Chronic anal fissures?

[Lizbiz89]

I've had problems going to the toilet since having my dd over 2 years ago. It started out with severe constipation straight after birth. Then it got extremely painful. I was screaming with pain. Then I was checked and they said I had an anal fissure so prescribed me cream and stool softerners. This helped slightly but the problem didn't go away so I've been on stool softerners ever since and when I stop taking them it comes back.

When I had my second child, the midwife thought I'd torn to my anal passage but when the consultant checked they said I hadn't torn and it was a fissure and left it at that. I'm guessing now that I have a chronic anal fissure. Has anyone had this? If so please could you let me know how it was treated? Really don't want to go down the surgical route but feel that's my only option.

I've had a fissure tear but not through childbirth, just through harder stools. It is very painful, so I can't imagine the pain you are feeling. I think you nerd to go speak to your gp again and say. Creams and medications only work for so long. Perhaps a change of diet? Adding more fibre etc? I would see gp again though.

I have this, had 2 surgeries. The first one worked well and I was fine for years. Then I had my first child, had the second Botox surgery, although I don’t actually think it was caused by childbirth, just a coincidence when he was 3 months old. I still need to take Laxido almost daily to keep stools soft and regular, can’t recommend the stuff enough, it’s the only thing that worked for me. Ironically when I’m pregnant it’s the only time when I have normal bowel movements and don’t need the meds. So I’ve resigned myself to the fact I might be on Laxido for life, as it’s better than the excruciating pain of a severe fissure.

I had this and had to have surgery twice to fix the problem. After the 2nd time, I changed my diet to cut out most processed food, carbs and sugar and it hasn’t come back since.

I had one for a year after DC1 was born and it came back after DC3 was born for about a month. It is awful. The first time it finally went after I started taking daily aspirin. Weird, I know but I think it was the increased blood flow. Obviously combined with diet...loads of water, no white bread, lots of veg. Second time was helped by 3 times daily warm showers/ sitting in warm water (again, increasing blood flow), anusol and being very careful to drink loads of water and not eat bread.
I hope you find something that helps. I know it is agony.

I had fissures after childbirth, it was horrendous. One thing that did help was switching to a whole-food plant based diet for a while (look up Forks Over Knives for recipes advice etc) which sorted me out for long enough for it all to heal. I still aim for a plant based diet but no longer need to be quite so anal (sorry) about it.

One of the signs I am eating too much junk is fissures reopening

Thanks for the replies. I'd say I'd change my diet but I eat extremely healthily anyway. And I make sure I drink lots of water as well.

I've heard flaxseed can help? Has anyone tried this?

I had this after giving birth. The Gp advised me that creams will only delay the healing process and gave me laxido to try for the month. I wasn't happy as the pain was excruciating but thought I'd better listen to the advice. The first few days were just as painful but after that my stools were soft and the fissure started to heal. We are a month down the line and although I still take laxido daily it appears the fissure has healed and I now sh🤬t in peace again 😂😂 it's certainly worth a try.

Just giving you all an update - I started having a teaspoon of flaxseeds every morning. And since then I haven't had to take any stool softerners! Literally in shock how much it's made a difference. I've also been a lot more regular as well. So anyone going through the same as me give them a go!

I had a similar issues that I healed naturally. Not sure if that’s your thing but Check out a guy on YouTube called Mike Heal Your Gut Guy :)

Oh god I'm in the same boat, 10 weeks post birth and it's horrendous!

Thanks @whoknows7 I'll give it a go. @Cyclemad222 give flaxseeds a go and failing that movicol always worked wonders when I was at my wits end!

Thanks @Lizbiz89 I'm on the flaxseeds - soak in water for a few hours and they start to germinate which releases slimy stuff which makes your poo slippy!

Can't do movicol as breastfeeding. I've got laxido and I'm trying to avoid eating things that are bad for me - but honestly some days with a small baby there's no way of getting through without cake

I've also been given a prescription for cream that increasing circulation down there which apparently helps healing - doing lots of pelvic floor squeezes at the back as I guess that has the same effect?

@Cyclemad222 well hopefully that improves it. Pretty sure you can use movicol whilst breastfeeding as I used it when I was breastfeeding my dd. Check with your GP but I'm 99% sure you can have it.

@Cyclemad222 can I ask what cream you've been prescribed?
I was told a cream isn't suitable when BF, so id love to know one that is ok x

I'm 5.5 months postpartum. It started about 1 month post birth for me.
I thought it was getting better but....looks like it's all back. 😢.

@Lizbiz89 do you literally just take a spoonful of flaxseed or do you soak it?

Glad it's not just me!

To be honest I've suffered on and off, but more mildly, my whole life as I was born with a medical condition that causes constipation.

But since I had my daughter two years ago I can only get it to heal for about a week before it's bleeding and horribly painful again.It's a nightmare.

You can ask for surgery (tho it comes with an incontinence risk). I went to speak to gp and she said maybe in future but not now as I plan another DC.

Following this thread for advice.

Ooh would powdered flaxseed work? I have it in the house anyway for making flax eggs as dd has egg allergy

@DannyWallace I just have a heaped teaspoon and wash them down with water. So far it's worked a treat! I started having them and having the occasional movicol just to get things going, and then I completely stopped the movicol.

@YukoandHiro I'm not sure if the powdered would work but can't hurt to give it a go. But honestly if it's really bad get some movicol. That's always a quick reliever.

I honestly can't believe I've seen this thread tonight.
I'm having to lie down to feed my daughter as I can't sit without crying (this isn't constant, but it's for a few hours after every bowel movement).
The only way the pain stops for me is if I take enough laxatives to basically give myself diarrhoea-anything more solid and it all starts again 😢

@DannyWallace can't remember the name, but turns out it hasn't been manufactured for ages so I can't actually get it, need to ring docs

Thanks @Lizbiz89 I'll ask doc about movicol if laxido doesn't help. I googled it and seems like you can't but might be one of those 'let your doctor be liable' things

@DannyWallace sorry you're in pain, I know just what you mean, it makes me snap at my toddler it's rotten

@DannyWallace I can't recommend movicol enough! It doesn't give you diarrhea, just makes stools thin and soft. I used to take 2 sachets a day at my worst and 1 sachet once it settled a bit. Also get yourself a back warmer from amazon and sit on it. Instant pain relief. Warm baths are also great. Sadly I'm a professional at this now lol.

@DannyWallace the cream is rectogesic, it's glyceryl trinitrate