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Genital herpes

Episodic or suppressive. How did people decide?

Offered both and told to think about it. I have no framework for thinking about it.

back_porch 4 months ago
NoteMember experience, not medical advice. Symptoms overlap between infections and only a test can tell them apart.

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The rough rule clinics use is frequency. A few episodes a year that you can catch early suits episodic treatment. Frequent episodes, or severe ones, or a partner without it, pushes towards daily suppressive treatment.

It is not a permanent decision either. People move between the two as their pattern changes.

The factor that decided it for me was not the count but the anticipation. Episodic meant I was watching for symptoms constantly. Daily tablets ended that, and the mental relief was bigger than the clinical benefit.

If you go episodic, get the prescription in advance so it is in the cupboard. Episodic treatment started on day three is close to useless, and that is what happens when you have to book an appointment first.

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