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 that's my problem. I tear regardless of how soft my stool is and like you, its always at the start of a bowel movement. It must be the stretching of the skin that causes it to constantly re open. I upped the Lactulose to 20ml twice per day, but I've dropped the dose back down to 15 because it didn't make any difference, apart from cause my to be full of gas and give me that feeling you get when you've a dodgy stomach. Being in pain puts a dampener on your day. I think there's probably some scar tissue there and scar tissue doesn't stretch. I mean I've had this tear for 2 Yr now, so there must be some scarring from it healing and re opening so many times. I'm managing to sit at the moment, but I often find the soreness comes on gradually over a period of hours after going. Everything just seems to swell 😖

Ok ladies, I hardly dare say this but early experiences with the Medihoney are all positive! Don't want to get my hopes up too high but this seems to be doing all good things so far. This is the best I've felt in all these weeks and I've only been using it for 24 hours. I will obviously be continuing and will continue to update.

I'm sorry for everyone struggling today. I hope this product will prove powerful enough to heal us all.

I've used the Medihoney today and it does feel a little easier. I'm hoping it'll help improve things over next few days

That's great news @SadFace2 and @Blueskythinking123. I hope you both continue to improve. I'll consider purchasing some too. I think it's worth a try. Did you find it stung at all when applied? That was my only concern.

@Waxlyrically my ds can't have Movicol because he just isn't drinking enough 😔. As expected, the soreness has only gotten worse since going to the loo. Cannot sit comfortably today.

Managed my car journey to Wales lying down in the back of the car but very sore now 😢@Chlobob27 yes mine is usually fine for the first hour then builds up to its worst lunch/mid afternoon. I’m back to those sudden stinging stabbing pains now after my Botox holiday so feeling very low. My medi honey arrives on Saturday though which I have high hopes for.

@Chlobob27 mine doesn't sting when I apply it. I rubbed it in my fingers so it went a bit greasy/soft and gently applied. My friend commented I was walking better today.

It doesn't sting me at all where as most other things I've tried have. Sudocrem, vaseline, coconut oil etc.

I was doing some research into it last night and it seems to be used a lot more in the USA. I'd never heard of it. I've just picked my kids up from school and gone round the supermarket with them. In this heat! And I still feel ok. So I'm really hoping for the best now. Be bloody gutted if I suddenly deteriorate again.

Oh @SadFace2 I can’t tell you how happy that makes me. You’ve been having some dark times recently and it is so good to hear positive news.

I have now been using it twice a day for a week, and it has made a huge difference. It feels like it is actually promoting healing. The Rectogesic is meant to do that (I think by increasing blood flow to the area) but I have felt it got me so far and no further. It stopped it re-opening completely but it has never fully healed. Maybe the difference is that Medihoney specifically promotes antiseptic wound healing (as I guess does Sudocrem if you can tolerate it).

I should say that I had one day this week when I didn’t go, followed by a day when I went twice, and on the day I went twice I had some distinct twinges while I was out driving. I was panicking it had stopped working. BUT they went as soon as I was out of the car and I didn’t need any painkillers. That is a million miles away from where I was. The day after, I had no pain even after a loo visit. I have said before I think as it starts to get better you lose your tolerance for the extraordinary pain and any setback hits you a lot worse. But keep the faith!!

Thank you for the hope @DelurkingLawyer. I can’t wait for mine to arrive now!

@SadFace2 and @Blueskythinking123 I'm glad neither of you have had a reaction to it. I was like you @SadFace2, Sudocrem stung.

@Waxlyrically isn't it awful being unable to sit. I really hope you can enjoy your holiday and you have some better day's coming.

I'm going to order some Medi honey. Can I check if it's the gel that you're all using? I saw there was also a cream too.

@Chlobob27

https://www.comvita.co.uk/medihoney-antibacterial-wound-gel-50g/13107215.html?utmsource=ecrm-order-confirmation&utmmmedium=email&utmcampaign=ecrm-order-confirmation&affil=thgemail&ecrmcid=Y4NydE6J75D0rjG448ovGMKbOzZ928qX&shae=Jy%2F0kQ9EfvgGnnjcGQkp5B0YZp51veOTGNr%2BSyHpOdM%3D&sendTime=1657645231

This is the one that was recommended on here. It's the one I'm using.

@Chlobob27 Mine is the Comvita wound gel with Manuka honey. The texture is more like thick honey than gel. It's sticky but it's helping so I don't care lol.

Hoping I have another good day today after going to the toilet. I'll keep updating. I'm still incredibly hopeful that this will help us all.

Yes it's the one linked above, I just don't know how to link!

@DelurkingLawyer Thank you. I really have been struggling to cope. I didn't admit this at the time but I was in such a state when my appointment got cancelled at the last minute last week that I ended up with the police at my door, doing a welfare check. So that was fun.

My dm has come home from the hospice to spend her last few months at home. I wasn't able to be there when she got home and I haven't been much use to her since I had this surgery but I'm hoping things are improving now.

I have my rescheduled appointment with my consultant tonight so I'll update on how that goes.

For anyone on Medihoney watch I am having another good day so far while using it. It's such a relief I could cry. Feel like I've won the lottery.

@SadFace2 So glad you are having another good day. Me too, despite the extreme heat making me more dehydrated.

It is such a blessed relief. You forget very quickly how debilitating it is. I spent several days in bed when I first got it (combined with a thrombosed hemorrhoid which was fun) unable to move with the intense pain. Since then so up and down and several relapses with intense pain even if there was no bleeding. And even when notionally on the mend, often having to take ibuprofen the minute I’d used the loo and lie down for an hour. Awful. It just takes over your life.

Oh @SadFace2 i am so pleased things are better for you. You have enough to deal with without this monster in your life. The pain it brings is completely disproportionate!

I am keenly awaiting my honey. No blood today & less pain. I’ve also ventured into into the sea - not sure if that will help or hinder things but I decided it couldn’t be any worse than the usual traffic!

@Waxlyrically my Medihoney is arriving tomorrow too. I'm keen to start using it, since a few are feeling its helping. I had some pain this morning after going. It eased off by the afternoon, but then I had to go again. Thankfully, it hasn't aggravated thing's. I'm just so glad I found this thread. It's a big help being able to speak to other's who are also suffering. Its good to know we're not alone on the bad day's. Support is everything! Keeping everything crossed that healing is around the corner for us all.

@Chlobob27 I so hope the honey works for you. I often find if I have to go again it’s ok. It’s the dreaded first bowel movement of the day and only the very start of that which causes the pain for me. I can literally tell within seconds how my day will be. Any stinging whatsoever means 6-8 hours of pain 😢 I am also finding a lot of comfort from this thread it is such a lonely affliction.

@Waxlyrically get yourself referred through your GP to see a colorectal consultant. You might have a long wait, so better to be put on waiting list now, just in case you need botox again. Hopefully the Medihoney works and you won't though x

Just updating as I've seen my consultant. To cut it short he wanted to put me to sleep and "investigate" what is happening, why I'm in pain, why I'm not healing. I said no, I can't go through anything else right now, I can't risk you making it worse. In the end we agreed I'd have an MRI next week to look for infection/abscess without hurting me.

I asked about the leakage and he said it's not coming from a wound. He said my internal sphincter isn't closing because of my tears so I'm leaking out what is normally held in. So that's just great.

Before I left we literally talked about a stoma because I've had 17 years of hell with my bum and no amount of procedures seem to be helping.

But we're starting with the MRI.

@SadFace2 I think an MRI is a good starting point. I totally understand you not wanting to. Make anything any worse. The whole situation is so frustrating and it's hard to trust anyone when you don't ever feel any better or pain free.

@SadFace2 I'm sorry to hear you've had issues for that long. That's awful. Hopefully you'll get some answers with the MRI. As @Blueskythinking123 said, it's completely understandable you not wanting to make thing's worse. How you doing today anyway?

@Chlobob27 Thank you. I'm actually doing really well again today. I really do think it's the honey, it's absolutely brilliant. Going to order more so I don't run out.

I don't know if it's aiding in healing or if it's just keeping things comfortable but either way it's allowing me to live my life again in the meantime. I've packed more into the last few days with my kids than I have into the seven weeks that came before it. It's absolutely wonderful, I'm feeling so happy despite how worried I am about my healing overall. It's just such a relief after a long, difficult time. I really hope it helps everyone else too.

I’m so glad to find this thread. Was palmed off by doctors for over 3 years with 2 fissures and when I finally insisted that the GP needed to see me in person (as I was worried it could be cancer or something else going on because of the amount of blood and a huge itchy skin tag) he actually laughed in my face when I suggested Botox idea, told me he’d worked as a colorectal surgeon for 10 years and Botox ‘wasn’t a thing’…

Finally got a referral to specialist who has now put me on wait list for Botox under GA… (thanks GP…. 😡) so I’m now waiting for that and worried about side effects.

Specialist also asked me to use the cream Diltiazem again but since my visit to him I have been in excruciating pain with itching and rashes down there (started the next day) and also now all over my body in various places like my neck, legs. A sort of stress rash/shingles. So I stopped using the cream as wasn’t sure if that had triggered it.

Only thing helping is baths in the middle of the night and Lidocaine gel. I’ve just ordered some Medihoney to see if that settles it as I’m in same position as OP that I’m worried to irritate things further.

It has killed my sex life, my sleep and as an active person with a high pain threshold I’ve also found it mentally very difficult. And I’m so angry the doctors ignored me for so long. I’ve spent hundreds on over the counter ointments etc. I’m so glad I’m not the only one as nobody else understands and you can’t really talk to many people about it.

@theimposter Hello and welcome. It's not a club any of us want to join but knowing you're not alone really does help. I started this thread for help and advice and I'm really glad people are finding it a supportive place where they feel able to be open in a way we sometimes can't in real life.

Good luck with the Medihoney. I was quite nervous before giving it a go but it is really brilliant, it's helped me so much in such a short time, I'm so so glad to have found out about it.