Fissure help.

Hi, sorry to hear about your pain. Six months is a long time and I have experience the same pain. Have you been to the doctor yet? Are you using anything to treat it? I would seriously considereWheatgrass cream. I went from extreme pain and on the verge of surgery to a mild discomfort. Let me know.

Regina

Hi sorry to hear about your problem. If it is a fissure then you need to go back to your doctor as soon as possible. The haemorhoid cream will not treat it. I had the same treatment but wasn't aware that I had a fissure as well. The cream did nothing for the fissure and I ended up having an abscess and infection. I had to go to a specialist to have the fissure diagnosed, but by then I had it for 4 months. I am using rectalgesic as prescribed. The pain has gone now but am suffering from sores and leakages due to the previous infection.

Rectalgesic is fantastic. It makes you feel woozy and gives you a headache, but it's worth it. 

Also I couldn't live without Magnesium Hydroxide. You used to be able to buy it as Milk of Magnesia but it has been discontinued. You can buy it over the counter from the chemist without a prescription. It basically softens the stools depending on the amount you drink the night before so they pass easily. If I have a flare-up - usually by eating the wrong thing then a couple of days on it sorts the problem.

So, get to the docs to confirm it's a siffure and if it is ask for Rectogsic and the chemist for Magnesium Hydroxide. I'm afraid they take a long time to heal but those two things ease the pain after the loo. 

Also, stay away from eating things that would cause irritation. For me that includes;

- lots of caffeine, alchohol and also sucrose based drinks like coke and flavoured water

- drinks that are high in tannin so red wine and juices

- non-soluable fibre like leafed vegetables and salads

- wheats and cereals so white bread is fine, wholegrain is a no-no

- anything spicy 

- anything high in fat like chip-shop chips

Good luck.

Hi Grahamm

Sorry to hear you are in pain - like most of us on here - we have either had and or in process of recovery or are in middle of hellish pain.

My own story is that over 2-3 years ago after a particularly bad episode of constipation I developed a fissure.  

Really unbareable pain followed over a period of time and finally I went to see consultant at hospital (btw almost every is misdiagosed as having piles only) - once seen it quickly identified - the rectogesic did not work for me (the headaches were the only noticeable thing).

I was botoxed in the area of the fissure and this did nothing - my fissure and anal spasms were not giving in so easy.

A 2nd round of botox ended up with me being rushed into hospital in pain I cannot describe - 52 yrs old and nothing like it ever came close.  Lots of blood and pain at 10 (on a scale of 1 to 10).

I ended up going under general anesthetic and nerve deadners being injected - this was the only thing that stopped the excruciating pain.  Oh and morphine and other pain meds.

Once released from hospital I vowed never again to let anyone operate on me in that area.

I was prescribed by my GP anoheal cream (more expensive that Rectogesic - its nearly £100 a tube) - but that cream along with taking 3 sachets of macrogol a day has saved me.

Finally after a long time I can go to toilet without the fear of much pain and hours of pain after.

I develope a skin tag (which a lot of people do) after the botox/surgery and I had it removed but another one came up so I have been treating it with Apple Cider Vinegar with Manuka Honey (got it from Ocado (lol) - its about £15 but worth every penny  Basically, soak 2 x cotton wool pads in the vingegar and put it in between your cheeks - if you can - fall asleep with it in - it damn near shrinks the tag overnight to a fraction of its size.

Some people get relief/success from surgey - others like me fair much worse and my route to getting my life back is down to anoheal and macrogol.

Also, don't sit back in pain - your GP must prescribe pain meds.

Good ones are:

Traumadol (use with caution as it can constipate)

Diclofenac

Naproxen

and Paracetamol

- for anyone with bad anal spasms - this worked for me - Valium - yes Valium - it totally chils you out and most importantly relaxes your muscles - incl that anal one!

It can feel like the loneliest condition I k because its not something you discuss at the coffee machine or at a social event!  Keep strong - you will beat it - it will take time.

Meanwhile, plenty people on here will support you.

Jeff ;-)

 

 

You must go to doctor.  Surgery can take moon this to arrange.  If you are in UK, then I suggest you self-pay to go private and see consultant within 1-3 days, costs £125ish.  Then get a plan in place.  Probably rectogesic first, but it didn't work for me.  On NHS around 4-6 month wait for surgery, so you need to organise well on advance.

Sorry, i rushed before.  It can take months to get surgery on the NHS, so go and get this arranged now.  However, based on my experience, surgery is not a magic bullet, you may need 2 months off work to recover - but individual cases vary a lot, I was particularly slow to recover.  My advice is don't go through NHS for initial diagnosis (they got my diagnosis completely wrong, saying it was piles.  As soon as consultant saw it he realised it was a fissure and we had to cancel the colonscopy that the junior doctor arranged).  No point going to a junior doctor, you have to wait 1-2 months for the appointment, then he will refer you to consultant needing another 1-2 months, then 2-4 month wait for surgery.  Just go to website of your nearest local private hospital and find the colo-rectal doctors, and book an appointment with one.  They are all consultants, the people you generally don't get to see on the NHS until 6 months later.  At least get a proper diagnosis.  Then if you can't afford to do a private operation (costs 1,700 quid as a day case) then go back into NHS system but at least you know you have seen someone competent.  From overall perspective, you have to plan for the worst, which is 2 months off work, can't leave house much, can't look after kids.  You need someone with you for first week at least.  

To relieve pain now, you MUST do a bowel movement every day, don't ever run risk of constipating yourself or believe me you will know a new meaning of pain.  But only do one, every time you BM the fissure opens up.  Then do your baths, with painkillers.  There are stronger painkillers than the normal paracetomol and ibuprofen combo that the doctors give first, but I would try and save these until after the operation.  You will be moving around less so eat less, go to a high fibre diet.  The less coming out, the less painful.  Use stool softeners.  Sounds like you need to get on the rectogesic as soon as possible but this is only available on prescription.  Anyway, please, go see a consultant privately and take it from there.  There are 3 possible courses of treatement (i) you get lucky and the rectogesic cures it, (ii) you do the fissure surgery which means cutting the rind off the scar on your fissure so the healthy skin can grow again, and (iii) having the sphincterotomy which is cutting the sphincter muscle to take pressure off the fissure.  Consultant might take you straight to step 3 if it is really bad.  I tried (i) but failed, then (ii) worked for me.

One more thing!  be careful how you approach private hospitals.  always give them the impression that you want to have the operation there and can afford it.  NEVER give them the impression you may go back to the NHS.  They are businesses.  They see you for 125quid because they hope it will lead to a 1,700 operation.  Say the right things.  Otherwse they may not even see you the first time.

Hi Grahamm

I've just got over my anal fissure. I saw doctors and two colo rectal surgeons that identified two fissures. I found vasaline before going helps. Also appling pressure on the fissure whith my fingers to stop it splitting as you go! Don't wipe with tissue. I used to pull the shower over to the toilet and wash. I also found I had to rinse wet wipes first as they stung. Also make sure that your diet has lots of fiber and water. Your stools need to be soft.

I eventually found my problem was related to my diet. I had a bad diet for a few months as I was travelling a lot and very stressed. ( lost my mother to cancer in December) I think this caused the fissure. I started eating porridge to help me go. It turns out I'm allergic to oats! Even the smallest amount of oats or oat powder affects me . I thought id cut out oats completely but found the sun bites id been eating every day had oat powder in. As soon as id cut them out of my diet my fissures healed. I used to tolerate oats until I had this fissure.

At no point did the surgeons or doctors mention allergies to me.

I hope this has been some help

Dear Grahamm I feel your pain, I have been suffering for 2 years with a

very severe fissure. It all started when one day I had a bout with

explosive diarrhea, when I finally got to a toilet I just went all at once with such force it literally tore my rearend apart or it felt that way, I had never

experienced anything so painful as the days that followed. I have had 3 children vaginally and not one hurt as bad as my fissure! I am a really

clean person and very clean with my body. I always use wet wipes after I pee even, so the fissure didn't get infected thank God, as I was suffering

enough with the tear. I did everything possible and even taking a

hydrocordon pill for pain wasn't enough. I read up on them and how to

treat them, I did sitz baths with the hottest water I could stand which helped tremendously, followed by a wet wipe soaked in witch hazel. Then

something just told me to try prunes. I was already under a doctors care and was told to take 2 stool softeners a day. They weren't enough. But

when I added the prunes, That saved my life I feel... I started out 7 prunes a day along with my 2 stool softeners. Nothing really the first day, tried 5

The next day, then it happened, I was so scared to go, knowing the

terrible pain, sweat, shaking feeling knowing it was going to make me

pass out. Surprisingly I went with very little pain, I was so tickled, finally

I went without agonizing pain. I used my sitz bath along with the witch

hazel soak, the next day I ate 4 prunes right out of the container I kept in

The fridge. That night had to go again.. after about 3 times the deeply

Cut fissure was well and I can now use the bathroom just like normal! I

Haven't been able to do that for like 2 years! I cured mine with the prunes.

Please try this. If you easily get diarrhea the use with caution, but if you

are not easily bothered with diarrhea then eat on a daily basis what keeps

You regular. Believe me this works! Prunes are really good right from the

Container and have many great health benifits to, please Google it and

see for your self. I will always eat my 4 prunes everyday from this day

forward, as I have never been regular on my bowel movements ever in

My life, such constipation and 4 days in between bowel movements until

I added prunes in my diet. Now I go every day and as smooth and easy

But most of all without the excruciating pain I lived in for 2 years! I hope

anyone reading this tries my advise, Do not boil the prunes, simply get the Pitted sunsweet prunes and just make them a daily ritual in your diet.

Hope you get well and stay fissure free. God bless you