allergy misdiagnosed as herpes

[Lucky_13]

this is merely a warning.

my husband, many years ago, got a tattoo. soon after, he randomly broke out with a rash and open sores around his genetals, his lower lip swelled, itchy all over, all the signs of genetal herpes. he got tested for it, but didn't get the test results back before he moved spurr of the moment across the country. so, he assumed the worst, that he had it.

A few months ago, he pulled a muscle in his shoulder at work and went to the Dr. who perscribed some pain meds and muscle relaxants. one of the things perscribed was Naproxen, the active ingredient in Aleve, but highly concentrated.

within 10 minues of taking a pill, he began to feel the effects. it felt like a herpes outbreak, but it wasn't. it was an allergic reaction to Naproxen. he thought back very carefully and realized that all the outbreaks he'd had (some so bad he couldn't get out of bed for up to 2 weeks, all this before we met) were all after having taken Aleve. he'd always been suspicious of this, but had never confirmed it.

i immediately bought some Benadryl and he started taking it. it slowed the reaction. if he hadn't immediately started taking the benadryl, he probably would have ended up in the ER. as it was, he still had a reaction, but it was greatly lessened and he only had to stay home for a week.

the symptoms of an allergic reaction to Naproxen are:

difficulty breathing
closing of the throat
swelling of the lips, tongue, or face
hives or weeping sores

so in other words, my husband spent years afraid he had Herpes, when a simple test could have proven otherwise, and he could have discovered his allergy earlier without actually having to have a reaction.

ALWAYS GET TESTED!