I think i’ve finally beaten Pruritus Ani

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. 

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