If you are experiencing herpes outbreaks, you probably want to learn how to prevent them, and you may have heard of prescription drugs and herbal products which do this. Drugs and herbal products work differently from each other, and there are pros and cons to either, which include safety, side effects and cost. This article addresses all of these issues, so that you can decide for yourself which is right for you.
I will first discuss the prescription drug approach to preventing herpes outbreaks. The prescription drugs are antiviral medications which can be used to shorten the duration of outbreaks, or they can be taken on a continuous basis, to suppress the virus so that no outbreaks occur. These drugs go by various brand names, some of which are advertised on TV. To keep the virus suppressed, they are taken from one to three times daily. They work by blocking viral replication, and suppressing viral shedding. They are available by prescription only, and can cost up to $2500 per year. There are known side effects, which affect the liver and users are advised to stop taking them after a year. An analogy that can be used to understand how these drugs work, is to think of a lawn with dandelions growing in it. You can use a herbicide to spray on the lawn, which will kill the dandelions and not the lawn. You can think of it as a selective poison. While it will kill the dandelions, the herbicide also gets on the lawn grass, and soaks into the soil. It has the desired effect of killing the dandelions, but it also poisons the soil, and eventually washes through the soil, and finds it's way into storm drains, and then creeks and rivers, polluting the environment. Similarly, the prescription drugs suppress the virus, but they also pollute your personal environment, which is your body. The side effects can be minor for some people, and serious for others.
The herbal formulas for herpes work in a different way. They strengthen the immune system, so that the body's own natural defence mechanisms can keep the virus in remission. About half the people with herpes have immune systems which are naturally strong enough on their own to keep the virus in remission. For other people, the herpes herbals boost their immune system so that it is then strong enough to keep the virus in remission. There are no side effects, or minimal side effects. The cost for a years supply can be between $200 and $400, and no prescription is needed.
I have had herpes for over 16 years. At first, I used to have regular outbreaks, but I don't anymore. I discovered a natural herbal formula that prevents outbreaks, and I offer it on my website. On my site, I also answer questions about herpes. This service is free, and completely confidential: http://www.herpes-herbs.com/
