C-Diltiazem, Fissures, and WTH?!

I'm starting to sympathize a bit with my old GI doctor, because this is the weirdest thing I've ever run into.

So for the last few weeks, everything has been great. My only symptom was some blood in the stool with every BM, but I was only having one or two a day that were pretty normal--other than the small amounts of blood. I made an appointment with a new GI doc and played the waiting game. Then, two weeks ago...even the blood disappeared. Everything was back to normal, other than a brief bout of Thanksgiving diarrhea.

However, soon after aforementioned Thanksgiving "gift," my rear end started to hurt and there was a little blood on my skivvies. Uh oh, I thought, better get that looked at. I went to the walk-in, the doctor took a look, and said "Anal fissure." I've had those before. A literal pain in the rear, but nothing to worry about. He prescribed me some C-Diltiazem ointment and sent me on my way. I used the ointment yesterday, and last night...no blood in the stool, but a bit on the toilet paper. Then today, a good deal of blood in the stool. A normal BM (and the only one today), but even more blood than there was back when I was getting the blood on a regular basis. (Edit: I should've mentioned that it was a painful BM..felt a little constipated.)

Now Diltiazem ointment is basically ground up and whipped blood pressure pills--the idea being that they increase blood flow to the area of the fissure and help it heal faster. Could this be causing more blood in my stool? Or is it because I've been bad and drank way too much Sprite in the past 24 hours? (Equivalent to a six-pack of it, which probably wasn't too bright on my part.) Or could this just be another down in the ups and downs of a very weird issue I've been having for the past six months? Any ideas?

Argh! So confused. Making matters worse is that I won't see the new GI doc until early next month. Not on any medications on the moment, since they're not even sure I have UC at all...

Sorry to ramble on, but you guys have been a lot more helpful than the last three doctors I've seen.

Post Edited (holo100) : 12/5/2016 2:20:07 AM (GMT-7)

Five months ago, and yes--I got the copy a month ago. The scope biopsy said "Likely antibiotic caused, non c-diff colitis; possible ulcerative proctitis." This all started after I was prescribed clindamycin for an infection. They tested me for c-diff twice, and everyone's amazed I didn't have it, since clindamycin's notorious for causing it. (Which makes you wonder why it hasn't been taken off the market.)

Nah, it's not c diff. Not with 1-2 BMs a day. Thank God I didn't get c-diff, though now I live in terror of antibiotics and getting infections that might need antibiotics.

It's gotten better over the last 24 hours, so I think it's just the fissure now. I have a bad tendency to panic, unfortunately. My big toe has now decided that it has to hurt now too, so now I'm trying not to freak out--a toe infection is what kicked this whole circus off back in June.

And to think, I used to be a calm, cool, collected steely-eyed teacher. Since June I've become Fluttershy...

iPoop said...
The first year or so we're quite worried about any little sign that uc could get worse (many of which can be false alarms) as we're new at this and unsure of what to expect from uc. After a few years we get to know our enemy, what crazy things and warning signs uc actually throws at us, and there is a lot less uncertainty. We're alert, respond, and aren't on edge like the first year. We're never 100 percent at ease with uc as it can be unpredictable but at least as much at ease as is possible :-p

Our j-pouch friends don't have to worry as uc is gone, and of that I'm envious lol.

I'm a new j-poucher, but trust me, that road isn't all that easy either. At least for now, I can't testify for long term haha.

iPoop said...
Well a new j-pouch is another adaptation period until it settles in. Takes time to get to know your newly engineered plumbing is likely true as well.

I will say though, even though I need to go every 2-5 hours or so, when the feeling comes I don't need to run to the bathroom. I can hold it for 1-2 hours if I need to. I just feel the pressure on my bottom as if it wants to come out and that'll come and go haha.