Hi all!
I contracted genital herpes earlier this year(March). To make a long story short.. during my initial outbreak I not only had a few bumps down there, painful urination, etc. but I also had a very strange pain in my tailbone and lower spinal area. It was almost a jolting sensation going off down there. I had done a little reading afterwards and it seems as though the virus may attack that area in certain individuals. With that said.. here's where it gets strange.
About a week and a half or so after my initial outbreak, I started noticing a slight change in my GI system and bowel movements. They slowly started becoming less frequent and I found myself unable to fully "empty" my bowels. I was bloated and constipated more frequently. I wasn't sure what was going on and explained the situation to my local doctor. I thought I had eaten some bad food. He had prescribed laxatives, increased water intake, additional fiber, etc. The laxatives were a bandaid solution at best just providing temporary relief.
Fast forward a few weeks after that and still no relief. I'm finding myself taking laxatives daily - sometimes double the dosage with barely any relief. At that point, I decided to go to a GI specialist. He ran numerous blood tests, took stool samples, checked for an obstruction, etc. You name it, they did it. Unfortunately, everything came back 'just fine'.
At this point.. I'm more or less losing my mind here. I've always been healthy, monitred what I ate(for the most part), drank plenty of water, took fiber, etc. And now I can't remember the last time I had a solid bowel movement. There isn't really any pain - I'm just severly constipated and backed up. The doctors that I've spoken to(very few) have stated that herpes should not affect the GI system. Then I came upon this study(for those of you who haven't seen it):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27281569
Yale research team believes that herpes virus may kill off colonic nerves causing constipation.
I guess the questions I have are.. who else has experienced this? And can it really be related? Any insight, advice, tips would be amazing! This has been a nightmare for me.
Thank you!
I have read the same or similar study, but have not had this issue myself. I think somebody else on here complained about the same problem a while back, however. Since the herpes is fairly new in your case, perhaps your body is still adjusting and should improve in a couple more months or so. I had a tailbone ache and random muscle twitching in my legs to begin with, but that went away after a bit. Were you confirmed by swab, Type 2?
Do you have any other spasm symptoms or did these go away?
Hi,
Not sure how similar when I get outbreaks I get pain mainly nerve pain in lower back/hips/legs to the point where some of these areas feel numb.
Without being disgusting I use the bathroom once a day/every other day at least and since my first outbreak I've noticed that my bowel movements are less frequent twice a week max worse around my outbreak as well, also harder to actually go even when I need to go.
Not saying there is a link but in my case I think there may be. Don't stress about it try some natural remedys and increase your water intake like the doctor said, do you have a good diet? X
That's all I noticed and both the ache and twitches disappeared after a couple of weeks or so. Not had either since.
My spasms have continued in my legs and are in my face also... >.< was hoping it was related to this but I do not think so, Ive had hsv2 for awhile now spasms have become more severe this last year. Ill figure it out! Thanks FelisCatus
The ones in your legs *could* be related, or not (can't say for sure), but not the ones in your face, as that is a different nerve group altogether.
Hello
My doctor told me i can experience many different out break. My first out was a couple of weeks ago. I started w very small pimples on my chin and i also experience flu like symptoms this week I started experience some constipation more than usual and then 2 days ago I started getting bruises all over my body I went to the doctor he did all the tests and blood work everything came out normal they still don't know where is coming has anyone experience. this the wierd part about this all my test normal can anyone relate to this
I was confirmed Type 2 initially by swab. Ran some blood work a few months after and it was realized I had 1 and 2. Suprisingly, outside of the initial outbreak, I haven't had any others. Lol. Just this awful, awful GI issue.
Yeah I think the virus definitely affects the colon. My only fear is that it's irreparable damage.
I've increased my water intake, fiber intake, and also use 'Smooth Move' tea. We have it at a Whole Foods nearby. I try not to be too dependent on it, but every other night I'll drink it before bed. Wake up in the morning and I'm able to do. It works.. but not the way I want to live.
No nerve pain for me though. Sorry to hear you have it..
Is your constipation still lasting? I would see if you can find a doctor that specializes in GI and talk to them about whether or not there's a connection. That's what I'm doing.
And this terror has been going on for almost 7 months 
No real signs that it's gotten better unfortunately.
Having the exact same thing. Diagnosed 2 months ago herpes 1 on my but area and my digestive system has been a mess. I am scheduled for some scopes to make sure no other problems and such but constipation has been daily. Did you find any solutions or info? Any info much appreciated.
I am in my first outbreak as I write. I have been experiencing a nagging ache in my tailbone along with constipation...exactly as you described. I searched and came upon the same research done at Yale that made a correlation between constipation and herpes. They determined that the herpes virus kills nerves responsible for peristaltic movement of food through the colon. Your posting was several months ago, so I am wondering what happened to you. Did the constipation go away? If not, how are you dealing with it? The thought of being on laxatives for life is making me cry as I type. Laxitives are not meant to be taken everyday.
Hey! I'm sorry to hear you're experiencing the same issue.
I'm about 10 months in.. still experiencing the same issue of constipation. I've gone to a few GI doctors and done blood tests, stool samples, and a barrium enema - everything came back OK. I've tried upping my Acvyclovir dosage for 3 weeks, all to no avail.
I'm set to visit a GI Motility expert in a April(the wait is ridiculous here to see one). Hopefully I can get better results/diagnosis.
What I've found works is Smooth Move tea. I try to take it every other night right before bed while it's still relatively hot - don't burn yourself, though. It's a natural herbal laxative and does help. On the nights I don't take it, I drink a glass of prune juice - works well too. Both of these preferably on a non-full or empty stomach.
Not ideal whatsoever, but you'd at least be saving yourself from the use of actual laxatives which are worse. Feel free to send me a PM and we can keep in touch..
Hi -
I'm sorry you're going through this.. it's not fun. Like I mentioned above.. I'm about 10 months in, still experiencing daily constipation. There's no real indication that this is permanent, at least from what I've read.
The GI doctors I saw weren't of much help. We ran through blood tests, stool samples, and a barrium enema - everything came back OK.
Drink plenty of water, increase the amount of fiber you're taking(through supplements), take magnesium tablets(increases water in the stool). While none of this is a fix, it will help prevent further complications such as an obstruction while you look for a permanent fix or reversal of this.
On top of that, I'd suggest looking into Smooth Move tea and trying to take prune juice as needed. I try to take Smooth Move tea every other night just before I go to bed. For the nights that I don't take it, I'll drink a glass of prune juice the next morning. It's not ideal, but it's what I found works for me. Hopefully it helps you the same so you can stay away from other laxatives/pills.
I'm scheduled to see a GI Motility doctor in a few months. It's unfortunately tough to see one here. I will keep you all updated as this progresses.
Feel free to keep in touch via PM. And most importantly, keep your head up! This is NOT the end of the world. There's just as good of a chance that you will not need to take laxatives for the rest of your life. It could run it's course, and progressivley get better til it's gone.
Thank you for your response. According to the Yale research, the virus KILLS the nerves, so even though their work was done on mice, I'm afraid it has the same effect in humans. I've increased fiber, along with taking supplemental fiber, increased water and have been taking Colace, to no real affect. Still feel backed up and only small hard marbles come out. Now I'm starting to feel as if I've developed a hemorrhoid because of all the pressure build-up. Today I tried a couple of tablespoons of cod liver oil, to no effect. The only thing that works is drinking magnesium sulfate, but that is like preparing for a colonoscopy!
Are you on daily anti-viral medication? I have read that one side effect of Valtrex is constipation. I am on a 10 day course of treatment, so very soon I will know if this is long-term for me because my doctor suggested treatment only during an outbreak. Perhaps people on the daily dose have chronic constipation?
Thank you for the natural remedy suggestions, I will get the tea and prune juice today. Are the magnesium pills pure magnesium? What dose do you use?
Sorry to hear no change. I had a colonoscopy and endiscopy today all show nothing. I told the docs about the Yale study and they are skeptical. They have never seen this reaction before. The other issue I have is a burning or nerve pain where the skin was affected and now cleared up. I'm going to try another round of valtrex. In two months since first episode I have lost 20 pounds and just frustrated. I was never regular but now take colace in evening ( softener not laxative ) and started probiotic. It has helped but cramping and stomach ache is daily from the constipation. I'm at wits end. Thanks for reply. Please keep in touch.
Hi Triton: Just letting you know that I came across your post when I did a google search for constipation and genital herpes! I, too, get constipated when I get an outbreak. I find the constipation begins days prior to the outbreak and during. Also prior to the out break I get deep muscle pain in my right bum cheek. My doctor told me that was the "flu like symptoms" that accompany herpes. No one has commented on my constipation, but then I didn't ask--just reported it.
Thanks for writing this post! I'm about to read the article you posted as well. I'm glad I'm not the only one! I don't wish this on anyone mind you.
Lisa
Thank you for this information. You are the only person I've read about with constipation ONLY during an outbreak. Everyone else, including myself, has suffered since the initial outbreak. This is encouraging to me because it implies that whatever neurological damage the virus is doing, it is reversible.
I was infected in January and by day 4 or 5 after my diagnosis, I became constipated and have remained this way since. I sought treatment by a GI motility expert, who ordered anorectal manometry test to assess pelvic floor function. That came out normal. At end of May I go for the next test, a defecography, that involves swallowing tracer pellets and examining movement with X-rays. I believe that test will show where there might be a "dead" segment in the colon.
Ive been miserable with this condition, so to know it's only during your outbreaks gives me some hope that my condition might improve or go away.