Anal Fissure Help

BitchKingOfAngmar · 2024-02-04T12:38:38+00:00

Can anyone share their experiences or things that helped with an anal fissure? My DP has been suffering now for 9 weeks, been to the Dr's and was just given laxidose and a topical cream. He describes the pain as around an 8/9 and really isn't one to complain usually. He has another appt this week but if anyone has had this and found something that helped I'd love to know. His general mood has taken a massive dip because of the near constant pain and I wish there was something I could do to help.

Kwam31 · 04/02/2024 12:50

My DP has this and he had a 'stitch' put in and it helped up and hasn't recurred. He needs to be pushy for better treatment, it's a horrible thing to have.

DustyLee123 · 04/02/2024 12:51

I had this 20 odd years ago, after a birth, I was given GTN cream which sorted it, not sure what the equivalent would be now.

ODFOx · 04/02/2024 12:57

Was the ointment GTN? If not he should request that. It can give you a dreadful(but thankfully short-lived headache.; something to be aware of. If that doesn't fix it in another 6 weeks (as well as the laxatives, food and hygiene advice), then he needs to go back and ask for surgery (which may also have side effects).

Desertislanddiscs · 04/02/2024 13:03

I had this a few years ago… sheer agony. Laxido sachets x2 a day, GTN cream, drink loads of water during the day. Try to stay off bread, pizza and rice. Baked sweet potatoes are very good for healing. Shower head on gentle power setting and make sure completely clean. Never strain on toilet. Hope this helps - he has my sympathy!

Original poster

BitchKingOfAngmar · 04/02/2024 13:04

I think it was GTN as he's mentioned the awful headaches. He's used that on top of over the counter painkillers for 3 weeks and says it doesn't touch the sides.

I'm inclined to agree with you both @Kwam31 and @ODFOx , I think its likely he'll need some sort of surgical intervention. He is going back to the Dr's tomorrow so I'll ask he pushes for how much longer to keep going with the cream and what the next step is after that.

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DustyLee123 · 04/02/2024 13:05

He’s not taking codeine is he?
Pears and prunes good for keeping poo soft.

Original poster

BitchKingOfAngmar · 04/02/2024 13:07

Desertislanddiscs · 04/02/2024 13:03

I had this a few years ago… sheer agony. Laxido sachets x2 a day, GTN cream, drink loads of water during the day. Try to stay off bread, pizza and rice. Baked sweet potatoes are very good for healing. Shower head on gentle power setting and make sure completely clean. Never strain on toilet. Hope this helps - he has my sympathy!

Thanks, he drinks plenty of water but has rice with everything - I'll suggest he avoids it to see if it helps.

The NHS website suggested a warm bath can help but he was adamant that sounded awful, it's like changes in temperature make it worse?

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Original poster

BitchKingOfAngmar · 04/02/2024 13:09

I dong think so @DustyLee123 , ibuprofen and paracetamol are all I've seen him take, and just the standard packs (as in, not the paracetamol + caffeine or ones like that)

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SweetBirdsong · 04/02/2024 13:19

Someone I know used uniroid HC cream. GP prescribed. It helped, especially with the pain. Also had a procedure in the end to 'heal' the fissure. Another one developed a year later though. Smaller but still stung and was unpleasant to have a poo!

The specialist said it's no good putting him down for surgery again as they will just keep recurring. So he used this cream for the pain. The second fissure he got, self-healed after 6-7 months, but then a year later, another of the little fuckers formed! Much smaller and managed with this cream, but still not nice! AGAIN, self healed after a few months!

And yeah you do get horrific pain with an anal fissure, and it seems to be largely men who have it oddly.

@BitchKingOfAngmar I hope he gets it sorted soon. Poor thing. Hopefully it will self heal with the right cream, but it depends how large it is. The first one the person I know had was quite a big slice, and needed surgery. As I said though, the other 2 self healed with the cream as they were very small.

CherryRipe1 · 04/02/2024 13:22

Maybe ask for Botox, diltiazem. Sitz baths can help. DD ended up having an operation that sorted it out. There's a few fissure procedures.

megletthesecond · 04/02/2024 13:22

I had them for ten years. The only thing that helped was not eating much and eventually I had botox. The cream that gives you headaches was too much for me as a lone parent.
The pain is shocking. Huge sympathy for him.

Original poster

BitchKingOfAngmar · 04/02/2024 13:26

Thank you @SweetBirdsong I'll get him to ask about the other cream and whether it can be used with the other ointment.

He's never had one before, but basing on how he describes this pain (and this is a man who wanted me to "just strap" his broken and dislocated toes so he could get back on a football pitch) and how long he's been trying creams like the ointment and anusol before that I think his might be one that does need surgery.

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Original poster

BitchKingOfAngmar · 04/02/2024 13:27

Botox! I can kind of get why this could help. Thank you, I'm adding this to the list of "what next" for his Dr's appointment

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Freeamigos · 04/02/2024 13:45

I suffered with them after the birth of my fourth child and takes ages for them to clear up - I’ve had bouts on and off for the past 15 years where it flares up again for months on end. When it’s bad only dilatiazem touches it. Rectelgesic does calm it to an extent but gives me the most awful headaches. Also sitting on a hot water bottle for some weird reason also relieved them a little. I have been offered botox and surgery, but for me I felt the risks (fecal incontinence) were just not worth it as a relatively young woman…

SweetBirdsong · 04/02/2024 13:58

megletthesecond · 04/02/2024 13:22

I had them for ten years. The only thing that helped was not eating much and eventually I had botox. The cream that gives you headaches was too much for me as a lone parent.
The pain is shocking. Huge sympathy for him.

Yesss BOTOX is a good for anal fissures too. Also this uniroid cream @BitchKingOfAngmar does not cause headaches. One of very few 'bum creams' that don't! All the best to your husband!

Parri · 25/02/2024 19:44

Honestly, I healed mine myself no prescription treatments helped. But mine was apparently small, didn’t bloody feel it!
basically his aim is to have softer poop.
water water water. It really does help to have softer poos.
prunes, pears and raspberries.
greens are great too as are legumes. It’s not bulking fibre.
dairy and meat really bung you up, it’s worth giving up for a period of time to heal.
other points; invest in a sitz bath off Amazon. God send after poops for helping soreness and healing. Epsom salts in there.
use vasoline to lubricate, helps it’s come so much easier.
finally, I used a natural ointment online , was pricey but worked
there bloody awful things wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemies xxx

DilemmaDelilah · 25/02/2024 20:50

I had an anal fissure for several years, the last 18 months of which I was using stool softeners, diltiazem cream, maximum strength opiod painkillers, everything available and I was still in agony ALL the time. At the end I could only walk 100metres without having to sit down because of the pain and even just sitting watching the television I was still having sharp pains that made me cry.

Eventually I had a BOTOX injection under general anaesthetic and although it was still painful while it healed I have now been OK for 7 years. Without it I think I would have gone out of my mind with the pain... I was finding it practically impossible to cope.