Formula for success for itchy painful bums!
I'm three years in with my jpouch and after trying everything that was recommended by GI nurses, dermatologists and online searches, I’ve zeroed in on a magic formula for keeping my overused itchy painful bum in good, heathy condition. I don’t do all the steps all the time, but these are the things I’ve found most useful over time.
1) Diltiazem/Lidocaine 3/3% cream - This is a compound made in house at a pharmacy or more likely an Apathecary. Hoey Apathecary in Madison, Wi created this recipe for me (and I’m sure they would make it for you). Diltiazam is the magic stuff - really nothing is better for healing anal fissures/ irritation/ hemorrhoids. That idea came from the GI nurse. But the lovely addition of Lidocaine helps to numb up the sore area nicely. I apply it 1-3 times/day (most likely for life).
2) Citaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser - I keep a bottle of this by my toilet and take a travel-sized container of it when I travel. I squirt a little dab on my toilet paper every time I clean my bum. It was recommended to me by a dermatologist. He says the cleanser does not need to be rinsed off and that it makes the TP softer and more effective at cleaning. Citaphil also makes Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths that are so soft and lovely on the bum that I would use these ALL the time if I could afford to. They cost about 25 cent per cloth. I happily keep a travel pack of 10 in my purse so I can use them when I’m away from home.
3) Bidet arm - I ordered one of these online. It was an easy install onto my toilet. It is an essential aspect of keeping the bum clean and healthy.
4) Baths - A crucial part of maintaining a healthy bum is keeping it clean despite fecal matter passing through it so many times per day. So my combination of showering in the mornings and soaking my bum in bath water (sometimes just a half inch of water) for a few minutes every night before I go to bed seems to be working well.
5) Drying - The experts say the best way to heal irritation is to put whatever salve you are using onto clean dry skin. So I’m sure you can get as creative as I have when it comes to thinking of ways to get our bums dry without rubbing them too much with TP or towels.