Constant Prodromal for Months

[helphelphelp]

Hello,

I have a history of getting HSV1 on my lips, inside both sides of my nostril. Once I got it on both sides of the top of my nose. And once I got it on my left cheek – this was swabbed to confirm HSV1. I have often gotten tingling up to the edge of my left eye during outbreaks on lips or nose.

After a family trauma 3 months ago, I had felt very itchy in my left eye and started to take 1000mg of valtrex fearing that it had to do with cold sores. Since then I have had constant prodromal symptoms for 3 months around the skin of my left eye bottom and top, through my eyebrow along my cheek and my upper lip, and inside and outside of nose. Sometimes I also have similar symptoms on the right side of my face in similar places. For about one month, my left eye also had a dull ache. I also have gotten tingling in my ears especially the left one and on the back of my thighs and front of my vagina here and there. I have been to the opthamogist & dermatologist & even an infectious disease specialist several times and they see no lesions and say that this is not typical of a herpes virus to continue to have prodromal syndromes for this along. 1 week ago I switched to 400 mg of acyclovir once a day to see if a change in medicine would help and it has not.

I also have had whiplash and some neck pain 3 months ago due to an accident and severe stress. All these doctors have contributed the tingling to severe anxiety due to my accident and the trauma around it. It just seems strange to me that the tingling occurs in many areas that I have felt tingling during cold sore outbreaks for 3 months straight. I am extremely fearful of getting the virus in my eye.

Any thoughts about courses of action?

I am also taking olive leaf astragalus, lemon balm leaf, turmeric and licorice.

Thank you !!

[Terri Warren]

I have to agree that this seems very atypical for herpes prodrome to last this long. I seriously doubt it. It seems more likely to me that the whiplash tweaked some sort of nerve in your neck that is causing these nerve sensations. I also think if it was HSV that the Valtrex would be making an impact but it doesn’t appear that it is.

Terri

[helphelphelp]

Thank you. It just seems strange that I am getting tingling right on previous lip herpes areas and nose areas. The majority of the tingling is in the eye, nose, and upper lip area. The other parts of the body are seldom and might be coincidental.

Is there a way I can test for it by swabbing the areas that have the most tingling around the eye?

Is it possible this is all a die effect of the valacylovir and now acyclovir?

Thank you !
Katie

[Terri Warren]

I don’t believe this is a side effect of the antiviral medicine,no
You could have non-lesional areas swab tested, yes, of course. That’s what we are doing with our daily home swabbing studies – people swab their genitals every day looking for virus even when they have no sores.

Terri

[helphelphelp]

Hello,

Still having constant prodromal through my left dermatome through left eye, cheek under eye, eyelid, through ear. I’m now even itchy through my left scalp. My eye feels sore constantly.

I am on 800 mg of acyclovir. I have gotten these occasional small raised dots around the cheek under my eye that are very itchy. They recede after a day or so and don’t get worse. I am thinking this is HSV1 through my trigeminal nerve that is causing the constant itchiness/tingling. I went to a neurologist and all my blood tests and MRI came out normal. He did not see any inflammation in the trigeminal nerve. Also saw an ENT – that said my ear looked normal besides extra wax despite all the tingling I am experiencing.

Now that I have been getting some raised bumps on my left cheek – would you think it’s HSV? Do I stay the course on the acyclovir? Nobody seems to be able to help me and I am basically monitoring the acyclovir myself based on how bad my symptoms are – but I am not even sure of what is going on!

Also where can I purchase your swabbing kit ?

Thank you!
Katie

[Terri Warren]

I don’t have a swab kit for you, sorry, you should check with your dermatologist about this.
Red bumps don’t sound herpetic to me. Herpes causes blisters, not bumps.
Given the duration of your symptoms, the fact that you have not had a real outbreak, the fact that you are on antiviral therapy and the fact that all your exams are normal, I don’t think this is herpes causing your symptoms.

This is your final post on this subscription – if you have more questions, feel free to renew

Terri

[Author]

Posts