Hello, not sure if this forum is still active or not but it seems like a good place to post my highly embarrassing story.
For about 2 years now, possibly longer but for sure 2 I've had a strange symptom that I haven't been able to get rid of. Or multiple really. It's kind of hard to put into text but here it goes.
About two years ago I started noticing the two major symptoms I've struggled with:
1. leakage. The leakage isn't tremendous and is somedays worse than others. It varies in color but on days when I know I've wiped excessively it seems to be more of a yellow and does have a non-fecal smell.
2. Pain. It's not really an itching feeling, or if it is it's more like a cut feeling that happens when the leakage is heavy and varies. But it hits hardest during physical activity, especially when it's quite warm and my body is moving around a lot.
3. Inflammation. I can't really tell but it does seem like there is quite a bit of burning involved. And these symptoms are definitely worse after a bowel movement but it doesn't have too much of an impact as I know they are always inevitable.
This is kind of irrelevant but I'm posting it anyway, as a non-heterosexual male who is not currently sexually active, these symptoms also cause me to stay away from the thought of engaging in anything in that area. I'd really like to get rid of these symptoms for my overall health and wellbeing, but also because I'd like to actually feel capable of participating in that area of my life again.
I haven't really read any symptoms that sound EXACTLY like what I'm experiencing, but if anyone has them please post or pm me and let me know how you treat them or if you found a cure.
I don't know if a dietary change could fix it, but I'd be willing to try just about anything within reason. I don't really want to see a doctor if I don't have to and can make the change myself. I've read so many testimonies of different dietary changes that lessened the symptoms and could try to get tested for anything I may have G.I. wise that may be the cause. I'm just not sure where to start.
It's just highly frustrating attempting to be active or really move around at work knowing that it will either itch, or sting, or burn, or that I'll have to make several trips to the bathroom to wipe or to fear having a bowel movement knowing that it will be worse later.
I've tried taking Florastor probiotics and just ran out of Metamucil caps thinking they would help, and the definitely helped harden my stool a bit. In terms of stool it varies but it definitely seems a little on the pasty side when I am not taking really high fiber. I don't know if I have an excess of fat leaking, or what I would even do to resolve it. I've been taking b12 supplements and have even thought about taking a pinworm medication to see if that could be the cause.
I will go out on a limb and also say that my cat seems to be "scooting" frequently to clean herself but I don't know if that is merely coincidence and because she is overweight, or if there is somekind of parasite that could have been transferred to me at some point.
I'm just at a loss for what to do. I don't know if these symptoms sound familiar to anyone, but could this be symptoms of an intestinal disease? Could they be a parasite? I know it's not something you can diagnose, but if these symptoms sound familiar please let me know and give any advice you can on how to hopefully vanquish them.
*Quick edit. I've also been a smoker for the majority of the time, though recently I've quit cigarettes and used a vaporizer in hopes that it was something in the cigarettes. I have gone days without any nicotine however and did not notice any difference so I'm not sure that's a factor anyway. I don't think it's ever been worse on days that I smoked more or less, it just seems to be a spontaneous thing that fluctuates regardless of what I eat or don't eat, or any other habits.
For about 2 years now, possibly longer but for sure 2 I've had a strange symptom that I haven't been able to get rid of. Or multiple really. It's kind of hard to put into text but here it goes.
About two years ago I started noticing the two major symptoms I've struggled with:
1. leakage. The leakage isn't tremendous and is somedays worse than others. It varies in color but on days when I know I've wiped excessively it seems to be more of a yellow and does have a non-fecal smell.
2. Pain. It's not really an itching feeling, or if it is it's more like a cut feeling that happens when the leakage is heavy and varies. But it hits hardest during physical activity, especially when it's quite warm and my body is moving around a lot.
3. Inflammation. I can't really tell but it does seem like there is quite a bit of burning involved. And these symptoms are definitely worse after a bowel movement but it doesn't have too much of an impact as I know they are always inevitable.
This is kind of irrelevant but I'm posting it anyway, as a non-heterosexual male who is not currently sexually active, these symptoms also cause me to stay away from the thought of engaging in anything in that area. I'd really like to get rid of these symptoms for my overall health and wellbeing, but also because I'd like to actually feel capable of participating in that area of my life again.
I haven't really read any symptoms that sound EXACTLY like what I'm experiencing, but if anyone has them please post or pm me and let me know how you treat them or if you found a cure.
I don't know if a dietary change could fix it, but I'd be willing to try just about anything within reason. I don't really want to see a doctor if I don't have to and can make the change myself. I've read so many testimonies of different dietary changes that lessened the symptoms and could try to get tested for anything I may have G.I. wise that may be the cause. I'm just not sure where to start.
It's just highly frustrating attempting to be active or really move around at work knowing that it will either itch, or sting, or burn, or that I'll have to make several trips to the bathroom to wipe or to fear having a bowel movement knowing that it will be worse later.
I've tried taking Florastor probiotics and just ran out of Metamucil caps thinking they would help, and the definitely helped harden my stool a bit. In terms of stool it varies but it definitely seems a little on the pasty side when I am not taking really high fiber. I don't know if I have an excess of fat leaking, or what I would even do to resolve it. I've been taking b12 supplements and have even thought about taking a pinworm medication to see if that could be the cause.
I will go out on a limb and also say that my cat seems to be "scooting" frequently to clean herself but I don't know if that is merely coincidence and because she is overweight, or if there is somekind of parasite that could have been transferred to me at some point.
I'm just at a loss for what to do. I don't know if these symptoms sound familiar to anyone, but could this be symptoms of an intestinal disease? Could they be a parasite? I know it's not something you can diagnose, but if these symptoms sound familiar please let me know and give any advice you can on how to hopefully vanquish them.
*Quick edit. I've also been a smoker for the majority of the time, though recently I've quit cigarettes and used a vaporizer in hopes that it was something in the cigarettes. I have gone days without any nicotine however and did not notice any difference so I'm not sure that's a factor anyway. I don't think it's ever been worse on days that I smoked more or less, it just seems to be a spontaneous thing that fluctuates regardless of what I eat or don't eat, or any other habits.
