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Hi everyone, I am new here! I had my jpouch take down surgery on Dec 5th and it's been quite the experience. 
I am dealing with extreme itching in my anus at night to the point that it's driving me crazy! I am so raw that it's painful & it keeps me up for hours at night.  I've been back to the surgeon twice & got a couple prescriptions & creams but nothing seems to be working.  Any advice that you could give me would be SO appreciated. Thank you!

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Nancy, I have found the a bidet has given much relief to my rectal area when used gently. It saves from all of the wiping which only makes things itch more.  Before getting one I would get very raw down there.  There is a cream called SensiCare "Protective Barrier 3". It helps create a barrier between your skin and the stool that comes out.  This stuff is hard to get off with just a bidet, so you will have to wipe if you are using the cream.  
A last suggestion is getting an over the counter numbing cream.  Make sure it is for rectal use, and that your doctor is ok with it.  

 

So when I went to the bathroom I would use the bidet, and then afterward apply some of the numbing cream topped off with SensiCare barrier cream and I felt SO much better.  But remember, you need to wipe it off before using the bidet again.

 

Hope this helps

When that happens with me I keep some toilet paper wedged in there. That helps me with the raw feeling. Helps keep things dry. I will also use just plain old vaseline. I little just inside and some on the outside. It serves as a decent barrier.

 

The irritation is probably due to the high acidity of the small intestine. I will also venture a guess that the area is still going through some changes. I can remember the burning and itching for the first year as well. While I know I got better at dealing with it, that skin is not used to dealing with what now comes from your small intestine. As your pouch matures these things should improve. I know that doesn't help you right now, but... This is what helped me.

I had the SAME issue and my docs office acted like they had no idea what I was talking about, had never heard of someone itching so badly.  I was like really?! This is all you do and you've never heard of such a thing...crazy. I continue to use a barrier cream and I too have put a little Vaseline in there as well.  Nothing really worked until someone told me it was due to acidity perhaps and dairy. I cut back on my dairy and it has gotten much better.  I am also experiencing what I think is a stricture ( docs office actually asked me if that was what was wrong with me. Ummm... I don't know, you are the specialist, no?) and they haven't gotten me IN for a procedure yet. Who has waited for two months to check out a stricture, anyone? So I cut back on diet and am pretty bland again. Chicken, eggs, brown rice, beans. I was looking forward to more food by now like so many others. 

Anyway, suggestion is look at dairy intake. 

Deanna, takedown oct 2014

 

Last edited by Deanna6

Had my take down in June, 2014.  I did well for the first few weeks and as soon as I started increasing my diet, I ran into the raw, itching and burning.  For weeks, I had no more than 3 broken hours of sleep each night.  I tried everything. Nothing gave me total relief except time.  I sat in a hot tub 4-6 times/day for 15 minutes and I bought a portable bidet (which I still use with each movement).  I tried every cream on the market including the numbing ones (which you shouldn't use on open skin) and the only one that I still use is the Hydrocortisone one.  It burns like heck for a minute or so but does help the skin to heal.  In between, I found that good old fashion Vaseline is the best barrier and it will wash off with the bidet.

 

A forum poster once told me that her pouch was the best decision she ever made but it was 6 months before she would admit it.  I clung to that and I have to say that it was 6 months before I stopped questioning my decision.  It's been 8 months now and I still have days and nights when I question my existence but for the most part, life is pretty much normal.

 

Hang in there.  BTW - Here is a link to the bidet that I got.  Have a few of them that I leave at relatives homes as well as one in my car. http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Blue-Bi...;hash=item4875fbb6f8

 

I had burning to the point of tears for about 3 weeks after my takedown. I pretty much lived in the tub eventhough your not supposed to take baths right after surgery.  

 

I tried many pastes but settled on UDDERLY SMOOTH. I put some on just before going then use it to clean with after I'm done. The other benifit I found by accident, is that it helps to massage the perianal area before going to help relax the muscles.  This helps me reduce the pain greatly as well as aiding in complete evacuation which leads to fewer bathroom visits.

 

Avoiding chocolate and Mexican food has helped tremendously!

 

Hopefully this helps you some.

I'm sure you're suffering because of frequency and acidity related to output being from small intestine. Itchiness could be related to fungal infection from all the moisture. My doctor prescribed Nystatin, though there are other meds  that could help too. I use Ilex paste as a barrier cream- have  to order online but made all the difference for me! You have to clean it off with Vaseline as it sticks really, really good! hope you feel better soon!

ljz

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