Leg pain

[Adviceplease]

Hi Terri,

I have had left leg pain for the last day or two. The pain moves and is sometimes only in my side of my upper thigh, sometimes only in my calf or closer to my ankle, and sometimes spans my whole leg. It feels like soreness that’s not caused by anything muscular, if that makes any sense (does not worsen or get better when I move, etc). It feels more internal than on my skin—my skin is not sensitive and does not hurt to touch and I have no burning, tingling or sores anywhere.

I have recently re started birth control (Lo Loestrin) and have read that birth control can cause dormant herpes to be reactivated, which is why I’m reaching out. I have never been tested for herpes. How likely do you think this is? What does herpes related leg pain typically feel like?

Thank you in advance for any help you can offer!

[Adviceplease]

As a follow up, it’s been 3 days and the pain is still there. It is much less severe but in both legs and moves, as strange as that sounds—one moment it’ll be the front of my calves, an hour later itll be my butt, etc.

Still no obvious skin symptoms.

[Adviceplease]

One last update. It has been about a week and I am still feeling random pains in my left butt/leg/calf mainly, but have also felt similar pains in my right leg and left arm. They are random and come and go.

[leo_brasille]

I know that probably forum participants aren’t supposed to comment on other user’s threads, but I’m going to because I have never heard of herpes symptoms like this and, given the number of dangerous side effects that birth control can produce, I think you should stop worrying about herpes and see a doctor.

[Terri Warren]

Herpes would be very unlikely to cause symptoms such as those you describe with no other symptoms consistent with genital herpes infection.
I would ignore comments about the dangers of birth control and speak with your provider about such issues. There are side effects to many forms of birth control, but also some benefits of oral contraceptives. For example, birth control pills can less acne, bone thinning, cysts in the ovaries or breast, endometrial and ovarian cancers, and anemia. So before you decide to stop your birth control pills for some other method, talk with your health care provider.

Terri

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