Herpes Doctor - Charlotte Grayson, M.D.

I see a lot of patients who take suppressive therapy with no clear understanding of why they are taking it, what the goals are of suppressive therapy and most concerning ... taking the WRONG dose!   I also see patients who suffer through multiple terrible outbreaks of herpes who have NEVER HEARD of suppressive therapy!   Here's a list of questions to ask your doctor about suppressive therapy to see if it is right for...

So many times, I see patients who have sought me out after experiencing symptoms of herpes for the first time. They are scared and often misinformed or poorly informed.   My goal during our visits is to provide them with reassurance, correct information and excellent medical care for their genital herpes, but also for their overall sexual and general health.   Most of my new herpes patients are young and in good health and, other...

Whether you are feeling the pinch yourself or know someone who is, everyone knows that these are tough times, economically. Add to that the expense of holiday shopping, the excesses of holiday celebrations and the emotional baggage of dealing with sticky family relationships, and you've got some serious stress!   Anyone with herpes knows that stress can trigger an outbreak. So, it's important to minimize it so you won't be fighting an...

The time has come. You're dating a great guy and you think that things may soon lead to the bedroom. But, being responsible, you know you've got to have "the talk" before things go any further.   This has got to be a difficult scenario to face. After all, you're in the midst of a blossoming romance with someone you care enough about to have sex AND share a very intimate and private piece of information about yourself. Opening up about...

I see it every week: A person who is sad, having difficulty functioning or concentrating, crying frequently. Some have anxiety, other feel achy all over, still others sleep too much or too little. Most say that they feel utterly alone. This is depression. Depression affects around 19 million Americans at any one time. And treatment does help reduce symptoms and in most cases cause remission of the disease. How to determine if the sad...

Age offers no protection against STDs. You only have to look to a recent survey from Britain that shows that the numbers of STDs in people over 50 has doubled in the past decade. In the study, nearly half of the STD cases were genital warts,which is caused by certain forms of human papilloma virus (HPV). The rates of herpes, Chlamydia,  gonorrhea and syphilis also increased. The rate of STDs were highest in men and in those aged 55 to...

OK, you're in the middle of an outbreak and you‘re in pain! How do you manage the uncomfortable and painful symptoms?   First, get medical treatment. Antiviral therapy reduces the severity of the symptoms and duration of the symptoms when started early in an outbreak. Beyond that, most people are on their own. Here are some ideas on things you can try at home to minimize the symptoms:   Keep your genital herpes...

Herpes medications are generally safe, whether you are taking herpes antiviral medication to treat an outbreak or you're taking daily suppressive therapy. But like all medications, the herpes antiviral DO have side effects. And you should know the difference between different herpes medicines so you can make the best decision for you and minimize any side effects.   Here's what you need to know:   The major drugs that doctors...

Manage Your Genital Herpes Symptoms and Outbreaks   Ok, you're in the middle of an outbreak and you‘re in pain! How do you manage the uncomfortable and painful symptoms?   First, get medical treatment. Antiviral therapy reduces the severity of the symptoms and duration of the symptoms when started early in an outbreak. Beyond that, most people are on their own. Here are some ideas on things you can try at home to minimize...

Herpes medications are generally safe, whether you are taking herpes antiviral medication to treat an outbreak or you're taking daily suppressive therapy.   But like all medications, the herpes antiviral DO have side effects. Here's what you need to know about Zovirax, Valtrex and Famvir. You should know the difference between these different herpes medicines so you can make the best decision for you and minimize any side...