Ive taken a course of acyclovir (200mg, 5x a day for 5 days) and i havent seen progress to my outbreak of genital herpes. what would you advise next?

Maybe not herpes: Herpes outbreaks almost always start to improve within 3-4 days of starting acyclovir. Non-response by 5 days suggests that it might be something other than herpes. Whether or not you are confident it's a typical herpes outbreak, you should see your doctor for exam and possibly different treatment. If any doubt about the diagnosis, consider an NHS GUM clinic for guaranteed expert care.