Botox for anal fissure

I'm so sorry Paula. I really feel for you. Especially after 3 weeks of healing. I am so scared myself that if I go out with friends just once, that I will end up ruining my progress. Life shouldn't be like that. We are all walking on eggshells.

I wish I could say something to help. I know exactly how you feel and it doesn't just hurt physically, but emotionally and mentally as well. I've had this issue recurring for 10 years so I've been there many times and all I can say is that it does get better. The body isn't capable of not healing as long as you have breath and a heartbeat. Hang in there. Scream. Cry. Vent. I am here praying and believing for your full healing.

Let me know how it's been since this message. I'm still checking this blog.

Thanks so much for your support Danielle. It's actually got better since Sunday, I think I did reopen the main fissure but not very much? It was closed and I couldn't even feel it before, but I can feel it again now, but not very much. it kind of feels like I reopened it and it's closed itself again but it's only just closed and bleeds I when I have a BM, but literally only a little bit and then stops. And there is a bit of pain, perhaps a bit more than there was, but not as bad as the day of the relapse. So I am really hoping it is a minor setback. Ironically, the other fissure that my consultant said should close in a month or so seems to have done that! Although it does have a little bleed when I go to the loo as well, but again, only a tiny bit. Neither bleed otherwise, because I check. Am still trying to stick to mainly veggies, but had some wholemeal pasta with veggies last night, think it made BM too bulky. So difficult to not eat comfort food! Am also still doing regulat sitz baths, I think they really help the healing process.

How are you getting on Danielle? I really hope you've had some good progress, especially if you've been dealing with this horrible issue on and off for 10 years. You have all my sympathy and admiration for dealing with it for that long!

That's good to hear Paula that is wasn't really bad and that it's feeling a bit better again. It was probably minor damage, but not as bad as the original tear.

I had a scare yesterday because I couldn't go and I was at work. I knew I didn't have long because I was about to get an influx of customers and I was alone, and because I really needed to go and it just wouldn't come out, I strained. I pushed and I knew I shouldn't, but what else can you do when it just won't come on it's own. I'm not a fan of holding it in because it causes backup later and it's uncomfortable. It didn't hurt and it didn't feel like any tearing occurred, but it's been stinging a bit since, and some random sharp pains. I don't know why. It's reminding me how touch and go it is and how sensitive it is down there and worries me that the slightest mistake will set me back. It's super frustrating. I just wanna live normally.

I am at work a lot by myself when I'm not teaching and when I am teaching, I am in the water. So I can't just leave and sit on the toilet whenever I want. This makes me not eat at work and I don't think that helps with the situation. There's probably not enough food in my system. I've lost 6 kilos since the start of this.

My follow up appointment is in 2 weeks, I hope he tells me it's healed.

Hi Danielle, oh how i hate it when you can't go! I get really stressed about that. I've also had to give a little push a few times when BM has been there but reluctant to come for some reason. I'm lucky in that I work mainly from home, I'm supposed to go to the office on Wednesdays, but due to my health (they don't know about the fissures, they think it's a digestive problem, plus my suspected rheumatoid arthritis which means driving is dodgy and I have to drive to work), I'm not expected to go in. That makes it a LOT easier. I really sympathise and agree that if you're not eating at work it may be the reason you're struggling to go. Are there any healthy snacks, like carrot and hummus you can take to work? Maybe falafel and hummus too, like in a little snack pack....both are 'fissure friendly' and quick, but not heavy, especially for when you're in the water. May help the digestive transit so to speak. I know what you mean about wanting to go back to normal. I had lunch out with my husband today and was so stressed about what to have. I had a halloumi shwarma which came with salad, hummus, mint yoghurt and flat bread. I didn't eat all the flatbread but made sure I ate all the hummus and salad! I'm hoping it comes out the other end without causing me any issues. Have drunk a lot of water and taken my stool softeners and laxative and will have my grilled veggies for dinner so hoping it means I can start eating a bit more variety, but we will see. I hope your follow up in a couple of weeks goes well...you've got a good amount of time to continue healing up to then. I had minimal bleeding and pain this morning when going, so am really hoping I carry on healing too. I just hate thus condition. Takes so much work and time to heal! After lunch today, we went shopping and I was a bit windy as a result of my laxative....a few embarrassing moments!!

Hey hey. So just had my follow up appointment and he said it has healed. he said he didn't see it anymore. He did a rectal exam which we all know what happens, I don't need to give details. It didn't hurt when he did it, I mean it was uncomfortable, but I wouldn't call it painful. But then I got into the elevator while leaving and I felt stinging. Now it's stinging down there. I dunno if that's normal. I was worried he would open the fissure back up, but he is an expert and I'm sure he wouldn't do anything he thought might do harm or anything that might risk it. Here's to hoping the stinging isn't anything to be worried about. But I am worried. That's what I do, I worry.

I would be more happy about the fact that he said it healed if I didn't have the stinging. But I guess it's good that it healed. I asked what would happen when the botox wears off, and he said it should be fine if I make sure I just don't get constipated ever again. I asked if he could do the botox again to make sure but he said it wasn't necessary unless it came back. I don't want it to come back though. I guess they don't do it for prevention.

How are you going anyway Paula?

Hi Danielle

So glad I found your blog and so glad to hear you are recovered, will cross fingers you remain healed! I’ve had this fissure all year and has really disrupted my life - had a surgery for an infection earlier in the year and it just hasn’t healed since - so went in for Botox last week. Trying to be as positive as I can about this working and getting my life so was good to hear your story and what you did to help! Here’s to healing.

A

Hey Danielle, I'm so glad your appointment was positive and he said you have healed! I completely understand your worry about the stinging after the rectal exam, but it was probably just because it's the first time anything has been poked about up there since you had the fissure. Like you said, he's an expert and I'm sure he wouldn't have done anything to worsen it. I really hope the stinging goes away as I know all too well the worry and stress it can cause. Plus, healing can hurt as well, you get healing pains if you have a deep cut anywhere else, so guess this isn't any different. I think I've healed over as well, no pain or bleeding anymore, but I do get the odd twinge, kind of like an ache where the main fissure was and that worries me, but I am hoping it's a healing pain. It doesn't last long. I'm continuing with my routine of ointments and sitz baths, although I'm at a wedding this weekend and not sure if i can take the sitz bath with me.....so may have to just take all my ointments. I'm able to eat a wider variety of things as well, i just take care I don't eat too much as what goes in has to come out and I guess I'm still just paranoid! I'm so pleased we have both healed, i know it's still delicate, but i take comfort in knowing my body can heal this awful thing, even after I had a little relapse the other week. I hope we both continue to heal and get stronger. I'll still be checking this thread as I don't think I'll be able to shake off my worry, and it's good to share!

Welcome to the group! It's weird to think that people are reading all about my sphincter and bowel movements, but if it helps then that's great. I hope you have a successful botox story as well. Some advice: if you're gonna eat seeds and nuts, make sure you chew them up real good. They don't always digest. They can hurt coming out the other end. Sometimes I forget when eating fast. I'm just so damn hungry and I want a pizza. Let us know how you go.

So the first time I went to the toilet after the exam, it hurt. I cried. I rang my surgeon and told him I think something happened. He brushed me off. I went again and it hurt again, so I went to my GP. He had a look and told me that the area had stretched where the fissure was and looked really red. He said it wasn't torn yet, but it was close. That explains the stinging. He almost tore it open again when he did what he did. So now I'm back to being super careful again. I was very annoyed and angry and upset that he compromised my healing after all that hard work and not to mention the money it cost me. After the next day, I was pain free again, thankfully. But that was a close call. Way too close. I won't be letting any doctors do that invasive exam again. I don't see the need for it. Glad to hear you are pain free as well. I know what you mean about the occasional pains and stings. I get them too randomly. Freaks me out everytime. I was starting to relax with my food, but after what happened I feel I went back a bit. I've lost 8 kilos now. I want a cheeseburger.

ItDanielle I'm so sorry your surgeon damaged your healing. I'm really angry at him on your behalf. I've recently had a similar thing, my thyroid dr has totally dismissed the physical reaction I'm having to the drug he prescribed me as nothing, when it's causing me a lot of physical pain and distress regularly. It just makes you not want to trust medical professionals! Its encouraging that you didn't have any pain the next day. When I retore after going out and not drinking enough wafter, I got back to little or no pain quickly, so hopefully because the body has already done a lot of healing, this is just a minor blip and the body picks up the healing process where it left off. I hear you on the cheeseburger! I've broadened my eating a bit, am still scared and cautious, so don't eat too much, as what goes in has to come out! I hate having to be so cautious, but if it saves me going back to the fissure pain, it's worth it. i am hoping by the end of Jan as it will be 3 months since my botox by then, I will be fully healed and may finally trust my body not to tear again. I hope your healing continues Danielle.

Thanks so much! I know so strange, after having had this for a year I think everyone in my life is used to me being rather candid 😄

I’m day 10 after Botox and still not feeling any better, walking is also uncomfortable when it wasn’t too bad before the procedure so don’t know what’s going on but hoping I start feeling some relief soon 🤞 thanks for the advice - I’m sadly allergic to nuts and seeds (and about 12 other foods) so now trying to have a fissure friendly diet too, isn’t much left haha. But hoping for better days soon! Hope you’re still feeling ok and have some success with treating your other conditions!

I'm sorry to hear you have food allergies on top of all this. Stick with the laxatives then. Find one that your body can take long term and not get used to.. like Osmolax/Miralax. My body has now become one with the Osmolax. I go easily twice a day, morning and afternoon. It took awhile, but your body adapts and finds a balance eventually. I only take the kids dose though, I need soft, not diarrhoea. I don't think I'll be coming off it anytime soon, I'm too scared.

Sucks that it's been 10 days and no relief yet. I'm sure you'll get there. Everyone's timing is different. Did you also get the fissurectomy? or skin tag removal? That makes recovery longer unfortunately.

Hope you start feeling better real soon.

Doctors can really suck. I am lucky I have the best GP ever! But my surgeon could take some pointers.

Glad you've relaxed a bit in your eating.. I am still far from relaxed. I worry a lot. This might be a permanent lifestyle change for me.

I have to get knee surgery next year and that means pain, which means prescribed narcotics. I won't take them ever again, so I don't know how I'm gonna deal with the pain. I'm a bit concerned. If only there was another sort of medication that could effectively take away pain and not cause constipation.. a sort of herb perhaps 🤔 LOL. If only it was legal.

Ah thank you - yes finding it a real balancing act. I got my fissure from chronic diarrhea which has only started calmed down the last few months but still have some really bad days so trying to get the balance right between not going and going is delicate! But hopefully better days for all of us! I had a fistula laid open in July which just left this fairly large fissure that has remained as partially healed for months! So was just the Botox this time to try help it relax and heal. Hope you remain healed and get back to somewhat normal life with less worry ❤️