L-Lysine
 

I am having a relapse of my burning sensations in my legs and feet. Somewhat in my hands as well.

I am wondering about the following: I recently dropped L-lysine from my regimen of daily supplements. Could this be the cause of my relapse?

Also, I'd be grateful if someone would remind me of why we are taking L-lysine. My search in on Wikip. didn't tell me much, and my search of this forum only brought me two results, which turned out to be my own earlier posts.

Thanks!

There are two main reasons for l-lysine...

1) to prevent or reduce a herpes outbreak or shingles pain

2) to counter the use of high dose arginine (which may activate latent herpes).

Here is some general info on it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lysine

If L-lysine mitigates my burning pain, should I conclude, then, that I have shingles?

Or am I taking a wildly simplistic approach here?

If you had chickenpox as a child, you can have pain, generated by the latent virus. It does not always make vesicles or rash.

I am also of the opinion that herpes can do it too, since they are related.

If the lysine works for you, I'd take that as a sign!

There is a diet to balance arginine/lysine.

http://www.herpes.com/Nutrition.shtml
One wants to keep arginine lower in ratio to lysine if one has a history of any herpes.

Is it possible that my small fiber neuropathy symptoms are, in fact, shingles symptoms? Or is shingles a kind of SFN?

Shingles is a form of neuropathy. I believe it lives in the dorsal root ganglia in the spinal cord.

It is called Post herpetic neuraglia.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pos...ralgia/DS00277

I have had shingles down my right arm, and I still get pain from it now and then.

It can occur anywhere from the distribution of the chickenpox you had when younger.

I believe it is called a ganglionopathy:
http://www.ehow.com/facts_6388067_ga...uropathy_.html

If you suspect shingles you can have blood work for the titres of the antibodies to the virus. Several ones can be done. I had both simplex and zoster run when I had my shingles because they were in an odd place (usually it is across the torso chest back area). My zoster titres were very high, but simplex low.
So I took antivirals for quite a while, and also during 2 severe pain outbreaks. That was a decade ago.

I was tested in 2008. My titres showed that I did not have simplex, and I do not recall that anyone said anything about zoster-specific titres. I had neuralgia, but my symptoms were atypical of shingles. In spite of this, and having no better diagnosis, they said it was shingles and called it a day.

Two years later, I had a new and different un-diagnosable pain in my foot. Upon examination of the foot issue, a rheumatologist diagnosed me with small fiber neuropathy.

Since the prognosis and treatment for shingles and the prognosis and treatment for SFN are about the same, I am wondering whether it makes a practical difference what I have.

Well, the antiviral drugs do work. We had a person here way back in the early 2000 on our old board with severe pain in the back/chest. She finally had testing and got Famvir for it, and it cleared the pain for her.

So if you have been tested and show high zoster titres I think trying the antiviral may give you some pain relief.
Zovirax, Famvir or Valtrex are the typical antivirals used.

Otherwise all you have is high dose l-lysine.

I was on Valtrex for a full course, without result.

How "high" a dose of L-lysine are you suggesting?

Thanks!

I would start at one gram a day, and work up to 2. Take 2 grams a day for a month and see what develops for you.

I've taken Lysine off and on for years and now involved in a shingles discussion on another group and I've never had shingles, don't get the shingles vaccine, had chicken pox as a kid, and herpes in my 30's and worked with Lysine and I'm back taking it again. Sure can help the issue of the nerve damage issues.

Mrs. D,
I suffered from outbreaks of cold sores since childhood. The familiar throbbingi would give me warning.....for some time I took an over the counter gel (can't recall the name). While at work one day, a co-worked mentioned his aunt worked in an area of supplements and mentioned L-lysine. Also mentioned I should take for preventative of coldsores and to take as soon as this feeling starts. It really help in most instances stop the coldsore from coming on. I took 500 to 1000 mg tablets. Still have a bottle in my cabinet.

Eventually got a prescription for Denavir which worked very well and would apply as soon as the throbbing started which usually stopped the coldsore from coming up. Since that worked so well, I eventually stopped using the Llysine. For the past few years, my outbreaks have lessened. I still carry a small tube of Denavir with me for just in case purposes.

I get a flu shot but always decline getting the one for Shingles. I fear that I will activate the virus and don't want to take the chance this will start a series of problems or even cause the Shingles.

I deal with Peripheral Neuropathy and take pain meds; but never really considered the L-Lysine as a supplement. Now am wondering if I should start taking the Lysine on a daily basis.

Would appreciate any suggestions.



Gerry

I think it is really up to you.

The vaccine as I recall is only effective in about 50% of patients anyway.

I think you would need at least 1000mg of Lysine (maybe more).
I would use it 500mg in the morning and 500mg at night.(divided doses)

There are really no serious issues with it and it is pretty safe.

I had a herpes panel done, back when (over 20 yrs ago) when I had shingles when I was still working. My doctor was surprised that my herpes I was very very low. The lowest she ever had seen.
But my shingles titres were very high.

I use NOW or Puritan's for my lysine. Last few years I've had fewer warnings of an outbreak. I keep a low easy lifestyle after retirement, which helps.

Gerry, I feel good about taking 500mg Lysine first thing in AM with my supps and meds on empty stomach. I DON'T GET the Shingles VACCINE. No Vaccines for me.

Years ago when I found how effective Pycnogenol was for me and my mom was still living and she had a long life of cold sores, I had her taking Pycnogenol for a good year and no more colds or cold sores for this lady. She died at 91. I've talked about Pycnogenol and Grape Seed Ex so much here. I'm headed into 23 yrs of taking the antioxidants. No colds or cold sores or flu issues here....C