Read and respond to lots of threads in gen health and mental health, so hope that qualifies me to ask for some advice/identification/wisdom/hilarity, etc., despite being a man (last time I checked).
Basically this started in March when I had a grim virus that wouldn't let up for aaaaages. Thought it was piles (still not entirely sure that's not part of the problem). Have had them a fair few times over the years, even had one banded when I was 30 (51 now) but usually they go away with cream or gel and time. Not this.
No bleeding or even spotting that I've noticed, and I've been pretty vigilant. Work with children a bit and child-mind too for friends, so took Ovex in case it's threadworms, but to no avail. And anyway, it's not itchiness, it's just a kind of burny soreness right on the hole, the external sphincter to be more technical. Sorry if this is grim reading!
Feel it on and off throughout the day, the discomfort. When I go for a number 1 or 2 (I sit down for both, makes keeping the toilet clean much easier!) I often feel the soreness increase on both sides of the - ahem - chocolate starfish, but mostly externally. Not even getting any shooting pains in the rectum with this anymore, although had a fair few of those when it started in the spring. Like I say, it's more the sphincter itself feels tender, a bit burny and achey. Diet pretty good, lots of fiber and very little processed food as a rule, drink plenty of fluids, teetotal, non-smoker. Haven't had sex for over a year and got fully tested after the last time (don't ask). So this isn't the result of a good time, more's the pity.
Been to GP twice with it, saw a different one each time. When I saw the first one I was also peeing far too frequently and urgently, but that is no longer an issue. He stuck a finger up very unceremoniously and said he couldn't feel any piles but there might be a small fissure. Prescribed something that was a cross between thrush cream and hydrocortisone, but it was useless to me because I can't use steroid creams or ointments (long story, but if you've heard of red skin syndrome you'll know where I'm coming from).
Couple of weeks later went back and the other GP referred me to Guy's, colorectal department, but the appointment isn't until the twenty-somethingth of next month, and this is now really getting to me. Have gone between using witch hazel with clove oil and/or tea tree oil, canesten 2%, sudocrem, anusol, prep H, germoloids cream. Nothing seems to touch it, really. My arse aches with it some days, the buttocks I mean, and can feel a bit 'cold'. I've googled the symptoms until I'm blue in the face (to match the cold arse cheeks) but all I get is stuff about fissures, pruritus ani, piles, etc. and none of them match what I'm experiencing. I can't actually see that much, suspect my ring looks a bit red but it feels (to my fingers) not too swollen or piley. On and off get quite an upset tum with it, and I generally feel quite tense and anxious in my abdomen with it, difficult to switch that off or relax it much. Lots of wind at times (my neighbours must be horrified and thinking of moving by now; in fact, I'm surprised I haven't been reported for noise pollution.) No constipation or dia-whatsit (can't be arsed to spell that). Oh, one perhaps significant detail: it often feels like inside on the right is particularly achey, in the rectum, like a dull pain that comes and goes. But all the reading I've done about fissures says it hurts to poo, and I haven't had that. Or bleeding, as I said earlier. And definitely not itchy.
I might be on a promise this week and so am gutted that it hasn't resolved itself by now! If anyone has any insight, or even just thinks this is amusing and can respond in kind, please feel free to post a reply! After 5 months of this crap I'm losing hope of ever feeling 'right' back there again 