Health Organization for Pudendal Education

This happened to me last night. I was sleeping and then i was awken by sharp stabbing pains in my rectum i have had pains before but this was like charlie horses that would not stop in my rectum we put a bella donna up there and ice the pain was worse than labor pains. So scared to ever feel that pain again. I was screaming it felt like a knife it lasted for at least at least 15 min I felt like I was going to pass out from the pain. Dan just held me and I I was screaming out to God. We both passed out and woke up two hours later it felt like a nightmare. HAS THIS HAPPENED TO ANYONE. A:'(

Dan looked it up. http://surgerysearch.blogspot.com/2008/ ... fugax.html

Alisa. :'( I am petrified

You don't need to be frightened Alisa.

Proctalgia fugax is not nice but it is pretty common - more so in women under the age of 45. It is believed to be due to muscle spasm, and yes it does hurt a lot. I used to get it quite often, less so now that I am older. It usually lasts less than 20 minutes and is not linked to any disease process. Your experience of at least 15 minutes is about par for the course, from my own experience.

So - it will go away. You will not get stuck like that, it doesn't happen. Breathe through it, focussing on your breathing ..... the more stressed that you let yourself become, the worse the pain will feel.

Alisa

I used to get those sensations very often before I had TG surgery; nowadays I do still get spasms more often when i have walked too far and when constipation is an issue. It will pass for you too.

I believe you have made the correct diagnosis and am sorry you had to go through it. Most doctors at least have heard of it --unlike PN-- and can give you the reassurance you already received here. Many will go to the ER the pain is so severe, only to find by the time that they are seen, the pain is (thankfully) gone, and they are embarrassed to have gone to the ER. [Not unlike the child with croup and trouble breathing, which the cold air 'heals' on the way].

Some had found relief by inserting a lubricated, gloved finger to break the spasm; I don't remember what the success rate is, apologies, but definitely worth a try if recurs.

Don