constant tingling

[FWW]

Hello,

Just wondering if you could give me some insight on HSV. I was diagnosed about 4 years ago. I'm not sure if it was HSV1 or 2 and I was not told any numerical data to support it.Over the years I would have occasional itching which seemed like a yeast infection that would never surface, Since Nov 2010 I have been have recurrent tingling with no visible outbreaks. I have begun taking lysine and red marine algae within the last month. Do you have any idea why I could be having this constant tingle? Should I get retested to find out if it's HSV1 or 2? Do you know if the values change over the years?

Thanks,

FWW

[cniles82]

i am having the same issue. i feel the tingling sensation down in my vagina area, I am taking Valtrex and the tingling isnt getting any better. does the tingling in my vagina area mean im having an outbreak.i think it is an outbreak because im having vaginal discharge. i dont have visible sores just tingling. on and in vagina and on legs and all over body. i have been feeling this feeling for about 8 months now. it will last about 3 weeks then stop, then start back again. what do you recommend i do or which meds should i take? please help i am deployed to afghanistan and dont know what to do. i know being in afghanistan is making my immune system weak.

[gracefromHHP]

perhaps see a neurologist to see if you have a peudendal nerve injury or something related going on at this point?

[FWW]

Hi Grace,

I haven't been on in a while but I did take your advice and get a Western Blot which stated that there was evidence of past infection for HSV2. Since then I began taking the generic brand of valacyclovir daily for suppression. I don't know if it's actually working for me. I still get a sensation that feels like my nervous system is active in the genital area. By that, I mean that it feels like the nerves in the that area feel like tingling from time to time or a like a mild shock is traveling down a few of the nerves to the genital area. It's not constant all day but whenever I'm not busy or focused on something I feel it. I have been tested for all other STDs and I am negative. The actual outbreaks that I notice are few but that sensation I feel quite often. I have gone days without feeling it. But for the most part I still feel it. Should I talk to my doc about another treatment plan or see an infectious disease specialist. I've thought about going off of the medicine to see how that works. When I first was diagnosed, I felt that same thing but it went away and I didn't really have any problems. But within the last 18 months I have been feeling this sensation and the only thing that I can attribute it to is HSV2. I know these are not symptoms that are commonly listed but I can't help but to think that HSV2 is causing it...it is a nervous system condition... What are your thoughts?

[gracefromHHP]

the infection causes the discharge. it'll get better.

[FWW]

The itching immediately cleared up. Do you know if its common to have a brown discharge after taking the medicine?

[gracefromHHP]

having it for a few months isn't a risk to your fertility.

hopefully you are getting better answers now and feel better soon :)

your partner should be treated regardless. tell him to call his provider and let him know you were diagnosed and that he needs treated.

[FWW]

Hi Grace,

So it turns out that I have chlamydia... :(  I got a call from the labs today saying that my cultures were positive for it. So i took azithromycin dose pack. Well at least I got down to the bottom of my problems, hopefully...

Any idea on how long it takes to effect my reproductive organs if untreated? I have probably been infected for about a month now, or possibly two months since my last annual pap smear which was normal.

Now I have to tell my partner to get checked.

[gracefromHHP]

if it's not better by next week, return to the gyn to be seen again.

[FWW]

Hi Grace,

So I have used the Mytrex for the past four days and don't seem to be getting any relief. It's not necessarily getting worse but just not getting better. The doc told me to use the cream for 5-7 days. By day 4 if I'm not really getting much relief, I don't think it will work. Since using the cream, I've noticed a pale white color of the vulva almost like a yeast infection but not quite. It doesn't itch or anything. The irritated area around the vaginal opening is still reddish pink and itchy tho. I have a discharge but no accompanying odor or cottage cheese consistency, just white in color.

I've been looking online to find something with my symptoms but it seems like it could be a number of things. I researched the anatomy of the vestibule of the vagina, and based on the pictures of where its located, it doesn't seem like the same place where I'm having the irritation...unless it can occur in other areas as well.

I just wish I could get to the bottom of things. I have another appt this week...

[gracefromHHP]

some folks have also had luck calling the U of washington lab, talking about their testing situation and then they can arrange a WB through your local lab. Not sure of the details, just know it's worked for some folks who have posted about it.

[FWW]

Vestibulitis or vulvodynia sounds very similar to what I experience. I will try to the cream and get tested asap if more irritation occurs.

I will still keep my next GYN appt just to get other opinions and see if they know of the WB. I wonder if I can call doctor's offices to find out if they use Quest... I guess I'm gonna try all avenues.

Thanks for your responses. You've been very helpful.

[gracefromHHP]

tell your gyn to read the 2010 cdc herpes guidelines. terrific info in there on the herpes WB and why to have it done.

if your provider uses quest labs, it's test #34534.


topical steroids can make herpes reoccur. should you get a worsening of symptoms from using the cream you were given, be sure to be seen for a lesion culture to try to confirm your status.

you might also want to google vestibulitis.

[FWW]

Hi Grace,

So I went to the GYN today to see about the symptoms I was having... She took cultures and found no yeast or bacteria or anything that looked like an infection of any sort. She didn't actually swab the irritated area at the vaginal opening. She looked at the irritation I was having and said it didn't look like an outbreak. I told her that I had been using monistat for the symptoms as well. She said that I might have had a yeast infection at that time but she didn't find yeast today. But I told her that I was still having some mild itching. She said the irritation, that was at the vaginal opening, looked like the skin had been pulled apart and hasn't healed yet. So she prescribed mytrex that is suppose to work for yeast and itching, redness, and inflammation. After she took cultures, I told her that I had been diagnosed with herpes and was having a hard time deciphering what was an outbreak and what's not. She said she didn't feel these were symptoms of an outbreak...

Also, I asked her about the Western Blot for herpes and she had never heard of it. However, she has heard of the WB for HIV. She only knew of the herpes serology blood test that I have had already. She didn't feel comfortable ordering the test for me since she hadnt heard about it. So now I have to find a doc that will order the test for me. I called Quest to see if they could recommend some docs but they couldnt help me with that either. I made an appt next week with another GYN just to get a second opinion on my symptoms.

I have stopped taking the antivirals since Sat. But I'm debating on whether I should use the mytrex or just wait until I see the other GYN.

I still kind of feel like I didn't get any concrete answers...

What do you think?

[gracefromHHP]

hopefully  you soon get this all figured out so you can get back to normal again :)

[FWW]

Makes sense. I will let you know what the doc says after my appt this week. Thanks.

[gracefromHHP]

your hsv2 igg is still in the low positive range and needs further confirmation. we've discussed this already.

I recommended stopping the herpes antivirals so that you hopefully would get obvious lesions if you do have herpes to have cultured to confirm your hsv2 infection. Otherwise you need to get a herpes WB blood test to see if you really have hsv2 or not. Why pay for medication and bother to take it if you don't have to?  

no reason for a lesion culture ifyou don't have obvious lesions to culture.

make more sense?

[FWW]

"So I got a 7 panel STD screening done and I was negative for everything except HSV 2. My IgG for HSV 2  was 2.71 and IgG for HSV 1 was < 0.9. So basically I'm positive for HSV 2."

That is what I posted in April. So I have been tested.

[petal130]

"Then I had blood test conducted in which they didn't tell me if it was HSV 1 or 2 specific. They just told me the test was positive and prescribed valtrex. "

You don't know if you have herpes - this has been discussed in this post. As Grace stated:
Go off of the antivirals. Get the confirmatory blood testing. In ADDITION to the confirmatory blood test, be seen IF symptomatic, and be tested for YEAST, BACTERIA and HERPES.

[FWW]

I already tested positive for HSV2. Are you saying don't take the antivirals until I get the confirmatory test? My doctors appt this week is to see if there is something else going on besides HSV2. Or should I still get a culture swab for it as well even though I already tested positive?

[Mistakeguy789]

If you don't have active symptoms of an outbreak the culture is not helpful.  The antivirals impact the culture swab testing as well.  Go off the antivirials until you know your HSV status.

[FWW]

So since I'm doing suppressive therapy, do u think that the dr may not be able to get an accurate culture when I go this week? Or were you referring to the Western blot? I didn't quite understand what you were referring to.

[gracefromHHP]

bv is when the ph of your vagina changes and causes an overgrowth of bacteria. It can cause odor, discharge and itching as well as many other symptoms.

bottom line is, at this point, you shouldn't be self treating EVER for anything but being seen each time you have symptoms to get to the bottom of things. Monistat isn't to be used for 3 weeks in a row like this. You are basically using it as a moisturizer more than anything it sounds like.

I wouldn't stress the confirmatory testing if it wasn't worth it. you really need answers at this point. You shouldn't be on daily suppressive therapy because you want to be getting obvious symptoms to get cultured to confirm your status since you are in limbo.

[FWW]

Thanks for your response. But no I haven't done the confirmatory testing. I've kind of accepted that I have herpes. But it's probably still best to get confirmation. I've been reading some similar post and have heard mention of BV that could cause this constant itching. Do you know the things that can cause BV? Like sex?

[petal130]

Did you have the confirmatory testing done? If not, you're still in the same place of thinking you may have herpes when you don't. And, even if you do, not everything down yonder is herpes related.

Valtex won't work a darn if you don't have herpes. And, herpes won't cause itching for 3 weeks, but yeast or bacterial infections surely will, even dermatitis/skin sensitivity. Your GYN can test for both - not really best to try to self treat yeast, and if you are only using Monistat sporadically, it won't be fully effective.

Most likely Grace's advice won't change: Get the confirmatory testing, and also find out what's causing your itching, and go from there.