I've had herpes for 4 years now and I can tell you all categorically that it DOES cause feelings of depression, mood swings and extreme tiredness. This has been my experience. The depression and mood swings are nothing to do with feeling low or unhappy because I've got herpes. These symptoms come just before an OB. Unexplainable low mood and extreme tiredness and I never knew why until the link occurred to me. It's all due to the OB itself. It's part if it and a very difficult part too. Depression is something I've never had but my mood always changes significantly before any other sign of an approach OB. The people who are telling others that these are not symptoms are wrong. They say this because they don't experience it themselves. There are many different variations of herpes and it affects everyone differently. There is simply not enough research on this...but it is fact. Herpes does cause significant mood changes, depression (NOT IN ANY WAY LINKED TO FEELING SAD ABOUT HAVING HERPES...as I'm over it!) and extreme tiredness. FACT.
In my experience, yes. I have type 2 inside my nose (diagnosed). I've been dealing with this for more than 20 years. At times an outbreak can be seen because it's close enough to the nostrils. When the OB is farther up I end up with bloody mucous, even nose bleeds. OBs never cause pain but very infrequently have resulted in a distinctive tingling feeling (nothing like it from anything else). I have an OB at least once a month, sometimes two, three is even possible. This is all for background.
Before an OB I get exhausted to the point that I can / need / want to sleep the better part of a day and a night. Sometimes I am also lightheaded or feel like I have a flu. The worst of it wears off w/in 24 hours but I generally feel unusually tired for at least three days. The exhaustion might feel to some like depression but, at least in my case, I know it isn't since I also have depression and they're distinctly different.
The hardest part about all this is that it sneaks up on me. It's not until I'm well on the way to feeling wiped out that I realize I'm having an OB. You'd think that given the frequency of the OBs I'd have it down by now but I'm "surprised" every time.
I hope having this info helps anyone who experiences OBs the way I do. From what I've seen this is not the standard experience.
I agree ^ Every time I get a breakout I get tired and depressed and I'm not ruminating about having Herpes.
I just found out a week ago that I had herpes. But I think I have had it for awhile cause of the signs I'm aware of now I'm always tired and want to sleep I can even do house work without getting tired. I can dust and then have to go back to bed cause I'm tired. Its even affecting me getting up every morning for work. How long does this last.
If this has been going on for more than a couple of weeks, it's time to see your doctor. This is not a typical reaction to herpes or a typical side effect of herpes. Also ask for a consult to a therapist so you can start talking about this and working on your depression.
grace
I wish I had the answer I'm suffering the same as you.i think the herpesvirus has mutated and poisoning our blood which then poisons your whole body.To me it feels like every week or two I have 3days where it feels like I'm withdrawing off my pain management medication and the anxiety in my body is seriously unbearable and I'm not able to take that feeling away even when I take lerazapam.please someone help let me know if you the same or have any idea
I went from having constant HSV2 outbreaks to none. How? Monolaurin. That's it. I tried lysine, all the supplements in the world, and anti-viral prescription meds. Nothing stopped the outbreaks. I was starting to lose hope and get very depressed. I stumbled on monolaruin through research. It was my last ditch effort to get some normalcy back in my life. Monolaurin (heavy dose, 9000mg/day) WORKS. It's crazy how well it worked. No outbreaks for months. I've never been clear of HSV2 outbreaks before and now i am. I have my life back. And beyond that i feel better than I've ever felt. Monolaurin kills all sorts of viruses and invading bacteria while not killing good bacteria, leaving your stressed out immune system with little to do :) Everyone should be taking this stuff, whether suffering from HSV or not. It would probably be a powerful disease preventative, although no studies have been done because there's no big pharma money in it. Shame.
How did you know it was herpes I’m literally experiencing the same thing I’m just so scared to get tested what did your herpes look like ?
Absolutely. I have just had about 4 days of anxiety weepiness low mood aches dry eyes migraine flu symptoms and exhaustion. This morning there's an outbreak. I had been suffering from stress but had started to pick up and feel emotionally better and then this. I'm also at perimenopause plus period due. This is nothing to do with 'having the virus it is what it is and it's been there a long while. It makes you feel crap. End of. And it does seem to increase frequency due to hormonal changes. Thankfully my husband is a support. I dont take meds but am starting to look at lysine and taking care of myself better though am going to see about HRT and possible suppressive meds until I feel more balanced.
Chicken and egg - is it body then mind or the other way round? I get herpes on my butt. I've had it since mis-spent youth- 30 years ago. It does seem to be connected with stress and feeling run down, rather than any guilt over ancient sex, in my case. Maybe it is related to depression because I think I might have been diagnosed with that too at around the same time. Sometimes feel the herpes is just waiting for my normal health to give out and then rampage all over! Actually it only occurs for a week, maybe twice a year and is mildly uncomfortable.
Thanks for posting... I have the same experience. Making people feel like there is something wrong with them because they have depression and fatigue at an outbreak sucks.
It is quite common for bewly diagnosed people to feel low, this should pass in time,there is a lot of emoyional turmoil attached to Herpes and some tend to give it more power over them than they should,once ypu have come to terms with the condition and accpeted it it is much better to live happily with it rather than trying o fight against it,it's not the end of the world try to see it as only a skin condition that just happens to be contagious from time to time,don't let it take over your life,it shouldn't cause too much trouble it is really more of an annoying inconvenience than anything else,however if you are having a lot of recurrent outbreaks it might be an idea to try Suppressive Therapy to lessen the outbreaks which in turn may help to lift your mood ......
In between outbreaks try to forget about it because the more you stress over it the more outbreaks you're likely to have .......
Also try some relaxation and be kind to yourself nice bubble baths and do things you enjoy .......
Daisy