When I am experiencing an outbreak I do not feel comfortable looking
people in the eye.  My shame makes me feel inferior to every person I
speak with; I am like two completely different people 'with' vs.
'without' an outbreak.

I am not promiscuous at all, yet I believe that when I spent 3 hours
alternating between deep kissing + deep talking with a girl last
October -- I caught an extremely severe strain of Herpes.  That next
morning I noticed two cold sores.  My cold sores wouldn't go away, so
I grew an untamed beard which hid my problem, but made me feel
ostracized from my peers.

I finally shaved the beard, but the cold sores still were there.
About a month ago, I finally got smart + started to read many posts in
this wonderful newsgroup.

I have completely changed my diet + began taking 1000 mg/day of
Lysine.  That helped a lot, but it was so depressingly frustrating how
once one old sore is gone a new one immediately appears elsewhere.  I
can sometimes get my outbreak down so that the cold sores are so small
you can only see them up close, but I have had cold sores non-stop for
months.  Actually, the best they ever got was on two separate
occasions when I got drunk (the following morning it looked almost
gone).  Now I am taking 3000 mg/day and my outbreak has gotten better.
I am considering 3500-4000 mg/day.  I am only 25 and don't worry much
about health consequences because I feel as if I am already dead since
herpes has turned me into a recluse.

I definitely can't see a doctor (no health insurance, live with Mom).
My diet I believe is perfect; each day I eat about 4 cans of tuna,
cottage cheese, plain yogurt, chicken, potato w/ sour cream, apple
juice, turkey + cheese on rye bread, carrots.  I stopped brown rice,
whole wheat bread, oatmeal, orange juice, chocolate, caffeine
COMPLETELY.  Plus, I take 6 times a day 500-mg Lysine pills.   I
exercise often, too.  Also, my stress is low.  By the way, I am most
certain it is Herpes because the severity of my outbreak varies based
on my Lysine/Argenine intake.

i read a lot of people say that they take 3000-mg Lysine "during" an
outbreak, and 500-1000 mg Lysine when no cold sores present.  I hope
to be that way, too -- its just that my outbreak is neverending.  I am
worried that I contracted a very strong, severe case of Herpes --
perhaps due to me kissing a girl for a very extended period of time.

I will keep on.  i know that if one day this gets better, i will have
such a stronger appreciation for life.

Thank you very, very much to any insight or advice anyone has,
Rodge