Anal Fissures Postpartum

[BobBeans]

Hello Fellow Postpartum Moms
Anyone out there suffered from Anal Fissures while breastfeeding only? I've been suffering from a few anal fissures from the birth of my son almost two years ago. I'm not asking for suggestions on how to heal, unfortunately I'm a pro at how to get by with these awful things! ( If anyone needs advice LMK lol) My issue is they seem to never completely heal. They will heal for a few months but they always come back. The doctors even say they are stumped by what's going on, because when they close up they can't even see anything so they don't suggest botox or surgery for me. I've seen quite a few threads where mamas are talking about breastfeeding and possible low estrogen levels contributing to delayed healing. I never had any issues with this before I had a baby so I'm really praying once my hormones return to normal this problem will go away. Looking forward to hearing thoughts XO

I’m not breastfeeding anymore. But honestly I’ll think it’s finally settled and then bam I’ll have a flare up. Obviously no way as bad as it was when it is was at its worst but still a bit uncomfortable. It catches me off guard and is so annoying. I stopped breast feeding at 6 months. My LG is 9 months now…. So for me it wasn’t linked.
I just want it to be gone now permanently. It’s so disheartening when it flares up again. X

I think hormones take at least three months to get back to normal after breastfeeding or at least that’s what I’ve read. So maybe there is still hope for you there?! My OB said as soon as I’m done breastfeeding I can start the pill again too which will immediately boost my estrogen. Are you on stool softeners etc? Mine are so fragile I haven’t been able to stop stool softeners for almost two years.

I'm 5 and a half years post having my first and it still occasionally flares up I'm sorry to say. I blame mine entirely on being told to push into my bum when I didn't any any urge to push. Thanks midwives.

That’s interesting about how long is takes for hormones to settle.
will the pill boost it then? If it does I’m willing to try it - it’s been a a long time since I’ve been on the pill.
no im not on softners. I’m a vegan so I eat no dairy or meat. But maybe I should try them? Sick of the flare ups tbh xxxx

You have my utmost sympathy!

I had them after my first child and the pain was worse than labour (and my labour wasn’t easy!). They healed and went away after a few months (while I was still breast feeding) and I didn’t get them with subsequent pregnancies. I think I got them because of severe and persistent constipation during pregnancy followed by a LOT of pushing during labour. I guess they went away as I was less constipated after I gave birth.

Sorry not much advice to give. I mainly wanted to sympathise. I hope it gets better soon!

It’s worth a try right?! My OB said as soon as I get back on the pill it will give me a boost of estrogen. Also, I’m only allowed to use the estrogen cream three times a week but if I wasn’t breastfeeding I could use it up to three times a day, so I’m hoping that will also make a difference. Apparently it’s not dangerous to the baby but the risk is that it will mess with my milk supply if I use it more than three times a week. I think I might try four times a week and take the risk that it changes my supply since I’m only nursing once in the morning. Last night I was reading about girls who hadn’t healed their vaginal tears six and eight weeks postpartum and their doctors where prescribing them estrogen cream three times a day to rub on the scar tissue. Maybe with lack of estrogen the scar tissue never fully matures and never softens enough to get that elasticity back and just keeps breaking open. Or maybe I’m wrong and I’ll just have tears in my rectum the rest of my life lol! Here are a few places I’ve seen girls talking about healing anal fissures after breastfeeding and an article about it.

Thanks for the sympathy DickD! I wish my story was like yours! I have a few girlfriends who say oh I had one of those after delivery but they were able to heal them up quite easily, which is what every rectal surgeon I’ve been to expects. Not sure why mine have been impossible to heal especially when the doctors say they are so small when they are open and can’t even see them when they close! Yeah it’s been a very hard few years dealing with this condition but I find peace in looking at my beautiful son and knowing I’d do it all again for him and also that people have it even worse than me!! But it’s been very hard physically and emotionally. I pray that after I finally heal I like you wouldn’t get them again with another baby. If I have another baby I’m going to do everything I’m doing now postpartum to prevent them next time around.

Hi BobBean
Any advice on how to get buy with these awful things would be really appreciated - worse than child birth!

Same here BobBean! Any advice truly appreciated

How do you know whether it’s a fissure or internal piles? 😳I’ve been suffering loads since birth but just kind of assumed it was normal (baby is 15 months now, still breast feeding). I am on vaginal oestrogen cream for perineal pain following my episiotomy, which has helped in that regard at least.

Fissures are extremely painful. Like your are pooing glass. Its a truly awful pain. And they can bleed. Its just like a cut but obviously takes ages to heal. I havent had internal piles but i have heard they are painless and just bleed at times. You might need to get checked by a doc and they usually can see if its a fissure

My youngest is 19 and I still get issues with mine. I've had 2 operations and countless creams and what not over the years. Oddly my IBS getting worse making my no 2 very soft has been what has been most beneficial for me. Not a "cure" I recommend.

Hope yours heal op it's not pleasant.

Thank you @Enko i hope it does too. Cant even spend time with my lo cos of all this pain. Any advice on how to heal my fissure @BobBeans

I’m so sorry! I stopped checking this email cause after I stopped nursing I healed almost immediately! Unfortunately I got to the second trimester of my pregnancy with my second and they came right back, so lame lol! I have lots of advice if you are still dealing with them. At this point I’m just really scared to deliver with them and wondering how that will go

@BobBeans heyy so sorry.to hear that! I cant imagine being pregnant and having these horrible things. Im still suffering nearly 2 years after giving birth. I have heard that giving birth hasnt really made thw fissure worse. But sorry as ive not experienced fissures before birth i couldnt say for sure

Yeah I hadn’t experienced them before my first birth either. I had them for almost two years as well. Are you still BF? Mine went away after I stopped BF

@BobBeans heyy no im not bf. Ive tried everything to heal this damn thing. Had a sigmoidoscopy done and it didnt show a fissure but i know i have one cos i feel the tear. It showed a grade 1 haemorroid but surely grade 1 haemorroid doesnt hurt this bad. Should be painless apparrantly. Im taking laxido daily

Mine would not heal while breastfeeding (one year) and did heal afterwards. But it does come back from time to time. It will never come back as the original fissure, just open and bleed slightly and then heal after a week or so.
I also think sitting on a chair with the weight of a baby pushing into my lower body also played a role. When I was sat breastfeeding in a chair the pain would be worse and I’d feel the weight of my son in my bum.