This morning I woke up with a little friend… a cold sore. GROSS, I have herpes!!
Herpes simplex is commonly referred to as cold sores or fever blisters. It is a viral infection of the skin that may occur once or return again and again. This is because when the virus is cleared from the skin by the immune system it hides in the nerves and is never completely removed from the body. Herpes infections are very common. It is estimated that nine out of ten people have been exposed to herpes. Many people are infected and don’t even know it. Unfortunately those who carry herpes can spread the disease without even knowing it.
I know cold sores are totally common, I see people with them all the time and I don’t even blink an eye… but this is different, it’s ME and I’m paranoid as hell!
I’m not able to give other people the benefit of the doubt that they’ll not blink an eye at my temporary infection… inside I’ll be convinced that they will be looking at me and imagining me kneeling next to a hole in a public bathroom wall or spending my evenings making out with diseased homeless people.
I feel dirty.
This is not the first time I’ve had a cold sore, mind you, but the embarrassment and paranoia hasn’t lessened any since the first time. I think perhaps some ruthless teenage boy may have made fun of me and I’ve repressed it.
I’ve considered pretending to be Muslim for a few days. I mean this IS Rotterdam, so it’s not like anyone would notice one more short little fat woman running around in all that Muslim garb.
I don’t think I could pull it off though…
If I was thinner and had a really rockin’ bod, I’d dress in one of those genie costumes with the face covering. When you look that hot nobody would think to wonder why, they’d be too busy checking you out.
Obviously, can’t pull that off either.
There’s no hiding from this. I have no choice but to walk around and carry this glowing infestation…. which normally wouldn’t have bothered me at all, because I could just stay inside and avoid the world for a few days. Now that I’m working again, that’s not an option. I have no choice but to travel through the city and face my new friends and workmates.
If they stare too much I’ll just threaten to kiss them.
Filed Under: Life in The Netherlands • Tantrums & Rants
Tea tree oil :)
You’re killing me LOL :P
You know chicken pox is herpes too. did you have that?
http://adam.about.com/reports/000082.htm
I had shingles in November – try explaining that to people as they recoil in horror…….
Oh man. I know the feeling. I do. I get them all the time. Hell, I’ll prolly get one now bc you mentioned it. Sympathy cold sores and all. :)
I get my mum to send my Zilactin B from Canada. Works a CHARM on them. Ugly, bc it’s got iodine in it, so it’s SHIT BROWN, but dries them nasty bastards up quick fast.
I don’t have any outward issues and the internal ones are easier to hide. Unfortunately, they don’t create medication that will dry them right up.
Hope they go away soon.. Take care.
They run in the family.
I get them fairly often too.
I can usually feel it coming and when I do I start applying alcohol/after shave to the area to totally dry it out. It really works for keeping it from becoming a monstrous thing hanging from your lip.
Even if it becomes big, apply anyway so it will dry it out and make it go away faster.
My GF got that form of herpes too. She has to take antibiotics. I don’t know how contagious are they, though.
Get a prescription for Zovirex — it is a miracle cream that stops the virus from duplicating. Guaranteed to help. It is expensive, but totally worth it.
Oh I know what you mean! They suck! I suffer from them too…
Threaten to kiss the staring bastards! You Go Girl!
delurking to say you can buy Zovirex in the Netherlands without a prescription. Try your local DA. The stuff seems to work wonders.
Oh, I get them too. Even if they’re little and everyone else INSISTS that they can’t even see them unless you point them out… it still feels like everyone staring at you. Like they’re all pointing disgustedly at the throbbing hideous blotch on your lip.
They make me sad. I don’t get them as much as I used to, thankfully. I however, accidently passed them onto my fiancee. Sucks.