Anal Fissure, Skin Tag and hemorrhoids, Botox? Help Please
Posted , 28 users are following.
Hi All, I have posted a few replies on here to discussions and thought Id write my own as really feel I need some help and advice,
I am 25 female and have been suffering with hemorrhoids for years, 8 I think now, they resulted in a nasty skin tag and when I though it couldn't get worse, I have now had a fissure for over a year.
Anyway, after many GP visits etc, and fainting from pain, I finally got put on the NHS waiting list for botox and skin tag removal. I thought to myself this is great to get this done and will solve all my problems, as I can't continue life as it is now, right? I got a date sent to me last week for the surgery, meant to be today, much quicker than I thought (Surely they would have wanted to review before, the Surgeon hasnt seen me in over 6 months?!) but after reading so many horrible posts about Botox I postponed it, so they will be sending a new date. But before I go ahead I really hope lots of you can advise me on your experience and give me information.
It is painful for me every day, I almost faint sometimes from the pain. And for some reason for the past 2 weeks, I have lots of blood during EVERY SINGLE BM - why now?? And is this something I should be worried about if it is every single time?
I am tip top about diet and exercise, I only weigh 54kg, I am healthy and active all the time!
The advice that I really want from you all - should I do this botox? Or should I accept life as it is now?? [sad] could things get alot worse if I go for Botox?
Also I don't know if I get 'spasms', what are spasms? I am in pain for a long while after a BM is that what they are?
I look forward to hearing from you all xx
2 likes, 62 replies
jo56554 em1989
Posted
I've never participated in a forum before but your situation has moved me to do so. I am 46 and suffered from anal fissure for around 11 years before seeking treatment as I was too embarrassed to see my GP. It eventually reached the stage that others on this forum have talked about (nearly fainting from the pain and being completely incapacitated and depressed). It started after my first daughter was born (she's now 17) and then it went away again for a while. It reoccured following a hysterectomy to treat cervical cancer (no-one tells you that you will experience horrendous constipation following this operation and therefore you don't take any preventative measures!). This time it stayed and got progressively worse. Having finally found the courage to see my GP he was really great and having suggested various creams which I tried unsuccessfully (including rectogesic which caused instant migraines, meaning I couldn't go to work) he then referred me for surgery immediately. Sadly this was not the answer. The surgery was repeated 3 further times over the course of the next two years including advancement flap, removal of skin tag etc. Each time the surgery appeared to have worked, although recovery time was longer each time - the last time in January this year with a four week recovery time. But also each time my symptoms reoccurred after six months. This current episode is what has prompted me to seek further information and your discussion popped up. I am really grateful to you for posting this as I feel relieved to not be the only one who is suffering with this and struggling to find an alternative solution. I too have been offered botox injections but I'm not sure if this will help so have avoided it so far. I'm at the point where, in desperation, I will try anything.
Thanks again for your courage in posting and best wishes for your recovery.
xx
em1989 jo56554
Posted
em1989 jo56554
Posted
Hi Jo just read over your post again. Really wondering how you are? I really feel for you and if you were my mum I'd want to help you as much as I can! Please let us know how you are getting on or if you need any advice since your last post xx
mmarcus151910 jo56554
Posted
Here are some suggestions I have for you to help you through:
1. Try somee zinc oxide in the form of calmoseptine which has menthol to soothe the area down there as well. Calmoseptine can be bought at almost any local drugstore and can be bought online too.
2. Try squatting when going on the toilet instead of sitting. This is a much helathier position and the poop sometimes will just slide out, no pushing or straining involved.
3. I would definately take a fiber supplement, specifically metamucil is what I take evveryday, in ordr to allow your stools to be soft and to allow them to pass thorugh easily. THis being said, with any fiber supplemetn, you must drink lots of water when using them, or they will not work veffectively. Also, do not take too much as too much fiber can irritate your bowels on the way out and diarreah actually does worse down there.
4. I would recommend getting a sphicteronomy surgery if htings dont get better. I waited it out, gave up, had the surgery, and was able to heal within about two weeks. I had a chronic fissure, so I knew where you are ocming from with v all the pain and discomfort.
Try listening to music to distract your mind a bit, especially when going to the bathroom. If you are in writing pain, distract yourself with a movie or TV show right after. Also, to prevent myself from screaming and from putting more stress in the area down there, i bit down on a washcloth in order to make the tensions with my teeth instead of my sphicter muscle.
Hope this helps!!! So sorry you have to go through this.
Best,
Myles
mmarcus151910 em1989
Posted
If I were you I would get the sphictoronomy surgery which is on the sphicter muscle. I had a bad fissure last year and this surgery helped me a lot. The sphicter muscle plays a large role in not allowing the fissure to heal on its own because the spasms do not allow the fissure tto heal. The only issue I had, if you consider this an issue at all considering the amount of pain you have been in, is that after the surgery I do not have as much control on whether I can stop my farts from coming out in public or not. Besides that, I have been doing great. I hope this helps and may you have a good reccovery. I am very sorrry that you have to go through this because noone should have to go through anything like thiis.
Myles
stacey87853 em1989
Posted
Sorry to gate crash your convo but seems you all know a lot....
Ive had piles a few times from pain meds(taken daily for back probs) making me constipated,when i have a BM they bleed, the last 5 days when i have a BM it feels like glass is coming out(sorry for TMI) it so painfull and im now dreading going to the toilet everyday...could this be a fissure? I know should go to drs( and have been n the past for piles,i ave latulose to take daily to help...can you get piles and a fissure at the same time? Ive spoken to my husband about it and hes a clueless as me lol
also if it is a fissure can it go away on its own?
Stace x
mmarcus151910 stacey87853
Posted
Hope this helps!
Myles
stacey87853 em1989
Posted
mmarcus151910 stacey87853
Posted
xmaryx em1989
Posted
em1989
Posted
Anyway...today I had the botox. I just wanted to let you all know and hopefully it works. After surgery I had intermittent stabbing pains...like knives going inside of me
they gave me codeine 30mg....Didn't help...then 500mg ibuprofen...that took the edge off the pain.
I have no idea if this is finally the cure but I really, really hope it is as I can't cope with it anymore. I am terrified of my next BM. Absolutely terrified. I'm not sore right now but i know that's because I haven't been to the toilet.
I've been given fybrogel and lactulose and paracetamol for the pain. I've taken some vitamins (vitamin c, magnesium, zinc, arnica, milk thistle, D3 and COQ10) I've eaten some homemade soup, pineapple and pistachio nuts.
If any of you who have had botox have any advice I'd be so grateful. The dr didnt touch my piles...he said botox can help piles??? I doubt this. I have to go back for more surgery to remove the skin tag I'm upset he didn't do everything in one go.
I hope some of you have managed to solve your fissures and are now pain free xxx
mmarcus151910 em1989
Posted
I'm so sorry to hear about your condition. I did not have the botox, so I can't give you advice, but I just want to let you know how sorry I am that you have to go through this. It's very tough!
Stay strong and have hope and hopefully it will get better!
Sincerely,
Myles
em1989 mmarcus151910
Posted
Unfortunately now 3 weeks since botox ...my pain is just the same
my first bms were ok but now after I go I get those painful spasms for hours. It's all incredibly debilitating. I can't even enjoy the gym most days or just lie and watch TV with my boyfriend. Maybe if I get it again it will help...some say it takes 2 go's. I wouldn't consider the sphictoronomy yet as I couldn't handle the issues it brings! How are you?
mmarcus151910 em1989
Posted
Currently I am amazing. The only difference is I take a fiber supplement everyday.
Here is basically a sum up of my experience with the surgery:
So basically, this is how it went down with my surgery. I had to fast the day before the surgery because they had to put me under anesthesia. I went in, waited, and then they put me under and the surgery was done. I woke from the surgery with morphine in my system, although once I woke up it had worn off for the most part. They basically told me I could get another dose of morphine, which would basically knock me out again, or I could stay up and move to the other room to wait until I was ready to leave. So, i skipped the next dose of morphine and went to the other room. As I was laying on the bed, the pain bagan to set in. The next part may scare you a bit and discourage you, but getting through this part is just part of the process of gettting better. So when the pain started to settle in, the paiin almost flt worse then the fissure pain itself. I was not only dealing with the pain from thefissure, but from the incision and cuts that were done form the surgery itself. This being said, you have to take into consideratino that the surgery is cutting into your sphincter muscle, so pain will come, but this is with any surgery. Unfortunately, with this surgery, it is in a very sensitivie area so the pain will be a little more intense. Some things I did in the hospital to deal with the pain was put ice on my butt, I bit down on a washcloth to decrease the tension that I would put into my butt area and to transfer the tension to my jaw biting into the cloth. They did give me percoset, but honestly it didn't help me a bit. I still felt the pain until I was able to fall asleep. The lady next to me said that the percoset made her feel that the ceiling was the floor and the floor was the ceiling, so I guess it affects some people differently than others. I also will recommend listening to music right after or watching a movie to distract yourself from the pain. SO that was basically it from the hospital. I couldn't leave the hospital until I could pee though, which was not easy since I had so many drugs in my system and could not really push to hard as it was painful and I did not want to upset the area.
Eventually I peed and was able to leave. Then, I took some percoset that night and slept. The next day I felt no pain, as I did not poop at all, and as with before the surgery, the pain only comes when you poop.
So the day after that I had to go to the bathroom. The first time you go to the bathroom will be very painful, almost more painful than pooping with just the fissure because you are trying to poop through a fissure and a surgery, but that comes with the territory. I will not hide that I felt like I was going to puke the pain was so bad WHILE pooping. I also recommend listening to music while pooping as this distracts the pain and gives some motivation not to be afraid. The reason on put emphasis on the WHILE is beause after the pain is very dull and nothing compared to the throbbing unimaginable pain of an anal fissure. Within the next two weeks, I progressively felt myself getting better, and by the 2nd week I went back to the doctor and he gave me the ok that I was all healed up.
I never had any incontinence, although the only thing I still have is that its a bit harder to hold in my farts sometimes, but that is it....As far as the gauze, I only changed it because I would leak sometimes..I ended up just buying adult diapers at the store and used those until I stopped leaking.
Hope this helps and hope you feel better!!!
Sincerely,
Myles
Dot87 em1989
Posted
Firstly I normally spend so much time reading forums but never reply... but as a 28 year old woman I really understand how a fissure can take over your life.
I've been suffering from having one or once two for other 2 years. The pain during a BM has caused me to black out for a few scary seconds. Afterwards I have a throbbing pain for hours. My bottom cheeks even ache.
It has had me in tears to the point I would break down and I have been to the Dr's back and forth.
I have had so many conflicting opinions from consultants which hasn't helped. They wanted to orginally do the LTS op but I went for the botox January just gone. For three months I have been fine but it has started coming back. Sad thing is it is hard to recognise if it is as bad as before... you just adjust to being in pain.
I have been told to take lactulose and laxido daily but always preference to try and ensure a soft stool with diet. Desperate times have led me to depend on constipation relief now I pretty much depend on it. The tension I feel is unreal and I know pushing is the worse thing to do but I feel everything there is just lazy!!
I also though my tag would be removed but never was and since January it has increased in size. I was told my haemorrhoids were injected but they seem to have never have gone and got worse just before the return of the fissure.
I am worried about using the ointment too for the same reasons...I am meant to be having a further appointment but haven't been notified yet.
I've been tempted to get a loan at times just to pay for private health car bit unrealistic though!
One thing I can say does help is meditation and yoga. I'm not a pro but if you research on you tube there are plenty of videos to help increase blood flow to this area and calming videos to help relax your body before going and avoid those spasms.
Hope to hear some positive news soon from you. I feel your pain but things can hopefully only get better xx
em1989 Dot87
Posted
Hey dot so sorry for my late reply.
How are you doing? I feel for you greatly, so so much. Fortunately for me the injections did make my fissure disappear but I still have a lot of problems with 2 skin tags and an interview haemorrhoid so when I go to the toilet it takes a long time to clean and it is very painful to clean up afterwards but I don't have lasting pain like I did with the fissure. When I go out anywhere I cant leave the house without wipes and sudocream and have to make sure I can have access to a toilet. It's awful isn't it. Being 27 and if I need the toilet I have to spend 20 mins in it just to sort myself out
Please please please get off the laxatives if you haven't already. They ruin your digestion system, please use things like magnesium, zinc LOTS of water and try researching bone broth. Of course your diet too but as you say you already do that. Also try eliminating dairy, it worked well for me and I've heard it has changed the lives for others! I don't use creams, the prescription ones I mean, I only use sudocream. The creams never worked for me and they can think your skin.
Hope to hear from you xx
patty72808 em1989
Posted
em1989 patty72808
Posted
HI patty thank you for your post. I totally agree with keeping stools soft naturally. Medicated ones just upset your digestive system. Magnesium is great, maybe try the tablets as well? Also I have started taking coconut water which is known for it natural laxative properties! Just pick a carton with the least sugars per 100ml.
You are very early on in your fissure so I would try your best to clear it without surgery. How is your diet and water intake? We all say we eat 'good' but I realised when I said that I was forgetting yes I tell good but on top of that I had the buns, donuts, cake, pizza 4/5 times per week not to mention the biscuits with tea! This all has to stop make sure you're eating fruit first thing in the morning, gentle fruit like Pineapple and Blueberries. Eat little and often and CHEW your food alot! It all helps. Drink 2-3 litres of water a day.
However if you find the fissure is still there then go for the Botox. I did and although it took a few weeks, it eventually healed and made my life easier.
I'm now recovering from further surgery to fix all my other problems which I have created a new discussion for x