Nerve damage - my experience - Herpes Message Board

Mark5 · 08-18-2004, 02:24 PM

I'm posting this to see if others can give some sort of feedback on what is going on with them and how long it has been happening since their primary OB.

I'm coming up on my 1 year since my first GH OB. The first 3 OB were mild (all of mine happen quickly and go away quickly). These 3 OB all occured in the first 5 months. Since then, I have figured out that I really have only had 2 "true" OB.

Everything else has been the impact of the virus on my nervous system.

With me, the nerves in a particular area of my body seem to just wig out and go through a 3-4 week period of producing hot spots. Basically, to look at the skin would not revel anything. However, you would swear that there is an OB, cut, burn, something in the area. It is obvious that it is my nerves just being impacted by this virus. The first area was my scrotum. It basically felt like it was on fire for a month. Then it went away. The next area was the top of my butt crack. Lasted 1 week. The next area was the back of my thinghs into my groin. Last 3-4 days. The next area was the pubic hair above the penis and lasted 7 days. The current area is the penis shaft near the head. From hour to hour the spot changes form the top to left to bottom. No redness or signs of anything.

Iv'e been on Valtrex daily since July 4th. I take 1000mg, and sometimes 2000mg daily. It appears that the Valtrex has actually curbed the OB, but not the nerves.

Not hear to cry, but this makes the whole thing just bad. Every day, every hour, I am reminded that I have GH. Fortunatley, I have a high tolerance for pain. The only thing that seems to help the nerves is taking a warm shower. That is it.

I'm curious if others have had this and seen it get better over time (or worse). If so, how long did it take and did anything help the situation?

Please share your thoughts. Thanks

adamuk · 08-21-2004, 08:32 PM

Hi Mark,

I get OB's almost all the time, but my current one sounds like what you are talking about. I have been getting pains in my lower back, midriff and groin, which were bad at the start of the OB a couple of days ago, but they seem to be fading a little. Im not sure if nerve damage is the right term, as I dont think it is a permanent thing, but rather the virus moving around your local nerve endings in large quantities. The pain Im getting is similar to (although not as bad) as the pain I got when I first got H. Im not sure what can be dont about this as I think unfortunately its just another symptom, but antivirals which reduce your H count should also reduce these pains. I hope you high pain threshold never has to be tested, and that these pains diminish with time.

All the best,

Adam

jamarl · 10-27-2004, 09:42 AM

hi mark, you have all the symptoms which i was suffering from. you have a
neurology problem(the nerves). i was having this burning sensation in my
right buttock. the pain was so intense that i had problems sitting,but when
i lied down the pain subsided. you basically have to treat your problem like
your suffering from shingles. i tried ice, increasing my dosage of antiviral
medication, this made no difference .
you need to go back to your doctor and explain that your experiencing
an irritation of the nerve fibers. if you contact the national shingles
society they will hopefully be able to help you.

The problem is called POST HERPETIC NEURALGIA, and how i was treated is that the national shingles society sent me info through the post and then i
went to my doctor. i was prescribed amitriptyline. basically you start at a
low dose and you work your up gradully. i had was to take 75mg for my symptoms to subside , i was taking this dosage for about 8 weeks then i gradually decreased because of side-effects (constipation).i am now on 25mg having decreased from 50mg.

Another drug available is Gabapentin , usually reserved for seizures etc.
apparently amitriptyline is usually prescribed for pain management.
you must act fast though because i was told the longer you leave it the
harder it is to treat. good luck i know what your feeling .

jazzyE · 10-27-2004, 10:48 AM

Hey Mark, I had a really bad problem with a burning tingling feeling constantly that went from my right buttock all the way down to my right foot. I also have a high tolerance for pain, but it was so uncomfortable I had problems sitting at times. I'm on a few different natural treatments that I wrote about in another thread here. I've found for the burning feeling, the H2O2 and DMSO have helped tremendously. But I take so many other things, I'm sure the combination of everything helps it all.

unlucky_guy · 10-27-2004, 12:35 PM

What you describe is almost exactly what I have.

I have a burning sensation in different spots...usually the back of the thighs, inside of the thighs, scrotum, or pubic hair region. Basically, the skin just feels "hot" and uncomfortable without any visible symptoms. It makes it VERY uncomfortable to sit down to the point where I sometimes have to sit on an icepack just to be able to do it. You're right about how its almost like having Herpes 24 hours a day, 7 days a week...rather than just the occassional outbreak.

I've had Herpes for 1 yr and 5 months...and these pains haven't gone away

Herpes really sucks, I'd give anything not to have these damn annoying pains anymore. I guess we're just unlucky to have these terrible symptoms on top of the usual outbreaks. Let me know if you figure anything out