itching!!! Oh the horrible itching!!

I would use plain water on toilet paper, no wipes. They could be causing irritation. Otherwise, the most likely culprit is a fungal infection. If swearing off the wipes does not make a difference, try an over the counter antifungal, like miconazole or chlortrimazole.

Jan

Thanks...

I had the same thing and resorted to q-tips to scrath where I needed to scratch.

I also used a hand-shower head to get that spot as well.

If the wipes are the problem, and they sure might be, you might get a better result with witch hazel wipes (e.g. Tucks).

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm thinking the baby wipes would be the most likely culprit since the itching started before I opened the cottonelle wipes. But it happens even when I use nothing but regular, soft toilet paper I've used for years. So.. It could be that fungal issue too. I know I had a fungal infection on my skin (leg and belly) in the hospital. Maybe I got some infection there too and just now noticing with everything else I had going on. Time and experimenting will tell I guess.
thanks for your suggestions!!

I have had to get in the warm shower with ivory soap and wash wash wash. I have a bidet but sometimes need a tad more when the itching is a problem.

I get that ich from time to time. The first time my GI treated me for a yeast infection in that area. He says it is common, especially if your taking prescriptions.

I do what Jan suggested, I wet the toilet paper a bit and dap it around. Or use parents choice sensitive baby wipes... Seems to work.

Heidi

For yeast infections I have used Zeasorb AF powder with great success. I recently had one appear in my legpit, doused it with the powder twice a day and it was history in about 48 hours or less:

http://www.walgreens.com/store...D=prod393159-product

(can be had cheaper at Walmart)

I made the same mistake as you putting Desitin on a fungal rash in my legpits 3 years ago. The water in the cream feeds the fungi and nourishes them. In several weeks the rash spread out of my legpits halfway down to my knee before antifungal pills were needed to knock it out.

Put the powder on morning and at night before bedtime and it will put the kabosh on that yeast infection. Keep the area dry, don't keep it moist! I use a blow dryer in the areas where I have had a yeast infection after showering. Any residual moisture due to lazy towelling off after showering will feed and nourish the infection.

One word bidet you would not believe the differance and relief it will give you .

quote:

One word bidet you would not believe the differance and relief it will give you .

Maybe so, but just remember that butt burn and yeast infections are two different animals. Butt burn is not going to be fed by moisture. But with a yeast infection which is being caused by fungi, if you do not dry the area after applying any kind of treatment involving water or moisture, YOU WILL PAY big time. Take this from someone who has had the unpleasant experience of battling a number of yeast infections.

If you can get a bidet...fabulous...a hand held shower saved me. My itching and burning was off the charts. I got a prescription numbing cream.

I am new to this site but not to UC or Pouch-it is. I had my surgery in 1995 and have done well with the exception of that dreaded itching. My solution (not a cure but for relief purposes)is Balmex. This stuff is great but I have been using it on and off (mostly on) for over 20 years! My fear is that I might be helping short term but absorbing chemicals into my skin that my cause harm with over exposure. Any comments would be helpful.

Balmex is fine. It is basically just zinc oxide ointment.

The main thing is to be sure you are clean and dry before applying, otherwise you can trap yeasts in there and actually promote an infection.

Jan

another good thing about the bidet is it dries you off too, very well if you take the time for it!!

My surgeon told me my itching and burning was caused by "seepage"....even if I couldn't see it! He told me to really slather on the barrier cream at those times to keep the "seepage" away from my skin. That helped for sure! Plus, my bidet with warm water and keeping the area as clean and dry as possible also helped. Haven't paid attention to what foods seem to cause the problem because I so rarely experience it. But, when I do it can be misearable.

it takes time, I recall burning and itching constant cleaning only made it worse. Skin barrier ointments and other products will help Neil your body and skin adjust. I am 6 years out and only maybe the last two years I haven't had this issue.
It will get better...

quote:

constant cleaning only made it worse

If it was a yeast infection, constantly moistening the area, and then not drying it effectively, will make it a ton worse.

By the ways, it need not be a guessing game regarding whether it is butt burn or a yeast infection that is causing the burning and itching. If you go to any competent dermatologist, he/she can lightly scrape flakes of skin from the effected area as a sample, look at it under a microscope, and 20 seconds later tell you whether it is a fungal infection or not. Like me the 1st time I had a yeast infection, I think a lot of people have no clue what they are dealing with. They then make the problem worse guessing as to what they are dealing with and what the treatment should be. This is simply a mistake when you can KNOW what you are dealing with after one doctor's appointment.

Balneol should stop the itching. I use it almost every day. It has yeast fighting abilities and cleans the area. My surgeon recommended it to me. You can get it at Walgreens or Amazon.

Thanks Jan I appreciate the input. I have found Balmex to work well where other products like Desitin only help to bridge the gap until I find a store that carries Balmex. Poor planning due to a crazy travel schedule.

depending on your diet, sometimes fruit, fruit juice, or anything with fruit in it makes my anus itch like crazy. No idea why but that's what it does to me haha