Get Informed: Genital Herpes
Genital Herpes: Overview
Genital herpes is an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus. Mostly transmitted by sexual contact, genital herpes is usually a silent, chronic infection that is punctuated by flare-ups. These flare-ups involve the development of painful, cold-sore like lesions on the genitals that can last for 2-3 weeks. Genital herpes is not cureable, but can usually be controlled with anti-viral medications.
- Last Text Update:
- 2009-Nov-19 3:17 AM
- Last Data Update:
- 2009-Oct-02 9:51 PM
1 in 314 Americans have Genital Herpes
iGuard is currently monitoring more than 5,671 patients with Genital Herpes from around the United States as shown on the heat map below. These figures suggest that roughly 0.96 million Americans have Genital Herpes with women being 2 times more likely to be affected than men.
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
Medications used for Genital Herpes
Drugs commonly taken by iGuard.org users for Genital Herpes are listed below, together with the percentage of patients that take each drug.
|
Commonly Used Medication Name* (Hover mouse over name to see medication class) |
% of Patients | Average Risk Rating | Has Generic Available |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valtrex | 73% |
|
Yes |
| Zovirax | 27% |
|
Yes |
*This list is NOT EXHAUSTIVE - Only drugs used by a sufficiently large number of iGuard.org users are listed.
**Medications are sometimes known by different brand/generic names, depending upon how they are packaged or used.
Global Patient Feedback for Genital Herpes ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
There are patient assistance programs available for Valtrex. I get a 90 day supply for ZERO!!!! IT costs me nothing. www.pparx.com the patient assistance program that Montel advertises. You can also go right to the drug manufacturer and check on patient assistance programs available.
I take Valtrex 1g daily for suppression and lost my job a year ago, so I could not afford the $400+ that Valtrex would cost me. Thank goodness for the assistance programs!
35 year old Female
Posted: 2009-11-15 23:21:16
Question/Comment:
After having genital herpes for ten yrs,two yrs ago I had! an awful breakout with a blister in the left nostril! since then I had had one other break out in the same area. Just recently I experienced sharp pains on the left tempral the next day I noticed that my left eye was "sore"
like there was something in the left corner of my eye under the bottom lid, the very next day I experienced a blister in the left nostril. along with this I'm getting the chills fever and an all over achie felling. I am frighten that in fact my herpes infection has spread to the eye/brain area. I want to know what is the damage and what will happen as it continuals to spread.Understand I have a appointment with my doctor today to find out what is going on. But I am nonetheless very scared that it is infact all connected to genital herpes. I do take Valtrex at the first sign the outbreak. Has anyone else experienced this? If so First let me say how sorry I'm, But could you tell me what your experience has been and what has been suggested for you?
60 year old Female
Posted: 2009-05-27 11:35:57
Answer/Reply:
I glad you mentioned herpes' symptoms. In a way, minics Lupus. Because, Lupus has some of those symptoms. I was confused. And started thinking about Lupus. I know Lupus has a long list of symptoms most (not all) of which I have. I have herpes. Those symptoms that you've mentioned. I have those symptoms, as well. I had no idea that chills, and sharp eye pain.
44 year old Female
Posted: 2009-07-02 19:40:27
Question/Comment:
I would like to know if there are any medications that help reduce the risk of spreading this that I can take that would help me avoid spreading it. It has been about 2yrs since a breakout but, I want to be a careful as possible. I know condoms help but, there has to be more that I can do to help reduce the odds.
26 year old Male
Posted: 2009-04-22 16:18:02
Question/Comment:
does genital herpes cause any birth defects?
54 year old Male
Posted: 2009-03-24 14:30:11
Question/Comment:
For genital Herpes you can drink medication like Zovirax, Valtrex or Zeletrex (Valaciclovir).
However these medications are very expensive, and in my experience only reduce and help the healing with perhaps 2 days, if at all. What I found very helpfull with the same benefits, was, after bathing or showering, I made sure I washed the invected area thoroughly. Then after drying off, I took 2 squares of toilet paper, folded it in half lenght ways. Then wraped it around the infected area for a few seconds. Remove it and repeat it another time or even twice. This helps to draw any surface moisture out from the infected skin area. If you repeat this drying procedure another once or two times a day. This procedure could help reduce the infected period with about 2 days. I found it a good and hygenic idea to dry the infected area with dry clean toilet paper in any case. This avoids possible contamination on the towels you use to dry off the rest of your body and face, and also other people perhaps using your towel when drying off their hands or face with your contaminated towel.
50 year old Male
Posted: 2009-03-11 12:04:05
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Patient Comments about
Genital Herpes