Has anyone else experienced this? After my first outbreak a few months ago, I have had non-stop symptoms going on. At first I thought it was just more outbreaks, but the symptoms never go away so my doctor believes it is neuralgia (or nerve damage) caused by the herpes.
The skin around my genitals and thighs (front and back) is constantly inflamed and sensitive. It burns at some times during the day, and it is very uncomfortable when my clothes even slightly rub up against it. I also have non-stop tingling going on too in my legs, butt, and even my arms sometimes. However, I never have anything visible at all, so much as a redness or bumps or anything, it is completely invisible. These symptoms have hung around for over 2 months now even though I have not had another outbreak since my first. Has anyone else experienced this? Is it temporary or permanent? Anyway to get rid of this?? It is really uncomfortable to the point where I cant even sit still for more then a few seconds at a time.
I'm sorry to hear you're having such a hard time. It seems I've heard other people complain about this--maybe someone who has will post. What have you put on the area to soothe it, if anything? Orn uses an aloe vera spray that she says really helps (during ob's.)
I'm sorry to hear this aswell. Have you had any treatments (natural or otherwise)? Have your eating habits changed? Have you been under a lot of stress?
They aren't outbreaks, I haven't had any outbreaks for several months. My doctor says the symptoms I'm feeling (inflamed/burning skin) and the constant tingling are caused by damaged nerve cells from the virus during my last outbreak a while back. Ever since then I have had this stuff going on non-stop. That is why I came here to find out if anyone else has experienced anything like this, and to find out how long it will last (temporary or permanent). I can deal with the outbreaks if they come, but the non-stop pain of neuralgia from the herpes is really becoming a burden...
They aren't outbreaks, I haven't had any outbreaks for several months. My doctor says the symptoms I'm feeling (inflamed/burning skin) and the constant tingling are caused by damaged nerve cells from the virus. That is why I came here to find out if anyone else has experienced anything like this, and to find out how long it will last (temporary or permanent). I can deal with the outbreaks if they come, but the non-stop pain of neuralgia from the herpes is really becoming a burden. Has anyone else had non-stop skin sensitivity/burning or constant tingling?? Did it ever go away? How did you treat it?
I've had the same thing, very painfull and at times had to take a painkiller.
Everyday again.
It lasted for sure for 4 months.
I knew it had to do with my herpes because it seemed to come from the spot where I always have my blister, my leg, thigh on that side was very painful.
My doctor found it very reasonable that the nerves that lead to the herpes were damaged or inflamated from the herpes. I've been on zelitrex now for 3 months and its gone, and I'm happy again. so don't worry and your right it has to do with the herpes.
Yes, I have it too! I got my first primary outbreak last August, and it was very severe ( according to my doc). I got the whole 9 yards....blisters, could not urintate, walk, I was so ill with the flu symptoms I thought I was going to die. And then...the burning, stinging with no outbreak at all. It has lasted almost 6 months!!!!. There were times when I thought " if this is herpes then I want to die ". For the first time since being diagnosed ( this month has been tolerable). I have it today, but no so bad. I tried everything. The burning/stinging is awful but there is nothing there. I even went to a virologist to look at it and also my gyno. Both said I had PHN...Post Herpatic Nerualgia due to nerve damage. I think it has been worse than the herpes because it is a constant reminder and it is pain. Who wants that? I quit smoking, drinking any alcohol, that seemed to help a lot. I am on supressive Valtrex. When the burning gets too bad to tolerate I take a 1 mg. Ativan. Or I take a Motrin. I am praying that it will eventually go away completely. I pray for us all that they find a cure for this.
I have this too! My first ob started about 3 weeks ago. I got fatigued, then burning,tingling redness inside and outside the vaginal area but no visible blisters/ lesions. The gyno of course thinks it was just a yeast infection but I've never felt like this. My herpes swab results should be in tomorrow, but I don't know if that will show anything because of no lesions. The itching and burning seemed to go away this weekend but I started having burning/irritated feeling on my buttocks, but nothing visible on the skin. Now I'm getting burning on the front and backs of my thighs and a slight soreness to the muscles of my inner thighs. Also there is an area of my thigh where the skin is sensitive to the touch, prickly feeling. I have not had one day where I have no symptoms, but they do go away for awhile then come back and are still changing all the time! I don't know if this is the same first ob working itself out or numerous ob's since the symptoms keep changing. I also don't know if I should try to get on suppressive therapy or see how my body adjusts to this. After all, if this is my first ob, perhaps it will go away for awhile after this(?) Does anyone have any advice on if I should go on suppresive therapy? Also, has anyone had the leg burning and had it go away after an ob, or will it definitely stick around for a long time. Thank you!
This seems quite common...I've had lower back pain on & off since 11-03, only in one spot. I have to take painkillers from time to time...And I believe it herpes related, original diagnosis was in 10-03, one month prior. I did some research and found some interesting material, that everyone here should look into. Do a search on postherpetic neuralgia....Just to see what this damn virus can damage.....It's interesting, that's for sure......Hope everyone feels better......-Ornament
The muscles in my legs, lower back, and even sometimes my arms will twitch for no reason. This has been going on and off ever since I got herpes...in fact I think it is the most bothersome part of having this disease.
Ornament is right, this is a SERIOUS virus. Its not just a skin disease that causes a few itchy bumps...it is a NERVOUS system disease...and anything that effects your nervous system is bad news and can cause a lot of additional problems (hence the symptoms like permanent nerve pain, muscle twitching, etc.)
This disease needs to be taken a lot more seriously than it is. An effort needs to be made to warn people about it, how easily it spreads, and its damaging effects on the body (in some people). Heck, if they just did "scare tactics" in sex ed class by showing those nasty pictures on the net...that would be better than nothing.
I'm curious. When you have nerualgia.. do you have the symptoms pretty much every day? I'm asking because I was outbreak free for the last 1 1/2 weeks and now I'm getting symptoms again. Is this my third outbreak or do i have nerve damage? How can you be sure? Good thing it's not as severe as the first or second one. I'm just having irriation and itching. This is really annoying. I only stay outbreak free for 1-2 weeks.
i have tingling on my vagina since birth of my son 7 months ago. docs dont know what it is and dont think its herpes, any ideas, its really uncomftable, thanks, april
I get this same neuralgia down the fronts of my my legs and on my lower back during some of my outbreaks. I told my doctor about it and he looked at me like I had two heads, so I dropped it. I also have vericose veins down the fronts of my thighs so I thought maybe it was related to those goofy things.. Feels the same as when I have a really bad flu, my skin just hurts to touch and goosebumps are painful. It only seems to last a week or so with me though.
april-- did he do an episiotomy or did you tear really bad, maybe there was some nerve damage there thats taking its sweet time healing.
Anyone find any neuralgia relief????? I'm getting tired of taking tylenol-3's for it. Symptons, seem to come and go......Any solutions in sight????
Wondering, -Ornament
I am just curious. I have had some nerve pains on my left arm/hand and right leg for some 2 months after a sexual encounter. They happen too sometimes in small patches on my right arm/hand and left leg, but it is usually assymetrical. It happens in my left arm/hand and right leg most of the time. At some time, there were some nerve irritations on the inner side of my thigh too. But, that is gone now. These last 2 weeks i have been feeling better.
I am so afraid that it is STD related.
I don't know if I have Herpes or not because where I live there is no test for it unless you come up with visible symptoms (ie sores, blisters, chancers).
But, I remember that on the 2nd day after the sexual encounter, I had burning and itching inside the foreskin area of my penis. It was red too (rash?). After I applied some Vaseline the next, the burning and itching was gone in 4 days. But, I had some on and off burning sensation in my butt. The burning in my butt was the most worse for a week and a half after the sexual encounter.
To this day I still suspect this might be some STD like Herpes or a yeast infection.
It's mostly the nerve pains that are killing me. But, I am not sure if I have neuralgias or peripheral neuropathy.
I have been most terrified that it is HIV causing these nerve pains. I have heard the connection between HIV and neuropathy.
But, after reading this, I know it can also be Herpes. The thing is that I have never or not had any visible huge sores or blisters I used to associate with Herpes.
Correct me if I am wrong...but don't people get PHN after shingles? Is this sexually transmitted? Or, is it more correlated to Chicken Pox and HPV-1? Do you get it through sex and HPV-2???
I just researched online and they say these nerve pains are only associated with Herpes Zoster. Isn't that the one where we have Chicken Pox? I had it when I was a kid.
I seem to be having mostly assymetrical nerve pains in my hands, arms and legs right now. I don't know if it is Herpes-induced Peripheral Neuropathy or not? But, it came suspiciously a week after a sexual encounter.
I have been sweating and fearing it is HIV related, but many experts tell me it is not common to have Peripheral Neuropathy or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome during the early infection phase of HIV.
I am kinda suspecting it might be Herpes. Why? Because 2 days after the sex, I had a burning and itching red rash on the foreskin area of my penis. It was gone after 4 days (I also used Vaseline to fight it off). But, there has also been a burning sensation in my buttocks. I know these symptoms sound suspiciously like Herpes Simplex Virus 2. But, have not checked my blood for it yet.
My important question is whenever an OB occurs, do these nerve pains commonly follow year after year? To me, this is just as painful or worse than being diagnosed with HIV. For 2-3 weeks, the nerve pains just could not make me go outside of the home for too long. It's now getting better these last 2 weeks, but I still feel some residual pain. It's not totally gone yet. I am taking B Vitamins, Folic Acid and Magnesium. Maybe it is helping, or the nerves are healing by itself. But, I am still not at 100% yet. These nerve pains been going on for 2 months now. This is a type of pain that is unbearable to live with forever. Many of us are young, and it is not fair. I pray to God I will do anything to be healthy and for my nerves to heal completely. Writing this, I want to cry...
I agree that if they had taught us more about the potential side effects and symptoms of this Herpes virus in our high school days, America would not have so many people engaging in unprotected sex and catching STDs. It should not be inhibited or something shameful to fully discuss. Kids aren't dumb. We will remember for the rest of our lives.
You said this was worse to you than having HIV, but herpes won't kill you, AIDS will!! From what I've read, I don't think any of us are sure why this neuralgia is happening, but it definitely seems to be herpes related. I have HSV2 but not 1... and I had a really bad case of chicken pox when I was 17, but I never had the neuralgia until after I contracted the H. Sometimes it comes with an ob, and sometimes it doesn't.
I think if you went in and got tested, it would really put your mind at ease... I know you said there were no tests in your area unless there were visible sores, but you could still go in and get tested for HIV. ITs a blood test, and they can do it at a health department. That way you could at least rule out HIV and I'm sure that would make you feel better.
I have to say that I was experiencing difficulty too.
Here's how it happened with me.
About 3 wks to 1 month after stopping my Acyclovir treatment ( I was also on Accutane), I started getting these red, unraised bumps/rashes on both of my wrists. They were about 1.5 inches in width and about 2 inches in length. Some times they itched and some times they didn't. After about 2 weeks they scabbed up (picture each of the tiny bumps forming it's own scab)
I honestly didn't know WHAT it was. It wasn't painful or anything so I went online and did detective work. I figured it could be one of two things.
1. Scabies - I had visited a friend's house and was playing with her little fluffy mutty dog. I had also slept over another one of my friend's place on campus after we drove back from NY one night.
2. Shingles - They were band like rashes.
Well my symptoms most matched what I read for scabies so I bought something to treat it. I had a much milder form of the rash about 1 month later and then it stopped.
HOWEVER, I started experience muscle pain in my thighs, lower back, once in my shoulder, and in my booty. So I'm not sure what that's all about. Hopefully it's nothing related to shingles because I have too much on my plate.
I tested for HIV at the 3 months mark. It was negative. Most people on this board and other HIV boards tell me that 3 months is conclusive.
But, there are demons inside that keep telling me that only a 6 or 10 month test would be 100% conclusive. The CDC still maintains that only 97% are cleared by the 3 months mark. So, that still leaves that other 3% I am afraid about.
The reason I am mad is because I heard that sometimes nerve pains never heal and that the pain would be permanent. This is unbearable for me. I am an athletic type. I like basketball and martial arts. It is like a handicap for me to be in this situation. Also, I wish to play sports with my future children and grandchildren when I grow old and start a family. This is not fair.
Re: been there 
