I think i’ve finally beaten Pruritus Ani
Posted , 15 users are following.
My Story
(Sorry if It gets graphic, I think its important to give you the full detail, and like many of you I have gone past the point of caring what people think in order to overcome this horrible condition)
How I got Pruritus Ani
In December 2014, aged 36 I came down with a stomach bug like i’ve never experienced before. My son brought it home from school.
For 5 days I had diarrhoea and vomiting non-stop, to the point, that all I had left was some strange mucus passing through my bowels.
During this period of sickness, I visited the doctors for help, and they prescribed an anti-biotic, which 4 years later i’ve discovered was the worst possible thing for me.
I appreciate that what caused my Pruritus Ani might be different to others, but the way I overcome it might work for many of you sufferers.
What I tried
Soon after my sickness bug I started getting a burning sensation and pain after every bowel movement, which was really uncomfortable for a few hours after. At the time I was wearing skinny jeans all the time, which didn’t help the situation as there was no air getting into the area and I was causing friction as I was moving.
Over time the burning and pain became worse, but then the itching started, which is where I really struggled.
I cant begin to tell you how this has affected my life. I love playing golf and football, but found I could only play these sports at 5pm when the pain and itching had calmed down. The only positive that came with this condition for me was around 10 hours after a bowel movements it became bearable again, but if I had 2-3 movements a day it would ruin the whole day for me.
Above all simple games, tasks and walks with my young children was hard to enjoy and that started making me depressed, because I couldn’t be the father I wanted to be for them.
My biggest problem was all of my bowel movements were slimy or soft, which meant I could never get clean, I had to return to the toilet 2-3 times to clean myself, which is hard work when your out and about.
So in the last 4 years I have tried this…..
Cotton wool balls in the area to keep dry and stop friction
Wearing shorts EVERY day
Wearing lose underwear
Portable Bidets
Showering after the toilet (not easy out and about)
Anti fungal Talc
About 5 anti fungal creams
2-3 Pro biotic creams
Anti biotic creams
About 8-9 steroid creams (always made it worse)
Operation to remove fissures
Operation to band haemorrhoids
About 10 other creams (I promise this is not exaggerated)
Excercise
Change of diet at least 10 times
Ice baths
Warm baths
Hot baths
Bath salts
Ice Packs
Pain Killers
Anti fungal tablets - terbanifine
Keffer Milk
Pro biotic supplements
Fibre drinks
Physlium husk and about 5 other types of supplements
I’ve probably tried other things to destroy this hideous condition, and I’m sure there were times when I was trying about 5 of the above at the same time
Frustratingly none of them worked, so about 3 months ago I accepted my fate and gave up. I continued using Aveeno cream, as this was the only natural cream that gave me a tiny bit of relief.
I decided my lifestyle would have to accommodate Pruritus Ani I.e. exercise, sports and activities with my children would be really difficult but I would try and do them in the evening when things were a bit calmer. The itching, burning and pain was just part of me now and so be it.
The cure
About 3 weeks ago, the condition got much much worse, bleeding, pain, constant itching. Now i’ve always suspected my diet was a contributor as you will see above, I tried multiple diets and it was diet!!!
After seeing 4 specialists in gastro, bowels etc I was always ending up at dermatology, who kept prescribing creams.
So during this particularly nasty period, it just dawned on me that I had a couple of beers and quite a bit of carbonated drinks (Coke Zero) and coffee along with 2 take aways.
I would usually drink water throughout the day and wine was usually my choice of alcoholic drink and I rarely eat take aways.
This prompted me to see a nutritionist, as in the back of my mind i’ve always known my diet was causing this, but didn’t want to accept it as it would mean a big change, especially with wine, which I love.
This is by far the best £140 I have spent in my life (£90 for my consultation and £50 for supplements)
The challenge for me is I like fried food, processed food, wine, bread, cheese all the amazing things. So if you want to try what i’ve done, then you need to commit to saying goodbye to all of these to start with.
So in a nutshell, the nutritionist straight away diagnosed an inflammable gut, more than likely caused by all the bacteria leaving my system in 2014 after my sickness bug and then the anti biotic killing off any remaining bacteria, which has caused a massive imbalance, which i’ve never repaired.
This has been a complete miracle. All i’ve done in the last 5 days is change my diet to an anti inflammatory diet and I’m 100% completely cured IN 5 DAYS!!!!
I will of course have to maintain this diet, and it can be a bit challenging at times, especially as I’m writing this on a Friday evening in the sunshine about to go home to the garden and watch my wife have a glass of wine without me.
I will re-introduce some naughty foods and drinks (wine) in a couple of months, but only in moderation.
The foods that the nutritionist told me to eat were….
Canned Oily Fish
Olive Oil
Coconut oil
Berries (blueberries, strawberries etc)
Green Leaves (spinach, kale etc)
Tomatoes
Beetroots
Walnuts/Almonds
These all combat inflammation.
So I’m incorporating all of the above into my meals with other anti inflammatory foods. Here is a typical day for me now
Breakfast - Plain porridge with flax seeds, crushed walnuts and blueberries OR Scrambled egg with tomatoes and spinach
Snack - Peanut butter and apple and a natural yogurt
Lunch - Salad with oily fish or Vegetable soup (home made)
Snack - orange, plum, peach
Dinner - Turkey/Chicken/Salmon with carrots, sweetcorn, peas, broccoli etc
I’ve done that for 5 days and I have zero symptoms and even a knee problem i’ve had for 3 months has completely disappeared (also historically inflamed)
I walked out of the nutritionists at first complaining to myself that I cant stick to this, I don’t have time to make soups and prepare food for work or eat every 3 hours and not snack past 9pm, its too difficult. I work 12 hours a day and have a busy family home as well. However I didn’t give up this time, I’ve found the time and if I can anyone can.
Im sure some of you will read this and think, its not my diet and even if it is I cant make these changes they are too difficult. Take it from someone who has tried that huge exhausted list above and gave up multiple times trying to cure this, I cant stop smiling now.
I have been to the toilet three times today and wiped with normal tissue paper and used NO creams, I took a 2 mile walk in the baking sun and I have no itching or burning.
If anyone wants to ask me any questions please feel free.
Moderator comment: I have removed the email address as we do not publish these in the forums. If users wish to exchange contact details please use the Private Message service.
6 likes, 18 replies
Guest gareth88577
Edited
Hi Gareth,
Amazing news, congratulations, I'm so happy you didn't give up!
The main issue with PA is that there are sooo many different potential causes and looks like you tried everything under the sun, even more than I had to before I cured mine.
Out of interest, do you have any details on scientifically why bacteria imbalance/inflamed bowel causes itching? Interestingly in the literature there is nothing I have read that connects inflamed bowel to PA. It states to avoid certain foods but that is a very loose connection at best.
Sounds like your job makes it more difficult to clean up after a bowel movement but hopefully with your new diet it is being easier to stay clean. I have not heard of anyone going 2-3 times per day though (in my limited experience)
And hopefully when your bacterial flora gets back to normal you may be able to introduce those luxuries again as you say.
Kind regards
Alex
jeremy04366 Guest
Edited
Inflammatory gut issues do cause itching. This is the sole reason people with celiac develop dermatitis . It causes allergic reactions in your body to chemicals and foods. When Celiac's eliminate the products or foods that trigger a reaction (more than just gluten) the antibodies lower and the allergic reactions stop. It's basically an autoimmune trigger. While inflammatory gut issues are not the cause for some, it is a cause in autoimmune or ige related allergies.
sem79750 gareth88577
Posted
Hello, I've suffered from pruritis and since 2013. When I was 15 years old, now 20 I've tried almost everything on your list. Even methelyne blue injections... very painful but to no avail. I tried cutting out dairy and gluten but I still never had fully formed "normal" stools. Either they are small hard lumpy balls or very sticky and difficult to clean. Did this diet change your stools to no wipers? I have been tested for pinworms yada yada. Is this diet still helping and are you 100% itch free??Also have you tried introducing any suspected trouble foods back into your diet? I hope for the very best in your recovery from this burden. It has taken a toll on my mental and physical health and I appreciate any help from anyone. Thank you!
jeremy04366 sem79750
Posted
I'm still trying to figure out my cause of itching. I have no rash but so far the culprit evades me. My organ functioning tests are fine. I've been on a Paleo, low histamine anti inflammatory diet for three months with no difference or relief. I've removed dairy, gluten and soy. I've fasted for one week. No change. I'm getting checked for b12 and iron deficiency. If this isn't the cause, I don't know what's left. I've changed hygiene products and detergents. Mine is bad in the morning and evening. Midday, not so much
sem79750 jeremy04366
Posted
Are your stools also soft and difficult to clean? It's something in the diet deffinetly. I'm thinking of trying everywell food sensitivity test but I don't know how accurate it really is. I'm running out of options as well. Maybe a colon cleanse might help. I know the problem just can't find the cause of it. (Stool consistency) Fasting won't help because there's still stool in your system throughout that week. And lay off caffeine. I wonder if there's a test for your stool that can show any overgrowth of certain bacteria... sorry it was a ramble but I want to fix this
sem79750 jeremy04366
Posted
Also I have no rash. There's something that's causing stools to not fully evacuate. Either weak muscle tone down there or something in the diet is making stools difficult to clean.
jeremy04366 sem79750
Posted
My bowel movements are more on the constipation side. Staying in the digestive tract too long. I think it's weakened muscle tone in the colon.
jeremy04366 sem79750
Posted
hug95049 sem79750
Posted
please try konysyl brand fiber by adding 3 spoonfuls to a water bottle 16oz and then fill up the bottle again and wash down with another 16oz of water. avoid excessive amounts of dairy as this causes my stools to become sticky. apply moderation to dairy. also dont try to overhaul your entire diet all at once. eat like you would but incorporate the konysl as it has a higher fiber content than other brands. it does taste like wood chips but it works. you must drink plenty of water throughout the day as well. its the best thing ive found to reduce the thousand wiper problem. however i still itch but it has definitely improved my stool consistency which i believe will provide relief in a month or two. i even ate fast food a few times and the stools were well formed and felt healthy for a change. my problem in the past was that i never drank enough water with the fiber and ate too little to form solid stools because i always went on a health kick when i started using fiber in the past.
gareth88577
Posted
nicole41359 gareth88577
Posted
hi,
how are things going now? did you have a fissure is well?
did you have mini micro tears as well, on skin around the bum?
After reading your story , sounds similar to mine.
I had diarrhea , was given anti biotics . which effeted my gut , never been the same. now i have to rely on stool softners .
i get the intense burning after every bowel movement .
dustin13685 gareth88577
Posted
Happy for you! The antibiotic trigger caught my attention because my problems arose after an antibiotic. I had even mentioned this to my colorectal doc and he dismissed it. Mine is not an itch but more of a sting/discomfort while walking or moving. I had a colonoscopy (and CT scan and skin biopsy) and all were normal - I wonder if an "inflamed gut" would go unnoticed in those tests. Now he's suggesting the methylene blue tattooing - anybody try that?
hug95049 dustin13685
Posted
I have had the operation. it was the most painful moment in my life. sadly it did not work. I would use it as a last ditch effort. My theory is that there is a mucus discharge from the rectum which slowly leaches onto the anus causing an intense itch/burn. What causes this discharge is unknown which is frustrating but I continue to research. DO NOT fall for snake oil "cures", it will only cost you money and continued frustration. Achieving a consistent no mess stool is what will cure this. Most doctors dont have a clue
dustin13685 hug95049
Posted
Just wanted to update that after almost a year of dealing with this and trying steroid creams (Clobetasol, Proctofoam), cornstarch, and good hygiene with no improvement, I finally tried Calmoseptine to create a skin barrier. Within a week my symptoms were almost entirely gone for the first time. This is now 2 weeks later. (It's kind of a thick paste - basically diaper cream - and I use a Q tip to make sure I'm getting every nook covered). My success here would seem to point to one of 2 causes - my stool was causing this (perhaps triggered by an antibiotic), or your theory about discharge leaching out and irritating the skin. I hope this helps somebody - hang in there everyone!
hug95049 dustin13685
Posted
I also have Tmj and am a very tense person. maybe stress is a contributing factor