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Genital Herpes: The Pros and Cons of Suppressive MedicationOne of the most inconvenient aspects of genital herpes is that the virus can flare up without warning at frequent and unpredictable intervals. For many people, this can mean that they are either constantly experiencing an outbreak or constantly recovering from an outbreak.As outbreaks can be both painful, intrusive and uncomfortable, this is not a pleasant experience and so medication that works to suppress outbreaks has a lot to offer those of you who are in this position. Antiviral medication such as Famvir or Valtrex (available on prescription) works to suppress the activity of the herpes virus and as long as you are under medication, you are unlikely to experience outbreaks. This enables you to be physically comfortable and also to be sexually active - very important freedoms that most people take for granted. Suppressive medication can give you these freedoms back. However, I do know that there are many of you out there who resist taking long term medication, despite the fact that it can offer physical comfort and greater opportunities for sexual activity. I am one of these people - although I can certainly see the advantages of taking Valtrex or Famvir for a period of time to allow yourself to get used to the fact that you have herpes and to stabilise emotionally. The disadvantages of long term suppressive medication are that once you stop taking it, the problems are very likely to reappear because you have never given your body the opportunity to learn to live with the herpes virus. This means that you effectively become dependent on the medication. However, the herpes virus can and does exist in a dormant state in the body, without suppressive medication and it is possible for every single person to find the internal balance that is necessary to keep the herpes virus dormant - even if you are someone who has frequent outbreaks. Clearly, the advantage of finding an internal balance that keeps the herpes virus dormant without suppressive medication is quite attractive, particularly if you are paying for your medication. How then is it possible to find that internal balance? It can be helpful here to remember how it was when you learned to ride a bicycle. I think that most of us can look at a bicycle and see just how difficult it can be to actually ride it. A bicycle has two wheels and cannot stand up by itself, how then can we sit on it and move it in the direction that we want to go? And yet we all do it. We make a decision that we no longer want stabilisers and we get on that bicycle determined to learn how to ride it - and we fall, time after time. I'm sure that you have watched a child as they have learned. The important first step is when the child decides that they no longer want to use the stabilisers. Stabilisers allow them to ride the bike, but they 'aren't cool' and offer only limited physical freedom. The child gets on the bicycle, pushes off and wobbles along. You can see the fall coming, even if they can't. And it happens, they fall - and they get up and try again, each time correcting the mistakes of last time. Eventually, they're off. They have found their balance and they don't fall. To make the link with herpes, at first - like riding a bicycle, where the laws of physics would initially suggest that balance is impossible - it's difficult to get our head around the fact that herpes can be effectively tamed when we've been taught that viruses are random demons that need to be annihilated. However, when you suspend disbelief, magic happens. Next, to take the analogy further, suppressive medication is the stabiliser. It allows you to make progress without pain and discomfort. When you remove the stabilisers, you become susceptible to falling, which in the case of herpes are the outbreaks. People fall a lot when they are learning to ride a bicycle, but they rarely give up because they know that riding the bicycle is an achievable goal. All that they have to do is to find their internal balance and use it. It's the same with herpes. An outbreak is a sign that you are out of balance and to become outbreak free it is important to put your attention on gaining balance. And we all have the potential to do that. My name is Alison McVey and I am a healer and a life coach specialising in herpes and relationships. I can help you to find the internal balance that will enable you to become outbreak free so that you feel able to step back into a full and active life. Book an appointment NOW to get riding the bicycle that is your life! |
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