# Neurological tests



## Montesanto (Aug 24, 2017)

Hi everyone, I have a question to all LG sufferers - did you get any neurological tests for the function of nerves? I'm curious because soon I'm going to see next proctologist - a lady who has incontinence and LG as one of her interests. Anyway, I'm going to ask her for usg and manometry. If the results will show any disfunction, I wonder if she will be able to state the causes or I will have to go to a neurologist? Did any of you see one? Did you also have any tests for your pelvic floor muscles?

So far I visited one neurologist and had MRI which showed some minor problems in the spine, according to the doctor they can't have any influence on the sphincters. I also have some Tarlov cysts in the spine - according to the doc they shouldn't give any symptoms but, as I read on different forums, because of them some people suffer from pain or disfunction of sphincters and there are surgeons who operate them. I don't know who to believe...

I think my way will be to list any possible causes and exclude them one by one...


----------



## Candide (Jun 14, 2017)

Haven't had any neurological tests or manometry. I would like to get an appointment for the latter first in any case. But I can see why you would prioritize nerves because of the tarlov cysts situation going on.



Montesanto said:


> usg


What is this?



Montesanto said:


> I think my way will be to list any possible causes and exclude them one by one...


Agreed. Best way to go imo:


Self-diagnosis
Request appropriate tests
Confirm diagnosis (else go back to 1)
Find appropriate treatment for diagnosis


----------



## Montesanto (Aug 24, 2017)

Candide, usg is ultrasonography, I will have one of the anus, it's supposed to show any damages to the sphincters.


----------



## Candide (Jun 14, 2017)

Hey Montesanto,

Please let us know how the test(s) went when you're done and/or get the results.


----------



## Montesanto (Aug 24, 2017)

Hi Candida, I'm still waiting for the visit (over a monthn) but fnally it will be next week. I'm curious what she will advise me. My recent doc wasn't very helpful. I told him that I'm determined to find a solution and to find out what happened to me. I also suggested myself that maybe I should have the ultrasonography so he gave me prescription for this test (at least I will not have to pay for it, the new doc has only paid visits).

I am also thinking of some possible causes of this problem, in my case I think it could be:

1. 4 years ago I had some operation in my stomach, I had some tumor, luckily not a dangerous one, and I read somewhere that during surgery a nerve could be damaged and the results of this can be noticed even a few years later

2. for a long time I had massive bloating and I held the gas in for long hours - at work, at university, many times when I went to the toilet to pass the gas, it wouldn't go at that very moment but when I went back to my desk it came back, so I held it again. Finally I noticed that when I tried to keep it in some of it would go out, and this was getting worse, until now, when I pass it without even knowing ;( maybe it is the result of some damage or misfunction done by the big amounts of gas?

3.I had chickenpox 3 years ago as an adult. It affects the nervous system and maybe it's some complication after this (?)

Did any of you have similar experience? Maybe we'll find something in common and it will be easier to find the causes. I really want to change the situation I'm in, my life became a nightmare. Most people seem to think that I'm doing this on purpose because they just don't realize what kind of problem it is. I myself wouldn't even imagine that this could happen to me. How are you dealing with this? Do you go to work every day?


----------



## Candide (Jun 14, 2017)

I think you and me have psychosomatics in common. Meaning there was something unexplained physically wrong, we try to counter by voluntarily contracting our anus, and in turn the muscle becomes weak from excessive usage.

I am no longer holding flatus voluntarily, but instead try arch my back backwards (back stretch). This helps me when I get an urge. I've read the EAS is attached to the end of the coccyx, so it should explain some things. Leaning back on a chair should also help with continence.

I have no job (lost an oppertunity because of this condition), but I do have to go to college to get some reviews on assignments. I have rarely odor currently, but I do get some minor discharge which always takes me by surprise and is worrysome. I got a referral for an anoscopy to see what is at the entrance. I'll see if I can get a manometry test after this.

Some other notes on holding it in voluntarily:


only ~1% of gas give flatus its smell
holding it in will make it smell worse (I've experienced this from even before I got this)
the EAS is only able to contract for one minute approximately, so don't try to overdo it (compare it to other muscles)


----------



## Montesanto (Aug 24, 2017)

Hi, today I went to my 4th proctologist. She asked me a lot of questions, previous illnesses and so on, so it made a good impression on me. She examined my bottom and didn't really tell me anything new: a bit weakened anal sphincters. Her advise was to take some new probiotic ProctoLact M to reduce the gas and exercise the sphincters - like squeezing it for 5 seconds with 10 seconds break, repeating it 10 times in the morning and in the evening. She also recommended pelvic floor exercises, which I already am doing. But when I told her one of my sympthoms was pressure in the anus she said it should be caused by some problem with the spine. I think it may be true and will lead me back to the tarlov cyst. So it seems that after I have the ultrasonography I will go back to a neurologist.

I must say I had quite a bad weekend, I think I will look for some therapist to deal with my emotional state too, I'm afraid I'm getting depressed - I'm too sensitive at work, or too easily iritated, forgetting things, this is not normal for me, I used to have really good memory.

Today however I feel a bit better, no strange remarks at work although the smell was there all the time. I think sitting at home is not good for me altough this is what I would prefer to do now. I feel better doing something even if it is stressful.

All the best to all fighters


----------



## horizonzero (Nov 17, 2013)

See looking over the whole idea that it's psychosomatics is kind of making sense, I'm near sure I was smell free there for a good 2-3 years, then one bout of stress and straining on the toilet and I'm back to square one again - before I was able to go twice a day completely emptying the rectum and had zero smell - no facial expressions no coughs no nothing - could get public transport everything have a job, sit next to people on planes etc

Now I'm back to the hypersensitivity of the rectum/anus - internal hemorrhoids and this odor coming from the anus.


----------

