[withit]

I have had rectal itching for a very long time, it is soooooo annoyig... it feels like critters are crawling around there. My doc ordered stool analysis test, testing for parasites. It came back negative. Doc threw up her hands and said, it must be in the mind.... I am feeling so helpless about the siuation. I have realized that eating any sugar triggers the itching. Even fruits. So I have been off fruits for a few months now. This past week I had some cake and boy did I feel the itching! I am so utterly frustrated! That I have to limit my diet to such an extent that I cannot even have the basics such as fruits!!!!!!!!!
I do not think it is in my mind. I think there is something down there that is very highly sensitive to any kinds of sugars and I don't know how to reverse this!
Anyone ever had this exprience and can shed insight?
Thanks!

I have no idea really, I was going to suggest worms... Would it be worth taking a worm pill just in case? I'm wondering because I think that usually we do have a certain number of the little critters and so maybe the test for parasites is to test whether you have high levels of them. If you are unusually sensitive to them then it could be those even though their numbers are within normal range.

I used to take a worm pill every 6 months when I did a lot of work with my dogs. Because they did insist on licking my face and they seemed to take great pleasure in catching me by surprise and managing to get their tongue in my mouth. Ugh. I just picked them up over the counter at the local pharmacy. I don't know whether I actually ever had worms or not but once I thought I might have them I had an itchy bottom too (in the way I start scratching my head when people talk about headlice).

The itchiness... Do you scratch and do you end up sore from scratching? Do you have any other problems with constipation or diarreah (sp?) or anything like that? Do you eat spicy / hot food?

I'm not sure...

Do you have any allergies? Asthma? Excema? (sp?) Anything like that? If you have other allergies then your body could be extra sensitive to something... How about sugar substitutes? I'm not sure...

[Rhapsody]

Have you been to see an Allergist to see exactly what you are allergic to? - if not I would suggest that you have your GP set up an appointment with one.

Plus might I suggest that you try using some Summers Eve Feminine Powder on the out side area of the %#@&#! opening..... for moisture can lead to the problems you are describing.

And let us not forget about good old Preparation-H - my best friend during my last pregnancy.


LoVe,
Rhapsody - ((( hugs )))

Sometimes itching no matter where it is on the body is because of dryness where there should be some body oils and so on. you might try preparation H, that takes care of both internal and external itching in that area and also tucks wipes and normal body lotions gentle enough to be used outside the body helps too..

[withit]

Thank you all!
The itching is real! It feels like tiny little somethings are crawling around inside. I don't scratch myself, it is useless to do so, they creepy-crawly feeling is a bit inside, not on the outside. If I wanted to touch it, I'd have to insert my finger deep inside, and I wouldn't do that cuz I don't think I can thus yank them critters out.....
Maybe I'll consider the worm pill.
This is driving me so crazy! No sugar, no fruits, what's left to eat?! Within an hour of eating a fruit I feel the creepy-crawlies inside.....aaarrrrrggggghhhhhh!!!!!!

Ah.

When your doc suggested it was psychological did she suggest what you should do about it?

Real itching can be caused by psychological factors. I understand that it FEELS like there are critters but psychological factors could cause that feeling...

Can you eat dried fruit?

Is it all fruit or only some?

Have you mentioned this to a psychiatrist / therapist?

[withit]

dried fruits, fruit juice, fresh fruit, any sugar! cake, cookies, anything with sugar in it! aaaarrrrggghhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!
Sometimes I can't take it anymore! This restrictive diet! So I have a piece of chocolate or strawberry or apple, and shortly thereafter I feel the creepy-crawly feeling!!!!!!!!!

[Soidhonia]

Hello I hope things get bettre for you. I can not eat chicken with my medication. I suggest you check the internet for the drugs you are taking, and see if you are having a reaction because of the medicaiton you are taking. I know that is is recommended that is you are on certain mental health meds not to drink or eat a lot of vitamin c. There are foods that you can become sensitive to after taking medications. I take an allergy pill in the evening before bed, and sometimes in the day ,if I know I will be triggered by a food that may not go well with my medication. I would suggest maybe calling the pharmacist and seeing what the pharmacist says to take. Sometimes benadryl is good to take but it makes you sleepy. Seeing an allergist may be in order as well. I hope the best for you take care Soidhonia

[(JD)]

Food allergies can cause you to react in many places...and that area is one of them, just few ppl talk about it. Some ppl who are allergice to spicy food also experience burning or itching there.

Try going totally off sugars for 3 months. TOTALLY. Then slowly begin to add them back in, maybe only one item first ... some allergies are corrected by the body once they are allowed to rest fighting them (thus the 3 months)... others aren't.

If you have an allergy to sugars, and the 3 month provocative testing doesn't work... then you could go to an allergist for desensitization. It's not just about this itching, imo, because with sugars, your whole system can be upset, and have bigger problems later on. A real allergist won't laugh or say it's in your head..they KNOW what allergies do to ppl. TC!

[pamelasu]

*hugs* I know how that feels. I have to watch what I eat too or I get sick like that too. It's hard but it's something that has to be done in oder to stay healthy. Good luck to you. Just know that you are not alone!! It really sounds like it's just allergies so maybe try taking some benadryl or something to help relieve the iching.

[withit]

Thank you all for your kind replies. So I'm not the only one experiencing this.......?
I am not on any meds, so no suspicions of meds inter-reacting....
Allergies...hm.. That gives me an idea: When I eat apple, avacado, pineapple, kiwi, stawberry, mango, banana, or carrot, celery, string beans..... well, just about any fruit or veggie... I immediately have itching in my mouth, throat, ears. Which is why I'm basically deprived of all these healthy foods.
So I'm thinking....the itching (creepy-crawly feeling) down there may be the same allergic reaction, only it's happening further down in the digestive tract. Actually, the other end of the tract.
Anyone else has had this reaction in their mouth? And has any intervention helped? Other than the obvious intervention: just omitting it from the diet....

[pamelasu]

You should be tested for allergies and then be treated for them. There is all kinds of help for allergies out there. It's just a matter of finding the right medicine and that fun stuff. I really recomind that you be tested first though just to make sure. Stuff like that is not something to play around with. If it is allergies it could eventually block your airway and then you will have serious problems. It's better to be treated while it's early than it is when it gets really bad. *hugs* I hope you get feeling better soon!

It does sound psychosomatic to me. Don't get me wrong, I'm not denying your experiences at all, I really do believe that you experience the itching.

I'm also fairly sure that the doctor would have suggested an allergy test if she thought it was to do with alergies. Instead... She suggested it may be psychosomatic.

Did she say what she thought you should do about psychosomatic itching? Are you seeing a therapist at all?

What leads me to think it isn't an allergy is...

In particular...

The part about how you: 'immediately have itching in [your] mouth, throat, ears'.

Ears is a strange one. Especially the 'immediately' idea...

[(JD)]

Ok, I am a highly allergic person, and when I react to any medicine I have itching in my throat and ears first... also for food allergies, throat and ears and nose...

Everyone is different. Doctors say that medicines don't have any action in the body for xx number of minutes, yet my reactions are within 15 minutes they will know if I need breathing assistance. And yes, my allergies are "real" verified by provocative testings and all...

alexandra k, have you ever had a shot of meds they give you to put you under before you go under for surgery? I forget their names, but they cause INTENSE itching and burning in the genitals.... who knows why there!

[9874]

Alexandra, seems you thank-God don't have any allergies. How do I know that? cuz if you did you would know that an immediate allergic reaction is possible! It absolutely is! In fact, I get itching in my throat and ears and mouth when I stand near fresh pineapple! I could be in the bedroom and someone cuts open a pineapple in the kitchen and I won't even know it, but I'll yell: "Anyone cutting open a pineapple?" And they'll shout back: "yeah, how do you know?" and i'll yell back, "cuz i feel it in my throat!"
As anyone who has experienced seasonal allergies will attest that they make you itch in your throat and yes, ears too!

Okay...

Though of course there is a significant psychosomatic component to allergies too...

[withit]

Alexandra,
About the ''significant psychosomatic components to allergies''......
Would you care to elaborate? I am very interested in the connection bet. the itching and my psyche. Also, do you have any suggestions as to eliminating this itching?
Thank you in advance!
(btw, what educational background do you have in this subject?)

It is really hard to seperate out the mental factors from the physical factors. We know that 'Type A personalities' (people who work all the time and worry all the time and live high stress lifestyles) have higher risk of heart attack. Does that mean that heart attack has a psychosomatic component? In a sense, yeah, it does. I know that it is terrific if we could just take a pill and make it go away, but quite often mental and physical conditions both require us to make changes at the mental and physical levels...

Allergies can be exacerbated by psychological factors. So can asthma. So can dermatitus. I know it sounds strange... But people are at much higher risk of getting sick (immune problems e.g., cold and flu) when they are stressed / upset / worried about something. When people are stressed they seem to have less white blood cells to fight off infection. Allergies (and asthma) can be exacerbated. Amazing to think that rashes and stuff like that have a psychosomatic component (a rash is as real as anything!) but finding disorders that are purely physical is actually rather tricky...

What do I know about this? I'm not a doctor. I've studied psychology (mental disorder in particular) but I don't know everything (not even most things!) so you would be wise to be cautious...

But on the upside... Sounds like your doctor doesn't really know what to do about it. I'm surprised that they didn't suggest an allergy test. Did you suggest it to them? What did they think about that? On the upside... If it is significantly psychosomatic then therapy could help alleviate your symptoms. There would thus be more hope for your getting better than there seems to be at present...

I guess that optimally... I'd try both avenues. Sometimes people conclude that something is psychosomatic because they can't find anything wrong. In some instances later they find that there was indeed something medically wrong that wasn't picked up on before. Usually an attack on all fronts is most likely to lead to quickest improvement and prevention of relapse... Therapy in conjunction could help.

It would be great if you could eat fruit and vegetables again.

What do you eat if you can't eat fruit and vegetables?

ALso... I'm fairly sure you can get over the counter anti-histamine tablets. Have you tried taking those to see whether your symptoms stop?

I got hayfever a couple years back. I got it during the spring (grass-seed the doctor thought) but I haven't had it before or since. Just the one season. It was a particularly stressful time for me because I was finishing up my thesis... Had to take anti-histamenes and it took a couple of days for them to kick in. My eyes were streaming and my nose was streaming and I was sneezing just about constantly. No itchy ears, though...

[Perna]

Okay, let's not hijack withit's thread with our psychosomatic/real thoughts! There are real food allergies like withit has that have nothing to do with one's head.

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/n...ory_38142.html

Just because the doctors can't "see" something doesn't mean it's psychosomatic like they claim because they don't know what's wrong. You're the right size, it's the pants that don't fit!

Have you done an experiment with cooking the same fresh fruits and veggies, withit? Do they bother you? Chemicals interacting with one another are heck to solve. My asthma is like that; primarily changes in weather, maybe mold (but since one can't see mold spores, hard to tell), combinations of things. Have you tried eating a fresh fruit naked in the bathroom or something, just to see if your laundry detergent/something on your clothing might be interacting with the fruit, etc.? I'd try all sorts of experiments and/or maybe even "overload" the itchy circuit (eat way more than "average" of several things at once) to find its exact measure. Test everything one at a time to see if there are differences in response (so you could occasionally stand eating bananas but never strawberries, whatever) and combinations, etc. Since it could be an immune response, I'd also try taking it with various "vitamins" or other foods that are immune boosters, kind of like people who have to take an antacid to eat pizza or that sort of thing. See if you can figure out combinations that could work.

You have to be joking.

Did you read my post BEFORE you proceeded to completely misunderstand me?

[TheSick]

I have the same problem! How have you been doing since you posted this thread!?
Since my teenage years (more than 20years ago), I have had rectal itching. It comes and go. Note that I have also itching under the groins. The doctors prescribed me some cortisone type of cream, that calmed the itching, and sorted it out temporarily. But it always came back, and it is damaging for the skin to use cortisone for more than 5 days.

It is only about a year ago that I made the correlation with the sugar intake, like you. I suppose that it is related to an overgrowth of yeast in the digestive system and on the rectal end. Although it can starts itching less than an hour after eating a sugary cake, so there may be some type of allergy going on too.

Nowadays, by eating less sugar, drinking kefir, and putting coconut oil on the itchy skin, I manage my condition quite well.

Originally Posted by withit

I have had rectal itching for a very long time, it is soooooo annoyig... it feels like critters are crawling around there. My doc ordered stool analysis test, testing for parasites. It came back negative. Doc threw up her hands and said, it must be in the mind.... I am feeling so helpless about the siuation. I have realized that eating any sugar triggers the itching. Even fruits. So I have been off fruits for a few months now. This past week I had some cake and boy did I feel the itching! I am so utterly frustrated! That I have to limit my diet to such an extent that I cannot even have the basics such as fruits!!!!!!!!!
I do not think it is in my mind. I think there is something down there that is very highly sensitive to any kinds of sugars and I don't know how to reverse this!
Anyone ever had this exprience and can shed insight?
Thanks!