Intestinal problems since onset of HSV 2

[slbdallas]

Since I was diagnosed with HSV 2 approximately 7 months ago, I have had constant intestinal problems.  I am 62 years old, have been taking Valtrex 500 mg daily and eat well, exercise, get plenty of rest, do not smoke, drink red wine daily (1-2 glasses).  I have frequent bowel movements, bloating, excessive gas, and some constipation.  It is very uncomfortable.  I have had several outbreaks, after the onset severe outbreak, but now the outbreaks are only unpleasant.  My partner is 59, has had HSV 2 since the age of 25, with no real bad side effects.  I have also been diagnosed with genital warts, and they are also unpleasant. My partner says that he had a genital wart in his 20's, but nont since.  I have been treated for them.  I have had only one other sexual partner in the last few years. I am asking for others dialog on what to do or what can help the intestinal problems, especially.

[jmocha]

The most ureported symptoms about HSV 2 is that it causes severe constipation and other complications.  The virus keeps mutating over time and attacking different part of your body.  I have been grippliing with tihs issue and not many doctors or resources to address this.. I have even tried a full juice diet for a week and it still attackes your gut relentlessly..  

[qiang360]

Hi I had the similar problem like excessive gas, more bowel movements etc after been diagnosed HSV2 after four months. I am wondering how are doing now? How long did you have those symptoms?

[Lee27]

I contracted herpes in the worst way about 10 years ago (bear with me my post will get relevant in a second). When I was in the Army, I got very sick with a high fever and extremely sore throat. Growing up with an ER/ICU nurse mom and doctor dad, I got really good at recognizing symptoms and calling my parents for advice and sometimes prescriptions. Well, with spots on my throat and a fever, everything pointed to strep, so my dad called in a script for penicillin to the local Walgreens. Four days later, my fever was at 104.something, i.e., no response to antibiotics. A trip to the local ER (thank God I chose that over the post ER), and somehow the Dr on duty quickly determined that I had recently been (I'll try to put this lightly, I was young and in the Army) engaged with oral activities with not the best person to be doing so at that time. I literally hat a severe herpes outbreak down my esophagus and windpipe (they swabbed and tested it). I was put on valtrex, which killed the fever, but the pain in my throat lasted for another two weeks, where I couldn't eat any solid food, and even liquid hurt. I lost 22 lbs.  Minus all the dramatics, I did get a mild case of a genital outbreak as well, which is the only one that ever returns (about 1-2 times a year). When it does, it is always preceded by HORRIBLE GI distress and bloating, so bad that I go from looking like a skinny 150lb man to looking like a man pregnant with twins at times. Thanks to anyone that took the time to read this long story form short point.

[catwoman1945]

I have noticed that when I have a herpes outbreak  I also have great discomfort and bloating in my digestive tract.  I finally put 2 and 2 together and found this report, so I am convinced there is a connection !

thank you for posting

[OnTheNod]

I am in the same position with intestinal problems, I slept with a woman that did not disclose to me that she had STI's. Then 3 months later started have chronic problems with my bowels yet my STI Screen came back negative for everything and I had sores on my johnson after sleeping with her. My biggest concern was HIV but my tests are negative and have had my CD4 Count T-Cells done and that's normal so I would say I have Herpes and that it can definitely cause problems with your bowels.

[DevinDee23]

So All Your Tests Prove Negative, Yet You Are Still Getting Sores? How Is This Possible?

[HoiYo]

Also, the meds could be bothering your digestive system.

[HoiYo]

Yes.  I feel like I always have to go to bathroom, number one or two but can't or don't really have to!  It's an awful feeling.  The strength in my pee stream has waned and I worry that my colon is affected often.  At first I thought it was hemorrhoids but it was always HSV2.  FYI, lesions can appear anywhere.  I wasn't diagnosed until they appeared ony mid to lower back ABOVE the sacrum.  Doctors misdiagnosed repeatedly as shingles.

[Genenut]

You need to stop drinking wine!  That is why you belly is upset all the time.  Alcohol of any kind is very bad for herpes 2.  If you stop drinking you won't need valtrex everyday, only when you feel an outbreak coming on.  I can usually tell when I'm about to have an outbreak because my stomach will growl & churn for no apparent reason (especially in the middle of the night).  I take famvir only when I need it.

[HivesGone]

Documented HSV intestinal damage can be found on this National Institute of Health website.  

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1415108

[poojane]

I have crohns and hsv1 genital. Seems when I have a flare I have break outs. Other than that doesn't bother my stomach much. Not sure if it's cause of me having genital hsv1 instead of 2. Good luck to everyone...

[atypical2015]

I noticed a very distinct change in my bowel movements after I got HSV2. The symptoms seemed to pass after a few months, but they were DEFINITELY connected for me. Doctors don't really acknowledge this as a symptom, but I think it's real. It could be that, as with many infections of other types, the body's normal rhythms are disrupted. Maybe it could also be that the nerves in the sacral region could affect the nerve function of the bowels too, but I have never read any kind of study on this. I've never even read a medical report that connects changes in bowel function to an HSV2 infection. But as I said, there was a very definite connection for me for a few months.

[exelent]

How were you diagnosed, what did you do?

[Fleetwood20]

What tests did you have for herpes and what were the results?

[waringblender]

A glass or two of red wine daily has heart health benefits, especially for someone older.

I think this poster's symptoms are psychosomatic. In all the posts I've ever read about herpes symptoms, gastro stuff has never been on the list.  

[zielwolf]

It's possible I think that HSV-II can cause intestinal problems. I certainly notice diaorrhea and stomach problems are one of the symptoms I get whenever I have an outbreak of HSV-II. It is after all a virus and viruses can do pretty nasty things to your digestive system. If I were you I would get rid of the red wine in the diet. Alcohol isn't that good for you anyway if you have a virus (if you're infected with a virus than it's pretty certain to say any of the potential health benefits are totally wiped out by the fact that alcohol will encourage the progression of viral diseases) and red wine is very acidic in any case which can possible make stomach upsets worse. I find that cutting out red meat and limiting the amount of white meat, making sure I get plenty of fibre/roughage in my diet by eating wholemeal pasta and brown rice etc., drinking lots of water, and taking a probiotic supplement are all beneficial to the digestive system. If you are certain it's the HSV-II causing the problems then try taking suppressive therapy in the form of Famvir or Valtrex to make your viral load undetectable and knock the virus out of action. Genital herpes is certainly no picnic. Good luck.