Severe pain with anal fissure- only option to go private??

[MrsBloxby]

Hi, posting here for traffic.
I had an anal fissure diagnosed in September. Ive tried the GTN creams, laxatives twice daily, prune juice and Diltiazem.
The latter didnt work at all and now the GTN which used to take the pain from my bum (but give me a splitting headache) is not working either.
Last month I had a flexible seismodocopy which ruled out anything sinister. It was so painful, the nurse couldnt get the enema in. I had to guide it in myself. The procedure was awful too.

Now everytime I have a bowel movement it feels like I have a piece of glass wedged in my bottom. The only thing that stops the pain is 5ml of morphine. Im at my wits end.

The GP said she couldnt think of anything else I could try and suggested I go private. At £300 for an appointment, is this the only option I have.

I feel so anxious at the thought of having a bowel movement at work. Its affecting my everyday life.
Any advice gratefully accepted and sorry for the long post.

Have they suggested a stool softener which creates barely any bulk and is very soft? May give the fissure a chance to heal.

Ask for botox. It’s a relatively simple procedure to have it done. You can get it on the NHS.
It’s awful to have an anal fissure, I know too well, I had one for nearly 3 years 🤯

Hi @inheritancetrack- thanks for your message.
Yes Im on a stool softener twice a day. The stools are soft but still aggravating the fissure. I've overhauled my diet- too scared to eat overly stodgy foods.

@BuddhaAtSea

I researched botox, but I was surprised when my GP and GP friend didnt even consider it. The GP thought I should pay privately for an MRI.

Probably because the botox is a high cost medicine...

I could be totally wrong but I think I may have heard having that treated with an internal dressing or a wick dressing. Sorry it was a conversation I only have listened to but might be worth asking about.

@purplecorkheart
Thank you, I will look that up.

Fissures are the worst .

I had one for almost a decade and ended up with botox. I'm 4 years on and it does seem to have done the trick as long as I eat really sensibly and keep active.

You need to go back to your GP. The pain is all consuming. It's no way to live.

I am so sorry you’re dealing with this. I had one last year which was on and off for 18 months which almost killed me with the pain. I could barely sit without being in real pain.

The only thing which stopped me taking it further with GP was that I couldn’t get an in-person appointment and decided to try and fix it myself.

I upped my stool softener and took regular sitz baths to help. I used the awful GTN cream and used a mirror (tmi) to find out where the fissure was. I also went to a very low fat diet and essentially suffered with very wet bowel movements for a few weeks until it healed.

I know that’s no help as you’re probably past that point but if the pain is as bad as I remember it and you describe then you really should go private and suck up the cost to help you and keep your sanity.

If the GP thinks you need an MRI why arnt they referring you for one?

Okay I had this after the birth of dd1 and it took over for about 2 weeks until a found a good fix.

Coconut oil - apply it to the area. Take loads and just slap it on.

But that may take few days to heal the scar and I was too scared to go to the toilet up until that happened. so… I tried something and sorry for the “too much information” but it worked.
When sitting on the toilet and ready to push. I grabbed both butt checked and squeazed them together and then pushed. My poop came out minus the pain. It was such a relief honestly. I hope it works for you too

Stool softener did not work FYI
But try drinking warm water as well

*butt cheeks that should say

Another one for botox. In and out in a day. Nothing else worked and GTN was excruciating.

@megletthesecond
Thanks so much for sharing your experience- so pleased that you had a good outcome. Xx.
Will definitely look into it

@Trendytrousers- thank you for your post, your experience sounds so similar to mine but I dont know how you put up with it for so long

Its affecting my job, I cant go in dosed up on morphine which is the only thing that is taking the pain away. The GTN is not as effective as it was before....

@Theunamedcat
Im waiting for a telemedical call from the consultant (its in a month's time) and the GP was racking her brains as how to help, she thought an MRI might be helpful but it depends on what the consultant says...

@Globaluser
You have my utmost sympathy having a fissure with a newborn, I cant even imagine how hard that must have been.
I havent read about coconut oil, I heard manuka honey is good for it. Will give it a go. Thanks so much

@YouMadeABear
Thanks so much, will definitely look into it. The GTN makes me feel like my head is splitting.
Feeling quite woozy as I type now (after effects of the morphine) cant go on like this....

@Theunamedcat

If the GP thinks you need an MRI why arnt they referring you for one?

Exactly get a referral to a consultant

MRI is on the nhs as are treatments for this - time to start complaining

Dp did go private for speed but his consultant and tests were nhs (the same consultant did a procedure but at the private hospital the following week, he has insurance through work) demand to be referred

I ended up having an operation when I was in my mid teens for an anal fissure (I still fear a return if I have any difficulty passing stools).

I don't know if botox has replaced the op I had - which, as was explained to me but may not be super accurate as surgeon was talking to a 15 year old - they surgically relaxed the whole area. In general I haven't had any issues since - including after childbirth. You have my utmost sympathy and I hope you get a good outcome soon.

Did they prescribe morphine for the anal fissure? That seems pretty unusual.

You do have my sympathies though, I suffer with them chronically, I can't remember the last time I went to the toilet without having to bite on a towel. I get blood from mine when they split open too it's just horrific.

The only thing that helped mine was going on an immune suppressant for another condition which then gave me constant diarheoa which allowed it to heal. Sorry its awful.

I had a recurring fissure that was the bane of my life, the only thing that helped was having baths with this:

www.chemist-4-u.com/sanex-dermo-moisturising-dermo-oils-foam-bath-500ml?gclid=CjwKCAiAvaGRBhBlEiwAiY-yMGrvPZ2Pn30zMB7Q9hGZOM93_3JztVopNxi93n_FPb9nKTGAw6-nqRoCEAkQAvD_BwE

It has to be that one exactly, the others make it worse. Don't be stingy put quite a bit in.

You need to be referred to a colorectal consultant (NHS). They will probably give you botox, which worked for me with a severe fissure that nothing else helped at all.

Keep taking movicol and drinking loads of water so you don't get constipated. Botox isn't a quick fix - I can remember at one point thinking I'd never feel better, but I did eventually!

Also, don't read/follow all the barmy advice online (including old threads on here) about what to eat or avoid - follow the medical advice, when you finally get some.

Good luck - fissures are absolutely awful.