Anal fissure 2 weeks postpartum

[mzlk]

Hey everyone

Well, I’ve been constipated due to having iron tablets throughout my third trimester, during labour I had loose stools but then went back to constipation a day after birth.

I didn’t get any fissures from pregnancy constipation but I don’t know if childbirth has made my bottom weak/sensitive because I have now developed a fissure!!

I thought it was a one off painful poo but no, it continued and I actually felt a rip and bleed yesterday and since then my 2 bowel movements today have also been painful, first one bled a little less than it did yesterday. And second one didn’t bleed but HURT.

I feel quite upset tbh. I feel like it’s just been one thing after the other since giving birth. My stitches have healed and now my bum is ripped. I’m so so fed up. I want to enjoy our new little addition but I just can’t deal with pain every single day. Every single bowel movement.
It seems as though fissures don’t always heal and that scares me.
I’ve just picked up lactulose which GP prescribed, some kind of ointment (scheriproct) and some suppositories
Any positive stories about postpartum fissures?
Please give me some hope! I feel so down and helpless.

Firstly, sympathies! I got one of these postpartum too. Pain was excruciating. You’re already doing well by knowing what it is, I let mine get really bad before taking it seriously- not good. Basically do everything you can to keep things soft. Prune juice, extra fruit, the works. And it WILL get better. Try not to tense up when going, this makes it more likely to tear….

You poor thing...it’s one thing after another at the end of pregnancy/after birth.

I would- have a salt bath with lavender twice a day.
Take your Lactulose, but drink lost with it. It’s sugary so draws water into your bowel by osmosis. So make sure you are hydrated.
Snack on dates and apricots- they’ll help with tiredness too.
Add linseeds to cereal- also act as a softener. Again need plenty of water to work.

It might heal fairly quickly if you can keep this up.

@Zapx aw no! I thought it was just because it was my first few poos! As I had this after my first birth and it didn’t really last long, at that time I didn’t know what it was either so didn’t treat it, just went away on its own. But this time I’ve noticed it’s gone on a bit longer and is a bit more painful! Did you use anything? How long did it take to go? :(

@Montague22 will give these things a go! I just want to feel normal again…

@mzlk embarrassingly I had mine on and off for a year. However, once I decided to actually deal with it properly with a diet overhaul it went really quickly. Like a week, that kind of thing. Mine was prolonged by being in a permanent state of dehydration through breastfeeding and paying no attention to what I was eating or drinking. Prune juice was my saving grace!

Just bear in mind that even when it’s “healed” the area can still be quite delicate for a while. Worth being careful even once you feel fine etc

@Zapx oooh I’m breastfeeding too. Aside from prune juice and fruit is there anything else you would say I should eat? Or should avoid?

Have you got a pooing stool?! Makes a huge difference I've been plagued with piles on and off since childbirth and it's rarely an issue now I always use a small stool to raise my feet!

@Zapx @mzlk just wondering if you are healed now. Ive been suffering from a fissure 8 months pp and just feel really lost. Any advice would be appreciated

@mumof2bambinos yep totally healed now. Currently pregnant with my third but no issues. I really sympathise, I remember being so frustrated with it all. But yep, was totally diet for me, and copious amounts of savlon before and after going when the healing was taking place.

Also had one 2 weeks post partum - salt baths lots of, breastfeed lying on your side, don't sit immediately after going to the loo... mine got better after about a month and hasn't returned ... thankfully!

Drink loads of water. Fresh orange juice too. I had the same but for me it turned out my thyroid stopped working. I put on lots of weight and was very constipated and very tired. Blood test showed underactive Thyroid.

Hi @mumof2bambinos mine is still here.. I’m 7 weeks pp
Even though I’m taking lactulose, my stool is randomly hard some days. This causes my fissures to reopen and then I’m back at square 1. Feel like it’s never gonna go at this rate

After Lactulose the next ‘softener’ is Movicol/Laxido (same thing different name). You can buy the adult version on line.
Lactulose works by drawing water in my osmosis. Laxido you mix with water and then drink (can add juice after it’s binded with the water). It binds to the water and makes the water molecules bigger so they stay in your bowel.
I would order some Laxido online and try a sachet a day for 2-3 weeks and see if that helps.

Maybe ring your GP and ask for some

www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/download.cfm?doc=docm93jijm4n9201.pdf&ver=12896

I didn’t get in with lactulose or Movicol I found dulcoease the best. I took it for a week which I think is the longest and then every now and again when I hadn’t pooped for a day or two. Breastfeeding caused my problems I have to drink loads of water!

Sorry dulcolax I think it was!

Yeah I think breastfeeding is causing my issues too!
I don’t get time to remember to drink something regularly throughout the day with my newborn and toddler
Coconut oil/olive oil and sudocrem help a little - they haven’t healed the fissures but makes them a bit more bearable

So pleased to hear @Zapx i havent tried savlon religiously so will give it a shot. How long did you have your fissure for

Thank you everyone for all your advice. Ive been taking laxido everyday. Does anyone know if prune juice definately makes stool soft as i do want to come off laxido but i dont know how much prune juice i will need to keep stool soft always

Based on experience with children.
Wean Laxido very gradually, so if on 125ml drop say 10ml a day over 12 or so days so your body can adjust.

Prunes work, as do pears. Ella’s and Tesco do pouches which you could add to live yoghurt or just drink. Could take them with you more easily than juice.

Clear Spring also do pots of prunes and pears

here

Linseeds/Flaxseeds on cereal/porridge/toast with plenty of water

Pineapple juice can be very helpful as well as prune

Also kiwi fruit

btw- weaning this gradually is being ultra cautious and not always needed, but you don’t want to do 2 steps forward and 1 back.

Oh perfect. Thank you so much for the advice. I shall try that. I do want to come off laxido as i worry il be dependent on it for life. I just wish this fissure would heal. Ive tried everything

@mumof2bambinos how are you doing?
I had a couple of decent days and today the pain was slightly worse smh
the fissure doesn’t wanna leave me alone!!

@mzlk i actually thought i was on the way to healing but today after my BM i randomly had blood in my stool. So frustrating. I really dont want surgery and i keep reading that it will heal in time. I just hope it does. But i completely feel you. Its a horrible thing to have. I am going to try beeswax and see if that helps.

@mumof2bambinos same! I actually felt a bit better and stools were consistently soft but today I just passed (sorry) an extremely hard bowel movement and now I’m back to square one for the 5th time. Makes me feel like I’ll never fully heal..
I’ve been using my daughters nappy cream lol it’s the weleda one. It’s been helping me get by. But don’t think it will heal anything

@mzlk oh no you poor thing! Its an awful cycle. And somehow everythn revolves around my butt. Same here. Iv tried sudocrem etc and it just isnt working. You wudve thought after so many months of soft stool it wudv healed by now