clin Virol 2003 May; 27(1): 22-29

5. Managing Genital Herpes. A primary Care Toolkit. IHMF

6. Corey LC, Wald A, Patel R et al. Once-daily valacyclovir to reduce
the risk of transmission of genital herpes. N Engl J Med 2004; 350: 11-20

You can also receive online support for herpes at the following:

Shut Up N Post! STD Message Board

Picking Up the Pieces

Write to your Herpes H Pal privately and confidentially