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Herpes HSV2 On Face

Doctors Hook & Handsfield, I have what seems to be a very stubborn & problematic issue with HSV2 on my face. I am going to start with a timeline of what has happened and my symptoms.12/15/12 – Most likely exposed to HSV2 virus on face & mouth via oral sex in a careless moment with wife of 20 years. My wife & I both  have Genital HSV2. We have never had symptoms on our face. 12/16/12 –  (12 hours later) noticed rough dry skin spot (flaky cold sore like, but this spot never bubbled up blister wise) on side of lower lip. I also had an area of raised aggravated skin above lip on face (just kind of raised skin with no blisters & this area never opened up or lesioned). Also had a very thin linear open crack on crease of skin between eyes on forehead (developed a day or so later I think). Never had any bubble type blistering that I know as typical HSV2 outbreak on my face.Started to immediately self-medicate with 400 to 500 MG a day  of Acyclovir. This lasted a few weeks. Jan – Had a reoccurring lesion on inside of lip near same area. Saw MD & he visually confirmed HSV but did not do any culture our test for it (note: he has since said he thinks allergies caused this). Started to take higher dosage of Valtrex. I also started to get strange symptoms of itching in my eyes & ears. Also started to have different strange feeling of draining oozing in one eye in the corner. Feb – Increase in acne type dermatitis with clear fluid on face. These acne type of bumps I get on my chin, cheeks, crease of nose and just out side the lip line near lips. They get red and quickly develop into white head looking pimples.  Some times they are not just round. They sometimes are linear and almost look like little welts. When ruptured they have mostly a clear like fluid, but sometimes it is a whiter puss like fluid. These acne type of spots can go away in a few days or sometimes the spots will stay red for 4 to 6 weeks.  One spot on my chin has healed over, but is still red in appearance 2 months later. My stress factor was really increasing at this time with the idea that this was becoming a big problem that I will have to live with for a lifetime. The Initial area on lower lip seemed to get dry and flaky when exposed to sun/ocean, This initial area on the lip never bubbled up like a blister that I associate with the typical out breaks I have seen on genital area. March - Acne type dermatitis issues continue on face. Also getting strange burning, tight feeling on top of skin at edges of nose crease and around eyes, as well as acne type of issue with clear fluid in this area of the nose crease, as well as the itching in eyes and deep itching in the ears.Appointment for dermatitis issues on my face with general MD & he pivoted to diagnosis of Seborrheic dermatitis & prescribed Ketoconazole shampoo,treatment did not seems to help much. 4/24/13 – Started to use homeopathic product  “Oil of Mercy” topically on my lips and face. Its key selling point ingredient BHT .I started to develop a strange sore throat on one side of my throat unlike any type of sore throat I had ever experienced. At the time I noticed a red area (patch) in the back of my mouth/throat with 2 or 3 small round clear looking small bumps in and around it (still present after 6 months). 5/8/13 – Saw a general MD about small ulcer in throat and she seemed to think it was not HSV. Got blood test for HSV1 that turned out to be negative. Increased my Valtrex to 4 grams a day at this time. 5/14/13 –Main MD seemed to think that my mouth, throat & face problem were being caused by allergies & ordered allergy test that confirmed I am allergic to Dust Mites (Mites D. Farinae 10.80 kU/L & Mites D. Pteronyssinus 12.60 kU/L). I never experienced these face, mouth, itching symptoms prior to my exposure to the HSV to my face. My environment had not changed before or after that time. Cleaned home of dust mites. This in time did decrease my eye and skin itching (partially). I did see an allergy doctor & he seemed to think that these allergies could not cause my sore throat & lesions my face and mouth. 6/27/13 – Saw a 2nd Dermatologist he said he did not see HSV on my face. Prescribed Metronidazole gel for what he thought was Perioral Dermatitis. This did not seem to help much & I discontinued it after a few weeks. Around this time I starting taking a lot of supplement’s  The heavy amount of supplements & the high dosages of Valtrax were not helping the skin lesions on my face,3rd Dermatologist thought it was Folliculitis & prescribed Clindamycin. This did not help much. They did a swab of an area of one of the semi healed white head lesions above lip & the area in the back of my throat & both came back negative for HSV2. Stopped taking the anti-virals was taking 4 grams a day of Valtrax. Thankfully since that time. I have pretty much stopped taking the anti-virals and if anything things got a little better on face & I started feeling a little better. 9/1/13 to Present – I have got to a point where this virus is not owning me mentally as much like it did for about 7 months. Feeling a little better with the exception of these attacks I get (throat, ears, skin, face, lips) that seem to be triggered by the sun sometimes but not always, so sadly I rarely even go outside anymore. I can be feeling myself for a few days and then I will start to get this strange sore throat, extreme itching in my ear, tight sensation on skin surface around nose creases and below eyes, feeling of malaise, I get irritable & I get the facial acne like lesions & cold sore type cracks in the corners of my mouth (sometimes small blister in the corner of mouth). 10/15/13 - Further Blood test all negative but Thyroglobulin AB Blood high@ 10.3 show most likely Hashimoto's. I have been taking Thyroid medication for years.  Maybe use of the product w/ BHT may have triggered Hashimotos symtoms The Hashimoto's thyroiditis may explain some of my non skin related symptoms, but not really the skin issues my Ruematologists Doctor told me.
I will be feeling myself for a few day & then I get these attacks pretty much weekly with this strange sore throat,  itching in my ear, tight sensation on skin surface around nose creases & below eyes, malaise, irritability & I get  facial acne lesions cracks in the corners of my mouth very small little blister bump in corner of mouth. All these symptoms coincide with face issues. Though I have not had lab confirm of HSV2 on face, my gut tells me that I do. I do get the the tingle sensations on lips & my eyes & ears get itchy. I can deal with your average cold soar no problem, but this getting sick every week with all these other symptoms are a real nightmare.I am very depressed and wanting to find the answers so I can take them on with everything I've got.

1) Is there anything different that I could be dealing with that can cause these type of symptoms? 2) I know there are no cures for HSV2, but can you get antibody treatments to lesson the amount of attacks? 3) What can I do to increase my immune system to help fight the virus? 4) Can a metabolic imbalance make it harder for my body to fight viral HSV2 attacks? 5) What can I do to improve my metabolic balance? Does a perfect Thyroid and Hormonal (Testosterone) balance help with fighting attacks? 6) What further test do you recommend to narrow down exactly what I am dealing with? 7) I really don't want to take Valtrax or any anti viral's because they don't really seem to work, my other health issues and they seem really hard on my body. What else do you recommend to use? 8) Does the white head like pimple acne I describe sound like HSV2? 9) Do you think Hashimoto's thyroiditis or unbalanced (not optimized) Thyroid can cause all these symptoms including the skin and lip problems? Even though I have seen 5 different Dermatologist, none of them seem to be able to tell me with any kind of certainty what this is on my face. PLEASE help me in any way you can.  Sincerely - E
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Avatar universal
Please let me know what your Doctors tell you?  Would really like to know what they told you this was?

Thanks
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3 Comments
Did you ever find out what happened? Hopefully you still have the same email.
I don't know what happened in this scenario, but I will say that it's HIGHLY unlikely that this person had herpes on their face. For both he and his wife to get it, and they already have antibodies that would protect them from getting it in another location (called autoinoculation) would be some extraordinary circumstances.
I got it on my face after having HSV 2 on the back of my thigh for 15 years I believe it was from scratching the liquid from my leg and scratching my forehead. Both spots have been confirmed as HSV by DNA swab, and both respond well to Valtrex. I'm not sure where you get "Autoinoculation from" all doctors I have spoken to about it tell you be careful not to scratch it get it under your finger nails.
Avatar universal
I can't believe I finally found someone that is going through the same thing as me, I came in contact with the virus on July and ever since it's been a nightmare, I also get these acne looking things, they sometimes itch and I'm scared to touch my face or for my kids to touch my face since I feel so contageous, my eyes have this burning sometimes dry sensation and this vaginal and butt burning sensation is HORRIBLE too. Tomorrow I have an apointment with the dermatologist see what he tells me. I know he is probably going to rule out HSV, when it comes to this illness they seem to go textbook, "if there's no open sores YOU DON'T have HSV" =/
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Did you ever find out what happened? Hopefully you still have the same email.
3149845 tn?1506627771
Hi, to ask a doctors help you need to post in the paid expert forum.
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