new here looking for help

hello everyone, im new here and im so surprised to find a place i can come for help with my crohns, as i never new there was such a place. i have had crohns for 19yrs and when i was first diagnosed it was really bad for another 1oyears.it all seemed to calm down a great deal back then but im now once more suffering. it came back so badly and out of the blue 3 years ago, i have only resently went and told my gp about it as i cant help myself anymore so im waiting to see a specialist. i wanted to ask if anyone can help me. when have a bowel movement its so painful in my anus that it makes me cry. it feels like iv git ulcers in there or another way i can describe it is - its like passing broken glass.the pain lasts for about 2hrs after iv been to toilet,im really at my wits end. i stopped eating about a week ago now to try and stop my bowels moving,but theyv moved a few times since and today was the last time.i just cant take the pain in there and im also worried of what can be causing this. im also passing blood and i did tell my gp about passing blood and he took a blood test. i get the results next week.i got checked for hemmeroids (sorry for spelling) but i didnt have any.iv not told my gp about the pain inside of my anus as i have to admit i find this all very hard to talk about,even writing this is so hard for me.sorry! can anyone offer any cream or anything that i can try.do any of you know what could be causing this. its been so long since i saw a specialist i cant remember much. thanks very much for listening and im sorry for the long post. id be greatful for any help at all. wishing you all pain free days/nights
shanal

i also have arthritis,fibro and a few other little monsters that cause me pain.

Have you been on any mainenance medications? Remicade, humira, asacol, pentasa, mercaptapurine, imuran, ect....? You really need to see a doc There is a really good chance that you have internal hemmroids which are different from the ones that they would have looked for on the outside. If you have not been on any meds to suppress the disease, it has still been doing damage even when you were feeling good. Many of us, including myself, have fallen into the trap that we don't need meds because we are feeling so good now and then either end up hospitalized or in surgery. What color of blood are you passing? If you see any that is dark and looks like coffee grounds, you need to go the E.R. If it bright red and not a lot, there is a good chance that it is either disease in the colon or internal hemmroids. As for pain, there are some creams that you can get over the counter at the local pharmacy to help with the burning. You really should tell your G.P. or go to an instacare type clinic to get some suppositories with numbing medication and steroids. Those suppositories work wonders for me when I am having any recal pain or burning. Warm baths, as previously mentioned, are incredible for the pain and sitz baths are very good for you.Good luck and welcome to the family.

It sounds like you have really severe internal inflammation, internal ulcerations that are causing all that pain and maybe some fissures surrounding the anal opening. I doubt it's internal hemorrhoids; those are usually painless and not noticeable unless they prolapse (get pushed to the outside) and wouldn't cause this type of pain. I'd call the doctor; really, it will be worth it in the long run to get it treated and be out of this terrible pain.

Post Edited By Moderator (Nanners) : 9/19/2010 10:07:22 AM (GMT-6)

hi everyone, thanks very much for all your advice. iv been trying for 3yrs to deal with this on my own. when i told my gp it was back i did tell him about the stomach and lower abdominal pain, i also told him about the bleeding.so i got an internal examination and he said i didnt have hemaroids , but he did send a refferal for me to see the gastro specialist , so its just a matter of waiting on the app coming thro now.i dont have diorreh anymore thankfully as i had loads of accidents,but i do have very soft stools and when i eat and had to be near the toilet as id need to go within 10 or 15mnt of eating.the blood is red and although its not pouring out its like a slow dripping tap ( sorry for the graphics) how would i know if its a fissure? and do you think what i have is dangerouse !! i no it will get easier to talk to doctor the more i go it but im finding it so hard,although i cant take this pain much more so id rather speak to doc than put up with it.thanks for all your encouragement its so helpful to me. im so surprised to find out the disease can still cause damage without symptoms,infact thats quite scarry isnt it ! iv not been on any meds for about 5yrs now so im anxious to see the dr now. i will call him tomorrow and ill let him know whats been happening,altho to be honest i doubt he will give me anything as he didnt even give me advice on what could be causing the bleeding.ill let you all no how i get on and thanks for listening.
i wish you all some pain free days/nights.
shana

hi all, i wanted to let you know i did call my gp and iv got an app for thursday.
thanks for all the support and help. i will let you all know how i get on,
shana

Sounds like you might have a stricture possibly. A stricture is a narrowed area in your intestines. Whenever I have them, I always had more nausea than normal. I really hope that you will stay on your maintenance meds this time so you don't have a repeat. Good luck!

Where in the world are you and what kind of insurance do you have? If you are in a lot of pain and having all these symptoms you should be able to get a quicker referral to the specialist.

hi fun guy, i live in the uk, so i have to depend on the n.h.s. for treatment. i dont have any private insurance and i wish so much i did. most refferals take a long time some can take 8 months or more.right now there are so many cuts being made by our wonderful goverment im sure theyr depending on some people dying befor they can get treatment.sorry im just so angry, icant get much sleep due to pain and taking sever cramps in my legs and foot so im more grumpy than usual. i also feel so let down by my dr as i know he could try to hurry the app if he wanted. i feel the victim of him getting out of bed on the wrong side. ill maybe go back and try again as i really cant go on. as soon as i ate i regretted it right away as im back to having very loose stools.i told him i had to buy tablets from the chemist to stop diorrhea and he said thats what i should continue to do.im getting angry the more i think about him,hes sitting at home fine while im the one suffering and he doesnt care !!! sorry for the vent,
thanks so much to you all, and thanks for listening.
shana

In the USA, we often have to wait months to see a top GI specialist, especially if it is for the first time. We can try to shorten the time by insisting its an emergency, but often are told, "Well, then go to the hospital."  

Being in pain, losing blood, and not being able to eat is not good...scream and yell if you have to, to get an appointment within a few days with a specialist, or, failing that, go directly to ER in the hospital.

You sound like you are in full flare, and it has been going on for some time, so you really need treatment right away. You are right, you can't go on like this. You are probably not only anemic, but also suffering with the effects of malnutrition and dehydration. The leg cramps, for instance, can indicate a mineral deficiency due to the diarrhea.

You most likely need meds, you need nutrients, maybe even an iron infusion, and these things are easily fixable. 

vixen-i am very frustrated with my gp.your son is lucky to have a great consultant!, my gp surgery has just been taken over as the gp i had retired. he was great and anytime i had problems with my crohns i could phone him and if needed he would call the hospital and get me seen right away.the new dr does things his own way and its made my life very difficult. when i refered to waiting list of 8 month, i didnt mean for gastro i ment some other consultant. like rhumatologist, i waited 8 months to see, i have been told 3-6 months for the gastro dr. i feel let down by the nhs,the changes just make life more difficult for the sickest people. thats my oppinion . i was diagnosed at my local hospital and if i were to call myself would they talk to me? im not even sure what i should say !

njmom, im honestly too weak to kick and scream for an app.im so scared of drs and of going into hospital, otherwise id go to emegency dept, but im scared incase they want to admit me. thats why up until now iv tried to deal with my symptoms by myself.

nicecupoftea- sounds like your gp doesnt pay enough attention either but at least he does help you. i have been thinking of changing gp, im scared i get someone worse than i already have! i do no that its the people who shout the loudest that get the attention but im feeling so weak just now i cant go and argue with my gp to try and get me seen sooner. if any of you could tell me how i go about contacting the hospital direct to the gasto specialist ill try that. i feel very weak and so very tired just now, i just wanted my gp to help.
thanks to you all for the advice,i feel very touched that so many of you took the time to help me.ill let you all know how i get on, i might give the gp another visit and beg him to phone the hospital for me.
i wish you all the best of health,
shana