Pain Relief for Post-Rectum Removal: Cream Recommendations?

Does anyone have any suggestions for pain management such as creams that could be applied to the bum area? Had my colon removed over a month ago and the only thing that gives me any pain is that area. It is almost unbearable.

I wonder why you're in so much pain over a month later? I had mine removed in March and except for a really sore stomach from surgery, I didn't have much pain. I didn't even try sitting except for going to doctor appointments and it's still pretty tender if I sit on a hard surface. Have you seen your doctor about it? I'd worry about an infection (which I had) that has gotten bad with time. Good luck.

Hi Rg61

Please see your doctor or nurse to make sure there is no infection as advised in the previous post. If there is no infection, you can always try putting some ice cubes into a medical glove and wrap with a tea towel to help numb the area. You could also buy a doughnut ring which should help take some of the pressure off the area. If you are taking pain relief, then this tells me they are not working, so again seek further advice for better pain relief. Please let us know how you get on xx

Hello Rg61.
Thank you for a very different post, which I hope you get lots of replies to, as I too am interested in what people do for themselves about pain management.
For myself, I would make absolutely sure that there was nothing wrong physically, as that's the most likely explanation for this sort of thing. However, being someone that suffers with long-term rectal pain (without having a barbie bum!), I am naturally interested in replies to your post.
My own pain is probably caused by a prolapsed rectal stump, aggravated by mucus, but I also think that the anal area is quite sensitive to potential pain. Sometimes it can be diminished by doing different things physically like inverting the body so that gravity takes the pressure off that area. Other times psychological distraction can help. I achieve this by finding compelling things to think and write about.
I have found with most things in life that: ‘The more you focus on a subject, the bigger (worse) it seems to appear’ and pain seems to be no different in this respect.
Most of my own attempts at a solution are DIY and experimental, which amounts to trying loads of different things to see if anything helps or not.
I use a ‘measure’ (of sorts) which helps me to gauge how much something is working for me; I call this ‘Just Noticeable Difference’ (JND). This is because having a measure (of little things) also helps me to make logical guesses as to what may or may not be causing the pain.
Apart from the psychological and emotional side, pain has a physical link with the brain which apparently is the control centre for it. Hence, it makes sense to explore the methods of pain control from that angle. There is a lot of work going on to see if electrical stimulation of certain areas of the brain can help with pain reduction. However, we should not rule out the many ancient remedies such as acupuncture and yoga etc., as possibilities in this field. I’m all for trying things to see if they work.
Whilst my own approaches are nearly all DIY, I am aware that there are quite a few specialist psychologists working in the field of pain management, and some of them report a degree of success. However, like every profession that makes money out of other people’s misery, we need to be cautious about how they interpret their results. It’s raises confidence if they publish their failures alongside successes.
I hope that my brief reply gives you some ideas to try out, and I do hope you find something that will be successful for you.

Best wishes
Bill

Hi Rg, I wouldn't recommend the donut-style pillow as they tend to spread the cheeks, causing more discomfort. When I had my butt removed many moons ago, I also had an infection. After the stitches were removed, the surgeon said to take baths in Epsom salts. Good luck.