Does anyone have anismus?

[craftylady]

For 6years I've been trying to find out what is wrong with me and finally have been diagnosed with "Paradoxical Puberectalis/Anismus. It started with having multiple BM's every day. I sometimes felt good after a BM, but a short time later the whole thing would happen again. Each BM takes awhile to happen, which pretty much can rule my life. On some days when I only had one or so BM's per day, I would be left with uncomfortable feelings in my rectum such as a pressure feeling that is worse when walking.
I was put on an antianxiety drug and also Kristolose (a prescription stool softener) and felt pretty good except I was still having multiple BM's on somedays, but they came out easily. The other feelings completely disappeared FOR A YEAR. Then they all came back.  The doctor said that the meds had quit working so I was put on another antidepressant and another precription stool softener and all the symptoms I had originally will still not go away.
I will probably have biofeedback after I have a colonoscopy scheduled for later this week (my 3rd one)
I am looking for someone who has been diagnosed with this problem or someone who is experiencing this problem because I feel so alone. People don't understand a conditions like this one and it limits what you can do. I stay home alot.

[midsummer]

Hi you...........your post is still on the main reading board............if you can get e-mail addresses by the patient to patient way we should go for that.
I am female by the way so its not me on there.
I am going to write to the Consultant as I have been up and down all night again and after 2 years this is really getting me down.
If I had ever had a break from it it would not be so bad but all the time.....ugggghhh and the straining..more uggghhhh.
I do have anal fissures as well and the Consultant who I saw with regard to that (he was ok) said that the body protects itself by sending the anal muscle into spasm......I did have surgery for that but it did not work and at the last count I have 3 now.
I did go back in for further surgery but due to the risks involved I came home..after tea of course.  
I have to go to another hospital with regard to the vocal spasm on Thursday........then I have another appointment for the TMJ???????? at my local hospital in a couple of weeks. I appear to have a progressive disorder affecting muscles right through my body and naturally after 4 years (thats when the voice problem started)I feel that I want some answers not a prescription for fyber that makes one of my many problems worse.
I will register on the other section so see if you can find me there.
I did mail the hosts of the board to see if they could sent my address to you but it came back undelivered.

[midsummer]

Hello.......fellow bowel sufferer.............I stay at home a lot too............
I have suffered for two years passing very thin stools with great difficulty and added frequency.
I have recently had extensive tests but during this I was diagnosed with Achalasia, this seems to have been given priority over the bowel problem for which I was given a prescription for a fyber suppliment which has made the problem worse.
I do not have to see the Consultant again for 6 months and the thought of this is just not acceptable as something is clearly very wrong.
I had a partial sigmoidoscopy due to the spasm and discomfort which in my opinion is not conculsive at all.
I started with a speech problem 4 years ago and now have multipul problems with muscles either not working or in spasm all over my body...........but I am being refused an appointment to see a Neurologist.
I know how you feel about not going out.............unless I have been to the loo at least 3 times before I leave the house I know I am going to have a problem when I am out.
Speak to you soon again I hope.

[midsummer]

hello again............I noticed there is another section............patient to patient where you register an interest in a topic and they put you in touch with people with an interest in that problem..............maybe that would work if we both register and put Anismus as our topic...........see what you think.
The medication the doctor gave me is making the problem worse now and I am even going in the middle of the night........he is not seeing me again for 6 months.........this is a nightmare.

[craftylady]

Hi
Did you notice that when you click on "Post A Comment" and it takes you to where you enter your comment, right above it says "Comment to" and the window says "everyone". I changed it to "midsummer" and wonder if perhaps only you can read this comment? I'm going to post this comment and see if it can be read by someone other than you.
I'm AOL, are you?
Yes, I just visited the Patient to Patient that you were talking about. I put in "anismus" and one name came up and it was a male. Are you male or female?
When I clicked on it, it gave me his email address. I did not register yet though.
You sound like you're really a mess. Can you just get off that med? 6 months would be totally absurd to wait.
I go for biofeedback this week. The med the doctor has me on helps me on some days now.

[midsummer]

Hi.......I do not really want to put my mail address on the site as I am sure neither do you......any ideas how we can get round this.............do you post anywhere else?

[craftylady]

Hi to you! I understand completely what you're saying about posting your email address. I feel that way too. I'm very careful about my email address. I haven't posted anywhere else, have you? I don't have any idea how to do this, but maybe I can ask around and someone can help us on this unless you have any ideas. Talk to you soon.

[craftylady]

Hey there! I had the signoidoscopy once too because I told him I was afraid to have a colonsocopy. Wow was that a big mistake. It hurt me too. The colonoscopy was a breeze because you're put out and don't know a thing.
I couldn't find the Dyschezia. Don't you just hate these weird conditions we seem to get? Especially when we have no one who can relate to them!
Yes we can mail privately if you want. Give me your email or what?

[craftylady]

I'm so glad to hear from someone who maybe  has similar problems.  6 years ago I had a test called Anorectal Manometry, which was done locally, then again several years later at Cleveland Clinic, then finally the summer of 2001 locally again, and at that time they finally diagnosed it as Anismus. They say this is a behavorial disorder in which the uncoordinated relaxation of the striated anal sphincters occurs during attempted evacuation. To put it simply, the muscles tighten instead of relaxing.This happens to some people who have experienced trauma or from sexual abuse during childhood. I had neither.
I also have the thin stools. I asked him if all my problems (ie. the uncomfortable feelings and frequent BM's were due to Anismus and he said I also have IBS. Doctors are very hard to get answers from. It seems you just have to pin them down! If they cannot find something wrong initally, they don't seem to have the time to really spend trying to find out what is wrong.
I've never heard of Achalasia. What is that?
Just to tell you how rare this must be, before my tests I asked the 3 nurses who were attending to me if they had ever heard of Ansimus and they had not, and they work in the Gastroenterology Dept!
You save you had a partial sigmoidoscopy, did you ever have the colonoscopy? I think sigmoidoscopies are a waste of time and they hurt!
You might ask for the Anorectal Manometry if you haven't had it done, but beware it took 3 trys for them to find it in me!
It sounds like you have some major problem going on with muscles. Why would you be refused by a Neurologist? Sounds like that is exactly what you need!
Hope to hear from you.

[midsummer]

hello you..............yes I have had anal motility tests. They took two hours as I agreed to allow them to film the ordeal. During these tests I was asked to take a deep breath in and then cough, this relaxed the bowel muscles and I had no problem at all.
During the Sigmoidoscopy I was in so much pain he stopped on the advise of the Nurse. I had the Gastroscopy done at the same time and was given no medication.......I was the last to go in and the department shuts for lunch..............I will leave you to work that one out.
Achalasia is a very rare condition that means the muscle at the entrance to the stomach is in spasm (thats not new for me)and also I have lost peristaltic contractions which I think is more wide spread than just the eosphagus and is causing the bowel problem as well.
The anal motility test showed like you that I have a delayed urge to defaecate.........the only reson I shouted when I did was because it was starting to hurt........badly.......I think the result would have been even worse other wise.
Did you have the test where they strap an electrode to your ankle...............that was awful?
I am sure I will rupture myself or have a prolapse at this rate........
I found a condition that I felt fitted my symptoms........Dyschezia ..if you want to look that one up?
Speak to you soon...........can we mail privately??????