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General health

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Original poster

has anyone ever had an anal fissure? sorry!

22 replies

BitEmbarassing · 09/11/2014 18:46

Sorry this is a but embarrassing for the last week I've had a slight niggly sharp pain in my bum like when you get a sharp poo I say pain but it's not really that painful just a...niggly is best word! Anyway after a poo the other day I wiped and there was a teeny tiny bit of fresh blood on the tissue, very small amount, I did ahem...strain a bit and it hurt a little so think that was the cause of the blood. I had a look on nhs and anal fissure was mentioned on there...like a cut or blister on your bum I guess?! Which would make sense. It says it should clear up on its own in a couple of weeks so this is what I'm worried about - it's not so painful that I really want to subject myself to an embarrassing doctors appointment (website says they'd look to see if that's what it is ) and if it wasn't for the tiny bit of blood I wouldn't really be giving it much thought unless it carried on for weeks of course. It's just the blood...but if I don't see any more and the niggle goes in the next week should I just assume that's what it was?!

I worry I'm turning into a hypochondriac to be honest. I've become much more of an anxious person since I had my dd this year.

Anyway wondered if anyone had had this and could let me know about it...I'd be grateful!

OP posts:

Original poster

BitEmbarassing · 09/11/2014 18:47

A bit embarrassing but also a but embarrassing I suppose..!

OP posts:

LightastheBreeze · 09/11/2014 18:49

Are you sure its not a pile especially since you haven't long given birth.

Original poster

BitEmbarassing · 09/11/2014 18:53

I gave birth a while ago though dd is 8 months ...I've never (knowingly) had piles I don't know what that would be like! Wouldn't I be able to feel piles there?

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LightastheBreeze · 09/11/2014 19:00

I think you can get internal ones, though if it is fresh blood and not much I would probably leave it and see if it clears up. My friend had a fissure which I think turned into some sinus thing but I think you would know if you had that.

Original poster

BitEmbarassing · 09/11/2014 19:02

I didn't know that about piles so that is a possibility, thank you

OP posts:

Dressingdown1 · 09/11/2014 19:06

I had a fissure and it was very painful indeed. I seem to remember the doctor prescribed some cream and it cleared up fairly quickly. I also suspect you have piles as it doesn't hurt that much.

LightastheBreeze · 09/11/2014 19:07

I had a pile when DS was born 22 years ago, the midwife said "oh a pile' It occasionally flares up but most the time its not there. Yours could be a small fissure though which hopefully will heal.

crapcrapcrapcrap · 09/11/2014 19:12

I had a fissure after DC1. I cried during every poo for weeks, it was utterly excruciating.

I had piles after DC2. They throbbed a bit but definitely came under the "mild discomfort" category.

Go to chemist. Buy lactulose. Take regularly, and drink extra water. :)

Sparklingbrook · 09/11/2014 19:18

YY the main thing is to not get constipated so it can heal.

TBH though if it's worrying you just go and show the GP-they really won't bat an eyelid.

Original poster

BitEmbarassing · 09/11/2014 19:32

Thanks all. Definitely only discomfort and not pain so if it wasn't for the tiny bit of blood I wouldn't even have thought of going to the GP. I will make sure I drink lots very good advice! I think I'll give it a week and see if it clears up then go to the GP if it hasn't.

I know that I shouldn't be embarrassed to go to the GP and I usually will go if I'm concerned about anything...it's just the thought of someone looking at my bum closely and having to go through that and then be told oh it will probably go in a week or so on its own. I think I'll just feel a bit silly

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 09/11/2014 19:38

I went and showed my bum to the Gp once and was all 'ooh i'm sorry'. She said she didn't mind looking at bums, there were loads worse things to look at.

Original poster

BitEmbarassing · 09/11/2014 19:43

sparkling I know they must be used to it!

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Expedititition · 09/11/2014 19:50

Fissures come in all shapes and sizes! It sounds like you have a small one at the moment. I had 4 and the last two took months to heal. I used to cry every day. The hospital had finally booked in surgery (Botox) and I finally managed to control them and sort them myself.

I strongly recommend eating a high fibre diet. Lots of fruit. Keep everything as loose as possible until it is fixed. Absolutely no straining at all.

Sparklingbrook · 09/11/2014 19:51

It's really silly isn't it? But I guess they chose a career where looking at bums and all sorts of other stuff would be a hazard.

WiIdfire · 09/11/2014 19:58

I look at bums for a living. Its not so bad. Your symptoms could be either a fissure or piles - fissures are more painful, but thats not helpful if you dont have anything to compare to!! Definitely keep your stools soft and get it looked at if it doesn't settle down. You might find a warm bath is soothing, and wetwipes rather than tissues if sore.

Smileysar1 · 09/11/2014 20:24

I had a fissure and I had Botox it was really really painful. Yours sounds like a pile. Pop to chemist and get some anusol that should work. Plenty of water and your 5 a day helps too :)

Original poster

BitEmbarassing · 09/11/2014 20:42

Thanks all I took the advice of having a warm bath and I'll try and increase fibre in my diet and no straining from now on

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iwantgin · 10/11/2014 11:49

I had a fissure - along with the piles.

The fissure was the worst. Fresh blood and a very sharp pain whilst opening bowels, then a long lasting lingering ache for hours afterwards.

I had visited the GP for the piles /anal skin tags -and she wasn't able to examine me as the fissure was way too painful.

Whilst waiting for my appointment with the consultant for skin tag/pile removal - I did resolve the fissure. I made a concerted effort to drink lots of water, avoid alcohol, and eat at least 3 or 4 pieces of fruit per day, in addition to my usual vegetable intake.

It quickly healed actually - the trick is to keep bowel movements as soft as possible - no straining.

Good luck.

Bolshybookworm · 10/11/2014 12:45

Just a word of warning- expect an, erm, internal exam (with a finger) if you go to the gp! I've been a couple of times for piles, and because I get some bleeding with them, they always do an internal check. Not a problem as such, it was just a bit of a surprise the first time it happened!

I have piles from 2 pregnancies, they don't cause me huge problems as long as I eat plenty of fruit and pulses (whole wheat doesn't work for me). The blood can be alarming though.

Elibean · 10/11/2014 14:00

I've had one. And my poor 10 year old dd has one, and hers has gone on (on and off) for months. She's now got a mild hydrocortisone cream and daily Movicol to soften her poo...which I thoroughly recommend if yours doesn't clear up soon.

Tiny bits of fresh blood accompanied by a niggle/pain in the bum wouldn't send me to the doc as a one-off - especially after straining. But if your peace of mind is at stake, always worth it

MarthaCostello · 10/11/2014 14:24

It could be the very start of a fissure, just a teeny tiny cut. Follow all the advice, but don't go too far with laxatives etc. if you're not constipated as diarrhoea won't help either! Also avoid any "scratchy" foods if they are an issue (seeds, nuts, that sort of thing). I hope it heals up quickly. If not, or if you get lots of blood, see your GP.

DayLillie · 10/11/2014 17:31

Kiwi fruit is a good softner/laxative, once you have things going.

DD had a fissure, coz she would not do a poo on the loo and it built up. She had laculose and suppositories.

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