Anal Fissure - Extreme Pain 10/10 - Any advice please (18+)

[TheHotsummer]

Hi,

I experienced the worse pain of my life when attempting to relieve myself (stools).

It was like a knife was being used at the same time ...causing the most painful experience I've ever had to endure. I felt like my bottom was about to fall out.

It's been 5 days now...my GP believes it is Anal Fissure and has prescribed Glyceryl trinitrate.

Glyceryl trinitrate causes a painful headache which can last over 30mins.

I don't know if it has helped so far....as the painful experience is still there...perhaps reduced by 10%.

I have used laxatives, Bio Kult to try and soften the stools.
Also using Germolids which is meant to help reduce some of the pain.

The pain has reduced but still extremely painful.

I've now purchased Anusol, our local Chemist suggests this is stronger than Germolids and I've also read on this forum Magnesium can help.

I'm taking laxatives with meal.
Stopped eating for the first few days and now re-introduced food (pprridge for breakfast and boiled veg. + Grilled chicken for lunch or dinner) with lots of water.

I don't know what else I can do...I'm thinking of stopping eating as pain is just unbearable.

I'm taking painkillers (paracetamol along with Ibuprofen) but they don't seem to help.

I'm sleeping on the sides when I can.

I have tried different positions when visiting bathroom....raising legs on stool, standing slightly over the toilet to try and minimise some of the pain.

It's now day 5....pain is 9/10....I've spoken to GP since and his advice was to continue taking Glyceryl trinitrate.

Any advice or tips from anyone here who may have gone through this dreaded awful experience.

Thank you.

Nooo not porridge. You need insoluble fibre rather than soluble fibre. I would also advise more fat at the moment too. That’s just to help with the constipation, don’t know about fissure sorry.

I think you have to try the creams for a few months before you can get referred for corrective surgery. So do not hesitate to keep going back to the GP. I’d say once you reach 8wks trying the creams, start asking for referral.

Make sure you’re super hydrated, try and take ibuprofen before you go to the loo so the throbbing doesn’t take hold, try and ‘breathe’ the poo out without pushing - a bit like the panting stage of a vaginal birth if you’ve had one! Commiserations though - they’re horrible!

Ask your GP to prescribe movicol. You'll probably need a few sachets a day to start with. It softens the impacted stools.

Make sure you're drinking plenty water and put your feet up on a small step when you go to the toilet so you're in a more squatting position.

Ahh ok...I'll look to change the breakfast, thank you.

Stool softener better than laxatives IMO.
I did stop eating when mine were bad, I'd eat the bare minimum. The misery of being hangry was better than the pain.
I had botox in the end which seemed to do the trick.

You have massive sympathy from me. It's the most miserable condition.

Few months ?? Wow. Don't think I'll be able to bear the pain for much longer.
Thank you

@Hollyhead

Make sure you’re super hydrated, try and take ibuprofen before you go to the loo so the throbbing doesn’t take hold, try and ‘breathe’ the poo out without pushing - a bit like the panting stage of a vaginal birth if you’ve had one! Commiserations though - they’re horrible!

I'm drinking lots of water. I'll switch the taking of Ibuprofen before I go to the bathroom...I'll post here how I get on. Thank you.

@ISeeTheLight

Ask your GP to prescribe movicol. You'll probably need a few sachets a day to start with. It softens the impacted stools.

Ok, will do, can it be purchased from Chemist at all ? Nightmare getting hold of GP but will try in morning.

Thank you.

@Thehogfatherstolemycurry

Make sure you're drinking plenty water and put your feet up on a small step when you go to the toilet so you're in a more squatting position.

Thank you

You need to stop it splitting any further. When you’re just about to go to the loo put a finger of Anusol in and around your anus. It helps the poop slide out painlessly. Then treat with more Anusol after wiping.

I had this not so long ago, I thought fissure to but could have been piles but GP prescribed annusol which helped massively, apply it just before bed so it kicks in before the morning!

Hi. I'm so sorry you're suffering. I know exactly what it is like. A few things I'd say from my experience. Try to eat things that will give you loose stools so lots of vegetables - beetroot, aubergine is good, spinach. Beans and pulses - great. Fruit of course, particularly figs, pears, stone fruits. Avoid crusty and white breads, pizza, unripe bananas, white rice. With carbs I found potatoes to be pretty good, also brown rice, quinoa. Gluten overall has a constipating effect. Non-spicy curry is great. In terms of the moment when you're actually going to the toilet try to relax as much as possible, I know it's hard when you're anticipating the pain but tensing up is actually part of what prolongs the existence of the fissure. I'd recommend applying vaseline to your anus before you go and I also have developed a routine that probably sounds a bit odd but seems to work to help my body relax. I have a mug and just before and as I am going to the toilet, I pour warm water over the relevant area! I do the vaseline and water routine even when I am not suffering from a fissure as unfortunately I am prone to them. It's a good idea to use some painkillers to help avoid tensing against the pain etc. Paracetamol probably preferable as ibuprofen can constipate but on the other hand would be helpful for it's antiinflammatory effects.. Follow doctor's advice re. medication and treatment. The headache causing creams are generally very effective so give it a good chance to start working. Try to trust that it will start to get better very soon. You are in a good position in that you have identified the problem very early on. I wish you the best of luck and hope you are pain-free very very soon!

@megletthesecond

Stool softener better than laxatives IMO. I did stop eating when mine were bad, I'd eat the bare minimum. The misery of being hangry was better than the pain. I had botox in the end which seemed to do the trick.

You have massive sympathy from me. It's the most miserable condition.

I think that is what I'm going to have to do again as this pain is just simply unbearable.

I stopped eating for the first couple of days but the hunger can become painful...though nothing like the fissure pain.

Thanks for your kind words.

I'm dreading having to go back into the bathroom... :-(.

I had loads of trouble with the plumbing post-pregnancy at 40. Ended up with prolapse of rectum, haemorrhoids from mars and fissure. Bleeding a lot and horrid pain. Salt baths helped a lot, as I waited for surgery to staple my inners back where nature intended. 26 rectal staples is not fun. Water, no alcohol and high fruit intake makes natures grand exit a bit less of an event. I wish you luck, and see your doctor if this becomes unbearable...it can be fixed. Surgery is no picnic, but worth it for long term gain.

I had it bad bad bad for 10 years. Tried loads of creams and laxatives. Finally tried Movicol and it sorted me right out. No more pain from the second or third sachet. You can buy it through the online pharmacies so no need for a prescription.

Have you tried laxido op?
TMI, but I’ve gone from feeling like I’m shitting out glass and actually feeling panicked before I go to the toilet to actually having to look to check I’ve been because I don’t feel it at all.

Movicol also called Laxido and can be bought over the counter without prescription.

I had it after I gave birth, I suffered through it for months before I phoned the doctor and begged for something. I got Rectogesic ointment and it was solved in less than a week. It gives you a banging headache but it made me feel so much better so quickly the headache paled into insignificance.

Movicol can be quite hard going on your bowel bacteria. Lactulose is a stool softener which can be bought over the counter. It is natural and doesn't affect your biome. It also works very well in helping anal fissures to heal. You have my sympathy with the pain.

Anusol didn't work for me. Ask GP for scheriproct. It's a steroid and starts working within a couple of days

Sounds gross but could you try going in a really warm (hot) bath ? Just a thought that it might not be quite as painful

Go back to the GP, do NOT continue with the medicine giving you the headaches! I had this, same one, and I couldn't work out which was going to split first - my head or my bum!

Anyway, when I reported the headaches they said I had to stop using it and prescribed these, which work.

Nothing over the counter works so don't bother. It's just soothing, you can just as well use vaseline.

And take something like fibogel.

Currently on my 2nd week of medication. Mine is external so NG doesn't work. First week of strong prescription only steroid cream then a week of moderate steroid cream. Big improvement already. I had a portable bidet filled with warm water to go in then dried with hairdryer cool air. Yes to Laxido. No to anything with grains or nuts.Good luck