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

Yeah thank you guys! I think it's just going to take time! I think a lot of mine is anxiety! It's definitely not bad enough for Botox!

Bonzo do you still take stool softeners or were you able to stop? I'm trying to stop at the minute as have been taking for about 5 months, but don't know if this is a silly idea!

Seriously, try F or Veg with every meal, carry a water bottle with you and sudocrem the erm area before and after for a fortnight (care required!)

Hey missT how are you getting on? Not long until hospital now!

I am feeling much better fissure wise so I think that there is hope 😊!

However.... I have randomly developed pain in my tailbone 🙈! I was just wondering if you have had any problems with this? I'm finding it hard to sit and it really hurts when I stand up!

I have started yoga and pilates, so I don't know if it's a case of my bum muscles being really tight from this or from the fear of the loo 🙈

Just thought I would ask!

Cheers!

Hi Ash

Yes less than a week to go now and feeling very nervous. It’s the indignity of it all, and fear of what may come next. But just have to grin and bare it (literally!!)

I did have a bit of a twinge in my coccyx bone a while back and assumed could be all the connected nerves? But don’t know. I have read that some people get tailbone pain with fissure, but could be related to your new exercise regime.

Really good news that you are feeling a bit better, that’s really positive. I’m much the same.
Wishing you continued progress and I will check in after my appointment (if not before)
Thank you x

Hey missT

How are you feeling? Good luck for tomorrow! Hopefully they have some new ideas for you!

Xx

Thanks Ash for thinking of me. Naturally I’m feeling a bit better this week but as you can understand it won’t last, the endless cycle.
Feeling nervous but just keeping busy. Really hope that tomorrow will bring some answers and solutions.

How are you doing? I feel I need to toast you a glass of wine when we can finally see an end to this thread!

I will update you tomorrow x

I am feeling good 😊 it's still there but just being sensible, which is hard 😂! Still have the tailbone thing, but will have to live with it!

Fingers crossed for tomorrow!

Yes a massive glass of wine is on the cards!

Xx

Well that was interesting!

I’m sat at home on the sofa eating a magnum feeling slightly traumatised by that examination. Painful to say the least having a telescope thing shoved up my bum. It really felt like it was shoved. Ouch, I yelped so loud I’m sure those waiting outside must have heard. My bum is very sore right now.

So...I have no fissures can you believe but the doc said she could see why the gp thought I had. Firstly I have a rectocele (prob from child birth) and as causing no symptoms it’s not an issue, but it causes general weakness internally. I also have internal piles all around inside, which I’m not surprised about. These are what are causing soreness as she said they are ‘congested’!?

I am being referred for a camera up bum procedure which is doc being cautious as I had bleeding twice last year, but she said piles bleed and highly unlikely to be anything suspicious. And they will band the piles whilst doing that with elastic bands. Then they fall out/off...Lovely.

Not quite sure what else to say except ouch again and slightly shocked that my expert knowledge of fissures gained was irrelevant in my situation. No creams or anything else given, just got to wait for this procedure. The indignant bum probing continues.

Hope you are ok today...happy Valentines x

That's good news though?!

Sorry that it was sore for you. At least they sounded like they had a good look!

Happy Valentine's Day 😀

I suppose it’s good news as perhaps easier to treat? You know how it is when your so sore though, hard to feel pleased.

And all the waiting for next steps. I’m just going to try and stop thinking about it for now, at least I pretty much know what I’m dealing with unless the camera shows anything else suspect which is unlikely.

Keep me posted on your progress. Onwards and upwards x

Yes at least now you know what is going on they can give you the right treatment!!

Annoying that you have to wait for a bit though! Did they give you any good advice in the mean time?

I hope you enjoy a few drinks tonight in celebration!!

Well this has put me off Peanuts for life. And my evening meal... Why did I open this thread?!

Hope you get sorted. There's an episode of "Embarrassing Bodies" (probs on Youtube) that covers this and shows the OP to sort it. Worth a look?

I know some one who had this and although horribly scary they are fine now 💐

Hey missT,

How are you getting on? I'm back to bleeding again! So I think that it's going to end in Botox for me 🙁 and I am back to work in a few weeks so I don't know what I am going to do! Been easier to manage when off!!

Sorry for depressing post, just have to put my disappointment somewhere 🙈

I just wanted to jump in and say that you should be jumping up and down with happiness at the chance to have Botox. I had it last year (and had to pay private) and it was bloody brilliant. Best thing ever. Fixed immediately. No more pain, no more bleeding.

Oh sweetie you poor thing, it’s truly rotten. You are doing all you can and it’s not your fault all this has happened. Childbirth can throw some really unexpected things our way. How long did the doctor say to use the cream for? Perhaps the stress of work pending isn’t helping? What kind of job do you do, are the people understanding? I really feel for you. Even though my bum status has changed I am still hear to listen and try to offer support. I have felt worse since my examination but have just taken a call from the hospital and am booked in for Friday for the camera test (sigmoidoscopy) and banding!! How unglamorous a conversation that was with the lady at the hospital. Now trying to coordinate kids and husbands work as you have to be collected. Everything double stress when kids involved. Goodness knows how I will feel after but longing for pain free behind.

Try not to think about Botox as a bad thing, I was fully expecting to have it done and got used to the idea. You don’t have to tell work what you are doing, could be post birth procedure. They shouldn’t ask questions.

Rant away anytime, please, a problem aired and all that xx

Ha ha yeah! I'm not sure I quote realised that, and I've been a little unlucky with my recovery I think, small girl big baby 😂

Feel a bit better today, think I was just a bit shocked yesterday because I've felt grand for ages! I think I'm worried about Botox because I don't really want a general anaesthetic, and I've read some people say it's made them worse! But if it helped me obviously I'd be thrilled!

That is nice and quick for you missT hopefully that will completely sort your problem and you'll be feeling much better 😊

Thanks for the reply! Let me know how you get on

Ash

How are you Ash? One thing I learnt about fissures is that they are unpredictable and it certainly seems that way for you.
Is there a particular reason you don’t want a general anaesthetic? I think the ones they use for quick procedures are quite light and you wake up soon after. It is easy to dwell on things making things worse or going wrong, I keep thinking the same about my treatment coming up but chances are the Botox would help you. If it didn’t help a high percentage of people the nhs wouldn’t do it. It has to be cost effective.

Are you due back for a follow up with consultant?

Are you due back to work full or part time? X

I'm a little better 😊! Going to the loo is just not a nice experience these days😂

I have a follow up but not until 30th of April, then I think I will go on the list for Botox so god only knows when that would happen!

I'm back full time, so that will be a shock to the system 🙈!

I hope your procedure went well today and that you will feel better soon 😊

HI Ash, it’s a fissure! Was seen on camera. He didn’t touch the piles as said they were superficial.

Recommended Rectogesic. I want to cry. Rectogesic did nothing. Back to gp now to try and get cream you have. Prob back to Botox for me too then. Hi hum. I think he took a photo of the Fissure! I was a bit out of it on sedation x

Aww hun! That's not nice for you! Did they say it was big/small, does it look like it's healing?

At least again you know what you are dealing with and that you can be treated properly! And your piles are small (looking for the positives!)

It's very annoying that one person reassures you and then another doesn't 🙈!

I had 4 weeks of diltiazem cream and now have 4 weeks of the ointment and I much prefer it if you could ask for it? The cream kind of just ran off!

Please have a huge glass of wine this evening to get over the trauma of today and keep your chin up! It will totally heal!!

Ash

I just heard him say Fissure and saw an image of a red sore looking thing on the screen. I didn’t see the doctor after that, just handed a paper by a nurse with results and recommendation to use Rectogesic. And that doctor wouldn’t have known I had used Rectogesic before. I have no idea how bad/semi healed it is etc. So frustrating. I’ve just gone round in a circle. I now have to hope the gp will prescribe diltiazem as not sure if only consultants can. I’m not due to see consultant until May. I may pay for a private referral. I just can’t bare the waiting around and conflicting advice. It’s so crap isn’t it. Just want to move on from this. Thank you for understanding

That's annoying that he didn't go through your results or anything! Also annoying that he didn't know you had had rectogesic!

They told me diltiazem was better! So fingers crossed for you!

Try and enjoy your weekend! I'm having a wee glass of red 😀

Also I meant to say, you probably my already have it, but get some germoloid ointment! It's for piles, but contains a painkiller, so sometimes I put it on if I'm having a bad day, gives you a numb bum 😂 which is sometimes welcome!

I'm not sure how good it is for a fissure!

I was really feeling crap this morning and cried a lot and yelled at the kids a lot as they were testing my patience and I was sore and tired and disappointed.
I have tried to put things into perspective again today and believe that somehow, sometime I will heal. A big part of the stress for me is working full time, having kids and trying to work medical appointments in around everything. Especially when trying to be discreet as to what’s wrong. I am going to try and forget about it until I see GP on Friday. Take care X