My journal (Prisoner's Case)

[prisoner]

Hey Gents,

Following subject title example set by others, this will be my ongoing status and progress.

First of all, I wanted to change my user ID as it has negative connotation which is how I felt after first joining this forum. By the looks of what I can edit in my profile, that's not possible. So I am not new here. Initially a lurker and finally decided to get on track with the proper set of skills to beat this condition.

It's been a couple years now of ups and downs. Initially, the first year I completely isolated myself from everything. Feeling depressed, lost, etc. you all know the feeling. But, as many of you have done, I refused to keep this sensation from enjoying many aspects of life.

My protocol pattern is in flux and is altered when each small step does not work. I question whether or not I should hit this thing with both barrels or not.

My past efforts include:
Physical therapy. The therapist, who was very aware of the Stanford/Wise-Anderson Protocol, did not find any trigger points. She suggested I just follow the stretches in the A HEADACHE IN THE PELVIS book. Scattered good days.

Stretching, jogging, light lifting, sauna and Quercetin. Did this 4 days a week and masturbated once a week. Moderate, but temporary, success.

Let me also mention that I am anxiety prone, and I do clench my pelvic muscles under certain social and mental conditions. This is recognized, but it is a hard pattern to beat. I am mentally and physically energetic, which is obviously at my bodies disposal. It is very hard to calm myself, as I have many goals to accomplish and don't want to feel like life is passing me by.

Currently, I've abandoned the running and in place of that I am swimming. Also stretching and sitting in the steam sauna. Taking Zoloft for depression and anxiety. Flaxseed oil. Masturbation is still about once a week. Trying to get regular sleep.

I have three big contributors of a flare which I can't seem to transcend. These are sexual activity, bowel movements and sitting for long periods.

Swimming, hot showers, sauna, wine and sleep are the best methods of removing a flare. But when I feel tight and anxious, stretching works wonders as well. Also for some reason, the hour before I have a bowel movement I feel great. And a full bladder always makes my muscles feel at ease. Can not figure this one out.

I have some questions maybe the forum members can answer:
How can I beat the flare post bowel movement? My day can be going great until then, and I'm ruined for at least 3 hours following.

How to utilize the benefits of sleep to remove a flare, without feeling the need to sleep often. I can be having a horrible flare with a bad attitude and fatigue, but a small nap makes it all go away.

Feel sexually confident? I am a very sexual person and like to be close. This makes me unsure about having intercourse and removes my desire to be warm and loving.

Should I see a different therapist? Maybe she was not skilled enough?

Recently I've developed a long term relationship as well. She will be visiting me in July. I know things will get very hot. I don't want to be anxious or disappoint her. Just want a good holiday with lots of intimacy to show her how I feel. Sex does not hurt, just the flare after can be difficult. I know she will be looking at other characteristics than that part, but as men, we all know how this feels.

Another thing I was curious about was if anyone is located in the Oregon USA area and would like to possibly meet or form an accountability friendship. Could prove to be helpful.

cheers,
J

[webslave]

Also for some reason, the hour before I have a bowel movement I feel great. And a full bladder always makes my muscles feel at ease. Can not figure this one out.

Much discussed phenomenon. My opinion: the surrounding deep muscles are stretched by the distended organs. Kevin has also shown that there are neurological reasons (nerves switching over to different sensations).

How can I beat the flare post bowel movement? My day can be going great until then, and i'm ruined for at least 3 hours following.

Hit the area between the buttocks (butt crack) with a heating pad (you can make one cheaply). This also works for proctalgia fugax.

How to utilize the benefits of sleep to remove a flare, without feeling the need to sleep often. I can be having a horrible flare with a bad attitude and fatigue, but a small nap makes it all go away.

You may have a CFS component, as I did, and as many women with IC/PBS do. CFS means you are living beyond the adrenal budget of your body, and lifestyle change is in order, or major rethinking of goals and behaviour.

Should I see a different therapist? Maybe she was not skilled enough?

Unfortunately, many women are not able to find trigger pts because of their smaller, weaker hands, so if you can get to a known male practitioner or a female who is acknowledged to be good at this, do it. Could you drive down to the SF area for a one-off visit with Tim?

[etaoinshrdlu]

Also for some reason, the hour before I have a bowel movement I feel great. And a full bladder always makes my muscles feel at ease. Can not figure this one out.

For me, I feel fantastic for an hour or two after having a bowel movement, regardless of volume. I've suspected parallels to internal therapy.

Also, having a full bladder takes away any discomfort I might be experiencing but replaces it with its own. If I'm in the middle of a flare, I'll feel HORRIBLE for an hour after peeing.

[lookouth]

In my case pain after bowel movements was the result of "snap back" pain- that is the muscles associated with a bowel movement (internal, external sphincter, the Levator ani, and also the bulbospongiosus and ischiocavernous muscles) were so used to be in a case of constant contraction that when they were momentarily relaxed (to allow bowel movement to pass) they immediately "snapped" back into a state of contraction and set off my whole pelvic floor into spasm and contraction...that would take hours to calm down.
Things that helped me:
Massage of effected muscles afterwards. This was both internal and external and sometimes I simply just put my hand on my external sphincter and tried to focus on the tension of the muscle, without even changing its state (paradoxical relaxation) and just this awareness was often enough to let the muscles relax. Often I could become more aware of their post-BM contracted state if I tried to push these muscles out a little bit after a bowel movement- replicating the relaxing of the muscles that happens during a BM or during urination...then often times I could immediately feel the "snap back". In general, I found the more I was able to feel the snap-back the more I was able to relax through/after it...this is the basic premise of paradoxical and moment to moment relaxation in the stamford protocol: becoming more aware of the state of your muscles at any given time automatically helps you relax them.


Hot Bath after bowel movement. This isn't always practical- but always always helped a lot- a sitz bath is all it takes- just squatting 8 inches of hot water for five minutes.

Urinating before my bowel movement as opposed to during. Urination also set off this clenching so the more I separated these two activities the easier it was to deal with the respective snap-back.

Deep diaphragm breathing during bowel movements- helped me stayed relaxed.

Also not trying to overly distend my muscles during bowel movements. Relaxing- not "pushing" anything out, but taking my time and staying as relaxed as possible...this also lessened the snap-back pain.

[mach5]

Yup, that describes me as well. I don't know if i would use the term snap back. But everything else fits. From the few posts I read of yours, our chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome is very similar. I was doing pretty well for the last two years, but this last year things have been back with a vengance. So, I am back on the boards again reading and brushing up on tips!

I have trouble massaging the muscles afterward (ejaculation., BM or urination). I'm afraid that it just aggravates the pain further. I probably need to do it for a week and just take the plunge and trust things. See how it goings.