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

I haven't told or asked many about this. My parents are no longer alive so i don't know if it is hereditary or not although my daughter said that it has happened to her after having a BM at different times. This is different though because it wakes me up and I don't think it is the same with her. I don't really say anything or make a big deal about it, even to my husband because i don't think they would understand and would assume I am just up to my hypochondriac ways again.

I just want to mention that it does seem to happen when i eat popcorn or nuts any time before bed. A connection? Maybe, but i am still not sure.

I am a 48 year old male, fit & active. I don't eat junk food, processed foods or the like. I have been dealing with the same or similar pain in my rectum since I was about 25 or so. For years I was suffering with it thinking it was hemorrhoids! but I am now convinced for the past few years it is PF, although it has not been officially diagnosed but my symptoms are very similar to PF symptoms mentioned here and on other sites. I typically have several episodes a year, not enough to get concerned about to go to a doctor but it is very annoying when it does happen & lack of sleep is ruins several days for me.

I have noticed the attacks can be triggered by several things; sex, bowel movements or at night for no apparent reason. Typically the attacks are the 3rd kind & occur at night after 2-3 hours of sleep and wakes me up. I had an attack last night which woke me at 4am and I had to get up and took 2 Advil which did not relieve it. I finally felt 'better' by 6am but not entirely 100% and tried to go back to bed. But the attacks leave my abdomen (lower) sensitive and unsettled enough so that is prevents me from doing anything and I just want to curl up in a ball and do nothing but rest. I feel my insides are still cramping across my abdomen and may still for several days. I find the attacks occur for me in bunches, like every night for 3 days but then not again for months. I have also noticed that on some occasions the attacks occur, my intestines are very gurgly like something has agitated them. I believe that the attacks can be brought on by gas build up, maybe causing internal pressure. That is why I think passing gas sometimes works.

I have found relief in a couple of cases but nothing 100%;
- If I go to the toilet and try to either BM or pass wind I find the symptoms go away almost immediately (trouble is I don't always have anything to pass!). I know this can sometimes make the pain even more intense but if it works then it is worth it to try.
- If I bring my knees up to my chest and hold them there for several minutes sometimes the pain is relieved
- I have found that St. Johns Wort works very well for me when I am stressed out. I wouldn't take it too often but 1 or 2 tablets at night before bed and I wake up very nicely relaxed. This might aid in low occurrences but can't be sure. I will try this tonight to make sure I don't have a relapse!

My wife is on a Gluten free diet due to thyroid issues and other sensitivities and I have been trying to follow the same regimen but I am not so stringent about it but I do try to limit the wheat products. I am not sure if it related or not but I did have a hamburger last night for dinner so maybe the bun or meat agitated my intestines which then led to the PF attack?? I am not sure but it may be something to think about!

Sorry about the long post but just thought it might add to the discussion and maybe help someone else. Maybe someone should compile a list of all the symptoms and 'reliefs'?

Hi, I just googled my symptoms and it brought me here.  Same as all of yours, only this is the first time it hit me during the day!!!  I always thought it was a case of food poisoning, without the Diarrhea.  Well in the past everytime I ate spaghetti I would wake up at about 4 am with these awful cramps.  So when it happened regularly with spaghetti I changed from Prego to Ragu, the last two times I ate Ragu it didn't happen, and the thing is it's so painful and I know you guys agree, but trying to find the source is almost comical.  But today I didn't have spaghetti, but I had been chewing a peice of gum and I saw a couple people that had the symptoms happen after chewing gum.  I had just walked out to take the trash out and I"m on crutches so I might of been stressed out to.   Also in the past whenever I ate meat at dinner, I would wake at 4am with these cramps.  So I pretty much stopped eating meat and became a vegatarian.  Nothing happened for a long time until today, and it hit suddenly and horribly.  I almost passed out.  I didn't relapse and eat meat,  all I ate was yogurt and graham crackers.  But graham crackers do have wheat.

  I feel a little better because after this repeatedly happened to me I was thinking I had some kind of cancer up there.  How can I be a vegatarian and not eat wheat.  lol   Although I eat alot of Cream of Wheat and nothing.  Ahh it's driving me crazy.

  Well I just had a thought that maybe having a colonic would help, I know alot of people do those regularly.  I don't know just a thought.  Well after my pain hit about an hour ago, I went and laid on my left side for a few minutes then walked back out to the couch and then slowly it eased up and it's gone for now. :) Didn't last more then half an hour. Weird.

  I also haven't been eating that great lately, maybe a poor diet has something to do with it.   Well as for me I'm going to the doctor on Friday for other issues so I will definately bring this up.  And get back to you guys with hopefully some insight.  Good Luck guys....

Hi folks.
I'm a 51 year old male and like many who have suffered from this horrible condition, my first experience of it (when I was about 17) saw me in excruciating pain followed by shock, confusion and embarrassment. Because I suffer from it, I understand how anxious other guys are to get some kind of effective treatment for this rotten embarrassing condition that plagues us otherwise totally normal people.
A university educated professional, my health generally in every other way is excellent. In fact, I have logged up well over a year's sick leave because of my excellent health. My bowel movements are so regular that you could set your clock by me. No joke. I don't have a heart condition, I don't have high blood pressure, I don't have low blood pressure... yada, yada, yada. Yeah... yay, for me.
But I get PF.
For any younger (or any!) men out there who have the misfortune to have PF, let me assure you of a number of things and suggest a few treatments that have worked for me.
Firstly, let's get one thing settled from the get-go.
If you are a man, suffering from PF does NOT mean that you are homosexual or "meant to be" a homosexual. If a guy is gay and has PF, his suffering from PF has NOTHING to do with him being gay. I am as as straight as it is possible for any guy to ever be straight but I get PF. I have no interest in men sexually. I never have. I've never even had a homoerotic dream. Nix. Nada. Nothing. I currently have, and never have had, ANY desire whatsoever to push anything into my anus. Alright... have we settled that stupid, unhelpful argument? Good.
Next, how bad are the symptoms when you get it? Everything from mildly irritating to excruciatingly painful...? Yep. Had 'em all. I've even had it so bad that I've passed out from pain. Yes, it can be that bad.
When do I get PF? Usually in the small hours of the night; mostly around 3 - 5 in the morning.
How long does it last? about 20 minutes. The shortest has been only 5 minutes... the worst, 45. It was hell. Honestly, I thought I was going to die. And yet, once it had gone I was fine. Bizarre.
So. What works to get rid of it? I've found three treatments that work for me - but I'm telling you right now, you'd better be pretty mature about it. For whatever reason, the pain of PF gets us right where anyone would ever want it to be.
TREATMENTS
1. Sit on the toilet and gently rock yourself in an anti-clockwise rotation. Okay, it sounds nuts but trust me: it works. With any luck you will have one huge flatulent and believe-you-me nothing ever feels so good as when you've done that and the pain GOES AWAY! DON'T try to squeeze out a stool. NO, you do NOT need to defecate! The sphincter muscles have been 'deceived' (so to speak) by whatever causes PF and you don't need to push like a maniac. Resist the temptation. You will only make it worse.
2. Okay. We're adults here, right? Try to get over the "gross, man!" response and consider the treatment for its own merits. This works. Lie on your side on the bed. Put your hand 'back there' and Use your middle digit. Place it ALONG entrance to the anus and press. Do NOT push it in! You don't need to. This is not some quasi-gay-weird-sex thing. It's a treatment. Hold the digit there for a few minutes and press tightly. Ease off and repeat. Continue. Yes... it's as weird as all hell a thing to do - but it works!
3. If you're sleeping alone, this one works, too. Don't try it if you've got company - she'll think you're the worst sicko in the world. Lie on your stomach. Put both your hands under your forehead. Clench the gluteus maximi for 1 second. Repeat and... yep. You got it... just like you're.... Look, I know it sounds weird and shocking and 'dirty' - but if it makes the pain go away...? You ask anyone who's had PF. You'll try anything to get rid of the pain!
4. Get a hot-water bottle. Have it barely one third full. 'Roll' it longways into a column and sit on top of it with the stopper facing back. Yep. You're going to feel like a total fool, but sometimes this is the only thing that works.
5. If you're one of those unfortunate guys who gets an erection as part of this living Hell, don't stress. It's Nature's way of giving you a chance to ease the suffering with a rush of endorphines/seratonin to the brain. Be gentle on yourself - don't go crazy. I'd recommend a hot shower while you're easing the agony.

Good luck. This horrible ailment is like something the Devil himself invented to humiliate and degrade otherwise sane, decent men. Don't let it get you down. One day someone WILL find a cure for this.

I have ALSO found that SALT is the answer.  See my posts on 18 and 25 May 2012. 

I've had one attack since I increased my salt intake and that was a day when I did not get enough salt.  I drank some Gatorade and the pain went away within minutes.

had another bout last night. not quite extreme as the last one but still lingered for an hour
it's funny the pain is as bad and unexpected as such, the 100th time as it was the first time

i'll maybe try this salt thing mentioned, thanks