feeling of" something" in anal canal

[kathyd]

Hi
Just wondering if anyone has has the symptom of golf ball in rectum "feeling" or specifically the feeling of stool in the anal canal even when theres's barely anything there yet?
I have it as a result of anal sphincter tightness/spasm, and find myself pushing hard to get even a spec of stool out to relieve the feeling ,if even for a little while.
The feeling is better while lying down ,so it's truly a function of pelvi floor issues as confirmed by my PT.
S he is away this week, and I miss her weekly sessions and advice,
She is usually quite savvy, but she doesn't have many suggestions for this issue other than to meditate with tapes I have, and to do self PT in the area daily, or a least a few times a week (this can flare ,so I hesitate with the latter) ..I also do water walking as part of my therapy and am hoping this can help.

Anyone experience this "feeling, and if so were you able to get over it? What can be done to help with it besides what I described.
Its an awful feeling to "just "ignore".. tho my Pt also may have mentioned that as well.

Also I am afraid that If I igore any urge, even if is a spasm , I truly might get constipated for real.
Thx for any advice or thoughts!

[egley]

Hi kathyd,

I have that feeling also.
My memory is a bit foggy on when exactly this feeling started, but I know that it was definitely increased after the pain pump was inserted.
I was having 'issues' with constipation from opioids but were managed with psyllium powder and/or Senna.


I swear I could feel 'them' (the little brown golf balls) making their slow crawl down the little last few inches before they make it out. It makes me want to push them out so bad, it would drive me crazy.

I recently started on a new med my pain doctor suggested. It is called movantik.
It's too bad it's another one of them thar meds from BIG pharma.
I did try oodles of natural meds but did not find anything that worked.
I was dealing with my constipation (due to opioids) with Senna Plus (CVS brand), but after I went to a higher opioid dose the Senna/psyllium quit doing the trick.

movantik is much better but I have been taking it less than a week.
My bowel movements are close to normal now.
It did cause me to go twice in one day a couple of times, but I am hoping it doesn't continue in this vein.
The first 'movement' is a thing of beauty, but the second 'movement' is not so nice (feels like there's more there needing to come out, but after I force them out they're only tiny).

If this second 'movement' continues, I won't be happy.
If it is a rare occurence, I would be OK with it.
Also, a week is not very long. Who knows, it might stop working also.

Cheers!
Skip

[noribro@comcast.net]

in the beginning I would feel like I had a tennis ball in my rectum but as time went on it felt like a kiebasa in my rectum, now mind you I had probably had 3 BM's that morning, I tried suppositories, enema's milk of magnesia . I was taking 2 tablespoons of chia seeds in apple sauce every morning and so was moving my bowels every morning and still I would have to change my underpants 4 or 5 times a day. Fortunately, I am stil in pain and still suffer but do see some improvemet in those area's now si just take a tablespoon of benefiber every morning ad am able to go several times.

[kathyd]

Thx Noribro.
for the suggestion about Benefiber... Im' glad it's helping you and I hope your pain lessens as well!
A doc advised Benefiber for me too,
But if you don't mind saying... are you taking opiod pain meds also?
Ive been warned many times that some fibers like pysillium for ex: make for " cement" like stool -- making it hard to pass.

A colon doc I met with for the first time Friday, also advised Benefiber. but it was obvious I was one of the first patents she'd seen with my issues, pelvic floor tightess and spasm, .... so I wasn't whether sure if her advice was correct in my case.


Thanks, I may try Benefiber too,... as long as its safe and doesn't cause that 'cement like build-up.
I want to stop laxatives asap, as I am not truly constipated. It's the spasm sending the msg.

[rechbill]

For me, it was the puborectal muscle having trigger points and that muscle cramping. The muscle runs around the lower colon and must release to have a bm. To release it requires internal massage or myofascia release, internally. It takes a long time to get it to release and stay, since every time you strain, you send in into spasm again. Use Miralax to stay soft. Find a therapist that specializes in female pelvic problems.

[rechbill]

Hi, that feeling comes from your pubiorectus (sp?) muscle being tight. It loops around your lower colon and it relaxes when you have a BM to allow evacuation. If you have developed trigger points in that muscle from straining to go, it will remain tight. A pelvic floor PT should be able to get it to relax. I speak from experience.

[Cintapoppy]

Hi,
I get the same feeling in my rectum which can travel quite high up. I sometimes get spasms and at my last physio appt she examined me vaginally and rectally to check out the muscle tone. She asked me to slightly tighten and release the muscles and on release the musle movements were uncoordinated. She said that when i go for a bowel movement i should relax my abdomen which in turn relaxes the internal muscles, unless of course they are in spasm. Maybe with all the pain i/we tighten everything to guard against further pain? Just a thought. Good luck.

[Violet M]

Maybe with all the pain i/we tighten everything to guard against further pain? Just a thought. Good luck.

Yes, I think you are right. Hope your physio treatments will be successful.

Violet

[kathyd]

Thx folks,
for the responses. I just noticed them!
I do have tightness of the muscles Rechbill described and have been working with a savvy PT for some time now. She knows the pelvic anatomy very well and explained what she thinks is going on, quite clearly. This explanation helps! I knowing that my straining to pee, and now also to have a BM are only making things worse. It's a hard habit to break, when you leave the bathroom and still feel like you have to go!

She helped me to start eating normally again also, in convincing me that muscles, not food were the culprits,
and I gained back the weight I'd lost over 6 years, thankfully!

She does work on trigger points she finds in these areas in order to release them. She says in my case it will take a long time to re-train the muscles as they have been messed up for many years! Also the guarding we do against the pain, as Violet says, is something I prbl'y do out of fear.. so its a cycle.
I have improved some under her care. Tho I still have a lot of anal pain, some urinary issues that ebb and flow, and I don't feel my bowel movements are' normal' yet .. I am able to do many more activities than before .Its painful afterwards, but I do bounce back, thankfully. My doctor says I look like a different person, which is great, but I know I still have a ways to go!
I had seen other PTs over the years, but most didn't explain what they were doing or what they saw,... other than saying I was tight, which I already knew.
I hope this helps! Thx for your replies also!
Will pray for us all.

[kathyd]

Hi Rechbill.
One quick question.
Do you feel Miralax is the best laxative to help you go without straining?
I've wanted to use this product but it seems to take a few days to work, and meanwhile I have that feeling of something stuck there as discussed.
I used Amitiza and Colace with just "ok" results. One doctor (my PT's partner) told me I can use more doses of Miralax at a time safely,...
Maybe that will get things going faster and develop a normal pattern where I won't have to push etc..?
Thx for any thoughts!