Ugh...the roids....

rebecca315

This is really an issue for me. Developed them 2 wks ago. Tried preph suppository, preph cream, tucks wipes, and didn't help. Now I have a rx cream that is 2.5 hydrocortisone. Still not working. Next I'm going to try the 'rectal rocket' what an awful name.....
Any advise? Anyone try this stuff? How long should it take to work? I'm 33 wks pregnant.

rebecca315

rebecca315 said:

This is really an issue for me. Developed them 2 wks ago. Tried preph suppository, preph cream, tucks wipes, and didn't help. Now I have a rx cream that is 2.5 hydrocortisone. Still not working. Next I'm going to try the 'rectal rocket' what an awful name.....
Any advise? Anyone try this stuff? How long should it take to work? I'm 33 wks pregnant.

last14real

I use tucks when I have them and that works pretty quick for me. The big thing I have noticed is that if you are continuing to push or strain with your bowel movements they will NOT heal no matter what you try. Have you been using stool softeners to loosen you up so that you aren't pushing too hard? I take one dose Metamucil mixed with 1/2 cup oj and 1/2 cup water daily to prevent mine from coming back. Or you can do miralax I used to mix that with 1/2 cup apple juice and 1/2 cup water but it makes me gassy so I try to stick with Metamucil. I'm telling you the daily fiber makes a huge difference good luck, I hope you feel better soon!

twogirlsandagreen

Do not use miralax! Google how dangerous that stuff is! It's banned in Europe and some states - there is a huge fight going on to get it off the market. Scary stuff.

Op - I am with you. It's MISERY. I currently have a thrombosed one and it hurts sooooo much. The steroid cream (procrocream) works pretty well for me. I HATED the procrosol foam that you put up your is. It burns! But it does work. Good luck to you. They are the bane of my existence!

valerierose15

Try putting a little coconut oil on it. No joke. It works like magic for me! And what PP said, no more straining.

SMGoodlett

Also, when wiping I'd try using those flushable wet wipes. They're a little bit gentler on the nether regions.

SquishyMine

sitz bath!  (Epsom salt in warm water - soak for 15 min)   I started out with filling up the bathtub, but then broke down and bought a sitz bath that goes on the toilet on Amazon for $13.  The ones at Walgreens are 25.

I bought it ALL - now down to using the soak, the Prep H suppositories - mostly at night, and the prep H wipes for women.  

They're worse when I sit all day.  still use the cream sometimes - just more comfortable than the ointment, although the ointment provides some lube and seems to work better.

rue:D

For me, taking Colace every couple of days to keep things softer has helped. When I do go, I clean up with TP but finish with a Prep H wipe and most of the time that's enough to keep them from bugging me too much. When it's really bad I'll take a warm bath or put a hot water bottle on my behind.

last14real

@twogirlsandagreen just bc there is some controversy and ongoing studies that you read about on google does not mean that is the end all be all for deciding the danger of an over the counter drug... I did my research on it when a gastroenterologist recommended it for my son, since then his pediatrician agreed with the diagnoses and my ob recommended miralax for me while pregnant. So I'm a little more prone to go with 3 doctors that I personally know and have researched their credentials rather than googling miralax and basing my decision on strangers opinions.

twogirlsandagreen

@junglebaby11 you do what you want to do. My daughter's pediatrician was the one who alerted me to the dangers of miralax, then her neurologist confirmed it, followed by a specialist at one of the top hospitals in the country. Not all doctors have the same information and patients doing their own research is not a bad thing. You carry on taking a neuropsychiatric drug, I will continue warning people. My best friend's daughter developed a severe seizure disorder immediately after being treated with miralax for constipation. Her neurologist and all of her specialists say the miralax is to blame.

last14real

@twogirlsandagreen I will continue to do my research and make decisions as I see fit, not that I need your permission. I'm sure the doctors have the same or similar information but it is their decision like anyone else's to decide what to do with the facts they are given. To say your friends daughter developed seizures bc of miralax is pretty strange. Sure it could happen, like with any drug there are side effects but there are also a million other possibilities. For example my 2 yr old neice has epilepsy and has never used miralax so why then does she have seizures?  There are an infinite number of things that cause seizures and it is VERY difficult to pin down the source. Over the last year I have learned a ton about epilepsy and seizures and not ONCE has a dr. or neurologist said anything about miralax being a danger to epileptics or that she can never take it. She has a list of physical restrictions and medications that interfere with her seizure meds but miralax is not on there. I work with her mom, my SIL, so we talk about each and every appointment, medication change and diagnosis.  I guess her neurologist and pediatrician don't know as much as a specialist at a "top hospital" right? I answered the OP's question with my experience on how to handle her issue, you don't agree fine. But don't go trying to freak people out with DONT USE IT ITS a NEUROPSYCHIATRIC DRUG!!! When numerous doctors and the FDA don't have an issue with it. Done with this discussion have a great day.

twogirlsandagreen

Because the FDA has never approved then withdrawn that approval for drugs...

The Food and Drug Administration approved Miralax for use only by (non-pregnant) adults, and for only seven days at a time.  Not children, not pregnant women.  Any other use is considered "off-label" and carries risks.

And YES, Polyethylene Glycol (PEG) 3350 over-the-counter oral laxative (Miralax) has been listed BY THE FDA on its Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) for proven Neuropsychiatric events.  (https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/Surveillance/AdverseDrugEffects/ucm295585.htm).

The process for getting drugs removed from the market can be long and ugly, and pharma companies have deep pockets to pay lawyers and drag the process out for a long time. 

Long-term carcinogenicity studies, genetic toxicity studies and reproductive toxicity studies in animals have not been performed with Polyethylene Glycol 3350, NF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  What happens to you or your children 10, 15, 20 years down the road from taking Mirilax?  NO ONE KNOWS! (https://www.drugs.com/pro/polyethylene-glycol.html).

What we do know:

Polyethylene glycol is made by stringing together molecules of ethylene glycol into a large polymer chain, hence the prefix poly-, Greek for many. On its own, ethylene glycol is used in automotive antifreeze and brake fluid. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, it is an extremely toxic substance:

“Ethylene glycol is chemically broken down in the body into toxic compounds. It and its toxic byproducts first affect the central nervous system (CNS), then the heart, and finally the kidneys. Ingestion of sufficient amounts [as little as 30 ml — KM] can be fatal.” (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/ershdb/EmergencyResponseCard_29750031.html)

The term “neuropsychiatric events” in the FDA's safety alert refers to neurologic disorders of the central and peripheral nervous systems such as autism, dementia, depression, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and similar others (https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/neurologic-disorders). These conditions result from PEG's direct (through cellular damage) and indirect (through malnutrition of essential micronutrients) neurotoxicity.

In addition to neurotoxicity, the following serious complications have been associated with polyethylene glycol-containing laxatives:

● Nephrotoxicity: PEG has been connected to nephrotoxicity — an euphemism for kidney damage — when used as a drug solvent or when applied to skin.  For these reasons PEG is contraindicated for patients with kidney disease. This particular “side effect” is most likely related to the hydrolyzed (separated in water solution) molecules of ethylene glycol.

(https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8573954), (https://ijt.sagepub.com/content/18/2_suppl/53.refs)

● Urticaria: PEG may  cause allergy-related hives (urticaria) — raised red welts on the surface of the skin. Children are particularly susceptible to hives, and face a grave risk of anaphylaxis — a life-threatening allergic reaction that may develop within minutes or even seconds after ingesting a PEG-containing laxative. Links between PEG and urticaria have been documented as far back as 1991. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2071010?report=docsum).

● Esophageal perforations: Also known as Mallory-Weiss tear, esophageal perforations associated with polyethylene glycol electrolyte lavage solution have been reported as far back as 1991. These tears and related bleedings may occur in the mucus membrane of the lower part of the esophagus, or upper part of the stomach. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2071009).

This particular side effect isn't directly related to MiraLAX which is taken in smaller doses, but the potential is always there, particularly among young children or patients with GI tract obstruction that may initially manifest itself as constipation.

● Encopresis. The involuntary passage of stools in toilet trained children is one of the nastiest side effects of taking PEG-containing laxatives. The same condition may affect adults, and for the same reasons — a continuous leakage of semi-formed stools from the large intestine, an outcome of PEG “working” too well.

All of the “collateral damage” from PEG shouldn't surprise anyone, least of all seasoned chemists, pharmacists, and medical doctors. This industrial chemical is manufactured by The Dow Chemical Company for use in wood treatments, paints, coatings, rubber, textiles, detergents, and toilet bowl cleaners (https://msdssearch.dow.com/PublishedLiteratureDOWCOM/dh_0865/0901b8038086527b.pdf?filepath=polyglycols/pdfs/noreg/118-01789.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc) - THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE PUTTING IN TO YOUR BODY!!!!!!

Technically, PEG is an osmotic laxative. Because of this property, it blocks the absorption of nutrients in the small intestine. Its extended use may result in severe malnutrition-related disorders, particularly in young children and older adults. Autism is one such disorder. It may take only two weeks of an acute iron or iodine deficiency to cause autism in a child younger than two.

The same properties of PEG that make it an excellent toilet bowl cleaner, also wipe clean the mucosal membrane of the large intestine, leaving the colon unprotected and cancer-prone, a situation similar to a dry mouth. On top of the mucosal membrane damage, a high osmotic gradient of polyethylene glycol solution decimates intestinal bacteria — single cell organisms — just as mercilessly as antibacterial soaps, antibiotics, or heavy metals.

The resulting dearth of intestinal bacteria is called dysbiosis in the United States, and disbacteriosis in the rest of the world. Dysbiosis reduces primary immunity, causes a broad range of neurological and blood disorders, makes occasional constipation chronic and more severe, ensures lifelong dependence on laxatives, and is behind ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and colorectal cancer.

Disbiosis is also behind premature aging, which is self-evident in the early graying of the hairs, type 2 diabetes, facial wrinkles, patchy skin, weak nails, tooth loss, arthritis, and osteoporosis. These particular pathologies may be related to the deficiency of biotin (vitamin H) and vitamin K, which are, under normal circumstances, synthesized by the healthy intestinal flora. The PEG's blocking effect on the absorption of vitamins and minerals in the small and large intestine also plays a role.

When PEG is combined with a high fiber diet — a standard remedy for dysbiosis — problems double up because indigestible fiber tends to enlarge stools. In turn, large stools lead to habitual straining — a primary cause of enlarged hemorrhoids, anorectal nerve damage, anal fissures, diverticular disease, fecal obstruction, and genitourinary disorders such as rectocele — a protrusion of the rectovaginal wall inside the vagina.

Keep in mind that only a tiny percentage — around 1% — of serious side effects ever get reported to the FDA [link]. It's probably even less with MiraLAX and its clones — unlike with prescription drugs, making direct connections with PEG side effects is far more challenging because so many of them aren't immediate; or because nobody expects to encounter severe complications from a “mere” over-the-counter laxative; or because small children can't communicate their sufferings in words (https://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/healthcare/Drugs-most-frequently-reported-for-adverse-reactions.html).

I would link you to a slew of journal articles, but you need an account to log in, so my links I provide won't get you anywhere.

Like I said, I really don't care what you do, but I have every right to warn people not to take PEG containing laxatives, ESPECIALLY while pregnant, and to never ever give it to children.

I honestly do not know why I just spent that much time creating a response for someone who clearly knows better than the doctors and scientists on a mission to get this crap off the market and also knows better than the FDA who warns of its dangers and hasn't approved it for use in anyone besides adults for a maximum of 7 days.  But if this information keeps even one person from using Miralax, then my time was well spent.