Well here it goes.. need some help and encouragment !!!

[gahgah604]

Male
31
medications = topical nifidipine 0.2 ointment

It all started in June 2005, I got this nasty bug that caused me to have severe diarrhea (like 20 or more times per day) for 9 days. I got better with metronidazole and cipro. They never told me what I had (I had stool samples etc Then I had about 2 weeks of constipation after I finished the medication.

anyway, that illness caused a painful anal fissure that I have had for the past 3 years. It has improved but it has not ever been 100% healed. If I have diarrhea or a bit of constipation then it goes back to square 2 (not square one because it has never been as a bad as when I first got it) I am taking nifedipine 0.2 ointment which has helped but has never totally healed it. I have been to the doctor and they said keep using the nifidipine and then we can take further action if needed... while 3 years later I still have the fissure and I want it 100% healed !!! next step botox ? or surgery ?

I have noticed that my bowel movements have never been the same since that illness in 2005. Before I wouuld go once a day, but after the illness I am going on average about 2 - 3 times daily. I also have diarrhea every couple weeks (diarrhea meaning one bout every few weeks) always after dinner or lunch (mostly dinner) could this be post - infectious IBS ?

Well for the past 3 years I have been paranoid of diarrhea, meaning that I am so worried that if I get diarrhea like I had in 2005 I will be in so much pain because of the anal fissure. The one bout of diarrhea I have every few weeks is just a teaser compared to what would happen if I had chronic diarrhea for an extended period of time. I have been so concious of my bowels that it makes me crazy sometimes, I always think that I will someday get chronic diarrhea and I will not be able to get rid of it !!! and my anal fissure will be out of control and cause me severe pain (or even worse I will get another fissure!) I can't imagine having mutiple anal fissures !!!

I am now freaked out because this past week I have had diarrhea almost every day. I would only have diarrhea after eating, and only one bout... after the post dinner diarrhea I would be ok. This has happened 4 out of 6 days, the only reason it hasn't happened these past 2 days is because I am pratically starving myself (eating arrowroot cookies and drinking fluids) My anal fissure is irritated and I am scared !!! I have no abdominal cramps or pain, just an urgency to use washroom after eating... then comes the one bout of diarrhea. (sometimes I have cramping during the diarrhea) I am starting to have like panic attacks and feel hot when I am having the diarrhea as well

What could be going on ?

Crohn's ? Colitis ? Viral ? Bacterial ? Parasite ? Habba Syndrome ? Malabsorption issue ? Celiac Disease ? IBS ? Food Allergy ? Gallbladder issues ?

please help me, I went to the doctor 2 days ago and he did some blood work... I will get the results next week ? should I insist on stool samples ? what other testing ? upper GI ? Colonoscopy ? X-Rays ? Ultrasound ?

and is there anything I can put on before I have diarrhea to protect my fissure ? like a skin barrier ? or vaseline ?

Should I be paranoid about diarrhea ? or can they usually find a cause and treatment ?

sorry for the novel, this has been bugging me for too long !!!

thanks and god bless

[music47]

GAH

Im sorry you have been dealing with all of this. I recommend you see a GI Dr. and possibly have an upper GI and Colonoscopy. My prayers are with you.

Sincerely Nadine

[libloom]

GAH.....

So sorry to hear you're having so many problems.....

First of all, the diarrhea could be symptomatic of sooooo many things. Seems that when you took the antibiotics it cleared? You say they took stool samples then? Apparently, the results showed some sort of bacteria.

You could have simple food allergies that need to be ruled out. Get yourself to a gastro specialist...one who sees these sort of problems daily and would order up proper testing.

In the meantime, try eating banannas, rice, applesauce and keep hydrated. Do not starve yourself. Too, get some good probiotics to replenish the "good" bacteria in your intestines.

Try using some zinc oxide or vitamin a & d ointment as a barrier....like you would for a baby's diaper rash.

Good luck....and please insist that these docs get to the bottom of it all. We have to be our own advocates.....

Linda

[gahgah604]

would the zinc oxide cream be safe to put inside the anal canal ? so it covers my fissure when I have a bowel movement ? would vaseline be ok too ?

second... I have started taking metamucil wafers, should I start with 2 in the morning and increase if necessary ? would they really help my diarrhea ? should I try calcium as well ?

I will follow up with the doctor soon about my fissure and sometimes problematic diarrhea.

thanks and anymore encouragement or input would be great

[libloom]

Metamucil is fiber....usually taken to help constipation. Why are you taking it if you have loose movements? Immodium is pretty effective for diarrhea.

Zinc ointment and vaseline are fine to use inside the anus to help protect during a bm.

We're not doctors here....can only offer some advise. Please see a doctor and keep us posted.

Best,
Linda