Experiment - I will report back on the results.

Signs and symptoms
1

I've been suffering this for almost a year, and have tried EVERYTHING. Capscacin cream provides temporary relief, but other hemmorhoid or anti-itch treatments just make it worse. This last bout has been the longest lasting and the worst. Sadly, all my favorite foods (tomato products, cheese, soda, etc.) are on the list of possible irritants. This is an experiment to see if cutting out a single trigger can help. I will post again in a week and let you know how it goes. I'm a regular beer-drinker - usually 2 a night and maybe up to 4 on the weekends. As of today, I'm off beer entirely and plan to see if this helps. If I can identify the main trigger for me, maybe I can eliminate it.

I read an article (in a medical journal - not Cosmo or People or something) that said you can reach a \"threshold\" with a trigger food/drink. Exceeding that threshold can bring a flare-up until your levels go down, but of course by that time you may have scratched yourself into a worse situation (I sleep-scratch!).

If this doesn't work, my next move is to cut out tomatoes, then nuts, then cheese, etc. and see what happens then.

Wish me luck, and I will be sure to let you know how it goes. If anyone wishes to try eliminating a different trigger, please post and update. I'm sure we all have different body chemistries and there isn't a single solution for everyone, but nothing-lost-nothing-gained right?

2

good luck, do let us know how you get on!!

3

had this issue for over 8 months now. A couple months ago I tried an experiment that I read about in a book, which is basically just a diet.

Here is what I did for 3 weeks:

** did NOT eat the following -- I was VERY strict about it >

- cheese

- nuts (except walnuts)

- beer/wine/alcohol

- soda

- wheat/bread, including pasta, etc. (except rye bread)

- caffeine

- coffee

- milk

- corn

- candy

- chocolate

- chips

- cookies

- salad dressing

- mushrooms

- vinegar (and things in them like pickles)

- bacon

- fruits high in sugar

- spicy foods and curries

- low amounts of ketchup, mayo, mustard

- relish

- fruit juice

**DID eat the following >

- minimal sugar (only when it was in something, but only if it had a little)

- garlic

- plain yogurt

- apple juice

- cranberry

- walnut

- sunflower seeds

- hard boiled egg (minimal)

- lettuce

- fish

- rye bread (no yeast I am told)

- tofu

- brown rice

- lentils

- oil of oregano

- some meat

- potatoes

- lemon

- tea (no caffeine)

- tomatoes, tomato soup, and V8 veggie juice

I have since been told that I should also cut out the tomatoes. Since I had V8 juice often that might have been part of the reason this did not really work. During this time I was not using any creams. I maintained a food log and noted pain throughout the day.

I continued to experience pain during this time, which would come and go throughout the day as it usually does. Some days it seemed OK, then the next day it would be back. I never itch either. I was using regular toilet paper though, and it always gets bad after taking a dump.

I lost 10 pounds, which is A LOT for me, as I am 6'1\", normally 150 lbs. After the diet I gained it all back in 2 days. I was eating mainly veggies and a little of the rest...

So maybe it would work if I didn't have the tomatoes...I don't know.

4

not sure how I forgot this, but I also ate a LOT of veggies. I tried to have 50% veggies per meal, as this book had suggested.