Hey WATCHOUT! Are you out there??

[FireWoman]

Hey Watchout,

We were all just wondering how you were doing and if things have gotten any better.

Hope to hear from you soon

[WATCHOUT!]

Hey Firewoman...

Great to hear from you..I up to this point have NOT done the surgery! I have been watching what I have been eating and have been a bit better..though I still worry that I could go back to what I was a couple weeks ago..though I AM fighting it every step of the way. I made the decision that whatever GOD wants for me is what I am going to do and If I heal great!!! I am giving myself another week to see if I continue to get better or go the other way again and then I will make my decision WHAT I will do. At this point I have come full circle...and my health is in God's hands...I am tired of fighting what will be...I am going to TRUST GOD completely with my health, among other things....it is amazing how as humans we want things OUR way and of coarse I am going to continue to be stubborn..but as always GOD is dealing with me....day by day. I am really starting to rethink my life and have reaffirmed to myself that I am OUT OF SYNC with my life and GOD...and need to rebalance how I do things from now on. Honestly speaking, I have a hard head and I know even more that the reason I AM in this mess is because I am stressed out....with ALL my medical problems AND the missing gallbladder AND the IBS...what more to I need for a disaster and throw in NOT doing what God wants me to do and what a recipe for insanity and bad health. I AM convinced that If I truly look at my life it is very obvious where I am going wrong and it is necessary to change things. I am one of these people who is normally high-strung..being half Italian.....looking on websites I read the same thing...stress causes this...stress causes that. I am in the process of doing a total revamping of my life...I think it is way overdue...the damage to my body might be already done..but I am really sure that if I want a chance at healing...this is the way to do it..I always joke to my husband that EVERYONE should reanalyze their lives each year or two..and with raising kids and all the work that goes with that not including other stuff..it is so hard to keep things going yet alone change things that really aren't working. I know that being in my 30's is so different then when I had my kids in my 20's..the energy isn't as high as it used to be and what I could accomplish years go isn't as easily done now....Very frustrating! But still despite everything I am going to do what is necessary to make my life back in sync....it is real easy to let life get the best of us..so much to do..so little time...so now it is time to get to things that have been ignored...and start doing things to change my life for the better again..I have had GREAT success in the past at changing things but got myself into a rut and lost my motivation.... I am hoping that this will rekindle my desire for the best life possible....it is really discouraging to be sick and though, I probably will most likely fight my health for the rest of my life...I want to at elast KNOW I am doing EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to be healthy...and I want the same for you...Dana! This board has been really fabulous..picking me up when I really started to lose my zest for things....I have been praying for your recovery...though I have never met you..I know GOD put you on this board ON PURPOSE.....you aren't a coincidence! You are going to have a wonderful life.....and YOU ARE going to get better with your problems...because everyone on this board...including me are going to continue to pray and pray and pray for YOU! You deserve all of that and more......well talk again later
PS. So how are things going? Sorry it took so long to respond......

[chigs489]

WATCHOUT,

seems I've found something that helps, at least for me. I was having some loose stool, and going too often, so I took half a dose of Walgreen's anti-diarheal. Not only does it slow me down, it seems to help with the spasms! My digestive tract is a lot more "mellow".

But I have to be careful, because too much of this will cause constipation.

If I go once every 24 hours, I'm feeling pretty good. If I go more, I start feeling pretty lousy.

[WATCHOUT!]

Hey Chiggins....
I am defintiley like you...one BM a day is ok...two is pushing it..after that I am in a world of hurt...I have gotten off the fiber weeks ago..the Colace too...much better since not taking any of that stuff. I have been using a prescription called Cholestyramine powder..once a day after the first bowel movement to slow me down...most times I only go the one time..maybe twice depending on what I ate..I haven't been bleeding for almost two weeks (hope it continues) I am somewhat able to sit down... more then I could anyways. The spasms still come..but are mostly aggravated by BM's and driving in the car. I have gotten off eating ALL meat at this point...I am eating light things still...but have been eating breads..which 2 weeks ago I couldn't do...I still eat some cereal for fiber at the end of the night. I use the Lidocaine 2% (my favorite stuff) to numb me up before going to the baathroom..so I don't spasm during (not good). And I also have been using some cream which is a mixture of antibiotic, antifungal, hydrocortisone, and Prep. H...everytime I have a BM...and at least 2-3 times a day to try to keep the fissure from reopening... I also don't go to the bathroom until I actually "feel" that it is time..meaning almost until it is down in the rectum..I try not to push..but instead let things happen on its own..any kind of pushing down there is miserable.... I still have the skin tags and they go up and down...painful...But as long as the fissure and spasms stay away..I'll put up with the skin tags at least for now. I will have to look into the anti-diarrheal...My husband actually mentioned that too..but I was worried to try anything...but if it works for you..I might just try it out..so thanks for the info...Nice to know...well I got to go..Keep me informed on things with you.....and as always thank YOU so much for all your help.....I keep you in my prayers

[chigs489]

It's good to hear that the bleeding is stopped, hopefully you have "turned the corner", and healing can really start happening.

I haven't bled in over a month, which is a record for me (I started bleeding in late August). BM are really easy now, and I have no stabbing pains or burning. Even if I have I pretty big stool, it still isn't a problem.

The only issues I'm still dealing with are cramping, mild spasms, and some mild IBS-like symptoms. The anti-diarheal seems to help with this, although I am VERY careful with it. If I go more than once a day, or if my stool is kind of loose (diarhea isn't a problem), I take 1/2 a dose to slow things down. I should look into Cholestyramine powder for sure. maybe I'll ask my doctor to write me a script. He did give me Dycyclomine, and that seems to help a bit as well.

One thing really killed me a couple days ago. I ate 2 big cups of very creamy (and very good) tomato-bisque soup. I immediately had to go afterwards, and had cramping, gas from hell, just felt really lousy for 2 hours afterwards. I think it was a combination of cream and acid (tomato). So beware of that!

Interestingly enough, wine doesn't seem to be a problem, and actually seems to mellow things out downstairs. But I can't drink wine every night!

My only recommendation would be to be careful with all the ointments and cream. You can irritate the skin down there, causing some inflammation. Since I finished the Diltiazem, my skin has been less irritated. If I do feel some irritation, I take a warm bath, or use Balneol cream -a soothing cream.