Newly diagnosed...

[fitgrl89]

Hey all...

 

So the last little while has been quite stressful for me.... Sunday I went to the walk in clinic after dealing with some vaginal and urethral pain and discharge as well as really swollen and sore inguinal lymph nodes. I originally thought the pain was due to an irritation because I accidentally purchased scented tampons, and sometimes I get reactions to products with perfumes. I also had just begun to feel flu-like symptoms last Thursday, but obviously never thought it was all related. And if that wasn't enough, a couple weeks before all this I thought I was beginning to get a bacterial infection in my vagina (familiar with the symptons, which is what I thought the discharge had to do with). Around the time I noticed that, my naturopath told me to try an at home remedy, with no antibiotics. I tried it, and didn't notice a big change, which is when I should have gone to see a doctor, but life and work got in the way. To top it off, I began having an irregular bleed (also something I'm sadly familiar with) so I completely ignored the possible infection during that time.

 

So anyway, enough back tracking.... after the bleeding stopped is when I really noticed the pain, so I went to the walk in and I explained my symptons and he told me he was really suspicious of the swollen and painfull lymph nodes, so he told me to get in the stirrups so he could check me over. Upon doing that, he asked if my boyfriend ever gets cold sores. I told him yes, but only one I've ever seen on him was about 2 years ago. He told me he noticed small blisters on my inner labia, and performed the MOST painful swab of my life. Oh my god, I almost couldn't bare it. After he finished he explained to me how he suspected it was herpes and that the swab would be sent to public health for testing. He perscribed me valacyclovir 500mg for 10 days. So for the next few days I stewed over this. Very painful days i might add, to the point I needed more than just tylenol. I constantly checked myself over and over and noticed more small, what looked like canker sores, forming on my inner labia. No exterior sores ever developed. I also started to swell on both sides of my labia (Bartholin glands perhaps? ) Sitting was so painful, and peeing was the worst. Thursday I got the call to come back into the clinic, where it was confirmed that I have HSV 1.

 

I think I've been dealing with it pretty well considering the implications it may have on my life.... or maybe it just hasn't all sunk in yet? It just totally sucks because I've had SO many gynecologic issues going on and it's like what more can possibly go wrong? I'm only 26 and so much keeps happening!! :(

 

The symptoms, I feel, are starting to improve. I think soaking in Epsom salt baths have helped too. But theres one really weird thing that just started flaring up yesterday. Really intense, sometimes sore, tingling sensation running from my butt, down my legs, to the bottom of my feet.. no matter how I'm positioned (standing/sitting), I notice it. Especially sitting on the toilet. And my boyfriend was playing around and grabbed behind my leg and it was this huge painful rush. I know it's nerve related. How common is that, especially with a first outbreak of HSV 1? I saw my family doctor today, and he was unsure of the relation, and said it just sounded like scatic pain. He tested my reflexes and they were fine. I know I haven't had any injuries that would cause this, especially since I haven't gone to the gym since all this began. It's freaking me out, cause sometimes the feeling in my legs goes and I start to trip. But it's not always painful. Really hard to explain. Maybe someone can shed some light on this??

 

I appreciate any insight and support...

 

And hugs to anyone going through all of this.

 

 

 

[2Legit2Quit]

I had severe neuropathy on my primary, so much so, I had to get on anticonvulsants to control the nerve pain. It eventually went away, but a tenderness lingered for a long time. I gave HSV 2, but there's others on here w HSV 1 who have had the nerve pain as well. Some people are just different.

 

I know this is super scary right now, but just know you will be fine. Things are going to calm down soon and it's not going to be like this for your recurrents. None of mine have been painful since my primary. Hang in there and hugs!

[Browndog]

Omg! I was hoping to find a new person so I could share! And here you are. You described exactly what I went through but I had the sores on the inside and outside. It was pretty horrible. And I was diagnosed with hsv1.

 

The tingling is the neuropathy. 2legit explains it very well. I am in the 4th week and finally close to feeling normal. I still have some of the tingling once in a while and right now I have some dryness and itching.

 

Hang in there! You are doing great. I already ran the gamut of anger and resentment with my partner when really he probably just didn't know or didn't pay attention.

I hope you're feeling better very soon!

[Browndog]

I did fall down a couple times in the first couple weeks. It was like a shooting pain and then bam. My legs would give way. And every once in a while I would check to make sure my butt was in the right spot.

 

I feel better just knowing someone else had such similar experience. Hugs.

[2Legit2Quit]

Well neuropathy would be the the chronic burning... Things like pins and needles, a cold feeling in a spot, tingling, crawling sensations, tickling situations, etc are what's called paresthesia. Some get this and some don't. Some of us just have an immune system that gets a little crazy when it senses an infected sensory neuron and gets over zealous w trying to attack it and ends up causing some damage to the sheathing on the sensory neurons. That's when we tend to feel a lot of strange sensations down there, especially after our primary.

[fitgrl89]

Thank you both for your kind words, support and information. :)

Things seem to be getting better now thankfully, still slight tingling, but no where near like the other day.. It's definitely scary experiencing all these new things, and not knowing if something is going to be permanent or not... And I feel better too knowing that I'm not alone in this experience.

 

Hugs

[WCSDancer2010]

@fitgrl89

 

Hello and Welcome!

 

Two additional things to what's been said above.

 

1) DON'T go to a family Dr/PCP for "Women's issues". They are generally clueless... that area should be dealt with for anything by an OBGYN. They are the Vagina's R Us of the medical world and they will give you better info.... the fact that your Dr knew nothing about Neuropathy and Paresthesia and Herpes just proves my point.

 

2) Below are some other things to help you with your OB's - after 35 + yrs of dealing with H, I found that if you attack it on the outside as soon as something tries to come up, you can often make it settle down faster:)

 

(((HUGS)))

 

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/6024/dealing-with-outbreaks#latest includes links below

http://supporttruthanddialog.com/easy-simple-self-help-tips-for-relief-from-herpes-outbreaks/

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/4810/bactine-for-oral-and-even-genital-herpes

https://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/7595/bactine-wipes-and-some-motivational-quotes

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-treatment/#more-2122

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1802/going-the-natural-route

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1624/herpes-medication-genital-hsv-1-how-to-keep-herpes-outbreaks-clean-dry#Item_22 My discussion amonium Alum)

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-forum/discussion/1496/bathroom-time-

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-treatment/

http://herpeslife.com/herpes-medication/

 

http://www.cdc.gov/std/treatment/2010/genital-ulcers.htm#hsv

 

Links to some of the items suggested in the links

http://amzn.to/1CHUzZE Link to Alum

http://tinyurl.com/Aloecream

http://amzn.to/1F10r3V Fractionated Coconut Oil

http://bit.ly/zincsoap Zinc Soap with coconut oil

http://bit.ly/Zinccream

http://bit.ly/Calendula_Salve

http://tinyurl.com/bactine

http://amzn.to/1oUDY2n Chaga Mushroom - planning to do a write up for this soon but it's an immune booster AND modulator which should be great for people with H AND autoimmune issues.. or just for helping with immune function in general

http://tinyurl.com/Oragelsgldose

http://tinyurl.com/DMSO4HSV