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Herpes
Posted: Aug 1, 2011
about 4 months ago I started to get a terrible headache with pin point pain that was in the corner of my left eye (external) and also a point behind my ear. It didn't go away, I went to the doc and was diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia, given Vicodin. A couple of days later I broke out in a blistery patch about teh size of a dime on my lower left cheek, almost at the jaw line. Went back to doc, he said it's shingles, started me on new meds which didn't help the terrible pain. It has come back again each month since and this month he cultured it did blood work and found out it's the same as genital herpes, not shingles. ON MY FACE!
I have been divorced for almost 16 years and have not had a sexual partner since! I knew that my ex left me with that "parting gift" of herpes but it seems to have run it's course and I can't even remember the last time I had a breakout (down there). Now to be told that I have the same thing, but on my face is very sad to me, and brings up so much anger all over again! The doc can't tell me how or why it broke out on my face, attributes it to stress and told me I needed to get stress under control to avoid potential future breakouts. I don't have any stress!! No man, no stress! I've been so happy with my life! I am so sad I just don't know what to do and NOW I am stressed! This THING is ugly, and extremely painful. The 4 times I have had it it lasts for about 10 days and then my cheek is very tender and red and then I roll right into another month of it.
Does anyone have any ideas or treatments ideas that have worked? Doc gave me Valtrex, which I take but it makes me sick in the stomach, Vicodin for pain (no help) and started me on Effexor, which also makes me feel sick... It hurts to talk, to chew... I'd appreciate info.
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herpes - me too
[ In Reply To ..]I have the herpes in my eye, and every 6 months, almost to the day, not sure why it went there either. I was on Valtrex, by my ophth told me that acyclovir is taken twice a day, but half the price and I have not had an outbreak in 3 years. Who knows why the herpes show up in places you would not think.
When I did have an outbreak I was given a shot of Rocephin and then 10 days of Keflex and usually the symptoms started going away after the first day.
Good luck.
IF it is that painful and Vicodin is not helping and the Valtrex is not helping then - long time CMA
[ In Reply To ..]maybe the pain is a nerve pain and if so, you might want to ask if you can try Lyrica. Lyrica is supposed to be very good for nerve pain and Shingles is nerve pain and Herpes is caused by same virus that causes Shingles and chicken pox, so maybe the Lyrica will help. So sorry you are suffering so and that you got the disease from your ex. Bet you would like to string him up about now. Good luck and hope you get some relief.
Herpes - Same here
[ In Reply To ..]It's been making me crazy for over a year now - same as you - no sexual contact for years. Read parts of a book by Hulda Clark - she's a little "extreme" as someone pointed out BUT she blames cats and litter boxes for herpes! Whenever I don't use plastic gloves to clean the litter box - I get the beginning of a flare up - after trying various natural treatments with small results - read somewhere that a guy was using plain old peroxide to treat it - Okaaay - I'll check it out - so I gave it a try - works fine. Would be careful not to get any in your eye - but worth a try - makes it back off and I would think the pain would go with it. (It does for me).
Also try naturalnews.com - just plug in herpes 2 or genital herpes in the box upper right corner.
Me too - SBNN
[ In Reply To ..]Thank you so much for sharing your story.
I feel for you and for the other posters too. I just was diagnosed with herpes back in February after fighting this "rash" for 5+ years. I only broke out during my period and after sex. I tried every OTC product and avoided certain clothing, products, pads, you name it. I never had any lesions "down there" or any other "naughty parts." I only broke out on my tailbone like where your underwear tag would touch the skin. I tried cutting the tags out of all my clothes. Didn't matter. Went to my MD, OB, and dermatologist who said it was dermatitis, eczema, allergies, or "I don't know". Tried triamcinolone, nothing! Finally went to a 2nd derm (after I finally got health ins after years of no coverage) and he looked at it thoroughly, biopsied it, and said "it's herpes, the gift that keeps on giving." I was devastated and numb for days! I was put on valacyclovir (aka Valtrex) 500 mg b.i.d. at first but didn't like the side effects, so at my followup visit 6 weeks later with the derm, he lowered me down to just one a day. So lucky I have great insurance b/c I only have my Rx copay for my "little blue pill." Anyway, I still take this everyday and have had no outbreaks since. I do feel it coming on right before my period but no actual outbreak. I can live with the side effects as long as I don't break out.
I have no idea who I got it from. I'm married and we're both monogamous (anyone who says otherwise keep it to yourself). I could've gotten it before I met my DH or he could be a carrier of the virus but have no symptoms. He has never broke out anywhere. We now take precautions if I do break out, but we are also TTC so it's a challenge. I'm happy to have found an OB who is still willing to help me in my TTC journey (I'm almost 36 and no kids). I just have to stop my meds during pregnancy and then can go back on them. I never felt more dirty, embarassed, ashamed, alone, or scared in my life when I was diagnosed....so many questions.
Just to be safe, I got tested for every STD/HIV after that and came out CLEAN!!! My derm was very informative and said that herpes is more than chicken pox or shingles (which my virus is not one of those) and said that it can break out anywhere, hands, face, feet, knees, mine just happened to be my tailbone. I also changed my diet (look up healthy skin diets online or ones specific for herpes) and also take a good multi and lysine which is good for your skin also. I just do not think about it anymore b/c stress also causes breakouts (like, duh) and as long as my pills work and I don't break out, I'm accepting of it. There are also online support groups and I am seeing a therapist. Only my medical professionals, my DH, and my shrink know about my Dx. and now all of MT stars land.
You're not alone, it's not a death sentence, it is just a pesky rash and it sucks!
As far as the pain, I'm not sure how to help as I never had pain per se. Try acupuncture. Do alot of research online too. There is alot of info on herpes, meds, etc.
Good luck!
herpes - mt2
[ In Reply To ..]I really feel sorry for you. I cannot imagine how painful that must be. I have TN too and I know it hurts like heck. Try to avoid chocolate and nuts and eat lots of foods with lysine like cottage cheese and turkey. Lemon balm works good on herpes. Also try Lip Clear Lysine plus cold sore treatment. It works wonders. Hope this helps.
I want to thank all you for your input and help. I don't feel all alone - OP
[ In Reply To ..]I especially want to thank those of you who e-mailed me. Who would have thought that this stuff could apparently break out whereever it wants! I understand now that I carry this virus in me, will forever, and it gets riled up apparently around the same time as my period and could have started on my face as a pimple or scratch, but with a flare up, it took that "opportunity" to break out on my face. It is a virus that takes up residence on the nerves in my spinal cord, which is why it is so painful. Maybe there was a scratch or trauma there, on my cheek... Thanks for all your stories of staying strong and letting the past go. I have another appointment to see about getting this pain under control. Post herpetic pain is horribly painful and thanks for giving me so much information and insight. I don't have the words to let you all know how much better I feel knowing that I'm not a freak for having it break out on my face. Thank you thank you thank you all!
I get the same thing right under my nose - occasiojnally SM
[ In Reply To ..]same prebreakout symptoms. Can always tell when it is going to happen. I take L-Lysine (over the counter) and put Abreva on it. This seems to lessen the length of the outbreak. Sorry you are suffering. It is painful, that's for sure.
Herpes - sm
[ In Reply To ..]Statistics say 4 out 5 people have it. (How many do you think actually admit it?!?!) A good majority have never had an outbreak, so it could have happened years before you were ever together. I haven't had an outbreak in years, never been on Valtrex, acyclovir a couple of times, but even delivered my 2nd child vaginally due to no breakouts. I can feel mine coming on - down there - and LAWDY does it burn when urine touches it! I know who gave it to me and it did so on purpose. He even told me he had a gift for me when I decided to end the relationship (prior to a breakout). I felt like my life was over, so cheap and ruined. That was 17 years ago. No break outs anywhere else - thank God, but it is PAINFUL! One thing to know that although stress can be a major factor so is contracting a cold or any kind of virus. It seems to trigger it. I don't know what orajel might do - probably burn like crazy at first - but might subside some of the pain. I would use the abreva though and just be careful at the time not to spread it. A lot of people like to say they have "cold sores". BS...plain and simple, it's herpes, it's contagious, and I don't want grandma kissing my kids on the lips when she has an outbreak. Makes her really angry, but oh well. With the 4 out 5 statistic, there are a lot of us out there - just not a lot of us owning up to it!
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