Anal Skin Tag/Growth???

[jmh4leo]

Anal Skin Tag!! (urgh) Long story short (& sorry for lots of TMI)....I have been loosely diagnosed by my GP with a rare bowel disease following my faecal calprotectin reading being 2100 ug/g. Yes 2100. This is following an initial colonoscopy 5 years ago where they found lots of scattered ulcers and told me I had Chrons, and 5 years of going back and forth to consultant after consultant and 4 more colonoscopies, a sigmoid and a virtual colonoscopy. I have been told I have chron's, colitis, IBD, IBS, unknown bowel disease, each doctor says a different thing and nobody seems to know why I am having the bowel issues I have. One will say I have chrons, the other will say I dont etc etc. I am on no medication for my symptoms at all. I have been bleeding from the bowel for 3 years daily, very heavily, which is just normal for me now. I have very loose stools but at the same time I am constipated, like I never feel like I am emptying my bowel fully. I have bowel incontinence most days, my bowel seem to work by itself without any input from me, which is very difficult as I work full time and travel to work on public transport. I frequently soil myself and have to take spare underwear etc with me. This has been happening for 2 years. At my last colonoscopy I was told I had "significant residue" and this is why I experience both diarreah and constipation as the diarreah is "overflow". I last saw my consultant in June following the high calproctectin reading and he wasn't concerned at all and just said I should go for another colonoscopy, despite my GP saying the stool sample showed I had a rare bowel disease that wouldn't show on a normal colonoscopy as it is in a part of the bowel that is not visible on a colonoscopy. GP said I need to have the capsule with the camera but when I told the consultant he said no and just referred me for yet another "urgent" colonoscopy, that was in June, I am still waiting. Since that appointment I have had piles, which I have never had before, and is probably due to all the straining on the toilet 10-12 times a day. I wasn't too bothered about this but they have now gone and what remains is a HUGE MASSIVE growth right over the anal opening that I have guessed from googling it that is a skin tag resulting from a burst heamarroid, but it is very big, thick and painful. The perineum skin is also raw and sore and stings. I am worried about this tag but too embarrassed to go to the docs. Should I just leave it? Will it go away on its own? I have had it for about 3 months now and it I getting bigger, gets in the way of wiping and also in the way of a bowel movement and I am worried about hygiene and infection as it is right on the anal opening at the side, and when I have to have a BM it feels like there are razor blades in it. It is also hard to clean the area. This week I am struggling to even sit down. Does anyone have any advice? I want to cut the thing off! Please help I am really worried that it is not a skin tag as I know all growths should be checked out but I cant bring myself to show anyone, not even my husband knows about this. Please be gentle this is my first post and I am very embarrassed. PLEASEHELP!!! Thank you NB if its of any significanc,: I also have auto-immune disease, psoriatic arthritis, osteo-arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout in all of my joints, degenerative disc disease and herniated disc bulge in spine, sciatica, biomechanical spine issues, bi-lateral knee effusion, uveitis, chronic inflammatory skin conditions, chronic depression and anxiety, hypertension, high cholesterol, Iron Deficiency Anaemia and I take the following daily meds: Pre-gablin 100mg, • Celebrex 400mg • Ranitidine 150mg x 2 • Amitriptyline 25mg x 2 • Venlafaxine 37.5mg modified slow release • Venlafaxine 75mg modified slow release • Bisoprolol 5mg • Allopurinol 200mg • Co-codamol 500mg x 8 • Fexofenadine (Telfast) 120mg • Adcal D3 x 2 • Various steroid creams for skin • Steroidal eye drops • Laxido x 4

[IBSNetwork Partner IBS Network]

We suggest you speak to your GP. We understand you may feel embarrassed but it is important to consult your GP.

[jmh4leo in reply to IBSNetwork]

Thanks - I do know I need to do this but wanted to see if anyone has personal experience with this or any of the other issues in my post. Or any advice. Thanks for your reply 😁

[IBSNetwork Partner IBS Network in reply to jmh4leo]

You're welcome. If you need advice about IBS, we're here to help. theibsnetwork.org

[jmh4leo in reply to IBSNetwork]

Thank you so much. I find these forums so helpful and have finally plucked up the courage to post.

[FRreedman]

I assume you are in the UK. I hope that you live within a travelable distance of St Mark's hospital in North West London (hospital which specialises in diseases of the intestines and bowels only). Please ask your GP for a referral to them and let them deal with all your problems. They have now saved my life twice, and that is the reason why I recommend them.

In any event you must let your doctor know about the skintag.

[jmh4leo in reply to FRreedman]

I am in the UK but London is the opposite end of the country to me and would take a 16 hour round trip and my docs would never refer a patient to London. I could only wish! I hope you are doing okay 😊

[FRreedman in reply to jmh4leo]

I am now thanks. Good luck, and please tell your GP.

[jmh4leo in reply to FRreedman]

I have done now. I think having the courage to put it on here and people actually respond has gotten it out of my head where it’s been for months and out in the open, albeit anonymously! I’m waiting for an appointment but any personal experiences with any of my symptoms would be helpful to read. Thanks again. 😊

[Maureen1958 in reply to jmh4leo]

Tell your husband too, if you haven't yet, that's what they are for, supporting you when you need it.

[Kim456]

The excessive BMs and straining can cause tags. Get a GP to examine you confirm that. In the mean while look up a Sitz bath it can reduce pain and swelling and Preparation H is also helpful.

[jmh4leo in reply to Kim456]

Thank you x

[Chocolatechip100]

Hi, I am surprised your doc has you on cocodamol and diagnosed constipation. You are taking 4000mg per day and that would be enough to constipate an elephant. The skin tag you mention is probably related to an ‘old’ Haemarroid. I have one too and it’s absolutely ‘textbook.’

You are taking a lot of meds and some could be contra indicated. I live in the UK and generally our free NHS GP’s do not prescribe a lot of medication without regular reviews. I am aware that in the USA - where I’m assuming you live - treatment and meds are paid for by the individual or covered by insurance.

I spent a couple of years in South Africa and their medical system seems to be driven by finance same as USA. Not to say we don’t have a decent system here but it’s down to finding a good, experienced GP who you can engage with. The fact that you don’t want to show a gp your skin tag ( and yet you have had colonoscopies!) indicates that you are quite an anxious person and that may be the cause of some of your physical issues. I don’t mean to ‘preach’ but please do some internet research on autoimmune disease and you will see that there is definitely a physcological element involved.

Did your symptoms develop all at the same time? Do you have children? Most importantly, do you feel you are a reasonable ‘happy’ individual?

Try to chill out for a while and then find a doctor who is interested in YOU rather than as a person with a collection of symptoms. Also look at books on Mindfulness and Meditation - there are plenty of books on Amazon on these subjects and you might find them helpful.

[jmh4leo in reply to Chocolatechip100]

Hi, thanks for your in depth reply I am in fact in the UK, (north west of England) not USA. I am as you say EXTREMELY anxious, I have suffered with depression and anxiety for 24 years and am medicated for it, it has taken years to find the right psychological meds and I am seem to be ok on what I am on apart from I do have severe social anxiety which is in part to do with all the wright I have gained whilst on steroids and all the other meds and the fact I cant move much due to the spine issue and the arthritis and gout etc. I have a child who is 20 and a very supportive husband. In terms of finding a doctor at our practice we just get whoever is free out of a large bank of doctors we dont get to choose a personal doc. And there is no way on earth they would refer me to a hospital in London. That would never happen and I could never afford to get to London in any case. I am not really a reasonable happy individual although I am better than I used to be....this bowel stuff is really getting to me as nobody knows what it is 5 years later and it is just getting harder and harder to get through the day due to the issues I described. Apart from going to work I barely leave the house.

[Chocolatechip100]

Forget the skin tag. You are overthinking it.

[jmh4leo in reply to Chocolatechip100]

Maye. But it hurts ike hell, stings and bleeds and is getting in the way.

[Chocolatechip100]

I agree with the poster who suggested you get a referral to St Marks. A 16 hour round trip is a bit of an obstacle but if your gp thinks you have a ‘rare’ bowel disease (has he named it)?, I would think he would refer you to someone who has at least some expertise/experience with this and is within an area that is less than an 8 hour journey for you.

[jmh4leo in reply to Chocolatechip100]

He hasn't named it as he is not a specialist in this area, just a GP. He summized this from the stool sample and the calprotectin level. He referred be back to gastro who just told me to gt another colonoscopy. Which was 4 months ago. But GP said he suspected what I had was in an area of the bowel that cant be seen on a colonoscopy and that I needed a capsule camera. But the consultant said no to this. There is no way in hell that they would refer me to London. Never gonna happen. Thanks again for your responses, most appreciated

[Chocolatechip100]

Hi again

Google Professor Peter Whorwell. He has a book which could be downloaded to Kindle from A,mazon.. He is in the south Manchester area so not as far as London. He is a specialist in functional bowel disorders and is super qualified.

I’m guessing you are in the 40 to 45 age group and probably pre menopausal .I have had bowel problems for years and they were particularly bad for me between my 40’s and 50’s. A lot of it was down to stress. I am generally better since I retired from a stressful job and also when I am away on holiday. Like you I have one child, a boy now aged 44. I stress about him

a lot. He had a lot of marital problems- thankfully now divorced - and I remember a phone call from him at the time was enough to send me running for the toilet, He is now happily remarried and settled with a son of his own so now my worries are transferred from my son to my grandson! Heaven help me..

I have a lot of sympathy for you and can empathise with your concern for your health. If you can just learn to control some of your anxiety, in time you may find some of your health problems diminish. I appreciate that it’s not always possible to,see a gp of your choice but I have managed to find a lovely young lady at our local surgery. She is an absolute gem and I will wait weeks to get an appointment with her because I trust her judgement.

[jmh4leo]

You’re bang on there - I’m 43. I will google the book - sounds really helpful, although over the years I must’ve read every single article, forum & ebook on my conditions. I think all of my conditions have one thing in common: inflammation. My inflammation markers in my blood tests are always MASSIVELY high, just all the time, even when on high doses of steroids. It never ever goes down. I tied methotrexate, azathioprine & another one beginning with “s” as a steroid sparing agent to try & get me off the steroids but I was intolerant to all of them so back on the steroids I went. I’ve been on steroids for years, the first condition I got was uveitis and that seemed to trigger the auto immune response in my body leading to all the other conditions, all characterised by inflammation. So I’ve been on steroids for about 11 years I think. My organs must be wrecked. I do have a couple of GPS at the surgery who are really good but it’s ultimately in he hands of consultants at the local hospital who don’t seem to do anything and 5 years later I’m no wiser and have had no treatment as such. I’m glad you’ve been able to reduce your stress levels by retiring. Unfortunately I doubt I’ll ever be able to retire for financial reasons, so I’ll be working till I’m 75 probably, if I last that long. Thanks again

[Katerina1]

Hello, Pleased you have managed to see your GP. I'm not an expert, but believe exterior piles can become herniated which makes them swollen and painful. Hospital should hopefully be able to deal with whatever yours turns out to be though and I'm sure you know they see these sorts of things every day.

Your IBS might be linked to your other health issues. I have an autoimmune condition with IBSD and have read that they are often linked.

As someone else mentioned, codeine can cause constipation followed by cramping an diarrhea. Maybe your GP could come up with something else for your pain.

You mention anxiety as well as social anxiety - it is just horrible, but you are not alone. There are various anxiety forums which you might find helpful. Best wishes Katerina1