How I'm tackling this thing (Antivirals/Diet) ... there's hope!

gorgeoustechie · January 31, 2019

I told myself that I would take the holistic approach to this thing. Lysine, vitamin c..etc Little did I know I was in for one hell of a ride.

My first outbreak lasted a whole three weeks and then I got another and another. The second and third outbreak was so minimal I didn't even care BUT the neurological symptoms I experienced was what drove me nuts. With each outbreak (with exception of the first), I experienced rapid heartbeat, tinnitus, blurry vision, tingling in my arms, muscle spasms, what seemed like sinus headache, tension headaches, dry eyes, muscle weakness in my legs, burning sensations on my back...etc.

I also noticed I developed a food sensitivity of some sort - could no longer eat bread, wheat..etc? Every time i did my mouth would start tingling and my throat would get itchy. Sensations I've never experience before contracting herpes.

That was my wakeup call. I started scouring the internet and came across some videos on anti-inflammatory diets. The next day, I got rid of all the junk foods in my pantry and went shopping for whole foods - fruits, veggies, legumes..etc and pretty much changed my diet. Yup, overnight. I also was sure to grab some probiotics, vitamins, l-gluatmine pills (for gut health)..etc. I'm 5'7, 188 lbs and figured since i can't cure herpes, I can at least help my immune system fight this thing and lose some weight in the process.

A few days into my diet, I noticed very little difference in my symptoms but I felt "lighter" and the pimples I had on my skin were clearing up. On the 28th, i woke up with a tension headache still and called my doctor. She said my symptoms were "very normal" and that the virus works to suppress the immune system and that I should consider getting on antivirals for at least the first year. I started Valtrex on the same day and guys my symptoms are mostly gone. I still have the tinnitus but it's so subtle.

Ohh and it's been a week since I changed my diet and not only does my skin look amazing, i'm FINALLY losing weight!

Just wanted to say if you're experiencing weird neurological symptoms, consider an anti-inflammatory diet for a few months and antivirals. You may not get rid of all your symptoms but it's already made a HUGE difference.

Star28 · February 1, 2019

🙂 gotta try this...

organicmama · February 1, 2019

Diet plays a big part. I had one symptom almost 6 months ago. No antivirals. Minimal supplements now. No side effects like tingling, pains, itching, etc. I also did a lot of ozone therapy and UVBI therapy.

GlitterGlimmer · February 6, 2019

Thanks for sharing @gorgeoustechie. After my first GHSV1 outbreak in January, I have not had another. My outbreak lasted for less than a week with the help of Valtrex, thank God.

At this time, I'm experiencing symptoms that are not related to my genitals. Tension/cluster headaches, pain when moving my eyes around, and aching -- not sore-- throat (not frequent). Symptoms appear to be more prominent in the morning and at night, after a long day at work.

If herpes is herpes regardless of where it's located, why does it seem like people with genital herpes have the worst symptoms?

Whymewhynow · February 6, 2019

On 1/30/2019 at 9:51 PM, gorgeoustechie said:

I told myself that I would take the holistic approach to this thing. Lysine, vitamin c..etc Little did I know I was in for one hell of a ride.

My first outbreak lasted a whole three weeks and then I got another and another. The second and third outbreak was so minimal I didn't even care BUT the neurological symptoms I experienced was what drove me nuts. With each outbreak (with exception of the first), I experienced rapid heartbeat, tinnitus, blurry vision, tingling in my arms, muscle spasms, what seemed like sinus headache, tension headaches, dry eyes, muscle weakness in my legs, burning sensations on my back...etc.

I also noticed I developed a food sensitivity of some sort - could no longer eat bread, wheat..etc? Every time i did my mouth would start tingling and my throat would get itchy. Sensations I've never experience before contracting herpes.

That was my wakeup call. I started scouring the internet and came across some videos on anti-inflammatory diets. The next day, I got rid of all the junk foods in my pantry and went shopping for whole foods - fruits, veggies, legumes..etc and pretty much changed my diet. Yup, overnight. I also was sure to grab some probiotics, vitamins, l-gluatmine pills (for gut health)..etc. I'm 5'7, 188 lbs and figured since i can't cure herpes, I can at least help my immune system fight this thing and lose some weight in the process.

A few days into my diet, I noticed very little difference in my symptoms but I felt "lighter" and the pimples I had on my skin were clearing up. On the 28th, i woke up with a tension headache still and called my doctor. She said my symptoms were "very normal" and that the virus works to suppress the immune system and that I should consider getting on antivirals for at least the first year. I started Valtrex on the same day and guys my symptoms are mostly gone. I still have the tinnitus but it's so subtle.

Ohh and it's been a week since I changed my diet and not only does my skin look amazing, i'm FINALLY losing weight!

Just wanted to say if you're experiencing weird neurological symptoms, consider an anti-inflammatory diet for a few months and antivirals. You may not get rid of all your symptoms but it's already made a HUGE difference.

@gorgeoustechie is there a particular anti-inflammatory diet book or site you could recommend? I'm will try anything. This daily tingling is seriously making me crazy? Any other supplements?

blurneworder · February 6, 2019

On 1/30/2019 at 7:51 PM, gorgeoustechie said:

I told myself that I would take the holistic approach to this thing. Lysine, vitamin c..etc Little did I know I was in for one hell of a ride.

My first outbreak lasted a whole three weeks and then I got another and another. The second and third outbreak was so minimal I didn't even care BUT the neurological symptoms I experienced was what drove me nuts. With each outbreak (with exception of the first), I experienced rapid heartbeat, tinnitus, blurry vision, tingling in my arms, muscle spasms, what seemed like sinus headache, tension headaches, dry eyes, muscle weakness in my legs, burning sensations on my back...etc.

I also noticed I developed a food sensitivity of some sort - could no longer eat bread, wheat..etc? Every time i did my mouth would start tingling and my throat would get itchy. Sensations I've never experience before contracting herpes.

That was my wakeup call. I started scouring the internet and came across some videos on anti-inflammatory diets. The next day, I got rid of all the junk foods in my pantry and went shopping for whole foods - fruits, veggies, legumes..etc and pretty much changed my diet. Yup, overnight. I also was sure to grab some probiotics, vitamins, l-gluatmine pills (for gut health)..etc. I'm 5'7, 188 lbs and figured since i can't cure herpes, I can at least help my immune system fight this thing and lose some weight in the process.

A few days into my diet, I noticed very little difference in my symptoms but I felt "lighter" and the pimples I had on my skin were clearing up. On the 28th, i woke up with a tension headache still and called my doctor. She said my symptoms were "very normal" and that the virus works to suppress the immune system and that I should consider getting on antivirals for at least the first year. I started Valtrex on the same day and guys my symptoms are mostly gone. I still have the tinnitus but it's so subtle.

Ohh and it's been a week since I changed my diet and not only does my skin look amazing, i'm FINALLY losing weight!

Just wanted to say if you're experiencing weird neurological symptoms, consider an anti-inflammatory diet for a few months and antivirals. You may not get rid of all your symptoms but it's already made a HUGE difference.

I’m not diagnosed with herpes, but have been having very similar symptoms after unprotected sex and oral.

I get daily headaches, tinnitus,dry eyes, hand and arm tingling, food sensitivity, and other symptoms that mimick herpes. People tell me I don’t have herpes, but nothing else ticks the boxes like herpes does.

Do you also get a lot of acne since contracting herpes?

How long after you were infected did your symptoms happen? How long did it take for your first outbreak?

gorgeoustechie · February 8, 2019

On 2/5/2019 at 9:35 PM, Whymewhynow said:

@gorgeoustechie is there a particular anti-inflammatory diet book or site you could recommend? I'm will try anything. This daily tingling is seriously making me crazy? Any other supplements?

I don't take the usual regimen of vitamins that most recommend. Currently I'm focused on healing my immune system and putting the virus in remission. I am however taking vitamin C and Zinc. And also take probiotic supplements. I'm seeing a functional medicine doctor next week. She's also a board certified MD. Had an e-visit with her and she knew her shit. Pretty excited about that. If you're not a DIY type, i say see a functional medicine doctor. They seem to be generally more open-minded too.

I haven't bought any books on anti-inflammatory diets. I probably would toss it to the side and forgot I bought it. Just google some recipes and pay close attention to what you're eating.

gorgeoustechie · February 8, 2019

On 2/6/2019 at 6:04 PM, blurneworder said:

I’m not diagnosed with herpes, but have been having very similar symptoms after unprotected sex and oral.

I get daily headaches, tinnitus,dry eyes, hand and arm tingling, food sensitivity, and other symptoms that mimick herpes. People tell me I don’t have herpes, but nothing else ticks the boxes like herpes does.

Do you also get a lot of acne since contracting herpes?

How long after you were infected did your symptoms happen? How long did it take for your first outbreak?

Have you been tested? If not, when are you getting tested?

No acne issues outside the norm. I did get two whiteheads since and they went away after making dietary changes.

My tinnitus also went away after making changes, came back for two days but it was not as annoying as when it first happened and then it went away again. First outbreak happened on December 26th and the symptoms that followed didn't start happening until AFTER the first outbreak.

Read up on leaky gut syndrome and see if it resonates with you and go from there. If your immune system was compromised before you caught herpes, herpes will likely make things really bad for you. My doc says once you're infected with a virus the immune system becomes very sensitive. It's not the herpes that is causing those symptoms, it's your immune system asking you to give it a moment to let it heal. She said herpes is a virus that works to supress the immune system and it's not that I became allergic to foods all the sudden, it's my immune system being sensitive and responding with inflammation. Food sensitivity is a sign that something's going on your gut. If you do have herpes, don't worry. You'll be fine, really.

blurneworder · February 8, 2019

55 minutes ago, gorgeoustechie said:

Have you been tested? If not, when are you getting tested?

No acne issues outside the norm. I did get two whiteheads since and they went away after making dietary changes.

My tinnitus also went away after making changes, came back for two days but it was not as annoying as when it first happened and then it went away again. First outbreak happened on December 26th and the symptoms that followed didn't start happening until AFTER the first outbreak.

Read up on leaky gut syndrome and see if it resonates with you and go from there. If your immune system was compromised before you caught herpes, herpes will likely make things really bad for you. My doc says once you're infected with a virus the immune system becomes very sensitive. It's not the herpes that is causing those symptoms, it's your immune system asking you to give it a moment to let it heal. She said herpes is a virus that works to supress the immune system and it's not that I became allergic to foods all the sudden, it's my immune system being sensitive and responding with inflammation. Food sensitivity is a sign that something's going on your gut. If you do have herpes, don't worry. You'll be fine, really.

Tested, yes - negative, but I continue to have symptoms aligned with herpes. No medications have helped and not one doctor has been able to explain why my body is breaking out in weird symptoms all at once.

Every medicine for this or that has not worked, and I’ve heard “I don’t know what’s happening” from a handful of doctors.

This all started after unprotected oral and vaginal sex. Girl I was with said she might have HSV, she tested negative, but days after sex I broke out in scattered, itchy red bumps on my groin. Another girl I dated caught the same thing and other odd symptoms that we both had at the same time.

The girl who caused all this said she gets frequent yeast infections, which is a sign that someone could have herpes

gorgeoustechie · February 8, 2019

6 hours ago, blurneworder said:

Tested, yes - negative, but I continue to have symptoms aligned with herpes. No medications have helped and not one doctor has been able to explain why my body is breaking out in weird symptoms all at once.

Every medicine for this or that has not worked, and I’ve heard “I don’t know what’s happening” from a handful of doctors.

This all started after unprotected oral and vaginal sex. Girl I was with said she might have HSV, she tested negative, but days after sex I broke out in scattered, itchy red bumps on my groin. Another girl I dated caught the same thing and other odd symptoms that we both had at the same time.

The girl who caused all this said she gets frequent yeast infections, which is a sign that someone could have herpes

How long did you wait to be tested? Sometimes it takes a while for it to show up. Were you lesions swabbed or did you go in for a blood test?

blurneworder · February 8, 2019

I’ve been tested up to 7 months after first exposure. Swabs and blood are negative. I’ve not had a Western Blot because no doctor thinks I need it

Whymewhynow · February 8, 2019

15 hours ago, gorgeoustechie said:

I don't take the usual regimen of vitamins that most recommend. Currently I'm focused on healing my immune system and putting the virus in remission. I am however taking vitamin C and Zinc. And also take probiotic supplements. I'm seeing a functional medicine doctor next week. She's also a board certified MD. Had an e-visit with her and she knew her shit. Pretty excited about that. If you're not a DIY type, i say see a functional medicine doctor. They seem to be generally more open-minded too.

I haven't bought any books on anti-inflammatory diets. I probably would toss it to the side and forgot I bought it. Just google some recipes and pay close attention to what you're eating.

I'm going to have to look up functional medicine doctors in my area. I never truly realized until now how hard it is to find a doctor that specializes in STI's. I guess I never really needed to before🤦🏾‍♀️

gorgeoustechie · February 9, 2019

17 hours ago, blurneworder said:

I’ve been tested up to 7 months after first exposure. Swabs and blood are negative. I’ve not had a Western Blot because no doctor thinks I need it

And I take it these symptoms are reocurring - meaning they come and go like herpes? When you have symptoms how long does it take to go away and do you know what triggers it?

14 hours ago, Whymewhynow said:

I'm going to have to look up functional medicine doctors in my area. I never truly realized until now how hard it is to find a doctor that specializes in STI's. I guess I never really needed to before🤦🏾‍♀️

Well find a functional medicine doctor that's also an obgyn if you can.

And make sure you find them from this site https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/

Otherwise, you may run into these chiropractors that are practicing functional medicine on the site and charging an arm and a leg for lab work.

blurneworder · February 9, 2019

6 hours ago, gorgeoustechie said:

And I take it these symptoms are reocurring - meaning they come and go like herpes? When you have symptoms how long does it take to go away and do you know what triggers it?

Well find a functional medicine doctor that's also an obgyn if you can.

And make sure you find them from this site https://www.ifm.org/find-a-practitioner/

Otherwise, you may run into these chiropractors that are practicing functional medicine on the site and charging an arm and a leg for lab work.

They do come and go, but some symptoms have never gone away since developing.

Eating sugar and citrus sets off some of these - possibly. I’m still not sure.

gorgeoustechie · February 10, 2019

16 hours ago, blurneworder said:

They do come and go, but some symptoms have never gone away since developing.

Eating sugar and citrus sets off some of these - possibly. I’m still not sure.

I've read here and on another board that herpes sometimes takes a while to show up on blood work. I just don't know how common/rare that is. I know one lady here said it took 13 months for it to be seen. I say treat it like herpes and go get tested in the next two months. You may also want to visit a functional medicine doctor. Most conventional doctors are incompetant and have no clue about anything beyond treating symptoms with pharmaceuticals. A functional medicine doctor will perform labs that aren't offered in a traditional doctor's office and he/she will help you get to the bottom of it. Don't worry. Do some research. If you can afford it, I highly recommend checking out a functional doc.

blurneworder · February 11, 2019

The functional doctors near me seem to push cupping or acupuncture. Am I missing something here?

Whymewhynow · February 11, 2019

3 hours ago, blurneworder said:

The functional doctors near me seem to push cupping or acupuncture. Am I missing something here?

Is the acupuncture help the nerve pain maybe?

gorgeoustechie · February 11, 2019

9 hours ago, blurneworder said:

The functional doctors near me seem to push cupping or acupuncture. Am I missing something here?

Never had one suggest this. Did you find them through ifm.org? If you didn't then there's probably a reason why.

I haven't had one suggest acupuncture or any other alternative therapies. The doc I'm seeing only suggested lab work to get to the root cause of the neurological symptoms I experiencing and even told me not to worry about the costs because her office had a deal with labcorp. Find a doctor that is interested in your health and won't waste your time. Again, I only recommend finding a doctor through ifm.org. There are all sorts of people out there calling themselves functional medicine doctors.

gorgeoustechie · February 11, 2019

6 hours ago, Whymewhynow said:

Is the acupuncture help the nerve pain maybe?

It probably doesn't hurt.

Yesterday I started a ten day juice fast. Definitely not for everyone but decided I wanted to take my diet a step further. It would be pretty screwed up if this shocked my system and gave me an OB but I doubt it'll do that.

blurneworder · February 11, 2019

4 hours ago, gorgeoustechie said:

Never had one suggest this. Did you find them through ifm.org? If you didn't then there's probably a reason why.

I haven't had one suggest acupuncture or any other alternative therapies. The doc I'm seeing only suggested lab work to get to the root cause of the neurological symptoms I experiencing and even told me not to worry about the costs because her office had a deal with labcorp. Find a doctor that is interested in your health and won't waste your time. Again, I only recommend finding a doctor through ifm.org. There are all sorts of people out there calling themselves functional medicine doctors.

Yes, they are through the site you suggested

gorgeoustechie · February 11, 2019

3 hours ago, blurneworder said:

Yes, they are through the site you suggested

Every doctor have their own protocol I guess. None of the doctors here have suggested such a thing.

I'm actually curious to see their websites. Anyways, have you considered cleansing/juice fasting to see if it'll reduce your symptoms?

blurneworder · February 11, 2019

6 minutes ago, gorgeoustechie said:

Every doctor have their own protocol I guess. None of the doctors here have suggested such a thing.

I'm actually curious to see their websites. Anyways, have you considered cleansing/juice fasting to see if it'll reduce your symptoms?

I’ve not considered it. I don’t know how to do that

Whymewhynow · February 11, 2019

@gorgeoustechie what doctors have you seen and which do you find to be the most informed and helpful where hsv is concerned? Would you say the functional Med doc? I've been checking for the ones in my city. I just hate that they don't accept I insurance because their consultations are pretty damn expensive.

gorgeoustechie · February 11, 2019

2 hours ago, Whymewhynow said:

@gorgeoustechie what doctors have you seen and which do you find to be the most informed and helpful where hsv is concerned? Would you say the functional Med doc? I've been checking for the ones in my city. I just hate that they don't accept I insurance because their consultations are pretty damn expensive.

A functional medicine doc doesn't operate like a conventional doctor. Conventional doctors/hospitals are ruled by the insurance companies - so the insurance companies pretty much dictate your health care. Conventional medicine doctors also don't test for things functional medicine doctors routinely test for like gut bacteria, infections like sibo..etc that could be making your OBs worse. Functional medicine doctors partner with you to find the root cause of disease. Your treatment is customized to your with an FMD unlike the one size fits all approach that conventional medicine doctors take.

If you're in nc, I would recommend dr palermo https://thrivecarolinas.com/dr-np/nancy-palermo . She knows her shit. It all comes down to taking your personal health history, performing labs to see what else could be going on that could be making your OBs so bad and then she gives you a customized treatment plan with diet and lifestyle suggestions. if any infection is found besides the H, she'll prescribe you treatment. It's pretty much a whole health approach. Please read up on functional medicine or watch the youtube videos for more information. I'm not a doctor but I did take an integrative nutrition course years ago and that's how I knew about functional medicine. And yes, it's expensive but it saves lives.

If you can't afford a functional medicine doctor, the best thing you could do for yourself is to either fast for a week or two at a time or adopt an anti-inflammatory diet along with intermittent fasting so you can give you body a chance to heal. There are options but you have to get in the driver's seat and do your own research to see what will work for you.

blurneworder · March 21, 2019

Have you been tested? If not, when are you getting tested?

No acne issues outside the norm. I did get two whiteheads since and they went away after making dietary changes.

My tinnitus also went away after making changes, came back for two days but it was not as annoying as when it first happened and then it went away again. First outbreak happened on December 26th and the symptoms that followed didn't start happening until AFTER the first outbreak.

Read up on leaky gut syndrome and see if it resonates with you and go from there. If your immune system was compromised before you caught herpes, herpes will likely make things really bad for you. My doc says once you're infected with a virus the immune system becomes very sensitive. It's not the herpes that is causing those symptoms, it's your immune system asking you to give it a moment to let it heal. She said herpes is a virus that works to supress the immune system and it's not that I became allergic to foods all the sudden, it's my immune system being sensitive and responding with inflammation. Food sensitivity is a sign that something's going on your gut. If you do have herpes, don't worry. You'll be fine, really.

Can you describe what issues the tinnitus cased you?

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How I'm tackling this thing (Antivirals/Diet) ... there's hope!

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