Fissures help!

[paininthebum2026]

Am I being soft for finding anal fissures so extremely painful?! Around November 2024 I had a painful anal fissure for the first time with what is apparently called a "sentinel tag" opposite. Over a year later, it's still here, only now I strongly suspect I have a couple more of them...ahem, inside as such.
I have ointment from the GP but it is doing nothing. It's so embarrassing to discuss IRL with anyone but I am finding the pain almost intolerable now. I bleed everytime I need to poo and for hours later it is throbbing. It's painful just to sit down.
I feel that if I say this to doctors etc they're going to think I am a right hypochondriac/ melodramtic.

It's not you. They are agony, the pain is shocking. I had one for years and when it was bad it would even twinge at night. Lying on my side and not having too much to eat was the only relief I got.

The cream was useless. I eventually had a small op and botox and it healed up. I'm sure there's a bigger thread on here somewhere.

All the info about them says how painful they are, you aren't a wimp OP. Sorry I have no advice to offer.

No you are not soft. Had this condition since 18 and now in my 40’s going toilet multiple times a day (think it has something to do with going in compression now for lower limbs which is making me toilet more) I’m nearly driven to take something to block me up.

They are incredibly painful and the smell is just something else. The bigger I am, the worse it gets. Nearly had an embarrassing situation Friday when at a medical appointment for something else I got off the bed with a stain on the tissue pull-over where it seeped through, the only professional to help was in my earlier 20’s I got given cream which only the hospital pharmacy could give out (creams subsequently given out by GP’s are no match)

I did read about a decade ago sitting in a coconut oil bath may help. I tend to prefer living in period pants as they are thicker then normal.

My empathies entirely.

It’s like being stabbed in the bum with a shard of glass. You must go to the GP.

Its absolutely horrendous!

Have you been prescribed rectogesic ointment?, it works v quickly and is great - though gives you a headache! But worth it IMO.

As poster above they are excruciatingly painful I suffered for years ended up having Botox and then another operation 12 months later. You need to ask for a referral to a colorectal surgeon

@paininthebum2026 agree with this by @redannie18

more info here and here

Do not suffer in silence though and do not let the GP dismiss your pain as "just haemorrhoids".

Go back to them and be specific @paininthebum2026 describe the pain as "severe/sharp" and "lasts for hours after a bowel movement" rather than just "soreness".

GP's, sadly, are time poor and "soundbite" descriptions can focus their direction.

Thank you so much for all your responses. I am in real agony with this and thought it was me being soft! I have a GP appt booked for tomorrow. I am eating minimally as I don't want to go to the toilet.

How did you get on at the doctor- i was thinking of you today, i hope they were helpful?

They are painful. I had an op to cure them.

I had bad ones from aged 30 during pregnancy until 52. Sweet mother of god the pain - constant bleeding, throbbing, hard lump inside and pain before popping, pain whilst pooping and wiping etc dear god.

I decided to go down meds route and nothing really worked. Shove them up, cream every the works and it didn’t bloody work.

Then I decided on a different approach:

I saw recommended on here Wype gel you squirt it on toilet paper to wipe and starting using that
I used a cream from Amazon called recurrent or something had good reviews I will find the link in a minute and used that
I started using a gel it’s like a fibre husk in daily water

within a week it cleared up and hasn’t come back

I used up all the gel that goes up your bhole and haven’t needed anymore

I use the wype gel every time I go

I use the fibre supplement every other day

it hasn’t come back it took a week to clear up. Then I started sleeping and being able to enjoy the toilet (so to speak rather than the agony blood bath it was)

links I will post in a second

https://amzn.eu/d/03OxTC01

Wype gel https://amzn.eu/d/08aR2JtV

sachets to put in water

stir continuously and dissolve in water an neck it https://amzn.eu/d/06FYiuuV

I thought I was shitting needles until I realised what they were! One ointment from GP did nothing but a different one cleared them up almost immediately. You need the one with GTN in although be warned about the jackhammer headache and palpitations (only lasts a few seconds so well worth it!).

You're not alone, I had these since childbirth and they are agony. The GP prescribed medication gave my really bad headaches I got referred to a consultant who prescribed me cream used primarily for heart conditions but can also be used for fissures. It was a game changer and they went with 8 weeks of treatment. Go get yourself a referral, good luck!

Get your referral, but in the meantime apply vaseline before you go to the loo, and use wet wipes afterwards as much more gentle than loo roll. Fibogel or similar may help to soften everything, and drink lots of water.

Thank you for all the replies and for thinking of me. The GP found six fissures - a large external one that has been there for a couple of years now and then several inside. She's referred me to the colorectal surgeons but essentially said not to hold my breath as the waiting time is so long! In the short term I have suppositories to try as the ointments prescribed haven't helped.

This stuff is so useful! I discovered it a year or so ago and helps with staying clean and essentially turning toilet paper into wet wipes.

Yes i swear by fybogel and wype!

Check out a sitz bath, my OH has suffered terribly with fissures for years and just discovered this, often used for women postpartum! but he's found it an absolute game changer. Soothing and healing with Epsom salts.

Would love to but am physically disabled and can't get in my bath at the moment. Frustrating as I think this would really help.

Search for a sitz bath basin - it goes over the toilet bowl and you might find that more accessible?

Yes, it's a little collapsible basin that fits on top of the loo, no climbing in and out of a bath. If you can sit on a loo or have an aid to do so, you can use one of these.

This is really good too:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Original-HAPPYPO-Easy-Bidet-Replaces-Portable/dp/B08G8MMSPV/ref=asc_df_B08G8MMSPV?mcid=844a8d1b7789307a8f083132d6224e91&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=697213885167&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=16132655526038578434&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006625&hvtargid=pla-948812151596&hvocijid=16132655526038578434-B08G8MMSPV-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1&th=1