Anal fissure support

[SadFace2]

I know this isn't an unreasonable debate but I'm posting for traffic because I really need some help here.

Had surgery for piles which is all sorted now but suffered a tear during my surgery. I've been struggling ever since. 5 weeks now. Doesn't sound long but I am starting to go under.

They gave me botox during the surgery and since I'm not doing well I'm assuming more Botox in the future wouldn't be especially helpful. I was using diltiazem cream but that's now started to react badly and really set me back.

I'm being careful with food, barely eating to be honest. I'm on movicol so I'm not constipated and I don't have diarrhea. I'm using a footstool to go to the toilet and I'm having baths to encourage blood flow and healing.

I don't know that there's anything more I can do but I'm starting to lose my mind so had to post.

Even if you don't have a miracle cure I think I'd just appreciate some support at this point. I don't think I've ever been so low.
Thank you.

@Waxlyrically I'm up and down. I have good day's where I'm totally fine, then I have other's where I feel uncomfortable. Haven't heard anything from the hospital yet. I wish I could up the lactulose, but 20ml was too much and gave me belly ache. What softener do you take? Also how long have you managed to go pain free? I think I've only ever managed about 2 week's, except when pregnant I'm fine for 9 month's!

@Chlobob27 I take Cosmocol - it’s much better than lactulose. It’s a powder you mix with water so really easy to take at work etc. This and deep breathing to relax when I go (sorry) seem to be working. I hope you hear about your Botox soon. I think having that & the scar tissue removed reset”my wound so it was fresh & able to heal. I’m fully aware I’m not out of the woods yet though & am so worried forgetting a dose today has messed things up for me. Interestingly I’m peri and when my hormone levels drop I’m at more risk - there must be a link?

I might ask my GP for that, or Movicol, instead of lactulose. I use a foot stool when I go to the loo. I also try to relax too. I think it was simply the extra blood flow in pregnancy that allowed it to heal. Just a shame it was only temporary. I reckon I must have scar tissue, as I've had this issue for over two year's now x

How are you doing @Chlobob27 ? Have you had your Botox yet? I had a great 2 months then re-tore yet again when my stomach was just slightly unsettled. I am going to see a consultant this week to beg for round 2.

Hi @Waxlyrically, I've been okay for a couple of week's, but I'm sure I'll re tear eventually. Haven't heard anything about botox yet. Still waiting. Sorry to hear you're sore again. I'm just struggling with a heavy, long period currently. Will have to see GP next week, as it's unusual for me.

I’m back to pretty much square one again. Felt like I was getting somewhere after the botox but it never fully healed and had a few days of dryish meals which made it harder to go to the loo and it just made it all worse again. I’m so fed up. Doctors were meant to send me a check up appointment 6 weeks after Botox but I’ve heard nothing surprise surprise

Oh no I'm sorry @theimposter. It sounds just like me. Mine semi settles then tears again. It's so disheartening. I'm clinging to stories that the settled periods get longer until a flare up is rare but I think I've a long way to go 😢 I think my Botox wore off after three months but partially helped for a little while after. Maybe you'll be the same and re heal properly in that window?

@theimposter are you taking a stool softener daily? @Waxlyrically I can feel a flare up on the horizon, which is brilliant as I'm going for an overnight stay in Manchester on Sunday. Really don't fancy sitting on the train with a sore bottom. Mine only settles for a few week's, then it re opens and I'm in pain again. They're horrible thing's.

@Chlobob27 oh no I really hope you can ward it off & enjoy. They are evil things and seem to know when to flare up for maximum disruption and misery. So many social occasions I have grimaced my way through this year, that is when I’m not cancelling stuff. Mine is niggling today because I dared to have a glass of wine last night! At least we can all support each other on here though as we absolutely get it.

@Waxlyrically yes, so glad for this thread. It reminds us all that we're not alone. Mine always seems to flare up when I've got to go somewhere. I went to see my sister in law the other month with my partner and it was hurting then. I don't even drink anymore. Haven't had a drop of alcohol for 3 years! I stopped drinking when I got pregnant with my first son. I do miss a glass of gin, but I have an overactive bladder, so I'd rather avoid the never end toilet trips. Oh, the Joy's of having children! They've physically broken me, but of course when I look at their little faces I think it's worth it.

Any room for another in the fissure club please? I’ve had an external haemorrhoid for about 15 years that has given me trouble from time to time but I developed a fissure about 6 months ago and it’s been unlike anything else I’ve experienced.

I’ve only been to the GP about it once and was prescribed sheriproct which helped for a few days until it tore again. Like others have mentioned, it is the first part of the poo that reopens the fissure and if I have loose stools, that also irritates it so I can’t win. I bought a herbal cream from Amazon which really helped the bleeding and pain but today I’m back at square one with it reopening this morning.

I'm a lone parent and feel guilty at how this is impacting the kids. I also have to be very careful with money so I’m reluctant to buy more OTC things but will order the honey product to try.

Like others have mentioned, it’s really affecting my MH and I’ve been in tears today feeling like it’s never going to end. I was supposed to go out tonight for the first time in over a year but I’ve had to cancel. I’ve been making mistakes at work because I just can’t concentrate on anything but the pain. I really feel like I’m at the edge and can’t go on much longer.

@Migrainium welcome to our support thread& the club we'd all rather not be in! These things are shockingly painful and I can completely relate to the tears and despair when it opens up again. I am sorry you've had to cancel your night out. I have had to pull out of so many things last minute due to mine.

I had a fistula operation this time last year (it was less painful than this) and I think mine stems from that.

Things that help me with pain most are my heat pad, ice packs, Pranicura (mega expensive but lasts), ibuprofen and Diltiazem ( until I reacted to it!). I also use a sitz and water wipes after a toilet trip and take Cosmocol to soften things. Dried apricots are also a friend.

I hope you feel better soon but if you want to vent we all understand here.

Thanks so much @Waxlyrically. I’ve read the whole thread today and it’s nice to know I’m not alone and not overreacting either. It is unbelievably painful for such a seemingly insignificant injury. And the fact that it goes on and on.

I'm so sorry that your surgery resulted in worse pain for you. I can only imagine how frustrating that is. I’m not sure what caused mine, it just sort of happened with what must have been a small fissure which got worse and worse. I have a minor bladder prolapse and sometimes have to strain to pass a BM so I’ve wondered if this is a factor.

It’s spurred me to sort my health out. I’ve lost just over a stone so far and am eating much better. Although on the bad days, the pain kills my appetite. Thanks so much for sharing what’s worked for you. I’ve placed an order on Amazon for a few bits which will hopefully help🤞

@Chlobob27 no I don’t use a stool softener because my IBS is so varied that I’d worried it would prevent me doing daily necessary trips out if it suddenly goes the other way. Migranium sorry to hear you are so low with it; completely identify - it really just drags you down when it’s bad

Hello @Migrainium. I'm sorry that you are suffering too. I would defo recommend a daily stool softener. Ask your GP for one. Drink plenty of fluids too. I know @Waxlyrically has already mentioned some useful thing's you could try to ease the pain and discomfort. Sheriproct is for piles. I was prescribed it, before my GP actually discovered it was a fissure. The colorectal consultant I'm under said creams like that which contain a steroid are the wrong course of treatment. It just thins the skin and makes you more likely to tear. A warm bath can sometimes be comforting when you're feeling tender down there. You can get stronger pain killers on prescription, like Naproxen, but I can't say they helped me. Doesn't mean they won't work for you though. Even if they just take the edge off the pain, so you can function. @theimposter I really don't think a stool softener will have a negative effect on your IBS. They don't work like other laxatives. They basically just draw water in to the bowel to make it easier to go. I'd defo consider giving them a try. It might help you heal x

After a few weeks of intense pain following surgery that ended up ripping open my fissure, it settled almost overnight - yay!
But has since returned with a vengeance. I've found naproxen has helped (it takes the edge off and lets me ignore it for a while) but any wind / bloating / pressure (even from a full bladder) is enough to trigger huge amounts of pain again.
I'm interested that so many people found cosmocol useful - I found it did soften things up, but also increased the pressure and that caused pain in itself.
I've also got ongoing inflammation around the fissure now, which just seems to make it all worse.
I told my surgeon that I'd contemplated taking all the pills in the house in one go to end the pain, and only didn't because it probably wouldn't end things but would lead to worse gastro problems. He wasn't too bothered, and has since discharged me. I guess he's never had pain like it himself.

Hi @LavaBum, I can relate to feeling pain from pressure and also experiencing inflammation. I stayed out in a hotel last night and had to be creative this morning and use my rucksack as a footstool when I went to the loo. I normally use a footstool at home. This helps to align everything and makes it easier to go, without straining. It's something you could try.

Well I've had a re tear and I'm now up at half past 4 in the morning in pain. Went to the loo last night and there was a tiny bit of blood and now my bottom is swollen and sore. Brill! I counted how many week's it was since I went to see my sister in law and was last in some discomfort. It has been around 6 week's! Had to get a cold suppository from the fridge and use that, along with some cream. It's taken the edge of the pain slightly. Can't say it's ever been as bad as this, to prevent me from sleeping. Urgh... I hope I'm not like this for day's/week's. Just glad it didn't happen when I had my overnight trip to Manchester at the weekend.

@Chlobob27 I’m so sorry to hear you’ve had a relapse 😢 I hope you’re better since this morning.

I’m in the same boat having re torn this morning (a couple of hours before a job interview) but thankfully the pain didn’t really start until I was on my way home and is manageableish for now.

Sorry, this is going to be TMI but I didn’t have a BM for 48 hours (I’m usually every morning) but thankfully passed it easily yesterday morning having been dreading it! Spent yesterday keeping up with stool softeners etc. and the resulting BM tore me quite badly this morning. I don’t understand it? There’s no rhyme or reason to the ones that cause a relapse. It is the bulk as I hadn’t eaten much over the weekend? My BMs seem soft (although the first part sometimes isn’t). Is there anything I can take to make it easier to pass?

I did wonder about Sheriproct being prescribed as I know steroids cause thinning of the skin. He did describe things as being ‘all open’ when he examined me so I assumed he knew it was a fissure. He looked at me blankly when I was telling him it was unbearably painful. I’ve been a bit reluctant to go back even though this has been going on 6 months because I don’t think they’ll take it that seriously.

@Chlobob27 @Migrainium @LavaBum I am so sorry to hear you are struggling still. The despair of knowing things have torn again is devastating & I relate to it so well.

My only crumb of comfort is that the pain of my setbacks is generally a little less or the episodes of severe pain are shorter. than they were a year ago. Far from perfect though & still ruling my life.

I have some work evening things next week and am sure I will have a bad time after those. We got asked about dietary requirements and I was tempted ask for bland liquid food, plain vegetables and dried fruit but that would have taken some explaining.

I'm thinking of asking for pelvic therapy to relax the dreaded muscle spasm - has anyone tried this?

@Migrainium, I'm still using the suppositories and cream currently, as my bottom is still swollen. I just use them both on a morning, after using the loo. My bottom has only felt midly sore today. I'm hoping this flare up is shortlived.

I'd agree about there been no rhyme or reason to the ones that cause a relapse. I don't think it matters whether the bowel movement is soft, or not. Re tearing seems to just happen regardless. I'm not sure what you could do to further soften your stools, if you're already taking a stool softener. Just drink plenty and eat plenty of foods that are high in fibre. Try and stay away from foods that could constipate you, or limit them. I'm pretty sure dairy is known to bung you up.

You'll be okay using what you've been prescribed, as long as you don't use it constantly, as that's when thinning of the skin is more likely to occur.

Do see a different GP and get referred to a colorectal consultant. You could have botox and it may help.

@Waxlyrically I've not heard of pelvic therapy for fissures. Not heard of pelvic therapy in general to be honest. Might have to give it a Google. As I said to @Migrainium, I'm hoping this episode is short. Just a shame I'm having a flare up after at least a month without a re tear.

Thanks for the sympathy everyone. Having a bit of a pity party today after having had to strain the last couple of days and feeling very sore at the moment. My usual coping mechanism of keeping busy isn’t working as moving around and bending or squatting seem to aggravate things although sitting and lying on my side don’t help either! I just don’t know what to do with myself and ruing this wasted time when I have so much to do!

I’ve been looking at ways to lubricate BMs as I think this will help me not to strain, so will start taking a teaspoon of olive oil every morning to see if it helps. I’ve not heard of pelvic therapy either but if it will reduce the spasms, then it’s definitely worth pursuing.

@Migrainium I'm sorry to hear you are struggling. It's hard when all strategies fail but this thing can go from agony one day to pain free the next. Hopefully tomorrow will be a pain free one for you🤞

Maybe tmi but I use Vaseline just before I go to lubricate things. It's not pleasant or bomb proof but I do think it helps me.

I was awake last night with hideous cramp in my pelvic floor/bum and know I need to get the muscles to relax. I can only imagine what physical therapy involves and that it will be probably be embarrassing but I'm past caring and will try anything!

Hi ladies, I've been following this thread as I developed what turned out to be 2 anal fissures about 6 weeks ago and was in agony. Went to private colorectal surgeon near me and he recommended botox. Of all the places I ever thought I'd get botox in, my arse was not top of the list! Anyway, I had the procedure done undef anaesthetic just over a week ago and I have to say it is definitely better. I am really hopeful I am healing. Its not totally pain free, but the pain afterwards and between BMs is gone and the pain during a BM much lower. Just wanting to give hope to anyone as this awful affliction can make you suicidal, it can be constant and you can't see an end in sight. I know going private isn't always possible, but if there's ant way you can get it done, do it. If the hotbox wears off and I'm back to square one ( please God, no!) then I'll do the LIS surgery. I was terrified of the botox procedure as they were also doing an investigation, I was scared of going under anaesthetic, but it was honestly fine. And if it helps ease the utterly awful pain, it's worth it. I hope we all make a full and quick recovery from this God-awful thing.