Anal Fissure for 6 months, scared and sore

[MissTulipan]

Hi

Despite having a teenage daughter and having looked for words of wisdom from mumsnet many times in the past, I have never posted, until now...

I have had a sore bum on and off since a few slightly painful poos back in May brought about by eating a load of peanuts (never ever again) Having had mild piles after birth if DD2 I assumed I had piles and self treated for internal piles.

Had sore times and ok times all summer but more sore in recent weeks and noticed external piles appearing and feeling generally sore. Went to GP last week and she looked and said I have piles on the outside and thinks I have a fissure. She offered to refer me to hospital or to try a stronger piles cream. I said I would do what ever she felt was best. She prescribed a stronger hydrocortisone cream, Scheriproct and said to go back in few weeks.

Having now read about anal fissures (gone Google mad) I am now realising that the symptoms match what I've been experiencing but just not to the extreme as some people have described. But I relate to the nagging pain and soreness on and off all day. I don't have issues with constipation and am an active 42 year old. I am going to go back to the GP and ask for the cream that increases blood flow to bum area. I cannot see a tear in my bum but it feels like it is inside above where the tight muscle bit ends.

As it's obviously been there for 6 months and not cleared up I have got myself into a really silly state of thinking that it will be with me forever causing chronic pain (if it gets worse) or I will end up having the surgery that cuts the muscle and i will end up soiling my pants. I'm an anxious person generally but this has made me feel panicked reading about the difficulties treating these things!

Can anyone offer me some words of wisdom and hope as I've spent all evening crying on and off as the family are out. I've been on my feet all day with work and I feel scared and sore.

Thank you

Thanks for the replys. I am doing all the things you both suggest and have been for months. The thing is mine is not really painful as lots of people describe. Initially in May at start of all this it was really sore to poo for couple of weeks. Since then I have had mild stinging on pooing. And then day to day goes up and down, some days I feel ok, near normal, and some days feel a bit raw and sore and like I have something stuck up my bum. It’s annoying and uncomfortable rather than painful but it lingers on and on.
I find it hard to believe one episode of mild constipation could do this to me.
I was feeling a bit more positive but now feel down again but keep saying I’m lucky to have been healthy for 42 years and it could be so much worse.
I have 4 more weeks of cream and then will get a referral which will take a further 8 weeks to be seen but I think I will pay and go private.
How do they see a fissure if it’s quite high up? I can’t see it.

Will my bum ever feel normal again?

Am sorry to hear about the difficulty you go through.

Discuss about everything to the hospital. I think you need immediate treatment.

I'm not an expert on fissures although I have a friend who had one for months and it eventually healed with scheriproct cream. So there's definitely hope of that. What I am thinking is that you may be working your bowel very hard with all the vegetables - they, contrary to what was posted earlier, are hard to break down in the intestine. That's good long term as it keeps the gut working but may not be the best thing all the time for you right now. I would combine them with some easier to digest foods - white bread / pasta etc. An unremitting diet of these may cause constipation, but you're aiming for the happy medium.

Thank you for that advice, I have been eating less fruit and veg as I’m trying to only go once a day, I’ve always been very regular so once a day is hard to achieve. Open to all ideas

Anyone else out there sore and frustrated right now? 3 weeks into Rectogesic and I don’t think there is any change. Im wondering how long to give it until getting referral. GP said to only use it when symptomatic (which is everyday) everything I’ve read online suggests you use it for 6-8 weeks even if starting to feel better.

Hi miss tulipan!

Sorry my email didn't say this thread had been updated!

Sorry to hear you're not feeling great?

I used the rectogesic for 8 weeks and since my last post I have been feeling good, but really watching what I eat! Taking lactulose and drinking lots!

So I do honestly think it's possible to get better!

I have asked for a referral to colorectal people just to see if anything else can be done although I have heard nothing!

I use the rectogesic twice a day! And was told that they say 8 weeks so that the problem can be reassessed to ensure that it is the correct diagnosis, but can be used for longer!

I'm on week 11 now!

Had in laws here this weekend so too much food and alcohol! Was constipated today and it definitely hurt more than usual so just hoping it's not a huge set back!

I would try and continue with rectogesic, genuinely feel it's helped me! But could be the passage of time! 😂

Should also say it took 6 weeks of rectogesic to feel "better" but I am continuing to use it

Ashleighr1988- Really positive news that you are feeling better. Gives me hope...I’m totally up and down. I feel like I have grazed the inside of my butt! That is kind of how it feels, just sore. No spasms, don’t think I ever had them unless a slight throb at times are spasms? I often feel like there is inflammation inside too, like something is up my bum?

It’s irritating though and makes me worry that I will always feel like this.

I will be continuing the Rectogesic twice a day, with right diet, milk of magnesia or lactulose, loads of water, foot stool. All that stuff and hope for best. Then in week or so will ask for referral. Have heard it is a long wait to see someone though, 8 weeks at least.

Keep me posted on how you are doing

Hey!

I think the burning for me are spasms, but I could be wrong!

Yeah I'm a bit up and down as well, had a bad morning this morning! Feel sore and burny! So not really sure what to do! Feel a bit like it will be like this forever!

Need some more positive thoughts 😂! Scared of xmas coking up!

Hope that you are feeling better!!

Xx

Felt slightly better today, less sore but like you I’m up and down. Tomorrow could be different.

I feel like this will be how it is for the rest of my life too. I do hope not though.

There is lots going on with it being Christmas, work stuff and family stuff and keeping busy definitely helps.

Fingers crossed we will get through this

Fingers crossed!

I think it's really difficult. I know that my bad days are nowhere near as bad as they used to be but I worry about everything that I eat and drink! Feeling a bit down about it at the minute! Struggling to see an end!

Hopefully I will get my positivity back in time for xmas 😀

I feel the same. Definitely doesn’t feel bad enough to risk surgery but do not see an end. Last night was more sore. Am contacting GP today to ask to be referred.

X

Hey miss tulipan how are you feeling?

Did you ask for a referral?

I'm sorer today than I have been! Such a scary experience! Really feeling down!

Hi Ashleighr1988. I did, I phoned the GP on Monday and spoke to receptionist and asked if she could ask the GP to refer me or whether I had to book an appointment to ask. As the GP has offered a referral twice before about my bum troubles! she said she would message her and ask on my behalf.

Receptionist said I should receive a letter from hospital in about a week.

Ironically after really stingy day on Monday and feeling crap and fearful, yesterday and today I feel a bit better. I can still feel it’s there but not causing too much grief. But that has been the nature of it for months, as you will know.

Still using the Rectogesic but nearly run out of tube. Been nearly 4 weeks now. Not sure whether to request second tube. Prob got a weeks worth left.

It is a bit like a bad dream. I totally relate to your feelings. Everything I read about chronic fissure is quite depressing. But let’s hope that we are still treatable and that time will help

I have these on and off as a result of coeliac disease. If I get accidentally glutened they reappear. I find a warm bath twice a day with lavender bath salts (neals yard) help heal them.

Mine are caused by diarrhoea rather than constipation

Thank you for sharing your experience. I have very little time to sit in baths but when I do I use salt and lavender. Have run out must buy more lavender. Neals yard salts sound lovely...

Requested referral on Wednesday (not Monday as previously mentioned) I’m losing track of days. Got 2 weeks off work for Xmas so I’m hoping that may help. Have just found some germaloid suppositories left over from my summer of thinking I had piles. Have shoved one in for good measure! It’s only lidocaine and zinc oxide so I’m sure won’t hurt!!

I'm sure it won't 😊! I am very sore again think I have a new one now for some reason!

Think I'm just so stressed now about going to the loo it will never get better!

Do you eat "fruit and fibre"-cubes regularly?Like these: www.ortishealth.co.uk/product/fruits-and-fibres-cubes/

I'm sorry to see this thread winding on. Had hoped you'd write you were now cured, in all honesty.

Day trips out help take mind off stuff, even Santa’s grotto helped! I can’t stop looking at strangers in the Street wondering who else may have bum issues. Everyone at work always talks about their health stuff, frozen shoulders, bad backs, even mental health problems, but bum stuff is just not really the topic. I know at some point I will have to tell someone there though.
Nervous about seeing a specialist but really need to know what I’m dealing with and how severe it is, next steps. It’s like a bad dream but it is what it is, can’t turn back the clock and erase my two days of constipation that caused all this. Just life.
Sorry ashleighr1988 that you are sore. I’m not too sore today just feel like I have a bubble up my bum. Annoying.
Hope referral comes through soon. I hope you are still able to enjoy time with your baby. My kids don’t know about me, my teen daughter hammered on the bathroom door this morning and yelled at me for being selfish having a bath and hogging the bathroom! Little did she know I was sat in small bath of salt water in the hope of it doing some good.

Chin up x

Yeah I know to be honest when I'm out and about I don't really notice it that much it's just when I'm at home I think a lot about it! Just have to remember that although still sore it's not as bad as in the beginning! There's just the fear it will get there again

Yeah still enjoying lily! Have to say though it is making it a little a less fun which is such a shame!

Just feel like I can't eat anything at the minute, and I think I will definitely need surgery or something to fix it as it's been so long!

Such a depressing situation!

I hope you continue to feel better 😊

OP, why not explain everything to your teen daughter? In that way you'll maybe get a more gentle response when you are 'hogging the bathroom'.

Once she's over the horror of 'OMG, my DM is talking about her bum!' then you might find her sympathetic and supportive.

You're daughter will find out eventually when you go to the hospital to have treatment. I recall visiting dad at the hospital, in those days (way back) they treated it with an operation, now there are other methods. Is there any way for you to see a private specialist and cough up the money for the treatment out of savings?

"Your" :-( I cannot believe I make this typo over and over.