Proctalgia Fugax

[WelshMoth]

I get attacks of this approx 10 times a year. The pain is like labour pain but intensely around the rectal area. Nothing helps, nothing eases it. I dread getting them but they've at least been mostly at night - the pain usually comes on when I go to bed or it wakes me from sleep.

I've just had my 3 rd 'daytime' pull - 2 have been when I'm in front of a class and I've had to excuse myself from the class, hobble to the toilet, swearing with pain, and literally sit against the toilet wall and wait for it to pass. It takes approx 20 mins of rectal agony.

Does anyone else get this? How do you cope?! It's awful anytime of the day but during my working day? It's a nightmare.

I used to have attacks like this just before my period. Magnesium supplements seem to have helped me. I take one (Magnesium OK) every day. If I miss a month, then I will have another attack.

Twilight - thank you - I'll look into that.

*sweating with pain that should have said, although I could really really swear when they start!

No problem. Hope it helps.

This is a truly awful condition op, you have my sympathy.

I used to suffer this until I connected it with (for me):
A) eating too much food with gluten in within a time frame of around 2 days (Intolerant with lots of bubbling, bloated stomach, nausea, heavy sensation), this caused small crampy type pains within the gut, so by the time it got to the bowel there was full on stabbing daggers in there IYSWIM. So am now gluten free.
B) Being dehydrated, especially in Summer, so I make sure I drink plenty of water and eat liquid rich foods such as cucumber.

Warm wheat bag to hold in affected area helps to reduce spasm.

It won't help immediately, but once I realised I was heading for an attack, I would take some peppermint oil capsules, and a probiotic capsule 3-4 times throughout the day as I found they have a relaxing effect on my gut.
Also, drink lots of peppermint tea.
This would take around 24 - 36 hours to take effect.

Don't take painkillers to try kill the pain, as they can add to the constipation sensation.
I also avoid sugar in any form.

Plus, I've found if i keep the type of food I eat at a meal, and the times I eat them pretty regular, then there are no surprises for the gut. May sound boring, but rather boring than perspiring, twisted gut wrenching, teeth clenching, vomit inducing agony - no exaggeration there.
My longest attack was almost 3 days long, by comparison giving birth was an afternoon tea party.!

3 days

Dear God Popper. Agony.

Yes well, the last attack was a few years ago. Oddly enough I taught in school too (not any more though, thank goodness), and wondered if stress was adding to it. Do you think it may be contributing to yours?

There is a school of thought that stress can contribute to PF.

I had an ablation and I think that has pretty much stopped the PF. Definitely connected with my uterus as my first sign of labour was PF.

I can only sympathise op, I cannot point to any triggers for me other than having IBS and endometriosis (which thankfully has subsided post-menopause). I had a hysterectomy 30 years ago so no uterus connection.
Nothing seems to relieve it either, other than a hot bath but even moving is nearly impossible during an attack isn't it?