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.

Oh my lord- these are the things no one tells you about.

I haven't had a fissure but I had piles. Like you say, one thing after another. I am 10 weeks PP and finding the new mum stuff difficult. But, I swear that comes from being constantly unwell after birth. I had flu, tonsillitis and food poisoning one after the other so didn't feel like I could get to close to my baby.

Remember with fissures/piles that they are only temporary and will go!!!

Congrats on your lo. Aw gosh its awful. Esp wen your tryna recover as well. Tjank you for commenting. Its given me some hope that one day my fissure will heal

Milk of magnesia for consistently soft poo. Build up slowly because it's strong and too much will give you diarrhea but it's excellent for healing fissures.

Feet up on a footstool, lean forward and away from the fissure, make everything go floppy, blow out through your mouth as you go. Stops your body tensing up, stops the tear re-opening.

Don't constantly use creams. This can irritate more.

Hey yeah it’s one thing after another with birth. I’ve just had my second and totally forgot about that from my first - but this time I’ve been counting down the days to when I can feel normal again

albeit I only felt normal(ish) about 4 months in after my first baby

anywau I had anal fissures both times - for me it was because I was totally dehydrated after breastfeeding. So it’s important to hydrate and have fibre/fruit. Easier said than done but just munch on healthy snacks whilst breastfeeding if you can and drink a large glass of water before every single breast feed

Did your fissures heal both times. I have had mine for 9 months now

mine healed as I drank more water tbh

but I went to gp first time to check all ok - so worth doing that

Thanks for the replies

I keep thinking mine is getting better but it just reappears!
I think I’ve kind of just accepted it now lol
breastfeeding has also been painful recently so I’m really just feeling quite low these days.

Will keep trying the things suggested!

I've discovered a magic thing called Buzz Balm. You apply it twice a day to the, erm, affected area. I've been a week now with no bleeding! Took a week or so to feel the effect but keep going with it.

Sending utmost sympathy and positive vibes OP. I had an absolutely awful time of it with an anal fissure/haemorrhoids after my first. Fissure didn’t develop until about 6 weeks PP and really upset me as I thought I was turning a bit of a corner! As far as I can remember I started drinking much more water (I was bf at the time and would easily get dehydrated) and eating food that would make me pass stools easier - and I totally gave up pushing when using the toilet. Time healed it but god I’m surprised I didn’t pull the radiator next to the loo off the wall I would grip it so hard. It is like pooing glass. Tried scheriproct but couldn’t get on with it.

I ordered this too and i felt it was working but i can still feel the fissure. Can you still feel it

@bagelbagelbagel how long have you had the fissure for. Also are you using the yellow tub of buzzbalm.

Over a year of misery! Yes it's the original yellow balm.

@bagelbagelbagel i completely understand the pain. It takes over everything. Fingers crossed this works. I keep hearing about manuka honey too. But i havent tried that. Are you taking stool softeners too

Just thought I'd jump on this thread. I've had mine for nearly 3 years! Got it after my first son was born. I recently managed to go 12 weeks pain free, but now I'm sore again and feel back to square one. I'd cancelled the botox I was meant to have on the NHS because I was sure I'd finally healed. I feel frustrated that this isn't the case and I'll have to be referred again and will probably be waiting a long time for treatment. Some so heal, but mine is defo chronic. I wish I'd known to take a stool softener post birth.

I'm definitely seeing less blood since I kept up the buzz balm. My issue is I take bulking medications for a chronic bowel condition that give me giant poos! So even when I go very carefully and slowly I can still reopen it again.

@Chlobob27 same here. They dont advise about stool softners or how you may be constipated after birth. Mine just retore this morning after i thought i was healing

I’ve given up on stool softener/watching my diet. I’m in pain either way! So just hoping one day I’ll realise the fissures have gone. I’m sure I feel myself tear in new places too!

@mzlk wow your brave. How do you deal with the pain when you have a bowel movement. The pain absolutely kills me. I have read somewhere that some peoples just disappeared one day

@mumof2bambinos I really think midwives should be more open about constipation after birth. They should encourage women to take a stool softener before and after birth to prevent fissures and piles. Mine seems to of settled again. Who knows how long for. I don't feel pain when going to the loo anymore. The pain comes afterwards for me. A friend just told me yesterday that she had a fissure after giving birth. She said she had 2 rounds of botox and eventually had surgery and she's fine now, so that gave me some hope. There are treatments out there. Unfortunately waiting times to be seen are ridiculous at the moment.

@Chlobob27 completely agree with waiting times. I was referred on 5th dec to hosp cos of this and it was meant to be a fasttrack. I got an app on 1st march just for consultant to ring me to tell me he was to re refer me as i was referred to the wrong consultant. I was so angry and upset. After i had my baby i asked the midwife about the fissure and she was like i dont know whata fissure is. Thank you for sharing that its given me sum hope. Im hoping it can heal without surgery as i cant endure any more pain. Aww wow maybe its a sign its healing. Are you taken any stool softeners. Im taking laxido and now only have thin stools

@mumof2bambinos I was referred at the start of 2021 and I did not get seen by a consultant until somewhere in 2022. I had to wait over a year! When I first tore I was in agony going to the loo and I'd bleed, but yeah I don't feel pain when going, nor do I bleed anymore. The soreness I've experienced for hour's afterwards has actually been worse than feeling pain for minutes while going tbh. It's awful not sitting been able to sit comfortably. Yeah, I've taken Lactulose daily for 3 year's now. I would not be able to go otherwise. I'd end up constipated and worse off.

Shocking that the midwife was not educated on what fissures are, especially since so many women end up with them after childbirth.

@Chlobob27 exactly! Its so depressing esp since all my friends who have had kids and awful births have never experienced fissures. They dont understand the pain. Omg since 2021. Tbh it sounds like urs is on the way to healing esp since ur not bleeding anymore etc. I was taking lactulose and now im on laxido. Did you ever have a colonoscopy done

No, I didn't have one of those. The consultant examined me and saw the fissure. I have had one of those before though, but that was many year's ago and all was found to be normal. I'm hoping after nearly 3 year's it is healing! I've had it for such a long time. 😪

@Chlobob27 praying for you that its healing. It is a very long time and it just disrupts being able to enjoy time with the lo etc my fissure is internal so a bit difficult to see but i know its there and its definatrly not piles. Side effects of childbirth! Really hope we heal from this as i do believe our bodies can heal. This is just in such a delicate place and not even advice given around it