Ouch!

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Ouch!

Postby Bernie » 01 Apr 2011, 07:23

Hello, newbie here.
I first had pain after DD1 was born (3.5 yrs ago), by emergency C-section), when to the GP and he, less than helpfully, said to eat more fruit and veg. :roll: I tried, but after a few more weeks I was in severe agony and losing lots of blood (I don't know how much, but the toilet water was black/very dark red with blood). So I returned to the docs, but requested to see a female GP. She diagnosed a fissure, but said they're uncommon after a CS. Tried various things, and eventually had botox when DD1 was 9mo, which sorted it, though still used lactulose for a further 9months.
Last August DD2 was born (VBAC) and again I had problems straight away. This time I was more proactive seeing and returning to the GPs etc, though they still have tried to dismiss me a few times. I've finally been referred for surgery (I demanded it) and yet my consultation isn't until Mid-may, so it will be even later before the surgery gets scheduled. Image This time it's much worse than before. The pain is unbearable, I'm screaming out with a towel in my mouth for me to bite down, lots of blood, it's taking forever as I try not to strain (which isn't good when I've a pre-schooler and a baby alone downstairs), etc. And I'm also getting after pains and I can't sit in one position for very long (which is bad because I'm breastfeeding).
I don't see the point of going back to the docs again, as I don't know what they can do??? Is it just a matter of waiting, or is there something I can do to reduce the pain etc?
Thanks for reading my essay.
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Re: Ouch!

Postby alpinestrawberry » 01 Apr 2011, 08:16

Hi Bernie,
So sorry your consultation isn't sooner! Are you taking any Movicol? That really helps a lot of us around here, to get the pain and bleeding under control.
What about ointments? I think rectogesic is the common one where you are. There are topical pain relievers you can use too, like lidocaine. A doctor should be able to prescribe something like that, and some ointment if you haven't tried it already.
Other than that, hot bath (hard to with a baby around, I know) or sit on a heating pad, which might be easier.
I got my fissure after childbirth too, but vaginally. It's interesting that your c-section sparked it; it makes me wonder if there's a hormonal component to this that causes it to happen to so many of us after having a baby.
Best wishes!
Image
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Re: Ouch!

Postby MattMecham » 01 Apr 2011, 12:47

Oh, Bernie, I know how you feel, and I feel terrible about your predicament (I actually feel a tear in my eye. Seriously). I would tell you to stay away from binding foods like rice, bananas, and a lot of wheat products. Do whatever you need to do to keep those stools soft. Drink a lot of water. I know that all sounds old hat, but one of the best ways to cope with this until you can find a more permanent solution is to change your eating habits, if you haven't already. It's not very fun at first, but as you get used to a different diet, it becomes normal. For the pain, I have used some diltiazem cream 3%, lidocaine 5%, some amoils Heal-Fissures, and this stuff called Dr. Wheatgrass Skin Recovery Cream. I know the oil and the wheatgrass stuff sounds odd, and I was skeptical at first, but it actually works in so many cases to help reduce the pain of the fissure, and even promotes healing. I would just put some on the end of a Qtip bud and anally insert it just a little ways, just enough for the bud to get inside the anus. I'll tell you, when the pain becomes intense and chronic enough, and goes on for long enough, you will madly search for just about any remedy out there, even weird-sounding stuff like wheatgrass and oils.
And the heating pad -- good call, Jess! I fell in love with mine, almost started a bigamous relationship. It felt SO GOOD to sit on that thing after a bowel movement. The electric ones can burn out if you sit on them (and it can be dangerous), but there are others that are made of clay that you can heat up in the microwave, and some that are called "wheat bags".
I'm new here, too, but the people in this forum are so wonderful -- you have found an awesome support group!
Semper Fi,

Matt
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Re: Ouch!

Postby Bernie » 01 Apr 2011, 13:44

Thank you both.
I was on lactulose, and have tried fibrogel (sp?), but tbh I didn't find them any better than good old prune juice (and I quick like it, so don't mind drinking it). I'll go back to the GP and see if I can get movicol - I assume there's no problem with taking it and breastfeeding? I do have some ointment, that does work (removes the razor-blade pain, rather than healing anything, itms), but I've been told to only use for a week (or max 3 weeks) before taking a break from it again.
I haven't heard about heating pads before. I do have some handwarmer things (you click them, they emit heat until they go solid, and then you can boil them which makes them soft again and reuseable), so do you think they'll be ok to use? I'll have to search them out again.
I do drink loads of water - I don't drink anything else - but I guess that with BFing that may be counteracting any softening effects. And I try and stay away from the binding foods, but maybe I should be a bit stricter?
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Re: Ouch!

Postby MattMecham » 01 Apr 2011, 14:44

What I did, Bernie, is kept a food journal, and I still keep one, though its contents have changed over time. I would start day one with only certain foods. For instance, my first day consisted of one apple, 2 tsp of psyllium husk in 8 oz. water, and 2 oz. of deli turkey. Lunch was a pear, and 2 more oz. of turkey. At about 4 pm, I would have an apple or a pear. Dinner consisted of a plate full of salad and shredded carrots, with one tomato sliced over the top, 2 TBS of a fat free dressing, maybe a little bit more turkey cut up and added to the top, 2 or 3 crushed crackers to act as croutons, and 2 tsp of psyllium husk in 8 oz. water.
I wrote all of this down as it took place during the day. At the top, I kept track of how many glasses of water I was drinking during the day. I also kept note of how many stool softeners I was taking, when I took them, and did the same for any ointment applications. This part is gross, but I also wrote down when I had bowel movements, their general consistency, and the pain level involved.
The entry read just like a book, progressing from the first meal (or supplement) taken in the morning, and then a chronological list of every other thing I did that day that either went in my mouth, went in the exit (ointments and what not, or came out the exit.
In fact, here is a recreation of March 24, 2011:
3/24/11 H20: IIIIIIIIII 236.2 lbs
7:15 am -- Applied amoils. Had BM. Same stab of pain on right side. Felt like a large stool, moderate strain, then became much easier. Last bit was pretty watery. A little bright red blood in water.
7:40 am -- applied wheatgrass cream.
8:00 am -- Three strawberries, 1 apple, 2 oz. sliced turkey, 2 tsp of psyllium husk.
10:45 am -- Pain has been more noticeable since BM this morning. Not agonizing, but somewhat persistent. About a 4 on a scale of 10.
12:00 pm -- 1 pear, whey protein powder in 8 oz. water with three blended strawberries.
1:00 pm -- went home from work because pain was too obnoxious.
2:45 pm -- Called Southwest Surgical Associates, got colonoscopy moved from April 1 to tomorrow. Sitz bath brought some comfort, but pain just got worse afterwards.
3:30 pm -- got prep kit, took tablet by 3:45 pm. With use of heat pad, took edge off of pain. Applied amoils, wheatgrass, and diltiazem.
10:00 pm -- no BM yet, but started drinking liquid from prep kit.
10:30 pm -- wheatgrass cream.
12:00 am -- finished prep. kit liquid.
On this day, I was preparing for a colonoscopy, so it looks a little different from an average day, but still, hopefully it gives you an idea of what the journal can look like. I also circled all of the ointments I applied throughout the day, so that they really stuck out when I look back over the week. At the end of the week, I would look at the overall effect that that particular regimen had on my total health, and if it had overall positive effects, I might keep it for another week with just minor, MINOR additions to my caloric intake. If it didn't work out so well (hard stools, sick, weakness, etc.), I would change only one thing (maybe add another stool softener each day, or add more water, or maybe some Miralax), and then track that for a week.
I know it sounds very laborious, but it gets really easy to track all of that stuff after a couple of days. It can also get kind of addicting to write it all down, but as I am a nerd, that's understandable. The whole idea of the journal is to help you more or less pinpoint what helps you, and what harms you.
Semper Fi,

Matt
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Re: Ouch!

Postby Elphie » 01 Apr 2011, 19:21

So sorry you have a fissure! I also have two girls when my issues started getting life altering my youngest was 2 1/2, my other daughter was 6, I also have a non helpful 16 yr old son as well. Today I went to my GP to ask about Valium, have heard here it helps with the spasms, and my precious 2 yr old asked the nurse who came out to give a prescription to another patient if she could please fix her mommys bum? I was horrified and filled with love at the same time! It's amazing how they adapt to the baths and heating pads, there were days I had to roll the high chair into the bathroom so I could sit in the bath, and the miralax/ movicol stopped the bleeding for me ever since I started I take a full dose split up, dinner and before bed but my bottle says not to use if pregnant or nursing unless directed by a physician. Also a combo of ibuprofen and muscle relaxer taken twice a day takes the edge off and gets me thru the day. I know when you're nursing you r limited, I hope u r able to get it to a manageable level.
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Re: Ouch!

Postby sidra1968 » 02 Apr 2011, 14:24

OMG, I feel for you because I remember doing that with a towel also..awful.
I demanded surgery basically right then and there at my appt. and it was scheduled for 2 days later, but with the UK's system I assume you cannot to that?
Just try to stay strong and know you will get this taken care of..I'll be praying for you.
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Re: Ouch!

Postby Savaici » 02 Apr 2011, 14:37

Sorry to hear you are in so much pain; I can absolutely understand it.
I bought one of those heat pads, but have gone back to my hot water bottle as I am able to put it in so many different places. I have just started on Nifedipine (still have to finish my notes on my visit to the Colorectal surgeon), and am just hoping.
I haven't tried Dr Wheatgrass, but am going to give it a try. I have been taking something called Serrapeptase, but don't think it has done anything except reduce loss of blood. Just willing to just about try anything to get rid of pain!
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Re: Ouch!

Postby MattMecham » 02 Apr 2011, 16:45

Em,
With the Dr. Wheatgrass stuff, I looked at it this way: even though it costs about $30.00 for a tube of it, I figured if it didn't work on the fissure, it would at least work great on all the little cuts and sores I get on my hands. But I feel it actually did work to an extent. For smaller fissures that have not gone chronic and deep, I think it works really well -- it's just that mine was so deep and long, any healing that the cream allowed was just set back again by the next muscle spasm.
I am using it now to help the fissure heal more rapidly in an LIS setting, and I actually have some of his Super Balm on the way -- it's like 300 times more concentrated! EXTREME!!! Image
Semper Fi,

Matt
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Re: Ouch!

Postby sidra1968 » 02 Apr 2011, 19:09

Wow Matt, the similarities continue..I also had bought the Dr. Wheatgrass cream before I called the surgeon. It didn't help because like you, I was too far gone at that point.
It is a nice cream (should be for $30) and now I've used most of it up over the last year just for healing in that area, as it's very soothing. I still use it when on vacation and walking a lot, because even though I'm "healed", I can still get irritated there every once in a while.
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