Shingles or Herpes Outbreaks getting scary
 

I was diagnosed over 30 years ago with Genital Herpes. For the first 20 years I would have out breaks MAYBE once or twice a year and they were always restricted to my vaginal area. They were bad at first...and would last more than 3 weeks.

Since I have passed menopause (I started Menopause at the age of 38 and finished before I was 43) I rarely get vaginal outbreaks and when I say rarely I mean more than a year between a vaginal episode. Instead of vaginal outbreaks I get outbreaks that seem to be centered around my chin/neck area and more recently it feels as if I have an outbreak that is internal to my head.. under my skin along with the neck/chin lesions.

In the past two years these head outbreaks have been quite debilitating. All of the flu/cold like symptoms are the same however the headaches and fatigue and general pain are hard to bear but none are like the outbreak I have been experiencing for the past 3 weeks. This most recent outbreak followed probably the most stressful 6 weeks of my life and started like a bad cold with a stuffy nose and a horrible sore throat however within a few hours the fluid filled tiny spots on my chin showed up as well as some on my neck then after a few days it felt like it went internal. Inside my windpipe and under my skull. I thought a couple of days ago that it was finally over but then the sneezing started and the stuffy nose came back and now I have a new spot under my tongue and what feels like behind my eye.

I am an engineer and I have to say I am noticing that I don't feel as mentally sharp as I use to be and it seems like after these episodes that gets worse. I was considering going to my GP but he's pretty useless so am wondering if I should just go to him and ask for a neuro referral. I was also going to ask for an MRI. I had an MRI to look for aneurysms about 8 years ago because I have a VERY strong family history of berry aneurysm (Aunts, mother and grandmother all died of complications from them rupturing) The MRI showed that I have no communicating arteries, or none that would show up on a very high quality MRI but it also showed a few small lesions or white spots on my brain and I wonder if there is any change in those or if there are more.

Will the neurologist laugh at me for going to him/her about herpes?

I should add that for the first week or so of these episodes I also have very painful neck

You don't need a bunch of strangers to tell you what you already know. I would make an appointment with a good neurologist right away.

Hello taterbug
 

Welcome to Neuro Talk. Do go to a neurologist. This spred you have, isn't good, and you know it. This can be also transfered to the eyes, so you don't want to get the outbreaks if you can help it. There are anti-Viral drugs out that can control the frequency of the outbreaks, severity, and "duration":hug:. I do wish you all the best, and better days in your future. ginnie

Go soon, I wouldn't mess around with thiis.

judi

Get tested for LYME DISEASE
 

Believe it or not, you need to be tested for LYME DISEASE!! A painful neck and brain fog are symptoms of Lyme Disease! Your immune system may be compromised by the Lyme bacteria, which can live in your blood and cells for years. In my case, I was symptom-free until I got shingles twice in 2006 and 2007. The doctor said that my immune system was compromised, but he didn't test me for anything. For the next six years, I told my endocrinologist that I was so fatigued, so tired all the time, and he kept telling me that there was nothing wrong with me. This past summer, I developed unbearable neurological symptoms of burning in my hands at night. After three MRI's and a series of useless doctors, I diagnosed my Lyme symptoms by researching online. Finding a Lyme specialist saved my life! The pain in my hands is caused by Lyme Disease. A neurologist did nerve testing and determined that I have carpal tunnel syndrome, but it's caused by the Lyme. Insist that your blood should be sent to IGeneX Laboratory at 795 San Antonio Road, Palo Alto, CA 94303 for the Lyme Western Blot test. Many people get a false negative from other labs (as did I). By the way, no tick is required. Some scientists think that Lyme is also spread by mosquitoes. Get the Lyme bacteria treated with antibiotics, and your immune system will have a chance to handle the other viruses in your body.