"PROCTALGIA FUGAX"...Sudden,Sharp Rectal pains? PART II

Hello, folks! This is not how I wanted to spend 3:30 a.m.

You can guess what I'm suffering from. I wanted to chime in and concur with some of the theories and observations presented here.

First some basics: I am 33 yrs old, male, in more or less good health. I have been suffering from PF for probably six months. I expect in the past six months I have gotten it five or six times. I have not gotten an official diagnosis.

Some of what I will type here is bound to sound strange to some. But I'll include it for what it's worth.

My attacks are always at night, 1-3 hours after going to sleep. They are not the bad, debilitating kind that some have on here. But they are bad enough that I have to get out of bed, try a BM -- and even the once or twice I have managed one, it doesn't automatically fix it.

There *is* a correlation between PF and sex. Tonight I had sex -- but it was probably eight hours or more before bedtime. And as a matter of fact, at some point in the past six months, the following happened: during an orgasm, the contractions were so strong they seemed to reach into my anus, clenching it so tightly that it hurt. It had never happened before and wasn't pleasant. I correlate that event -- which happened once powerfully and once or twice more to a lesser extent -- with whatever is going on with it/me now.

Also, I think there is a *dehydration* angle. Again, in the past six months, something happened that was unprecedented in my own case. I had a very difficult BM with pain almost indistinguishable from the PF, with the pain occurring in just the same place. But the problem, the likely cause seemed to be: one end of the stool was dried out. At the time I connected this with getting drunk the night before. And again, I am experiencing this tonight and I was drunk last night.

I had some Metamucil tonight -- no fun at 3 am. I have suspicions that diet is involved as well. Again, in my case this has only been happening in the past six months. During this time I have been living in rural Italy with a pasta-only diet that I'm not used to. The only fiber I get is a small amount of pulp in orange juice in the morning, and very rare vegetables at lunchtime. I have wondered whether pasta every night now for almost a year has contributed.

Also, in the past almost-a-year, I have been sitting on my rear end here in this computer chair for ten hours a day or more (for a variety of reasons). The seat is not a good one, and I sit directly on a cheap padded cushion which, truth be told, means my weight is pretty squarely pressed against the perineum area all day and night long.

I feel for the folks who've got it worse than I've got! This is bad enough: I was dead tired tonight after a drunk night last night. Now I have to sit up at 3 am in the cold and type my own little tale here, pleading like Hamlet's father.

I wish you all well!

What is so mysterious about this, for me is that it doesn't seem to have any real rhyme or reason to it. Since most of us obviously have IBS here it may have something to do with our sensitivity in that area. Anything can set it off, orgasm, certain food, and probably when we are having a bad IBS day it can react. It may go away for a while but suddenly show up and always in the middle of the night! Why is that? Apparently our bowels like to be annoying even then...AS of late mine have become milder for some reason but still it is enough to wake me up in the middle of the night.

I don't mean to sound gross here but I have tried everything and the only thing that has worked and lessened the duration is actually squeezing the sphincter muscle in and out repeatedly and quickly as if you are trying to hold in a bowel movement. It isn't perfect but it seems to help better than walking around or trying to have a bowel movement which never seems to happen even though it feels like I do.

I had to get rid of hand gun. Wake up always at 2 to 4 am. I have had some serious pain in my 55 years of life. But, was not pre paired for this. I was embarrassed to tell anyone (how could a pain in the bum) be so bad...? I tried everything. Then divine providence led me to this site. Was not aware so many people had similar versions of this. I'm still looking for a permanent way of "getting to the bottom" no pun intended of how to fix this problem...so it may help someone else I want to post my situation. At the first sign (usually waking up knowing what's to come" shear torturous un-imaginable slow growing pain I took my wife's abutamol inhaler and puffed it three time's...it almost instantly cut the pain down by about seventy percent... and kept at that level for the duration usually about 15 to twenty min's or so. Until the "event" was over.. I take one klonapin a night for bad nerves (helps me sleep. And I sometimes need "belladonna" for IBS I will be talking to my doctor about a permanent solution who can live like this...? I can go for a couple of months with no "events" or have them once or twice or three times a month...This pain is so severe for me that when I know it's coming on just the idea of what's to come is terrifying... I hope someday there is a "permanent fix" for this. All the very best...!

Interesting Larry. I'm 43 and I have suffered from this occasionally for a few years, and it was a few years ago I also had my one and only colonoscopy. I don't think any biopsy was taken, but similar timing. On the occasions I've had this, it's always been in the middle of the night, and have been woken up from the intense pain. I know this sounds out-there, but each and every time I've had an extreme erection also, which I believe in not unusual. The first time I had an attack I had no idea what to do, but because of the erection I did what guys sometimes do to pass the time... :) And believe it or not, the pain stopped within a few minutes. I guess if this is related to a cramp in the levator-ani muscle, then I guess it makes sense that the muscle release one gets from said activity could relax all the muscles in that area. I guess I've had an attack maybe 10 times in the last couple of years, and each time I've had it I've quickly pulled my first relief method out..and it's worked each and every time. I have never come across any other mention of this 'cure' (lol!) anywhere else, but maybe worth a try as it seems to work for me.

I've been trying to think of an analogous description of the pain. I came up with:

waking up to what feels like someone just hammered a huge nail into my tailbone (and I mean, the tip end of the bone). Then. at the same time, my anal muscles spasmed in the open "bearing down" (not closed tight) position, as though it's waiting for you to push something out. But there's nothing there. Between the lodged nail and the spasmed open anal tissue, some neurological pathway gets activated and I am sent into a dizzy spell until I pass out. (I really don't think it's anxiety .)

Things I know that is not causing the pain for me (I think it could vary by individual. (of note, I am female):
Irregularity of BMs -- I am on super high fiber diet
Colonoscopy - - I have had one before, but it was many months before I ever had this. I had no biopsy.
Hx of IBS - I haven't had any symptoms of this.
Sexual activity - Never happened anytime around this.

Things I suspect, but not sure:
Totally random occurrence with no specific controllable factors.
Stress - But I would expect it to occur more often.
Dehydration - I often don't drink enough water.
Electrolyte imbalance - I am on diuretics.
Poor sleep position/surface -
Personality type - meticulous, high strung - they could be right about this one.

I have only had 2 occurences over a 9 month period. I hope to never have it again. But if I do, I have tennis balls ready (haven't tried it, yet). They are in the freezer in prep for that dreaded day. (I hope they don't explode).

Post Edited (Vs Time) : 2/17/2012 5:17:43 AM (GMT-7)

I have suffered with this for oover twenty years and find that if i am dehydrated i am more likely to get an attack so do try to drink loads water especially pre menstral due date when more likely to get dehydrated or constipated for some reason if i do get attack i stay in bed as safer and the more i tell myself it will soon pass and embrace the pain it seams to go away quicker i hope this may help someone else suffering

I have been experiencing the symptoms most of you have been talking about, for years. The past year the pains have become more frequent; once a month, in the middle of the night, like the rest of you. I wake up crying, it hurts so bad. The only thing that seems to relieve the pain, is 2,000 mg of Ibuprofen, and that takes a good 1/2 hour to kick in. I went to several doctors and recently had a colonoscopy, but nothing was found. No one seemed to know why I was having these pains. I am glad I researched this myself and found out what it could possibly be. Thanks to all of you for sharing. Anybody take anything else to relieve the pain??

Thanks for the info. The reason I take so much is because 1,000 mg. just doesn't do it! I know it isn't good for you, but I guess when you are in that much pain, you don't think about it at the time! Next time I will try laying on my back with my feet up. Thanks!

Sorry you are going through this. The pain is horrible, I know. I think everybody's body is different, as far as what might bring this on. I drink plenty of water and don't eat much of what disturbs you; so I think everybody is different, although the pain is still the same! I was surprised when I researched this how many people were experiencing the same pain. I got more from this thread than any doctor I went to! Good Luck!

Thanks for the tip, Haley3, I will try this!

thanks for the info. I can't naproxen, but will try the ice pack! I will try just about anything!!