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Posted 11/12/2012 4:14 PM (GMT 0)
Well it snowed here...MUCH BRIGHTER! even though there's no sun. I'll take it!!!!!!!

Definitely try the sitz baths and maybe they'll give you a bit of relief and the supps. Hope it helps.

OH wow, sucks your gyne's retiring...how sad it's because of cancer. Definitely worth trying to get in (plead your case) with another.

I've never been on the bowel disorders forum...but makes sense to go there to get other perspectives and experience.

Hope you have a feeling better day.
q
Posted Today 8:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hi quincy! Hope all is well with you! It's been a while and I've seen some new doctors, but no progress yet.

Earlier this week I tried a new gynecologist in my old gyn's practice, and today I saw a new colorectal surgeon. The new gyn was a disaster. I told her about my leakage and fissure because I was hoping she'd have some insight on that, but she really didn't. I did learn that my old gyn spotted the fissure when I last saw her a couple of years ago, so this isn't a new thing.

The new gyn did a sonogram and found some small polyps, and she wants me to have them removed immediately. She was really hard-selling me on it, which I didn't appreciate. She made it sound like I'd get cancer tomorrow if I left them there. I told her that the leakage is my first health priority and she didn't seem to care what a big quality of life problem it is for me. Needless to say I'm now looking for a new gyn. :)

I saw my GI a couple of weeks ago, and he said that the hemmies could be causing my problem, and he offered to band them. I told him I'd get back to him. He also gave me nitroglycerine ointment for the fissure, but I haven't tried it yet because a possible side effect is headaches.

Today I saw a new colorectal surgeon. I went to see him because his website says he offers laser surgery, but I got in there and he told me he thought laser was oversold and not particularly a better option. He said he'd rather do banding, but then he scoped me and said my internal hemmies don't even look that bad. He wants to keep treating the fissure. He said to give it a couple of months. I haven't really been consistent with treating it because the diltiazem makes me bleed, but the new doc gave me a third ointment to try.

I was really hoping to just be able to schedule some hemmie surgery for after the holidays and be done with everything, but it looks like that's not going to happen. I'm kind of sick of seeing surgeons. I guess I'll just follow up with my GI in a couple of weeks and take it from there.
Posted 11/30/2012 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
Hi...I'm flaring, albeit extremely mildly. Back on nightly enemas and only having slight urgency/rectal spasming during bms and gut discomfort. I'm also quite tired...but tis the season. I'll taper after two weeks anyway to every second night and stay there till after Christmas.

It's snowed here...a lot in the way that it's almost once a day. Rare to have sunny days and I'm sick of it. Back to using the Philips goLITE...it's helpful.
starting to get busier with clien commitments and to sum it up..I hate Christmas anyway. So it'll be a tough month based on things I have to do.

Regarding your gyne appointment...where exactly are the polyps that she saw on a sonogram? was that an ultrasound? Is it possible to have them biopsied?

I totally agree that the fissure needs to be addressed. I partially think that's why I'm flaring now...yep...always in a hurry to put cream on my butt.

I've never heard of nitroglycerine ointment for fissures...but maybe try it and if you get headaches, stop it. At least it's an option you have.
What was the new ointment the cr doc gave you? Does that mean you have stopped using the diltiazem?

Why is it you don't want to do the banding? I don't know anything about it except for some it works..others it doesn't.
What about using a saline solution injection?

Thanks for the updates....always appreciated.
Seems things will be ongoing for a while...it's like having one foot nailed to a floor and going around in circles...

q
Posted 12/3/2012 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
So sorry to hear that you're flaring! Glad it's only mild. Those spasms are the worst, and I know they can make you even more tired.

I was recently having an IC flare and general abdominal inflammation & gas, but I cured it with marshmallow root tea and fennel seeds. They're candy-coated fennel seeds that Indian (South Asian) people eat after a meal to aid digestion. They're great for breaking up stubborn gas.

Sorry to hear you're still not getting any sun. This really is a rough time of year. I love Christmas, but I hate all the obligations and the family stress, etc. The stress always makes me sick in some way.

The polyps were in my uterus. They found them on a sonogram. I think they're going to have to be removed and biopsied.

Apparently nitroglycerine is an old treatment for fissures. I didn't get around to trying it this weekend. My fissure is feeling a lot better now, but the leakage just does not stop. I'm not sure what the new ointment is (I pick it up tomorrow) but it's in the same family as diltiazem, so it might make me bleed as well, but the new surgeon thought it was worth a shot.

I had read that banding caused some people a lot of pain, but maybe I need to revisit that research. I'll look into the saline injection, thanks. I actually have a couple of books about hemmies that I should probably re-read. :)

I'm starting to think I should look for a naturopath or something since the Western-style MDs don't seem to have anything to offer me. Whenever I tell them that vinegar is the only thing that's actually worked (because I keep hoping that will be a clue for them to figure it out) they look at me like I'm nuts. :)
Posted 12/3/2012 6:36 AM (GMT 0)
Hi...well, it's now rained instead of snowed..lol. Dreary, foggy and dirty and depressing. ugh..like having sensory deprivation.

Supposed to get some sun by Tuesday once the temps drop a bit, only to have more snow on Thursday and Saturday. Friday I have to drive out of town for a client..supposed to be beautifully sunny and colder. woohoo! but since they change the forecast at least 10 times a day, it's a guess as to what it'll really be.
But hoping!

Good to hear your IC flare has been dealt with...how can you tell exactly what's UC related and IC related when the symptoms can sometimes be the same?
do you also get the urge to have more bms from the bladder spasming?

Regarding the uterine polyps, I know I'd push for them to be removed or biopsied. Do you get yearly paps? and have they been clear?

Hope the new cream helps the fissure to continue healing and doesn't cause you any other grief. Are you in a lot of pain from the fissure?

My dad had saline injections for some and banding for other hemmies eons ago. I don't remember him complaining of more pain, but his frustration of having to deal with them was obvious.
yes, maybe revisiting your books will offer other possibilities.


It's a dicey proposition to have so many things happening in one area, realising how they can have an effect on each other, and trying to treat individually but at the same time...arrrrrgh!!!

It's definitely puzzling to hear that drinking vinegar helps with your leakage, and I can see that the docs would be puzzled by it.
Do you have less gas when you drink the vinegar?

Hope you get more insight via naturopathic info/treatments.

Wishing you a feeling better week.

q
Posted 12/5/2012 4:32 AM (GMT 0)
Oh man...sorry to hear you're still having bad weather. Hope you get some sun soon as promised!

Yeah, for a while my symptoms were a bit confusing...all made worse by my period. I don't really get the urge to have more BMs from the bladder stuff, but everything just feels really tight and bloated in there. Very annoying. But it's easy to tell the IC stuff because the urge to urinate can be pretty strong and painful.

I usually get yearly paps, but I was a year late this year. Haven't heard from my doc yet and it's been a week, so I'll take that as good news. :) I'm still not that worried about the polyps, because the last time I had them I had to wait about four months for the surgery. I want to take my time and find a doctor I like, and I won't have time to deal with it until after the holidays anyway.

I'm not in too much pain from the fissure, but I haven't used any of the new creams yet because it just hasn't been convenient for me to try something new yet and I can't deal with any weird side effects at the moment. :)

Yeah, my whole bottom area is a mess. Sometimes I wish I could just cut the whole thing off!

I haven't noticed a reduction in gas when I drink the vinegar. I should try drinking kombucha again to see if that helps, because kombucha has live cultures and it can turn to vinegar if you let it ferment to long.

Hope you're feeling a little better today!
Posted 12/6/2012 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
Well....get ready! we had sun for almost 2 days!!! was glorious..lol.

Back to freezing rain tonight/tomorrow...depressing since it's a day I have off that I wanted to do some running around :-b Sun on Friday, snow Saturday..sheesh. But getting colder, with that I'm hopeful for more sun! I don't care about the cold.



I didn't realise you had uterine polyp surgery in the past. I agree it's good to have a doctor you like...can't you go back to the one you had when they were diagnosed the first time?

Hope that when you try the new fissure med that it doesn't cause you any side effects. I totally get the not wanting to deal with anything else over and above what's already going on.

Yes, I can see the need to urinate often and having the pain/spasming. While I don't have it...when it was suspect that I did have it, I had a few episodes like that. Now my cat has IC...she's in misery and the spasming/bleeding has her howling/growling and her little back feet toes pread out when she has one. We give her a narcotic med torbutrol rubbed into her gums. Works quickly thankfully.

I'm doing much better today actually. The urgency is much less in the morning and I don't have any butt feelings during the day. I'm grateful I have the meds to use. That lesson to self to deal with the external hemmie and fissure...treat it quicker..sigh.

Thanks for the updates....hope you have a longer break of feeling better.
q
Posted 12/7/2012 4:18 AM (GMT 0)
Wow!! Congratulations on getting some sun! Hope you were able to get outside and enjoy it!

I can't go back to the doctor who operated on me before because I had to give him up when he turned out to be a patronizing misogynist. First he talked about me behind my back to my husband, then he flat-out didn't believe me when I told him I thought I had IC. He thought my symptoms were from "stress." IC can be exacerbated by stress, but at that point I was months into a flare and didn't realize it yet. So I found a great urologist who helped me with the IC, and eventually I found a great gyn who specialized in pelvic pain (the one who just retired.)

I'm on day two of trying the new fissure meds. So far, so good. I'm flying next week and I don't feel like packing the stuff because it's an ointment and I'll have too many other liquids with me, and I like to take my meds in my carryon luggage. I should be ok for a week after being on this stuff for a few days.

I'm so sorry to hear that your kitty has IC. Poor baby. Glad to hear you have some pain meds that work for her. My one little cat once had a UTI and we rushed him to the vet when I realized how much pain he must be in.

Glad to hear you're feeling better. So you have an external hemmie? Is your fissure getting worse because of your flare?
Posted 12/7/2012 6:16 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I was out those days. Interestingly, the first day was almost blinding even with my sunglasses on..lol. Must be because of the lower angle of the sun "all of a sudden"..sheesh.
Even today we got sun, quite a change from the predicted snow (the weather is like the proverbial box of chocolates), thankfully.

My kitty's experience with IC has been heartbreaking during her attacks. I forgot to way that we always take her to the vet when they do happen (farther between now), and request she be given Convenia (an antibiotic shot that lasts 2 weeks) regardless. The last vet (not our usual one) said "oh she probably doesn't even have a fever, so I doubt she has an infection"...but she did have a fever! He was surprise, so the Convenia was "easier" for him to give it to her without us fighting for it.

Oh, and what the heck is it with her getting these attacks on a friday night at 11:30 or Saturday night (when we had to take her to an emergency clinic)??? Thankfully, our vet's open on Saturday morning..sigh.

Male cats and UTIs are not a good mix. Males can die if they're from crystals that block the urethra. Good you took him to the vet. Food changes, low ash wet food, lots of water, etc. We're learning way too much from this cat..haha.

I have external hemmie and a fissure. Neither are from a flare, but I suspect that if I ignore either for too long and they're bothering me, they're possibly a lead in to a flare. I have external ointment..no excuse. neither are bad, except I rip open the fissure by wiping. The only problem is that the suppositories aren't as much of a help as the ointment.



Happy to hear you're using the new med and that all is oK so far with no side effects. If you're having good improvement with it, maybe you'll change your miind about taking it with during your time out of town. I so agree that having meds in the carry-on are the best idea.
With meds, do you have to have prescription proof? I'm not a traveller..so pretty d'uh about that stuff.

Now I understand about not seeing the other surgeon/doctor. It's pretty bad when one aspect is good, the rest not so easy to overlook. Worse that a great doc is retiring...I hope you're able to find another soon to get the polyps dealt with.

Were the ones you had in the past uterine as well?

have a good weekend!
q
Posted 12/9/2012 12:56 AM (GMT 0)
Glad to hear you guys got some more sun!

I think IC flares can give you a fever sometimes. I'm glad your ktity got the treatment she needed either way.

I know what you mean about the timing of the attacks. We realized our cat had a UTI at about 8:30 one night and we had to call the vet to make sure they were open and rush him over there. Then it turned out he didn't have a long-enough course of meds for the infection and he flared up again a month later, so he had to go through another round of them.

This is going to be a stupid question, but have you tried PrepH for the hemmie? Or would that irritate the fissure? Just use the ointment if it works better than the suppositories.

I ended up packing the new ointment in a little jar. I'm packing it with my luggage and not labeling it so I won't need the scrip with me. They'll think it's some sort of bath product. I did make sure I brought scrip labels with me for everything, even the VSL3, except my inhaler. No one's ever questioned me about my meds, but I'd rather be prepared.

Yeah, the old doctor kind of turned out to be a big disappointment.
With everything going on over the next few weeks I probably won't get around to researching gyns until almost the new year. Kind of annoying, but I guess it's that time of year. Yep, the polyps I had before were uterine as well.

You have a good weekend as well!
Posted 12/10/2012 7:38 AM (GMT 0)
Hi...yeah, it's a Murphy's Law for cats regarding timing..lol.
Remember the name Convenia for your cat if he ends up with another infection. It's an amazing antibiotic med, and to last for 2 weeks in the body is so much better than having to give by mouth...which would be impossible with our cat.


Good you're taking the new ointment with you and that you're having success with it. What's the name of it?

Since I don't travel, I'm clueless regarding packing for flying....always good to be prepared. Do you have asthma as well?(you mentioned inhaler).

I haven't tried Prep H. I do have Proctocedyl ointment, and it works great when I use it. The optimum word is USE..lol.

I hate the supps because they tend to leak if I have any gas (and don't remember I have it in). But I would only use them during the day and apply proctocedyl or steroid cream when things are bad. Again...I need to use the cream or ointment more often.

All is back to normal UC-wise...I'll continue the enemas for another few nights then go to every second night till Christmas. My schedule is lighter now which makes me happier. The sun's out and even though it's much colder, it's very "fresh"..lol.

Yesterday (sunday) we attended my client's 100th birthday celebration. The food wasn't that good (caterer)..meh, but it was nice to meet family I've heard about.

Thanks for the updates...enjoy the travel (is it for work or personal?)

q
Posted 12/17/2012 5:17 AM (GMT 0)
Hi there! I got back a couple of nights ago. Travel was for work. It was a fun trip but I wish it hadn't been during the holidays. Now I have a ton of stuff to do before going to my inlaws' for Christmas on Saturday!

Yep, I have asthma as well. It's pretty mild, although I had a little episode of constricted breathing last spring and it took a couple of months on a higher-dose inhalers before I was able to step down to my normal dose.

My new ointment is Nifedipine. I am having great success with it, although it isn't doing a thing for the leakage. I am this close to just starting vinegar again in different amounts just to get it to slow down.

My tummy did great on the trip except for one night when I overdid it: manicotti & a glass of wine followed by a slice of cake and a hot chocolate. I lucked out and only ended up with bad gas for three hours instead of diarrhea; the food sat in my stomach like a bowling ball. I have a home remedy for that but I didn't have it with me, so I just toughed it out.

Glad to hear you're feeling better and the sun's out! Your client's 100th birthday celebration sounds like fun. Must have been festive. :)
Posted 12/18/2012 3:56 PM (GMT 0)
Hey..good to hear you had a good work-related trip. Especially so that you didn't have any serious issues while away...can relate to the gas with different food/overindulgence.
What's your home remedy?

Have a great visit/Christmas celebration with your in-laws. Is this a stay-over or a one day thingie?
Are you cooking anything special?

I didn't realise you have asthma as well...upping the steroid is definitely helpful. I had a bad cold that I had to up for almost 2 months...what a pain! But at least it's a good option for further issues. I also use Oxeze to help ease the need for a rescue inhaler. I'm so hoping to get through this season without catching anything.

The 100 year celebration was actually quiet, but I got to meet more relatives that she talks about. I know her granddaughter from interpreting, and it was nice to catch up. My client said she was relieved to get a break after the celebration..lol..lots of visiting with family. Now her commitments will be more Christmas related..lots of stuff goes on in the Home especially since she's Catholic as is the Home.
She'll be thoroughly pooped out by New Years...lol.

The weather SUCKS...been snowing for days. ugh! (not that it's not absolutely beautiful visually, especially the perfectly fluffy stuff that could be blown away with a fast breath) so depressing it's wearing on me like crazy...grrrr. I need some sun at least more than a day or two. Even others who don't have depression are ticked..lol.
I have to go out of town today, hope everyone is good on the highway.

My gut is definitely taking the brunt of the stress this year...I'm staying on the nightly meds until New Years.

Hope you have a good week!
Stay well,
H
Posted 12/18/2012 6:14 PM (GMT 0)
I apologize if I'm butting-in to your (sort of) private conversation. It's in a public forum, and all... I'm jumping in because I'm new here, and some of your topics are interesting to me, because I suffer similar symptoms. First off, I'm a guy, so can't identify with *all* your symptoms and troubles. But, enough of them to chime in, if you don't mind. Most notably, fissures and internal hemmies for more than a year now. I've tried diltiazem, and got results, but a nasty side effect (pruritis ani). So I gave up on regular MDs, and went the naturopathic/holistic approach. Getting pretty good results, but not perfect nor foolproof.

The biggest suggestion I could make, if you would permit me, is epsom salts. I had p-a-i-n-f-u-l trips to the bathroom (which was renamed to "torture chamber") for months until I "discovered" epsom salts. Most MDs completely discount it, but it works for me--took away a lot of pain literally overnight. But I had to start slow. I started with just a foot soak, and gradually worked up to a full-on bath in the tub. Seems I was terribly magnesium deficient, and magnesium is the "relaxation" mineral. It certainly helped to relax my sphincter, and that has made all the difference.

The other thing I'll mention is my diet. I've had to take a lot of things out of my diet to avoid my hemmies and fissures from flaring. It's taken a very long time to figure this out (about a year, and a painful one at that). But, given that MDs dont really have a clue as to what's wrong with me (they think colitis, but I have way more symptoms than "colitis" explains), I've had to, more or less, become my own doctor. So I did, and I've finally found something of a stable condition for myself. I'm not on any meds; completely managing the symptoms through diet. It's a very hard choice to make, but, for me, the side effects of all the meds they wanted to put me on were not something I wanted to deal with.

Just my 2 cents.
-marcus
--------------------------------
lymphocytic colitis, 2+ years
SCD 8 months
no meds
Posted 12/20/2012 3:15 AM (GMT 0)
Hi GutZilla/Marcus! Yeah, this thread has sort of turned into a personal conversation. Sorry about that, LOL! But you're most welcome to chime in!

Thanks so much for the suggestion of Epsom salts. I also suspect I have a magnesium deficiency, and I've tried magnesium oil but it made me itch. I'll get a sitz bath bowl thing and give that a shot. (My tub isn't very pleasant.)

I'm so glad to hear that you've been able to figure out the cause of your issues! Sounds like the SCD is working for you...that's great. My husband used the SCD to get me to eat again when I was really sick and nauseous last summer and didn't want to eat anything. I'm back to eating whatever I want, but there are a couple of SCD dishes that are a staple for me now.

I'm in the same boat as you in that the MDs have no idea what's causing my main complaint (leakage). It's beyond frustrating.

I'll try the Epsom salts after the holidays and let you know how it goes!
Posted 12/20/2012 4:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Quincy! My home remedy for gas is fennel seeds. I like candy-coated fennel seeds, which South Asian Indians eat after a meal. You can get them online.

The visit with the inlaws will be five days out in the boonies. :) I'm not cooking anything.

Thanks for the tip on Oxeze! I didn't know about that.

Wow. A 100-year-old with lots of holiday events...poor thing!

Sorry to hear you guys are getting hit with a lot of snow. That sucks. How was it when you went out on the highway the other day? My inlaws are north of us so we will be getting a lot of snow up there as well. They're predicting snow for most of the time we're there.

My new ointment seemed to be working fine for the fissure, but now I think that it's giving me low blood pressure (because I got a wicked headache during "intimate relations" the other night, and the Nifedipine is the only thing that's changed.) So now I have to figure out how to raise my BP on top of everything else. *sigh*

Not sure how much I'll be able to get on here come Saturday because of my inlaws' wonky internet connection, so if I don't get to say it, have a happy holiday! :)
Posted 12/20/2012 7:09 AM (GMT 0)
GutZilla...not a private convo..just turned out that way. Anything anyone can offer is always welcomed.

How do you know that you were magnesium deficient?

q
Posted 12/20/2012 7:30 AM (GMT 0)
Delicate Flower...hi again!

Sucks that the med is causing you lower blood pressure. Do you take your pressure? what's the norm for you?

The highway was perfect actually...thankfully. lol.
I almost wiped out today on the Costco parking lot from all the salt/mashed potato-type mush on it. Just after the chiro too..yeesh, and I know I would have landed on my shoulder since it would have been sideways while me turning a corner.

oh, fennel seeds. I think you mentioned it before. I'll check them out at the health food store store, if not i could order them online.

Have a great holiday with your inlaws..hope the weather is good for travelling.

What's weird about my 100 year old client...my 2nd cousin is in the same home and I didn't even know that. I hadn't seen her since her 80th birthday and she's now 97!! even sits next to my client during meals and she's been there since July. Small world, but obviously we kept missing each other for months. That was so strange but cool. She told me she gave up on me years ago..lol. sigh.

Take care, and hope your butt doesn't give you any grief.

q
Posted 12/30/2012 3:22 AM (GMT 0)
Hi quincy! Hope you had a great Christmas! My holiday with the inlaws was fine, but I was a long way from home in the middle of nowhere and I was very glad to get home. :) This is the first weekend I've had in a month where I didn't have any obligations!

Catching up: magnesium deficiency...that was a guess. I don't think I've ever been tested for it, but I have symptoms that match it. I have some potassium-magnesium supplements that I bought months ago but I've been afraid to try because IC patients can react to potassium, but I might finally try it tomorrow.

Now that I'm home and can finally relax, I've started researching the fissure stuff again.

Gutzilla: I took your advice and ordered a sitz bath bowl and some Epsom salts. I also found a thread on another board with some great suggestions on how to treat fissures:
http://welltellme.com/discuss/index.php?topic=7615.0

Someone on there suggested tea tree oil, so I ordered some tea tree gel from the brand JASON. I also have tea tree essential oil, so I might try mixing that with olive oil and applying it. Someone else suggested comfrey root, and I already have some comfrey salve, so I tried that tonight. I'm also still trying to figure out how to work in vinegar without activating my reflux. I think I might try applying it directly to the area, or diluting it in water or something.

I kept getting headaches at my inlaws' even without taking the cream I was using, so maybe it didn't cause the headaches, LOL! I don't take my own BP at home, but at the doctor's office I'm usually on the low side of normal.
Posted 1/1/2013 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
Hi..Christmas and New Year's was low key (the way I like it)..still doing fine.

Good to hear yours went well too. Hope your next phase of no obligations can help get you feeling better....and that the research on fissures helps you find info that will help.

Do look into Rectal Rockets...

Happy New Year.
q
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