Incivek and Anal Dragon Fire

[catmagic0406]

I spent too much time yesterday (considering I am six weeks out from treatment) reading here about the horrors of the anal dragon fire and the internal pain.  That is gonna make things really rough, isn't it?  I read a lot of suggestions, and of course I know everyone is different.  Could some of you write out with numbers (1,2,3 etc  - I need structure - lol) what you would recommend to ease this?  I know about the Huggies baby wipes (I use them already - would never be without them - they are so useful for so many things).  When I read about the "shards of glass" stuff I couldn't imagine how I could deal with that kind of pain.  WHY do we have to get SO sick in order to maybe get well?  COULD tx make you worse in other ways?  (I'm adding questions to the original one so I'll stop)  

So it would be like:

1.  Get Huggies Baby Wipes with Aloe
2.  Clean completely after each BM (get in shower, stiz bath whatever) asap
3.  Dry completely - TOTALLY with ????????
4.  Eat ............... to firm up stools
5.  Take............... to firm up stools
6.  etc etc etc

I read that fat AND oil can be helpful.  Seems to me though that oil would make things slippery - and meaning less firm, more diarrhea.  ????  I have to choke down that 20g of fat 3 times a day anyway.  The oil - not so sure that would be beneficial???
Thanks.  I know I'm ahead of the game here, and I guess I will have a nurse who will assist me with all this, but I trust all of you more.

[catmagic0406]

pooh (lol)

WOW!!!!!!!!!!

Now THAT is a complete response.  THANK YOU!

[pooh55811]

"I guess I will have a nurse who will assist me with all this"
------------------------------------------------------

Don't count on the nurse or the doctor having a clue about anal issues. At first, I counted on treating team but they knew nothing about the anal issues. I think they thought I was fabricating the internal shards of glass pain. You may be lucky in getting a doc or a nurse who does know something, but if they don't respond and prescribe meds to give you relief, then get assertive and ask for what you need.

Thanks, Keith. I was trying to find that post on Rectal Rockets except I could not remember what they were called. I wish I had known about them when I needed them.

[hrsepwrguy]

This is a post from about a week ago, might be worth looking in to

tiredofhepc  
May 08, 2012 .To: Violetblonde.I am on the Hep-C treatment. I too have had my battle with extreme Anal probems. Early on, my Doctor's PA, who is unbelievable, prescribed to me Rectal Rockets! They are an *** saver. They are made by a compound pharmacy, (regular pharmacy's can not fill this Rx) and they work incredibly! I am in St Pete FL, and you can contact the the Compound Shop at 727.381.9799 ask for Mike the Head Pharmacist. I am sure he will share the recipe with your local Compund Pharmacy and your doctor. These along with Prep-H with Cortizone, along with Lidocaine, (which is prescribed by your doctor), work great. I went from level 10 pain to level 1-2. The rectal rockets are used at bedtime and are easy to use. Just remember to get the instructions. .

[Idyllic]

I didn't get the anal side effects or discomfort associated with
Incivek. I did get explosive diarrhoea when I did not eat
enough fat with meds the few times I was foolish enough
to do that.

It helps to be prepared with a variety of
different fats to take with your meds. I discovered what
worked one week did not work so well the following week.
It was almost if I developed an aversion to it or something.

[pooh55811]

You may not get the anal symptoms. Many do not. Even if you get hemorrhoids and diarrhea, you still may not get the internal "shards of glass" pain. Most don't get that internal pain.

But I got all threee, lol, so here is my list:

Hemorrhoids:
1.  Get Huggies Baby Wipes with Aloe
2.  Clean completely after each BM (get in shower, stiz bath whatever, Huggies wipes) asap
3.  Dry completely -  with hair dryer. Set it on low heat.
4.  Preparation H cream (external)
5.  Preparation H suppositories (interna,l soothing)
6.  Xylocaine cream with hydrocortizone (presciption)
7.  Tucks (if the reactal area is irritated these may burn/sting)

Burning Diarrhea:
1.  Drink plenty of water
2.  Eat at least the 20 grams of fat with each Incivek
3.  Loperimide as needed (at first sign of soft or loose stools) (I took one when I started cramping because I knew the diarrhea was just around the corner)
4.  Keep stools firm (I did this with the Loperimide but others use fiber ... be sure to get fiber that won't bind with the Incivek if you decide to use fiber)
5.  Keep area clean as noted above
  
Skin irritation from burning diarrhea :
1.  Keep area clean
2.  Warm showers or hand held type shower
3.  Sitz baths
4.  Dry with hairdryer
5.  Desitin cream to irritated area (also A&D ointment, Baneal soln., Butt Balm, probably others, to protect, heal, soothe area)
6.  Xylocaine cream with hydrocortizone (presciption)

Internal "shards of glass" pain (which you very well may NOT get):
1.  Keep Stools quite firm with Loperimide (or fiber)
2.  Eat at least 20 gms of fat just before each Incivek dose
3)  Prescription suppositories that help relieve this pain.  

I had the internal shards of glass pain only when I had diarrhea or soft stools. There was zero internal pain if my stools were firm. Topical external remidies will do absolutely nothing for the internal shards of glass pain (caused most likely from internal fissures which are caused by the internal burning diarrhea). For me, the only solution was to keep the stools quite firm. This worked exceptionally well (once I figured it out).

I do not think specific foods will help firm the stools in this situation. I think Loperimide or some firming agent is needed. Getting plenty of fat seems to somehow blunt the external burning a bit. Not sure how that works.

Hopefully your side effects will be mild and maybe you won't get any issues. It is good to be prepared, though.

Hope this helps.

[catmagic0406]

Thanks, Billy.  I have been really remiss in not drinking much water at all - EVER.  Good suggestion about room temp.  And I HAVE to start drinking water NOW.