Hi Mardi - I’m sorry you’ve been suffering a bit but it is encouraging to know that your box of tools is working to get you back to baseline.
Long COVID has reactivated my EBV and an apparent HH6 infection, along at times with setting off my HSV1 and 2. I have neuropathic sensations frequently as well as prodromal skin sensitivity that I imagine is a milder version of shingles pain. And recently, I developed a herpes whitlow sore on my right index finger, diagnosed correctly by sending photos to a telehealth dermatologist I never actually met or spoke with directly. My sensitivity to stress - including emotional stress but also physical ‘swings’ in my condition or in external factors like temperature swings - has become extremely heightened during LC. I feel very much like a delicate flower. <sigh>
Thank you for your kind thoughts. My hope in communicating about my own situation is to share with my subscribers (apparently a high percentage are providers or scientists) some of the risk factors and the common, low cost, low risk interventions that could be offered to patients along with conventional therapies.
I also suspect that co-infections in individuals with LC may be common. You've read my previous comments about mitochondria. Perhaps you recall that they play an important role in the innate immune system, in particular in identifying and eliminating viruses. For the many months that I stayed on my protocol to support mitochondria, I had NO recurrence of any herpetic symptoms. It was when I got slammed (life happens) with an overload and neglected my self-care, that I developed this PEM. Now that I'm back on my protocol and giving TLC to my mitochondria, things are on the mend.
Very interesting note on Lysine and Arginine. Worth remembering. What surprised me is your 20 year old story of your doctors struggling to identify your herpes infection, despite visible symptoms and presentations in you. But then, it can happen. About 16 years ago, my wife about 55 then, started with sudden some severe hip pain. No fall, no accidents and no history of that kind. I went to a UK studied orthopaedic surgeon ( I live in India). He suspected spinal compression, put her on aceclofenac, gabapentin, waist belt and complete bed rest. For several days, there was no relief. In the meantime, she had rashes on her left leg and thigh developing over 2-3 days, with pain and irritation. I went to my old school GP, a 60 plus practitioner. He immediately saw it as herpes infection, put her on acyclovir, methyl cobalamine adjuvants etc. I didn’t tell him about our consultancy with the orthopedist for her back pain. When I was meeting the later, I didn’t tell about her herpes infection. Surprisingly, he didn’t examine her physically either. After about 15 days, the infection showed signs of stopping, with marginal improvement in her back pain. The GP continued his prescription for two more weeks, also adding gabapentin. At this I told him about our consulting the orthopaedic surgeon. He also saw a back X-ray which showed no signs of compression. The GP immediately clarified that her back pain was a reflective response to her herpes in the legs and could have briefly preceded the sighting of the infection itself. From then on, things began improving quickly. When I met the surgeon with the X-ray, he seemed a bit lost as there were no clues to his line of thinking thus far. When I told him now about her herpes treatment, he too immediately concurred, stopped all his treatment, including removal of waist belt etc. Even though he was a specialist, he must have known about the general clinical origins of such sudden, unsuspecting pain episodes. Eventually, it was the old school GP who got us on track right from the start. If it is now, I would have taken a quiet dig at the specialist, I chose to return quietly then. A year later, I developed sudden shoulder pain, followed by tingling irritation. My immediate guess was right, as I waited for two days for the rashes to appear. My GP handled it quickly and competently. The infection was severe, though it visibly subsided in a month, the lingering intermittent pain, irritation and tingling continued for several weeks disappearing slowly. In that recovery phase, I was on a long course of gabapentin and methyl cobalamine adjuvants. If you have confidence in your GP, he must be the first one to consult on unannounced developments. Wishing you your continuing recovery.
Writing about my early encounter with herpetic infection about 22 years ago, my doctors did recognize that I had some sort of herpetic infection from the start (presumptively shingles), but their views on treatment were inconsistent. The first PC was rigid in her view that Valacyclovir was only useful during the first 7 days of infection. Despite me having (at that early stage) a fever that lasted for nearly 2 weeks, she declined to provide more than 7 days of treatment. The rash that I had was sparse but it occurred within one dermatome on the left side of my face.
It was during the emergence of new dermatome infections and ongoing symptoms that specialists became involved. The acute phase of these infections merged over two years. While the clinicians were supportive and did provide anti-viral therapy, it was a colleague, an academic scientist whose focus was virology who shared the insight on lysine and arginine.
I don't know how many practitioners are generally aware of this simple yet profoundly important point. Keeping a healthy balance between lysine and arginine is useful in preventing the onset of herpetic infections.
A pharmacist I worked for told me about the lysine herpes connection when I was in my early twenties. The paper you presented is interesting, but I’ve been taking lysine and still getting reinfections with Covid. I also love growing lemon balm. I wish it were as simple as lysine for me. It’s interesting how covid affects us in different, unique to each of us ways. I’m currently gone down a vitamin D rabbit hole as mine has been lower than it should be. I’ve been looking at Stasha Gominak‘a work on that and have found it interesting, especially her sleep connection. Keeping everything balanced and in remission is an ongoing affair. Love the cute picture of you and the doggie. Best wishes.
I'm not implying that I think that lysine should be considered as a primary defense against any virus, much less against the SARS-CoV2 virus. As mentioned, it does seem to be helpful to keep it in balance with arginine, something that I had failed to do.
Viral infections are not simple. I see diet as PART of the process of stacking the deck in favor prevention and recovery.
Jun 20·edited Jun 20Liked by Mardi Crane-Godreau, PhD
Thank you for clarifying. I’ve read enough of your work to know you present things working together in synergy. In my experience, stress was always a big factor in bringing on cold sores. I’ve found lemon balm to be better at healing blisters (topically) than some of the Rx ointments that are available. I’ve seen other scientists promoting melatonin and ascorbic acid for their anti viral effects which looks good on paper, but the use of them has not been that simple for preventing covid infections for me either. Gominak’s work is interesting because she’s observed something synergistic about the D and B vitamins that help with sleep which is something a lot of long haulers struggle with which is needed in order for the body to heal. She has also observed individual differences in their responses and adjusts doses accordingly. All of this is tied into the micro biome’s production of B vitamins as well, and many long haulers are experiencing dysbiosis after their covid infections.
Mardi, I am a Pan Am sister. I had long Covid for 21 months. My symptoms were extreme fatigue and many nerve issues. Being house bound about killed me me. At one point I had lost my appetite to the point that i could barely force food. My Dr. put me on Mirtazapine for appetite and within a month all of the other issues resolved. I am now on France on my second trip to Europe this year. I have my life back!!! I had done many months with a naturopath but this is what finally resolved all of the issues miraculously! I am 81 so I did not want to give any more years to LC!!! I wish you well. Judy Skartvedt
Hi Mardi - I’m sorry you’ve been suffering a bit but it is encouraging to know that your box of tools is working to get you back to baseline.
Long COVID has reactivated my EBV and an apparent HH6 infection, along at times with setting off my HSV1 and 2. I have neuropathic sensations frequently as well as prodromal skin sensitivity that I imagine is a milder version of shingles pain. And recently, I developed a herpes whitlow sore on my right index finger, diagnosed correctly by sending photos to a telehealth dermatologist I never actually met or spoke with directly. My sensitivity to stress - including emotional stress but also physical ‘swings’ in my condition or in external factors like temperature swings - has become extremely heightened during LC. I feel very much like a delicate flower. <sigh>
Hi Amy,
Thank you for your kind thoughts. My hope in communicating about my own situation is to share with my subscribers (apparently a high percentage are providers or scientists) some of the risk factors and the common, low cost, low risk interventions that could be offered to patients along with conventional therapies.
I also suspect that co-infections in individuals with LC may be common. You've read my previous comments about mitochondria. Perhaps you recall that they play an important role in the innate immune system, in particular in identifying and eliminating viruses. For the many months that I stayed on my protocol to support mitochondria, I had NO recurrence of any herpetic symptoms. It was when I got slammed (life happens) with an overload and neglected my self-care, that I developed this PEM. Now that I'm back on my protocol and giving TLC to my mitochondria, things are on the mend.
Thanks again for writing.
Very interesting note on Lysine and Arginine. Worth remembering. What surprised me is your 20 year old story of your doctors struggling to identify your herpes infection, despite visible symptoms and presentations in you. But then, it can happen. About 16 years ago, my wife about 55 then, started with sudden some severe hip pain. No fall, no accidents and no history of that kind. I went to a UK studied orthopaedic surgeon ( I live in India). He suspected spinal compression, put her on aceclofenac, gabapentin, waist belt and complete bed rest. For several days, there was no relief. In the meantime, she had rashes on her left leg and thigh developing over 2-3 days, with pain and irritation. I went to my old school GP, a 60 plus practitioner. He immediately saw it as herpes infection, put her on acyclovir, methyl cobalamine adjuvants etc. I didn’t tell him about our consultancy with the orthopedist for her back pain. When I was meeting the later, I didn’t tell about her herpes infection. Surprisingly, he didn’t examine her physically either. After about 15 days, the infection showed signs of stopping, with marginal improvement in her back pain. The GP continued his prescription for two more weeks, also adding gabapentin. At this I told him about our consulting the orthopaedic surgeon. He also saw a back X-ray which showed no signs of compression. The GP immediately clarified that her back pain was a reflective response to her herpes in the legs and could have briefly preceded the sighting of the infection itself. From then on, things began improving quickly. When I met the surgeon with the X-ray, he seemed a bit lost as there were no clues to his line of thinking thus far. When I told him now about her herpes treatment, he too immediately concurred, stopped all his treatment, including removal of waist belt etc. Even though he was a specialist, he must have known about the general clinical origins of such sudden, unsuspecting pain episodes. Eventually, it was the old school GP who got us on track right from the start. If it is now, I would have taken a quiet dig at the specialist, I chose to return quietly then. A year later, I developed sudden shoulder pain, followed by tingling irritation. My immediate guess was right, as I waited for two days for the rashes to appear. My GP handled it quickly and competently. The infection was severe, though it visibly subsided in a month, the lingering intermittent pain, irritation and tingling continued for several weeks disappearing slowly. In that recovery phase, I was on a long course of gabapentin and methyl cobalamine adjuvants. If you have confidence in your GP, he must be the first one to consult on unannounced developments. Wishing you your continuing recovery.
Hi Moro,
Writing about my early encounter with herpetic infection about 22 years ago, my doctors did recognize that I had some sort of herpetic infection from the start (presumptively shingles), but their views on treatment were inconsistent. The first PC was rigid in her view that Valacyclovir was only useful during the first 7 days of infection. Despite me having (at that early stage) a fever that lasted for nearly 2 weeks, she declined to provide more than 7 days of treatment. The rash that I had was sparse but it occurred within one dermatome on the left side of my face.
It was during the emergence of new dermatome infections and ongoing symptoms that specialists became involved. The acute phase of these infections merged over two years. While the clinicians were supportive and did provide anti-viral therapy, it was a colleague, an academic scientist whose focus was virology who shared the insight on lysine and arginine.
I don't know how many practitioners are generally aware of this simple yet profoundly important point. Keeping a healthy balance between lysine and arginine is useful in preventing the onset of herpetic infections.
A pharmacist I worked for told me about the lysine herpes connection when I was in my early twenties. The paper you presented is interesting, but I’ve been taking lysine and still getting reinfections with Covid. I also love growing lemon balm. I wish it were as simple as lysine for me. It’s interesting how covid affects us in different, unique to each of us ways. I’m currently gone down a vitamin D rabbit hole as mine has been lower than it should be. I’ve been looking at Stasha Gominak‘a work on that and have found it interesting, especially her sleep connection. Keeping everything balanced and in remission is an ongoing affair. Love the cute picture of you and the doggie. Best wishes.
Hi Stephanie,
I'm not implying that I think that lysine should be considered as a primary defense against any virus, much less against the SARS-CoV2 virus. As mentioned, it does seem to be helpful to keep it in balance with arginine, something that I had failed to do.
Viral infections are not simple. I see diet as PART of the process of stacking the deck in favor prevention and recovery.
Thank you for clarifying. I’ve read enough of your work to know you present things working together in synergy. In my experience, stress was always a big factor in bringing on cold sores. I’ve found lemon balm to be better at healing blisters (topically) than some of the Rx ointments that are available. I’ve seen other scientists promoting melatonin and ascorbic acid for their anti viral effects which looks good on paper, but the use of them has not been that simple for preventing covid infections for me either. Gominak’s work is interesting because she’s observed something synergistic about the D and B vitamins that help with sleep which is something a lot of long haulers struggle with which is needed in order for the body to heal. She has also observed individual differences in their responses and adjusts doses accordingly. All of this is tied into the micro biome’s production of B vitamins as well, and many long haulers are experiencing dysbiosis after their covid infections.
Mardi, I am a Pan Am sister. I had long Covid for 21 months. My symptoms were extreme fatigue and many nerve issues. Being house bound about killed me me. At one point I had lost my appetite to the point that i could barely force food. My Dr. put me on Mirtazapine for appetite and within a month all of the other issues resolved. I am now on France on my second trip to Europe this year. I have my life back!!! I had done many months with a naturopath but this is what finally resolved all of the issues miraculously! I am 81 so I did not want to give any more years to LC!!! I wish you well. Judy Skartvedt
Hi Judy,
So good to hear from you. People like you give hope to others who are still struggling with Long COVID. Thanks so much for sharing.
Safe travels and have fun!