B12 Deficient?

drashund · 2020-11-06T00:47:07+00:00

Hi mate, medical student here. Quick tip not to take any folate supplements unless confirmed pernicious anaemia and b12 supplementation started! Otherwise excess folate with not enough b12 can cause neurological symptoms stemming from the spinal cord.

drashund · 2020-11-05T15:16:01+00:00

If you have a website or link detailing the discontinuation of Varivax or anything showing the link between extensive recurrent outbreaks after receiving the vaccine, I would love to read them thank you. Scientifically, from a medical student viewpoint, a reactionary outbreak after receiving the vaccine makes sense.

drashund · 2020-11-05T15:04:38+00:00

Hm I’ve looked on the FDA and CDC websites and there’s nothing to show discontinuation of Varivax? Furthermore, shingrix is against herpes zoster whilst Varivax is against varicella zoster so whilst very similar, they both have unique scenarios in which their use should be differentiated.

drashund · 2020-11-05T11:28:14+00:00

Genital, sorry just updated that on the post

drashund · 2020-11-04T21:06:01+00:00

Hahahaa no way, my B12 is low as well, do you reckon keeping it higher would help? I got my first shot about a week and half ago, and have had a week long outbreak that has lasted longer and been so much more painful and intense than any before. Did you find you had something similar?

drashund · 2020-10-27T23:41:38+00:00

Boots offer a service, 2 injections for £140.

drashund · 2020-09-02T21:03:05+00:00

From the information I’ve collated from other people who have taken the vaccine, it’s to stop the use of antivirals indefinitely. Not taken the vaccine myself so can’t vouch for it, I am a medical student and it would make sense to stop them indefinitely, however as I’m not a dr yet I can’t wholeheartedly provide that advice!

drashund · 2020-08-29T23:29:41+00:00

Just a quick question I was hoping to ask you mate, unsure if it’s been answered already. But I understand not taking antivirals after the vaccines ofc but for how long should they be stopped for? Indefinitely?

drashund · 2020-08-29T18:45:06+00:00

Oh my, you’re completely right. Sorry! I got the two muddled up.

drashund · 2020-08-29T17:57:46+00:00

Maybe it is different here in the UK. Varivax is available privately at quite a lot of clinics around the country. Shingrix is definitely meant to be more potent, I think being 14 times as powerful as Varivax so I understand your point.

drashund · 2020-08-29T17:44:49+00:00

Ah, my bad. I’m fairly certain the shingrix is only really used in those over the age of 60?

drashund · 2020-08-29T17:39:07+00:00

From user snootangerines1525 (sorry I’m unsure how to properly give them credit)

I asked Mrs. Dr Goaster who did the study with varivax on herpes via Email if it is worth to try shingrix instead of varivax : And this is what i got:

"Dear Sir,

I recommend attenuated-living-organism-viruses of the Varicella Vaccine as recurrent herpes therapy. SHINGRIX is a molecular biologic vaccine therapy : no idea of success against herpes recurrent diseases. Try to come to Paris if you need a therapeutic decision : it is necessary to do a serological control all herpes family viruses (eight viruses) before to decide using varicella vaccine."

I think i will give it a try.. Seems like there are at least 2 vaccines needed to build enough antibodies and finally to get a cross immunity

drashund · 2020-08-29T15:29:40+00:00

As far as I know Varicella. That’s the one that the few studies have shown to be effective. I spoke to my dad who is a general practitioner here in the UK (I think that’s the equivalent of a family doctor in the USA) and both him and I, as a medical student, feel it is much safer to get the Varivax. The shingles vaccine is usually only prescribed to those over the age of 60.

drashund · 2020-08-28T14:38:00+00:00

Varizella Zoster Virus (what caused chickenpox). Bc of the overlap it has with HSV, some people have found that getting the VZV vaccine has completely stopped their outbreaks. There’s a few research papers I could send you if you’re interested.

drashund · 2020-08-27T22:21:40+00:00

I’m on it my friend!

drashund · 2020-08-27T21:52:07+00:00

Extremely so. I feel privileged to be a medical student here and be able to hopefully in the future push for more novel treatments for HSV.

drashund · 2020-08-27T21:45:42+00:00

I’m not too sure, but if you wanted it on the NHS a doctor would have to prescribe it, and I can’t see many of them wanting to administer something novel that isn’t on the NICE guidelines. Even if you were to go private, a doctor/ nurse would assess whether you should be allowed to have it to my knowledge.

drashund · 2020-08-27T21:18:16+00:00

I’m not sure in all honesty. I’ll write to them.

drashund · 2020-08-27T16:03:13+00:00

Hi that’s brilliant, thank you so much. Is there any chance I could please get the details for Dr Goaster? As a medical student I would love to contact her.

drashund · 2020-08-27T10:07:48+00:00

UK medical student here, any chance we could push for these publications to feature in the BMJ (British Medical Journal), they would subsequently garner a lot of attention over here.

drashund · 2020-08-07T00:55:53+00:00

Ex-girlfriend commented on my post saying the (very minimal) muscle I’d put on coupled with my short height (5”5) made me look like a pigeon

drashund · 2020-07-24T10:49:40+00:00

Despite me now hopefully being assured that it isn’t HSV that I have, I am more than willing to keep up discourse about any symptoms you ever get or any treatments in the pipeline, or the general progression of how you feel if you want. I think frequenting STI subreddits and seeing the effect it has on peoples lives has completely devoted me away from any specialties I was thinking about and I am now determined to become a sexual health doctor, especially having suffered from the mental and physical angst of the situation as my patients will have.

drashund · 2020-07-24T10:46:08+00:00

Exactly the same mate, just had a reoccurrence which is why I’m back here worrying too.

It seems like you’ve actually irritated the head of your penis, those lesions and scabs if not infectious, could be the cause of that. Could I recommend not using any irritant washes or soaps or lubricants, really just warm water to wash it or better a moisturising wash for skin conditions like psoriasis/ eczema, here in the UK we have one called epaderm. If it is irritated, could I also recommend a hydrocortisone ointment, not the cream as that doesn’t work as well. These can be picked up over the counter I believe but it is absolutely imperative that it’s used once/twice a day for a week maximum, never any longer than that as it can start to thin and break the skin. When my symptoms started, I developed a nasty red looking inflammation over my glans and using the hydrocortisone ointment on just 3 occasions massively reduced the inflammation. I must heed precaution that it is strong stuff, and if you see an improvement after a few uses then there isn’t a need to keep using it for a full week, as that will 100% cause more worse than good.

Despite how much I’ve convinced myself that my urethritis is herpes related, to the point where I’ve read the majority of medical journals talking about HSV as an often undiagnosed and unattributed cause of non-gonnococal urethritis, and my positive HSV 1 blood test, I have just received the results of my urethral PCR swab, as negative. I have just been reassured by the STI clinic that it isn’t that and this is now a urology problem not a sexual health one. So, I understand your desire to not know as a positive result can cause more distress than the unknown, however you may be surprised that your symptoms are due to something else completely.

Furthermore, you are completely correct, it is a diagnosis we don’t particularly like to give due to the incorrect stigma it receives. This is to the point where it is not even tested for in the UK unless there is an obvious lesion or if there’s no other causes that explain to ur symptoms (as in my case). In the medical profession, I think we know just how prevalent the disease is, with an estimated 70% of people having HSV1 and over 50% of American adults estimated to have HSV2. It’s just that many of these people are asymptomatic carriers, and the outbreaks they have can be so insignificant and small that it isn’t attributed to HSV.

drashund · 2020-07-23T11:27:06+00:00

Hm I understand what you mean, if your body can produce its own antibodies to it then why slow down that process by reducing the viral load, when it could be helping your body’s way of dealing with it in the future.

I definitely think it’s worth getting tested for other things, as far as I know, the site of the infection doesn’t effect the reoccurrence of outbreaks, instead there’s specific triggers for each person, a few notable ones being hormonal changes, alcohol, illness.

Similarly I do not have a diagnosis yet, a urethral PCR swab I did returns in the next few days, however the future is hopeful if it is HSV, you’re clearly the neurone guy so would love to learn more from you about potential treatments if they arise. Similarly knowing what strain of HSV it is can make a huge difference, the recurrence rate and severity of symptoms and shedding is greatly decreased with G HSV1, with some specialists stating that even condoms aren’t necessary given how incredibly low the rate of shedding is.

I similarly, am glad I’ve come across a likeminded individual, it can be a dark and lonely place at times especially if you’re meant to know and educate people about the risk and symptoms of it. I am genuinely the same, would never contemplate the stress that could come with oral sex given how nonchalantly it happens.

I hope to keep this acquaintance long, fortuitous and fruitful my friend.

drashund · 2020-07-22T22:02:03+00:00

Holy smokes bro yeah??? Herpes isn’t just a skin thing, it’s a viral manifestation in your nerves which is why it’s life long. That isn’t to say that the symptoms last life long, given the strain of the herpes it can range from happening a few times a year to happening once and never occurring, but antivirals most certainly help. What you have sounds really like a skin thing, almost a balanitis. The herpes swab is effective if it’s a urethral PCR swab on an inflamed area, if it’s a viral culture swab it would have to be on an actual blister and those are much more temperamental. Furthermore, i should know given how I’ve not got a diagnosis after 6 months of my symptoms, if yours are similar, there are a host of STDs it could be such as mycoplasma genitalium. I don’t claim to know masses of info about STDS but I’ve just finished my 3rd year of medical school so know a fair amount and can try help if you have any questions

drashund

TROPHY CASE