Exploring Possibility of Herpes Link

I am new to this site and grateful for it.

My wife had genital herpes before I met her 16 years ago and I have never had symptoms (that I am aware of). She still has outbreaks.

All tests for my calf twitches were clear, including nerve tests, but I dont think they tested for herpes antibodies. The twitches started 2 and a half years a go during a stressful job change.

The herpes theory is a new one on me but I am starting to believe it.
Getting a test done will mean convincing my doc and I dont think that will be easy.

A strange thing about my symptoms: they are in the calfs plus tingling in the soles of the feet. However, if I weight train they spread, during and after, to random parts of the body.

I would be grateful for any comments.

Thanks.

Neil

The pattern of twitching you described is very much like mine. I tend to have constant twitching in calves that I can feel and see and twiching elsewhere mostly after exercise. Sometimes my biceps will twitch even when I haven't exercised.

Ava

My twitches began about 2 months after being infected with genital herpes. So I have no doubt in my mind that the HSV infection is the cause. Now whether it is somehow the direct cause, or has triggered some sort of abnormal immune response is up in the air.

Here is my theory:
Herpes is known to infect the nerves of the body where it sets up a permanent residence inside of the nerve and periodically becomes active. When active, the viral particles travel towards the skin by way of the nerve pathways. The body's immune system kicks in and attempts to attack these viral particles. Normally once this process is over, the herpes goes inactive again, and the immune system go back to normal.

However, for one reason or another, in some people the immune system malfunctions and mistakenly attacks ALL the nerves in the body thinking it is attacking the herpes virus. This wears away the protective sheath around the nerves, and allows electrical signals to pass through when they shouldn't be....hence the random muscle twitching/hyper-excitable nerves.

That is what I believe is going on. So perhaps a combination anti-viral therapy (to prevent herpes outbreaks) and some sort of immune system depressant...will allow time for the nerves to heal, and the body to go back to normal. Who knows.

Is there a test for Herpes that would determine if you were a carrier but never had an actual outbreak? Or do you need to have an outbreak to actually have these nerve issues in your theory?

thanx for all your comments.

If the damage has all ready been done by the immune system, I doubt if this will help. But I dont know.

It has been documented that lysine reduces outbreaks of herpes.
Is it possible it may help. Clutching at straws I know.
Could it affect the herpes if it is causing problems in a dormant state?

Hello to everybody....
I am new in this website, and I found our discussions so usefull especially for my mind peace.
I contracted Genital Herpes, almost one year ago. I started to experience bad back pain that did not let me to sleep for 2-3 days. I was also terified that I contracted HIV. Additionally, one and a half month after the intercouse, I had typical mononucleosis symptoms. I was definitily sure that I had HIV..... After that bad illness, I had balance problems, dizziness and brain fog.
The last few months, after a very stressfull weekend, I started to experience extreme insomnia, and a constant internal vibration sense in my whole body. Some muscle twiches started, pins and needles on my feet, sleeping arms after waking up, a weird rash on my elbows looked like Lupus, or Lyme, or I do not know what..... I also have now a light external tremor.
Finally, I went to the doctor. Actually many doctors. HIV test negative. Herpes I Positive. ANA Slightly Elevated. All other blood work normal. MRI w/o contrast brain and spinal cord normal.
The doctors told me anxiety or Post-Viral Syndrome. A doctor mentioned PNH.
I am an academic working in research center for human brain and I am trying to find answers. I am still afraid for MS, Parkinson, Lyme, and sometimes I doudt for my HIV negative test.
Do you believe that HSV can cause all these problems? Maybe in combination with extreme stress??? Maybe this is possible.
Chris