Herpes is caused by two strains of a virus, HSV, and everyone who has ever had a cold sore anywhere has at least one of them. That's most adults and many children. If nothing else, start to ignore the brain squirrels saying:

Now I will be impossible to love

.. because they are wrong.

The stigma for genital cold sores is almost entirely down to the marketing departments of the drug companies who came up with the first antiviral treatments for herpes back in the 1970s. Before that, no-one cared about them. How effective those campaigns were can be seen by the way that the stigma survives to this day, even after the arrival of HIV.

The attacks will decrease in frequency and severity over time. Unfortunately, stress can make them worse and it can get into a vicious cycle: stress = outbreak = stress =...

Have you spoken to a sexual health doctor about treatments for herpes? If taken as soon as you notice any tingling or other symptoms, the antiviral drugs can reduce the length and severity of an outbreak. They can also reduce the chance of transmitting HSV to someone else.

Is doing fetish / bdsm work an option?

Zovirax is just a brand name for something containing Aciclovir. Other names include Cyclovir, Herpex, Acivir, Acivirax, Zoral, Xovir, Imavir, and doubtless others.

In the UK, some 'over the counter' (no prescription needed) cold sore creams contain it. Because the patents on it expired, anyone can make it and the supermarket own-brands tend to be a lot cheaper than the big brand names.

Taking LYSINE amino acid helps prevent and treat herpes. It should be cheaper if you can't afford the other stuff. Alternatively, you can by the herpes medication from an Indian pharmacy, that I have used for years to buy all sorts of genuine medication from companies like Cipla. Pm me for the web address.

Also make sure you keep away from food with arginine, another amino acid. I don't know much about herpes so can't help you on other advice, but everyone else seems detailed x

I had the same problem some time ago would have herpes outbreaks three to four times a month. I used Lysin tablets for some time and they were my life savers. Really worth trying.

I don't mean to be unsympathetic but I don't think you should be offering escort services at all given that you know you have herpes. I'm not trying to be horrible here as I feel for you; but I would be aghast to know I'd had sex with someone that had herpes even if they weren't experiencing a outbreak at the time. I do feel we should all take responsibility for our sexual health.

From the NHS Direct website: "Even if someone with genital herpes does not have any symptoms, it is possible for them to pass the condition on to a sexual partner".

Given that that is the case, I don't personally feel it is justifiable for you to continue escorting knowing you have this condition. I'm sorry and don't mean to be harsh: but really I'm shocked you would continue working as a prostitute knowing that there is a strong likelihood you will pass this on to others (possibly innocent others; wives and girlfriends of clients for example). I'm sure you're aware that although herpes is manageable there is no cure for this disease.

I feel you should take some personal responsibility and stop escorting rather than looking for a "workaround".

Well, as I have said in my previous post, NHS Direct state that "Even if someone with genital herpes does not have any symptoms, it is possible for them to pass the condition on to a sexual partner"

So it's not just my opinion; it's medical fact that this is a disease that can be transmitted even when the person affected does not have an outbreak.

I realise there are some that don't take this condition that seriously. That's up to them. But nonetheless herpes is an STI and I feel that it shouldn't be something to be taken lightly. I certainly don't think that everyone offering sexual services should be forced to submit to STI checks every 5 minutes as Ian has suggested. But I do think that when you have been officially diagnosed with an STI you should be responsible and limit the spread of the disease that you have.

I'm glad you have left my post up, as I would like to think that those of us that are herpes-free do see it as a serious disease that we would prefer not to contract.

Hadley xx

I must admit I was very ignorant about herpes and didn't know what it was, until I asked for advice about how to avoid it on a visit to the NHS GUM clinic when I got into the business, I wondered why to work in porn you had to be tested for all STIs, but herpes was never asked for on my test certificate.  They told me they only tested for herpes if you are on an outbreak/have symptoms, if they did a blood test on everyone, a high percentage of the UK population would have it, many of us would never have had an outbreak and know we have it.

Lots of people have cold sores on their lips and work in the sex industry, they are just sensible and don't work when they have an outbreak, same for people who have the same sores on their genitals.  I am just amazed at how funny people get about it.

 I know in the online literature it says you can spread it when you are not on an outbreak, but that was not the opinion of the GU clinic I used to visit who said that was highly unlikely.  If sex workers with herpes oral or genital had to quit working because of it, then a huge percentage of the escort population would have to quit.  Same for our clients, if we didn't see clients who had ever had a coldsore/herpes we would exclude most of our clients.