Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

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Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Deleted User 3356 » 07 Jan 2014, 03:52

Hi all, I found this forum last night during one of my many late night google searches for help! I've had a fissure for about 2 years now (only went to the doctors and found out what it was about 3 months ago) and every time I read about symptoms online the pain is the main talking point... well luckily for me (although I certainly dont feel very lucky) I have barely any pain at all. Only recently has it started hurting very very slightly but barely noticeable. What I do have in abundance is a chronic, never ending, persistent ITCH!! It drives me (and my wife) crazy. I am awake scratching for at least an hour, sometimes up to three hours per night and it drives me absolutely mad.

I was first prescribed a steroid cream from the doctor to help the healing but it didnt do anything, it in fact seemed to make the itch worse but I think that was down to the quite thin nature of the cream. I then bought a herbal cream on ebay (uk) called Analcare which claimed to sooth, stop irritation and heal. It certainly helps to sooth (its a much thicker cream which I think helps) and stop the itch for a short time, but no healing has happened a month or so on.

I went to the doctors again yesterday and this time he gave me Anusol and said it has a numbing effect so may help with the itch but I still just can't stop scratching. He told me not to use it with Analcare so I can't really do anything to help the itch I'm just constantly pulling my cheeks apart and wiggling around like a mad man to try to get rid of the itch without touching it!

I haven't tried any laxatives or changed my diet and my stools are quite firm so I dont think this is helping so any suggestions on what to try for that would be good but I suppose I'm mainly after suggestions to help with the itch. He recommended wearing no underwear and just PJ bottoms when lounging around the house which I'm trying now and also obviously washing with plain water regularly and especially after every movement to prevent using toilet paper.

Do you think the pain will come in time or would you expect I'm safe now having had the itch for 2 years and still no pain developing?

I know most of you that experience the pain are probably thinking I'm very lucky and I agree with you in a way, but I also sometimes think I'd swap the itch for the pain any day.. It's taking over my life!!
Deleted User 3356
 

Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Scientist2516 » 07 Jan 2014, 12:01

No, I think itches are horrible. They are tormenting! I'm a very itchy person, and have had strange rashes, and it can be very difficult to find the cause.

To soften your stools you should drink water. Lots and lots of water. There are other things to try, and it will take some experimenting to find what works for you. Personally, I find kondremul mineral oil is great. You may have to order it, either at your pharmacy, or online.

Calmoseptine is supposed to be good for itches. It's quite a thick cream, and messy. I have not used it, but when I was plagued by itch (turned out to be caused by diltiazem cream), I was recommended it, and it gets good reviews on Amazon, so you could try it.

If you are using creams, and if you were using any before the itch started, try giving them all up for a few days and see if the itch clears up. You may be allergic to something you are using. Itches are strange - they do not follow rules. Try changing your washing detergent, your shower soap, your shampoo.

Try anti-histamine. If it works, you will have a strong indication that the itch is an allergic reaction.

I'm worried that your scratching and squirming could tear you, and you need to get to the bottom (hah!) of your itch.
Nifedipine/lidocaine, no help
Diltiazem, effective, but caused major rash
Nitroglycerine, effective.
Topical estrogen for final healing.
Gentle heat to bottom - pain relief, muscle relaxant
Kondremul mineral oil
Time - lots of time.
Status - Healed!
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Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Deleted User 3356 » 07 Jan 2014, 15:02

I dont like the sound of tearing myself!!

Yeah the doctor said stop with the hydrochortizone (sp!?) as I may be allergic. He also said don't use some toddler wipes that i bought in place of toilet paper for the same reason.

I have only today realised I dont drink enough water.. nowhere near enough so I've done nothing but drink and pee today so that should hopefully help. I'll give loads of water and using just the anusol a go for a few days and see what happens.

The thing is I dont know how long it SHOULD take to see results so I'm never sure whether to abandon one line of trying things out in favour of another, if you know what I mean.
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Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Scientist2516 » 07 Jan 2014, 16:09

If it's an allergy, that's best case scenario, because once you've tracked down the cause you can stop using it!
It should only take a couple of days for the itch to go away - at least, that's what happened to me. I stopped using diltiazem, and the itch died away within 2-3 days.

If it's not an allergy.............I dunno! But you have made a good start with drinking more water, so do what it takes to soften those stools and see if that helps.

Good luck!
Nifedipine/lidocaine, no help
Diltiazem, effective, but caused major rash
Nitroglycerine, effective.
Topical estrogen for final healing.
Gentle heat to bottom - pain relief, muscle relaxant
Kondremul mineral oil
Time - lots of time.
Status - Healed!
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Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Nathang » 08 Jan 2014, 00:40

I suffered with the pain and itch of a fissure misdiagnosed as hemmorrhoids.
Fortunately or unfortunately? I had a bad analysis abscess surgically drained 6 months ago and while the surgeon was doing his work he found that I had a fissure. He prescribed diltiazem 5% which healed things quicker then I ever imagined possible. No more itch. No more pain. Although the diltiazem did leave the skin raw which the surgeon suggested hydrocortisone cream - anti itch formula - did the trick.

No more itching at night. Thank god.
Also the surgeon theorized the abscess was caused by the fissure. The abscess turned into a fistula. You don't wanna go down this road. Get it treated.

Good luck.
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Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Deleted User 3356 » 08 Jan 2014, 06:46

thanks guys, really kind of you to advise me. The issue I have with prescription medicines is that every time I say to my doctor "I read online that..." he just tells me not to read online!! (As I'm sure many doctors do..)

It's marginally better even after a couple of days of anusol and wearing no underwear plus drinking water, although I've not had a bowel movement yet. I'll keep going with this and see what happens, if not I might go to try to force the diltiazem idea on my doctor..
Deleted User 3356
 

Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Ever the Optimist » 12 Jan 2014, 04:26

Hi tiki,
I hope you resolve the itch soon! I can imagine that being pretty unbearable to live with too. Generally the creams tend to be the largest culprits and you should gain a better idea by experimentation. Hydrocortisone creams thin the anal skin so long term use is never recommended with them. Diltiazem is notorious for producing the itch! It's seeing what works for you. It might be worth writing down the foods in your diet to see if there is an unsuspecting culprit in there that isn't helping! Things like spices or anything acidic cause discomfort too. It could be that trialing different things coupled with other measures, have led you to develop a case of pruritus ani or "itchy bottom syndrome". The fissure alone can produce itching sensations but it could be worth mentioning to your crs too. Overwiping or using fragrant soaps will not help. A warm spray with a shower head to the area can help in the cleaning routine as well as ensuring you wear cotton underwear - any measures that will stop the area from becoming too hot or sweaty and aggravating things.
Chronic Fissure diagnosed December 2011
Healed by Diltiazem around Feb 2013
Anal Fistula followed burst abscess in June 2012
2 internal troublesome piles remain & suspected, but undiagnosed, ongoing Levator Ani type symptoms & flare-ups
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Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby fantastic988 » 15 Jan 2014, 04:59

hi. its all down to the food you DONT eat.......
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Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby nick7 » 15 Jan 2014, 08:03

my bowel surgeon in London recommends Preparation-226613-H-Ointment and is defiantly without doubt worth a try

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Preparation-226 ... paration+H
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Re: Looking for suggestions for the ITCH!

Postby Deleted User 3356 » 16 Jan 2014, 07:27

fantastic988 wrote:hi. its all down to the food you DONT eat.......


I'm happy to take some suggestions and then go armed with them to tesco as it doesnt seem to have improved over the last week of taking antihistamine and anusol..
Deleted User 3356
 


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