Primary OB and Constipation

[esdbec0713]

Hello everyone.

 

Just wanted to know if this was typical... I'm in the middle of my primary and I'm feeling great outside of the pain in my sciatic nerve and insane constipation. I have been on Valtrex ranging from 4 grams daily to 1 gram daily for 3 weeks. I'm now in the middle of my 4th week of this horrible ob. I have also been given Gabapetin for the nerve pain at 300mg twice daily. Should I switch meds? Maybe Valtrex isn't helping... is this typical for a primary? Should I be concerned? Does herpes cause nerve damage?

[kimmie]

I will let one of the vet experts provide the info on potential nerve damage part, but I think the constipation is very common during first OB. For me it was due to the terrible pain from the sores themselves, I just couldn't bring myself to exert any pressure to "go." For the first couple of days, wiping, urinating etc was just excruciating. I don't think the Valtrex caused it though; I take it for suppressive therapy and have no problems now.

[2Legit2Quit]

I too had severe neuropathy on my primary ob. I felt like a burn victim on my buttok , back of thighs, tail bone and w shooting electrical shocks to my feet, inside my rectum, vagina and all the 22 sore locations I have externally. I couldn't sit up in bed even for 3 weeks it was so bad. I was on the same nerve pain med as you, for four months. After that, I didn't need it anymore, but hard surfaces were hard to sit on and I had non stop paresthesia. Constipation during primary OB can be normal for those of us w the more severe cases. It's called herpetic proctitis. H infects the same ganglion that provides control of your bowels and bladder. I remember feeling strange sensations going up through my bowl during my primary and it would stimulant my bowel and produce gas. It was super weird. So yes, it can cause that. I didn't have that problem, but I did have issue w voiding urine. I could only go a tiny. Before it puttered out. I never felt like I was emptying.

 

In regards to going number 2, put heavy coating on your anus of Vaseline, to add as a barrier. It'll help a lot.

 

Is it possible to cause nerve damage, yes, but which ones causing the damage is really not known as much. Is it the virus or is it due to our immune system attacking the infected nerves? Nerves actually repair quickly after lots of damage, so long as you don't have any underlying health issues. I've had this almost a yr n half and my nerves have never been the same. I don't have pain, but I have discomfort on some days, but it's tolerable. Sitting on say a hard surface w no back, that can become pretty uncomfortable to the point, I don't want to sit anymore.

 

Typically the nerve pain you feel for soneone like us, is our immune system going ape shit and attacking the infected peripheral sensory neurons. As it attacks trying to get inside the nerve, which it can't; it breaks the sheathing on our nerves. So it's like breaking the protective coating on a fiber cable for your FIOS and it unable to send proper signaling to your brain. Due to this broken communication, your brain doesn't know how to respond to this defective message, so that it responds w paresthesia. Paresthesia is pins and needles, electrical shocks, numbness, crawling sensations, tingles, burning, etc... When it's consistent, it's neuropathy...

 

It sounds like it's going to just take time for your nerves to repair. When I tried to get off valtrex during that period after the four months not on nerve pain meds or while still on it, I'd feel it start to come back. Although I don't need it anymore, I always have almost like a mild feeling of riders soreness and more so on some days.

 

Couple questions for notes I'm taking in those who experience more "unusual" symptoms.

 

1. Did you drink any alcohol during the primary OB and the following days to today?

a. If so, how soon after did nerve pain appear?

2. How old are you?

3. Do you have any other underlying health issues, such as eczema, IBS, endometriosis, autoimmune disease's, etc?

4. Do you drink coffee, how often and how much during the OB?

Hope this helps.

[esdbec0713]

This differently does help. I'm just worried about how do I go in the meantime? My bladder issue has resolved, thankfully, and out of everything I had the last two bits of the primary ob is the nerve pain on my left Sciatic nerve, it was traveling down the leg but no more, and the constipation.

 

As for alcohol, haven't had any since two weeks before my primary ob. I'm 27, in a month I'll be 28. As for health issues I've had my gallbladder and appendix removed already. And six years ago I was diagnosed as having Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. I went through the treatment and many of the issues the infection created went away, like the GERD and acid reflux. However, my father swears that there is still a spirochaete still alive. Oddly enough, damn tick borne illnesses act like viruses and when in remission hide in the base of the spine or the intestines.

 

I just want to know 1. Will this go away? 2. How do I cope and poop in the meantime? 3. I was reading about iv acyclovir. And the issues I am having going to the bathroom are so severe that I'm willing to go sit in a hospital for 5 to 7 days to get this treatment.

 

My current doctor seems to be a tad slow reacting to this. I wish my infectious disease doctor wasn't 340 miles away or I'd see him. I did state to my pcp that I want to change treatment, I'm currently on valacyclovir 1 gram daily. I have one day left before I'm taken down to 500 mg daily.

 

My primary ob has been going on 33 long days and I'm tried. When will this end?

[esdbec0713]

Oh by the way, I believe before the RMSF diagnosis it was so bad they tested me for Lupus.

[esdbec0713]

Oh coffee!!! I have about 2 or 3 cups about 5 times a week. But that's only within the last 2 weeks.

[esdbec0713]

Jesus. Apparently I don't have coherent thoughts.... I have severe allergies. I get injections and carry an epi pen and rescue inhaler.

[2Legit2Quit]

1. Yes it should go away.

2. Drink miralax.

 

I know hun, I had someone on another forum that took as long as you and just a little longer for her bowrl functions to come back.

 

 

Have you been tested for autoimmune disease's before or Lime disease?

 

Coffee made my symptoms worse.ok, well I'm willing to bet you have autoimmune issues and/or lyne disease, so doesn't surprise me you are having all the issues you are. Those of us that have had several health issues, especially autoimmune related, have a difficult time controlling the virus.

[esdbec0713]

Been tested for all tick borne diseases and lupus before came back positive on the rocky mountain spotted fever.

 

Oh I need coffee. I didn't drink any the first three weeks of the ob and when I did I went.

[WCSDancer2010]

I just answered this on your other thread.... :)

[esdbec0713]

I know. I saw @wcsdancer2010 thank you. This was before my doc completely dismissed me.