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Feels like I’m sitting on a ball and Fecal Incontinence!
I have been dealing with this issue for about 3 to 4 years. It started with a feeling of a lot of pressure in my anal area, which has now moved to my vaginal area. My colonoscopy results were normal , however I did have 4 polyps, which were benign. I am still dealing with the pressure, which has gotten considerably worse! It is constant now and travels from my anal area to my vaginal area. Some mornings I wake up with feces in my underwear so I start wearing a pad every night. I now sleep in depends because I never know when it will happen. I am also dealing with bladder incontinence. I saw a Urogynecologist who suggested I try pelvic floor therapy. Needless to say it didn’t work. I saw this doctor because I thought my bladder had dropped. She said everything was fine so she referred me for therapy. My stomach is so bloated and I have lost weight over the past 4 to 5 years. My normal weight is around 145 to 150 lbs. I now weigh from 110 to 115 lbs. I look like a skeleton, to myself. I don’t know where else to turn. I am so tired of this pressure that I am at my wits end! I am either constipated or I’m experiencing diarrhea. I try to eat more so that I can gain weight, but it’s like my weight is at a standstill. Have anyone else experienced any of these symptoms? Or could someone suggest another specialist I should try? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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@barbgreen0959
God give you strength and guide the doctors working with you to find the problems you are suffering from. It's so frustrating especially when you're dealing with intestines and bowel. It's so complex we really don't know that much about how it all works and why it doesn't work and how to fix it when it doesn't work that's what I've learned over the years that I've found most discouraging. There's so much we don't know. Just keep believing. I'm pushing for answers constantly. Keep us posted on the outcome. Don't give up your on a journey as we all are that are dealing with these problems with our bowel and intestines God bless you. I also take ginger capsules 2000 mg. It's an anti-inflammatory and natural anti-inflammatory and just stay away from any foods that may irritate your stomach, your intestines. I just don't understand the pressure you're having where that's coming from. I know that feeling it's horrible like you need to go to the toilet and you can't I don't know if your bowel movements are regular. I have a long colon and intestines sometimes I have to take DULCOLAX I think it spelt it forces water to come out of your body into your intestines to help you go to the bathroom, but if going to the bathroom is not relieving that pressure that you're having I'm very puzzles as to what else it could be if it was a mass pushing down they would've seen it. God bless you and good luck and be diligent.🙏🏽
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4 Reactions@barbgreen0959 Thanks for replying. Please let us know of any updates. Helpful or otherwise.
I've been doing this 6 years & still baffled. Usually I've figured out other health issues myself & had Dr.'s who helped me. The sensations are so weird & for the 1st few years terrifying. Still not sure what to try next. Been involved in many modalities & none are helping yet.
Every now and then I need to 'time out' as appointments, tests, therapies that haven't helped are exhausting. Filling out forms can spike the ol' stress levels. Wll keep Keeping at it.
Surprising, a very gentle form of chiro has helped me sleep better. Pain the same but appreciate better sleep a lot. Almost 1 yr of regular sessions. Started with 3x week then 2x & now at 2x monthly. Mentioning in case you may want to give it a go. Anyway, sorry this is kinda long. Appreciate your honesty & with all of us searching, trying & sharing with each other we'll hopefully find better outcomes. Thanks again. Chat later.
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1 Reaction@barbgreen0959
Wondering if this is a result of any reaction to a mix of any meds taken & food intake? The parts of our bodies involved in digestion can reach a state of exhaustion. Just a thought.
I had a very challenging reaction from antibiotics taken due to an E-Coli infection. Caused 4 months of diarrhea & needing to pretty much stay at home near the bathroom. Ugh.
I hear yah, really exhausting. Anyways, really hope we all find some relief soon. Hang in there. ♡☆♡
@barbgreen0959 yes, a naturopath deals with natural medicine. I live in Canada so cannot verify, but I googled and found names of a couple of naturopaths in Duncanville. You may need to ask people you know in Duncanville if they know or have heard of any of them:
Frank Durand
Naturopath
406 N Greenstone Ln
Duncanville, TX 75116
(918) 789-0767
https://www.healthgrades.com/naturopathy-directory/tx-texas/duncanville
@barbgreen0959 here’s another suggestion I came across in another discussion thread on Mayo Connect… it’s a shot in the dark but … give it a shot anyway …!
https://www.tlcdoctors.com/
@barbgreen0959 I am sorry to hear that urogynocology was not helpful for you. I do hope your next specialist will be able to help you. Sometimes our issues are a puzzle even for the experts. I wish there was a more wholistic approach at times as I think many smaller issues are all related and get lost in the world of “specialties”. Wishing you a positive way forward.
@barbgreen0959 - I "failed" pelvic floor therapy. I kept squeezing the wrong way, of course unintentionally. So, the therapist eventually "dismissed" me. I felt pretty dejected, honestly.
In my case, I did have a prolapsed bladder and learned I had a rectocele. I had a somewhat major operation in 2012 that included a hysterectomy (left my ovaries) and repairs of all this.
I had bladder issues before my surgery and no bowel issues.
Sounds like my scenario is different than yours. Hoping that today you can secure an appointment with someone in gastroenterology or colorectal surgery.
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2 Reactions@ameyc2
Both that pressure feeling and/or that it can feel like one is sitting on a ball, are often false flags. They result in futile trips to the bathroom. That adds further stress & strain to the unpleasant situation. Obviously not a helpful result. More pressure is depressingly unhelpful.
Reducing some of those trips to bathroom is very challenging but worth it. With practice & time I've become less overall stressed which I feel is key to breaking the cycle. Not easy & not convenient as obviously have to be prepared for possible failure. Thank goodness such products are available. Some of us come up with our own 'do the trick' creations. The less stress is worth the effort. Not fun stuff but no one said any of these challenges are easy. Hang in there & keep our spirits up.
Others who've (been here/done that) are welcomed to remind us here that ugh can indeed become "phew." Buckle up & share funny little stories. It helps clear the path. ♡☆♡☆♡
@ameyc2
In relation to whatelse can cause pressure in this area I'm reconsidering nerve entrapment and/or blood vessel impingment. None of my many tests have indicated this but nor did tests find 2 blocked nerve obstructions decades ago.
A dye test showed only 1. The surgeon explained to me to keep that in mind in future. He said it was only noticed visually during the surgery dealing with the 1 the test had shown.
Leaves me in a dilemna since surgery is too invasive & doubtful to be undertaken on a 'maybe' basis. Ugh. Very frustrating & managing best I can with the pretty much 24/7 pain. Hope we all find some relief with our health issue/s.
Thank you.
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1 Reaction@barbgreen0959 Good luck, I am sure there is a way to improve your situation, but it took me a while to get a better strategy. I take Peppermint Oil and 4 Gasx generic tablets each day, most days at least; the low FODMAP diet helped, especially with flatulence (that is when I normally have an accident). Occasionally I get sick to my stomach, and due to the unpredictability, have chosen to wear pull-ups / Depends after several embarrassing incidents in public where it was obvious. I thought it was less embarrassing to have someone find out I wore Depends, than for them to see that I needed to wear them and didn't! I can sometimes go two or three weeks with only minor issues or no issues, but due to unexpected flare-ups, especially when taking long flights or driving, I opted to always wear them, although it was devastating emotionally in the beginning. I simply couldn't believe this was happening. When staying in an Airbnb, visiting friends, family, or hotels, I use a diaper at night, and sleep on a pad to avoid dealing with the explanation of "what happened". I had to deal with that at a hotel and was mortified, but it seemed as if housekeeping was not unfamiliar with this. Carry spare clothes just in case, latex gloves, ziplock bags to dispose of soiled belongings. Most of all, make sure to keep at the medical pursuit of options, and everyone is different with their situation and reaction to treatment. It took a few years for me to get used to this, but I became so isolated and stayed home so much that it impacted my mental health. Most things have improved, though, so most incidents are minor at this point, thankfully. The odor improved as well, which is a huge relief. I am sure you will make some progress, but definitely a GI needs to investigate this.
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