Hi TDR and Hodaya! Thank you so much for replying to my post. It means so much to find that I am not alone! It may not be making my physical symptoms feel any better, but it sure has made me feel better emotionally and mentally!!!! Like you must know it is hard enough dealing with the physical pain but it is so hard emotionally! You often feel so alone in this - The doctors do not seem able to help; most people don't understand (except your very close family and friends who watch you suffer daily); while others are out having fun at an event, that you were to attend, you are home alone stuck in pain on the toilet! The most fustrating thing I have found, besides the obvious, is that many people don't know how difficult our lives are. I remember a friend, who I don't see often, say "Eat an apple, I always find that helps!" Oh if only!!!!!! Up until now I was the only person I knew going through this. The closest thing I found to what I have been dealing with is people with IBS. But the difference is they can evacuate the stool on there own. I told one friend I know with IBS, "now imagine a cork shoved up your butt when you are having an IBS attack!" The difference too between IBS and Anismus is that diet does not seem to make a difference. I'd gladly give up certain food if it would mean I could poop on my own! As it is I hardly eat because fasting is the only thing that seems to provide me any relief (nothing in so nothing to have to come out)! Until I found you guys I was beginning to think I was crazy! I was doing something wrong and was some how creating my problems! So thank you once agian for posting your stories!!!
Now that I have done some venting - by the way sorry about that but this has been the first real oppotunity I have had to do so (it has been pent up for a very long time) - I will answer some of your questions:
No TDR noone has said anything about inertia. Not exactly sure what that is. I'll have to look that up. I have never had a transit test, only a manometry. My gyno, here in Canada, was the first dr. to suggest that I may have nerve damage. Doctors here some what skated around that subject. I think it was because they did not want to get involved in a possible lawsuit against the surgeon. When I went to the Mayo, the therapist at the Evacutaion Disorder Clinic did talk about this being a possibility (a reason for the balloon therapy/biofeedback not totally helping). When I talked to the doctor at the Mayo he said he could not be sure that that was an issue. There are no ways of specifically testing for that - no way to determine for sure between anismus and nerve damage. For me, my gut tells me that is what it is for the most part. It is right after the surgery for the hemmerhoid. The doctor at the Mayo did say that the surgeries for the fissures/fistula did not help. There is a lot of scar tissue that he believes is complicating things.
Yes I always have to manually disimpact. Each time I do try to push the stool out but i end up needing to assist. The weird thing is the stool is right there (almost poking out) but it won't move. Even with the extreme feeling (sometimes pain) on lower left side that I need to go - the urge to have a movement. Especially if I have diarrhea the pain is excruciating (Like I've said, it is like the flu with a cork shoved up you butt!) Sometimes, maybe once a month or less, some stool comes out on its own!? I am not sure why! I wish I did so that I could make it happen again! Well I think I have a theory. It has to do with what I experienced in balloon therapy. The therapists thinks that I may be on to something (especially if there is some nerve damaged). I'll explain that in another post, this one is getting long already.
I do not use laxitives. I've never had to. My stools are soft or loose. I seldom get diarrhea anymore now that they put me on amytriptaline. That has always been the strange thing about all of this. When I have told doctors/people that I can't have a BM they think constipated meaning hard stools! The stool is soft, I can't push it out. It is like I'm paralyzed down there!
I will sometimes use a water enema when I absolutely need to go out. I like to make sure that the colon is completely empty. I avoid eating until I return home. This is in hopes of preventing an "attack" while I am away (from my washroom). I do not do this very often only if I really need/want to be somewhere for a few hours.