Hand/Pinky Herpes

[DissolvedO2]

Hi Terri

I’ve asked you about migrating herpes whitlow before, and my saga continues. I have oral herpes and genital herpes. Through a stunning moment of bad luck, I also contracted my oral virus in the little finger of my right hand while applying acyclovir ointment to my lip. This “hand herpes” felt like it was always prodromal (i.e., my arm hurt and finger had prodrome syndrome all the time). So, following advice off the internet, as one does, I soaked my pinky finger and ring finger in a zinc solution for a long time, until it felt like the virus was moving up my arm, and I quit. This was about 2012/13 or so. In 2015, I got some weird bumps over the knuckle of my first finger on my right hand. This didn’t feel like herpes, and in fact seemed like it might be psoriasis, which I also have. I applied some hippy oil to it and rubbed it with the back of my other hand, thinking nothing of it. So, now I get these weird lumps on the back of both hands and my dermatologist has zero idea what it is. The bumps have been cultured twice for herpes and are negative. The whole situation is getting worse, as I’ve started using steroid cream on them (they go away then return with a vengeance when I stop steroid cream). Now, today, they are appearing on the palm of my right hand – someplace that I’ve figured “well, maybe it isn’t herpes after all, because it hasn’t spread to my hand). So – it’s been an emotional day for me, as I sit here soaking my hands in “EMU Max” ointment and typing this. Are you aware of an expert out there who could actually diagnosis this, rather than my beleaguered dermatologist who now is suggesting mupirocin as a “Hail Mary pass.” She says it isn’t psoriasis and doesn’t have any idea what it might be. I’m willing to travel at this point. Thanks for any thoughts you might have on this situation that I truly wish I didn’t have.

[Terri Warren]

We spoke through a video conference this week. As you know, I seriously doubt that all of this is herpes related, but can’t be certain. So as we discussed, I have sent you a PCR swab to gather at home and return to me. Also, as we’ve discussed, often applying steroid creams can make herpes worse as you are taking away the local cellular immune response. Let’s see how the PCR swab goes, OK?

Terri

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