? about my biggest IBS problem.
#83059 - 06/25/04 07:30 AM
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JosephC
Reged: 01/25/04
Posts: 125
Loc: Kansas City
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First, I'd like to say I've been pretty stable for about 3 weeks now-and with all the stuff that has come through my life of late, I think that's pretty good.
I'm still playing it close for my foods, mostly, and doing my IBS CDs, but there is a persistent problem that even on good days can still rear its ugly head.
Out of all my IBS problems, my worst is what Michael calls "pain in the back passage". Most of the time, it maybe lasts a few minutes after I have a BM (and I dont ALWAYS have it, but more often than not), but if I have a particularly...active...day, the pain begins to build. I mean, it burns and stings and generally makes me more miserable than D or bad cramps. And while it can be brought on by gas, sometimes just the passing of the BM causes it to flare up.
Is there anything I can eat or use to focus on this particular problem? More soluable fiber?(Im still on a low dose). Any priobiotics handle this probelm well? And does the CDs ever deal with this issue?
Anyway, beyond that, things are ok. But if I got a handle on this....boy, would it be nice. 
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Hi Joseph,
I am just wondering, is the 'pain in back passage' just one of those mysterious IBS pains, or could it be something else? Like, could it be hemmorhoids or something similar? I ask because last year I got a really bad rectal fissure (a tear) and it caused me SO MUCH pain. If you have something like that, or the hemmorhoids, there are treatments for stuff like that. Does it feel like something is torn or is it not that type of pain?
If it's just pain from IBS, I don't really know what to suggest, but you should get checked to make sure it's not something else.
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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I do get a hemmoroid flair up often. I tried treating it a year ago and got rid of it for a while, but it just keeps coming back. They put me on a few things, but nothing worked. Shortly after that is when I started having IBS attacks. I think one led to the other, but I dont know-and neither did the docs.
Anyway, the pain IS located in the same area. It feels a bit different, but that could just be me. And, because they seem to alternate, it's hard to tell if one is really different from the other. The bigger problem is the only way I can handle this now is surgery and I'm without insurance, although a few hundred bucks is nothing to stop the pain.
Thank you for the suggestion. I will certainly keep it in mind. Perhaps I'm mistaken in even thinking it IS IBS pain. Maybe someone here can illuminate me on what "back passage pain" should be feeling like and I can get a better idea.
Still, if anyone has suggestions, I'll look into them and maybe help determine if its one or the other.
I hate to ask, but what kind of pain did your fissure feel like? Was it a burning or what?
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Fissure pain
#83102 - 06/25/04 08:35 AM
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Stephie
Reged: 03/10/04
Posts: 2696
Loc: Vancouver, Canada
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Hey again Joseph,
I'm sorry, I am a bit puzzled, you can fix it through surgery? Do you mind if I ask how? I am just confused... Let me go read it again, I sometimes confuse myself... Oh, do you mean the only way to treat the hemmorhoids from flaring up? I'm sorry, you probably made perfect sense but I just manager to get all screwed up!
As for my pain with the fissure, it felt like a tear. Like, a stringing pain where the tear was (still is actually, it never healed) and an ache around it. I had to go see a surgeon about it, and I got Botox treatment for it. Needles in the @$$, by the way, not the best day you'll ever have.. but probably not as bad as it was in my head. They thought that would work, so I didn't end up getting the sphyncterotomy (a total guess on the spelled there) where they actually do a tiny surgery to cut one of the sphycter (??) muscle so that the tear can heal. I might eventually have to have it, but I gotta do it in Canada and I am in the UK 'til December. But yeah, it burns a bit around the outside.. like hemmorhoids but the actual tear gave me a more severe stinging, aching pain. Yeah. My life is all about fun. 
Hope this helps! I didn't mean to suggest you have this for sure, and it's not pain associated with IBS.. I don't have any idea! I just figured you might recognise your pain is similar to what I had and that might help.
Good luck!
--Steph
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~~I'm not crazy, I'm just a little unwell-I know right now you can't tell~~Matchbox 20
IBS-D,pain.
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Trust me, that does help. It sounds very similar. I was checked for a fissure the last time I checked for hemmoroids and they didnt see anything, so.... 
However, that was about a year ago and its possible that with my regular IBS problems (alternating D/C) that it might have ruptured something.
So, I'll take a trip to at least a free clinic for them to look at me sometime soon and just see if it might be that.
I wrote it off as IBS because the pain isnt ALWAYS there, but it is more than not. I still do have the hemmoroids occasionally and telling the two apart is no easy task.
But your pain sounds exactly how I feel. Stings really bad, then aches for some time. I dunno if thats how the IBS pain feels, but again, I'll see if I can see someone and maybe get a clue as to where I am. If they spot a fissure, I'll get it taken care of asap.
As for your other question-yea, they have surgeries for hemmoroids if they cant be medically treated. They freeze them or cut them out...doesnt sound like fun, but better a week or so of pain then months of it.
I used to get really embarrased to have them so young(26), but I know now they can hit even babies and it just happens, so I'm more comfortable with dealing with them. But maybe I should just get it done and move on from it no matter the cost.
Thanks again. You've given me something to look into. It might not be it, but it wont hurt to check.
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Joseph,
I'm not good at talking about this either - even though I do have problems with the hemms - I had a tiny fissure in college once too, but it's healed now. I have pain from the hemms almost every time I have D attacks, which varies now - I'm trying to get stable, but I have my bad days and sometimes can't keep myself out of the bathroom. I know I need to get it checked out to see if I'm having more problems than I know about with internal hemms, the external ones don't seem to have changed in about a year now, but they bleed a bit almost every time I have bad D. Here are the things that help for me - tucks pads are a God-send! Much better than any toilet paper I've found after a bad time of D. Also, a hot bath always calms the pain - I know baths are not a guy thing to do, but this is SO relaxing for me and it does help with the pain.
Hope you feel better!
Min
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Those darn hemorrhoids. Let me tell you, I have spent
many-a-day saying that I could manage the IBS much better if I didn't have these hemms to worry about. Actually, right now as we speak, I have an external hemm that has thrombosed. I have finally decided to have surgery on the darn things to get rid of them once and for all. Yes, the rcovery is long and extremely painful but I am just so tired of dealing with the pain - especialy during attacks of D which are painful in and of themselves.
You asked about the pain. Yes, when my hemms would flair up, everytime I would have bowel movement whether its normal or not, it would just burn like crazy for about an hour after. It would then throb for the rest of the day - or even days after until they calmed down. When I had 6 months of d, I had throbbing pain everyday all day. Hot baths many times a day and prescription hydrocortisone creams and suppositories were all I used. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.
At any rate, I hope my surgery goes well so I never have to worry about them ever again. I am also paying out of pocket for my surgery. It sucks but it will be worth it.
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Dana
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Thanks!
Trust me, after those kinds of pains, I could care less about the "guy" thing to do! 
I use Prep-H pads now, and they are ok, but sometimes they make it sting a bit moreso. Do Tucks have witchhazel?
I did cold baths before because I read freezing is just as good, but I'd prefer a warm bath. I'll try that next time.
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Thanks.
Yea, the creams and stuff just didnt work and I knew I'd likely have to do surgery, but hoped they would go away...no such luck.
But from all I hear so far, it sounds like thats likely the cause. The pain is relatively in the same area. Maybe even though the flare ups are not as bad, Im still feeling the pain from the raw area.
My hemm is internal, so its so much harder to treat.  But I think you guys have a least helped me look into the possibilty this might be the cause and seek resolution. I'll visit my clinic next week sometime and get it looked at.
Thanks again to you all.
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Tucks is a medicated, flushable wipe for adults. There is one that has witchhazel in it which is soothing and has a healing component to it. Using tucks feels pretty gross but the end result (no pun intended) is good. They are soothing to say the least.
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Hi Joseph,
I have the same problem. I'm a D, and sometimes it burns, and my tender little butt can't take the acid -- and that's what I think it is -- acid.
I posted about my problem some months back, stating that I have been using Vaseline, but it causes my undies to get all greasy. Someone suggested I go to the baby department in the grocery store and look for A + D Ointment; she said her husband uses it and it totally relieves the burning and ultimate rash.
I bought it and use it and it's great.
Another thing that I use EACH AND EVERY time I go to the bathroom is Always feminine wipes. Now wait, don't say no -- not yet -- it's intended for "sensitive areas." Men have those too, ya know. My hubby uses the Always feminine wipes as well, and he says they totally work better than the Preparation H wipes he used to use. (Hubby has hemorrhoids.) I used to have hemorrhoids, but when I started using the wipes they got rid of the problem, and the "hoids" haven't returned.
Now, about a probiotic: It helped me. My poops are much more firm and fully-packed. (Sorry.  ) I take Jarro-Dophilus EPS: web page
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Pain
#83391 - 06/25/04 10:59 PM
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Kandee
Reged: 05/22/03
Posts: 3206
Loc: USA, Southern California
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Do a google search on Proctalgia Fugax..It may or may not be part of your problem.
Kandee
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Re: Pain
#83425 - 06/26/04 07:22 AM
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JosephC
Reged: 01/25/04
Posts: 125
Loc: Kansas City
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Thank you for the suggestion. I did a search and I'm pretty certain that isnt it. That seems to be something that'll go away and come back later, and more at night. I can have mine pretty much anytime and the pain doesnt subside.
I could be wrong, but I dont think that's it (and hope it isnt-its another "no help" problem  )
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I'll look into both next time Im near Wally World or Target.
I dont have D too often, and even my firm BMs burn-sometimes more than a D attack! I was under the impression it was just too much gas was making the area sensitive (it is methane, after all) But if it's an acid...YOWCH!! No wonder they can hurt so badly. 
But I'll see if I can find that cream. I use a diaper rash creme now on occasion-Desetin-and it works ok, but it wouldnt hurt to give another a shot.
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You can use balmax too. This is the cream we use on the residents where I work - it works like a charm!!!
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Balmax?
#83766 - 06/27/04 02:50 PM
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Bevvy
Reged: 11/04/03
Posts: 5918
Loc: Northwest Washington State
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Barb, can we get that OTC, or only by prescription? Does it work better than A+D?
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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Balmex
#83808 - 06/27/04 04:37 PM
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I've seen commercials for it. It's OTC.
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Christine
Those who can do; those who want it done better teach.
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Yes you can find balmax over the counter. I don't know if it works better than A&D ointment, but balmax sures works great on my residents. I've seen red bottoms clear up in a few days. Sorry I can't be more of help.
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