Drat this working for a living all to heck.

You may recall that Dewline brought this to our attention:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20211006-what-if-dormant-microbes-trigger-alzheimers
which I wrote about here:
https://agoodwinsmith.dreamwidth.org/233977.html

I noticed it earlier and wrote about it here:
https://agoodwinsmith.dreamwidth.org/195444.html
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/322463.php
Herpes Simplex (cold sores) increase chances of experiencing Alzheimer's, but aggressive anti-virus treatment of people with herpes simplex reduces their chances of experiencing Alzheimer's.

I have had cold sores all my life, from the time before we all knew they were a virus. I got them from my Mom, and my Dad had them from at least the time he married Mom - but it might have been earlier because those of us who got cold sores just assumed everybody got them. Lately I've been having nonstop outbreaks from stress. So done with those nasty blisters.

So I asked my doctor for the cold sore anti-viral treatment.

I was expecting a single shot. What I got was a life-long prescription for biggish blue pills to be taken daily. Well.

Interestingly, this same drug is one used for people who develop shingles but when it is caught soon enough they can use this to scotch the full-blown disease.

Okay. So my assumption is that herpes simplex was a large contributor to my Dad's Alzheimers. This new piece of information about shingles reminds me that while Dad was receiving chemotherapy for his cancer (which developed after the onset of his Alzheimers), he was given a prescription for a daily pill to prevent him from getting shingles while he was undergoing chemo. After the chemo stopped, the anti-shingles pills also stopped. Mom & I both commented that it seemed like Dad declined much more rapidly after the chemo ended.

So.

I did pursue the anti-viral because of Alzheimers. I don't like cold sores but, seriously, one adapts. But I am not going to go through what my Dad went through. Not.

However, I wasn't expecting a daily pill. Daily protection only. Okay.

I must say that it seems to be keeping the cold sores at bay - so that is also good.