Sore Backside - Please Help!

[Heathcroft]

A request for help here I'm afraid...

I have numerous small painful cracks in the skin just inside the anal margin and its purgatory. It's not your usual single anal fissure right at the back- the cracks are small, many, and either side.

The GI guy can't help and neither can a skin guy I saw- both just said "Oh Crohn's!"

I've tried warm baths, steroid and zinc oxide based creams etc etc and also just doing nothing at all. I have removed alcohol, caffeine and suspect foods from my diet as suggested by my doctor. But no joy.

So I feel like I'm walking with an ass full of powdered glass. It's not the frequency of BMs thats the cause, as most days I only go once or twice with the new drugs. (A novelty!)

I heard that 1/3 of Crohn's patients have this but I don't read much about it in this forum. It's the one thing I can't tolerate (I can tolerate the attacks and all the pain & stuff & hospitalisation that goes with them - at least you know it'll pass - but this messes me up big time as its constant and assiduous!)

Anyone who has the same problem or who has overcome this -I'd appreciate hearing from you!

P.S. Yes the avatar isn't me- it's my dog - Digby!

 

[D Bergy]

Have you tried pure Aloe Vera? Nice thing about it is you can grow the plant and just cut a hunk off as you need it. I am just throwing it out there since I have no experience with this condition.

I will check out some other things I kind of remember but I need to do a little digging first.

D Bergy

 

[Jeff D.]

That is what I had as well. I am sorry to say but it just takes time. The soaks in epson salt and aveeno were what helped me most. It took about a year to recover from them. Try to go on a liquid diet and eat stocks and stuff. Best of luck

 

[D Bergy]

Coconut oil seems to be a fairly popular remedy for cracked skin in general. Not sure if it will work for this application.

D Bergy

 

[Heathcroft]

Thanks Jeff and D.Bergy.

I have tried aloe vera (purest possible) and it didn't help. I've bought some epson salts and will try that soon. No idea what aveno is! Hey Jeff how much Epson salts do you put in a bath?

BTW someone posted something about ear wax...NO WAY!

 

[Jeff D.]

I just go by feel with the epson salt. Just sprinkle until you feel it's right. I don't know where to go aveeno but my parents bought it. I would guess you could get it at any store you buy epson salt at. It comes in little boxes like a green and brown box.

Hope it works

 

[Jeff D.]

http://www.aveeno.com/products.jsp

Thats a link to the site.

 

[D Bergy]

Another thing that may work is teet grease they use for milking cows. Many people use it as hand lotion. It does not soak in right away and protects the skin really well.

Ear wax would probably work well since it is such a good barrier. You would need really big ears to get enough. Another good alternative would be bees wax.

D Bergy

 

[kskitt]

i dont know if this is any use, but i was doing some research on azathioprine, and i read this

What is it used for?

The drug has been approved by the FDA for use in kidney transplantation and rheumatoid arthritis. In gastroenterology, the drug has now been demonstrated to be very useful in Crohn's disease, autoimmune hepatitis and even ulcerative colitis. The drug has also found some use in many other immune type disorders such as myasthenia gravis and Behcet's syndrome.

 

[Cog]

I have used a zinc oxide based cream called Triple Paste - no idea why it is different from the others except that it worked.

C

 

[Ilysha]

I think the Aveeno bath is great. It's a bit pricey, but worth it. I've also had good luck with triple paste as well.

Good luck to you!

 

[Heathcroft]

Thank you both for that advice, Cog and Ilysha. I will try to find that Triple Paste. I'll bet its not available here, so I will hunt on line for a US supplier. Unless you know otherwise?

I looked up the constituents and its only got 11.6% zinc oxide which isn't as much as others which is weird. It also contains lanolin, beeswax and petroleum so I expect it is the combination that's successful.

Thank you.

 

[soupdragon69]

Heathcroft, what about something like Cavilon Cream or Cavilon Spray? The cream isnt greasy and is quite fluid too and would probably be better than the spray as it is more of a spray film effect if that makes sense? Cavilon is non sting and soothes broken or scalded skin. It also acts like a barrier to protect too.

Your GP might be able to give you some or perhaps get some free samples from the company - I think its 3M (the name of the company). Google it would be a thought.

Hope you get some relief soon.

Jan

 

[pb4]

It still sounds to me like you have fissures, that's what my fissures were like when I had them, they weren't the larger/deeper cracks, I had many small ones like you're describing...here's what got rid of them for me...

sitz baths with alot of epsome salts and then dry off area completely and gently rub some extra virgine olive oil on the area using your bare finger(s) don't use a cotton ball or anything like that...you'll see once you try it how quickly it'll heal the area.

 

[Snowfi]

Hi,
I know how you feel it it casuses so much pain, especially when you pass stool.

I live in the UK and use Sudocream (sp?) (it's for babys nappy rash) zinc based and its helped me.
Also pure aloe vera form the palnt itself. You can peelit and use the clear jelly inside. Anther thing sthat has helped in the past is putting on petrolleum jelly (vasaline).

I've tied so many things. Anther thing that helped was taking a bath in pure Tee tree oil.

My GP has perscribled mt GTN cream, but as soon as i take it me head explodes...its too painful.


Good luck! Hope it gets better soon.

Snowfi

 

[healthboy]

Sorry to hear about what you are going through. I hope you get well soon.

 

[vickyoddsocks]

I get fissures really bad too, i was prescribed GTN once a few years ago, but when i got home i had a look at it and realised it came with a spatula and measuring stick, so i asked my mum and she asked her boss (whos a general surgeon - which is handy!) and he said that the GP had prescribed the wrong dose. Instead of 0.01% had prescribed 1.0% or something, and if i had used it it would have given me terrible headaches. The ammount i had were supposed to be for patients who have heart problems to rub on thier chest! So maybe you've got the wrong doseage too if your getting headaches?
I also use Cavilon, which helps me loads, i find it doesnt work great for the fissures themselves but very well on sore skin, and preventing sore skin. If i have a big day ahead of me and i might usually get quite sore because of drainage and dressings i use cavilon and it works a treat!
Otherwise the only way my fissures go is when my Crohns in general settles down - sorry thats not much help!
Hope you find something that works!
X

 

[My Butt Hurts]

I know that you have tried the zinc oxide ones, but this might be a bit different.
When my anus is irritated I use something called Calmoseptine. My colorectal surgeon gave me a sample, and I liked it so much I bought a tube of it. It does have zinc oxide in it, but it also has menthol which gives a soothing cooling effect. I think it works best after a soak in the tub, and thoughouly drying first. A big tube only cost $7.00 (American) and you don't need a prescription. It's also GREAT for what I call "diaper rash" even though I'm not in a diaper. The butt cheeck irritation you sometimes get from draining fistulas or just going too much.

This website says it is for USA product info only, but you can check it out. It also has info for Austrailia, Phillipines, and Canada. That doesn't help you, but maaybe you can order it. Anyways - I love it.
http://www.calmoseptineointment.com/

I also got a prescription for Lidocaine, which is just a numbing ointment, when I just can't take one more second of pain. It's not great, but it works for a short time.

 

[Heathcroft]

Hi Vickyoddsocks. I never got prescribed that GTN and by the sound of it pretty glad!

I tried finding some of the things you all recommended (thanks to everyone on this thread by the way!) and noticed that the main ingredient of Cavilon is dimethicone.

Well, I couldn't get Triple Paste or Cavilon but someone kindly send me some Destin Cream from the USA and it contains zinc oxide, dimethicone and aloe vera in a smooth cream that stick and protects.

So I have started using that and it doesnt sting on application and like the Cavilon spreads a film of dimethicone on. I am also now on Gabapentin 300mg which is an anti convulasant drug which can in some cases 'breaks the 'brain-arse' nerve synapses (as my GI cheerily puts it) and I will report back.

(By the way My Butt Hurts, I also have lidocaine as a last resort when I feel like screaming!)

Thank you one and all!
(God Bless)

 

[soupdragon69]

Glad you are getting somewhere Heathcroft on more than one approach to the problem.

Keep us posted as you say.

Jan