Healing a Chronic Anal Fissure
Posted , 51 users are following.
I suffered with an anal fissure for almost 6 months. Having bowel movements was like passing shreds of glass & the pain was so bad for hours afterwards. I would wake up the next day dreading the next bowel movement. I actually thought it was piles & didnt know what it was until after about 8 weeks. The doctor gave me the usual creams etc and it did seem to work for a few days but then would come back. I finally was able to somewhat control the pain but the fissure wasnt healing. After reading everything I could about it & peoples trials & errors I wanted to share with you what finally healed the fissure. Please note I have no medical experience and I am just sharing what worked for me.
First drink lots of water. I drink 12-14 8oz glasses everyday. I ensure I have fibre with all my meals. For 1 week I had a sitz bath with epsom salts in it & use to soak in it for 20 mins. At night before bedtime I took 30ml of Cremaffin stool softner for about 1 month. I know this is too long to be taken this as well as too much but this used to make bowel movements pain free. Afterwards I gradually reduced 5ml every 2 weeks. But what really healed the fissure itself was applying Sudocrem nappy rash cream. I applied it gently (with very short nails to make sure I didnt scratch myself further!!) just inside my anus as well as around the tag. I read that zinc oxide would help it heal and remembered my sons Sudocrem. I used to apply it about 4-5 times a day for about 1 week then reduced to 2 times a day. So far its been about 2 weeks and I have been pain free. I still take Cremaffin 10 ml every night & apply Sudocrem before bed. I hope this will help someone else too as cos as you know its the worst pain ever!!
9 likes, 85 replies
amala2562 nazy78
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Anyway now I have bought this cream
nazy78 amala2562
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nazy78 amala2562
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amala2562 nazy78
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Are you still applying the Sudocrem? I am traveling and so the Sitz baths have been hard.
eddy82965 amala2562
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poppy000 amala2562
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Hi how did you get on? Massively struggling here x
adders45 nazy78
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amala2562 nazy78
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Also wanted to know if you have had any relapses. I get a bit of bad pain once in a while esp if I have gone too frequently or after a long time. The latter only happened due to a long plane ride.
Anyway shall continue my regime.
vanessa59744 amala2562
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amala2562 vanessa59744
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I think if you have pain free days and then some recurrence it still means you are healing. Just not healed. It's very frustrating the pace of healing and the set backs but as long as it's more and more pain free times it's worth trying.
In my case my challenge is keeping bowels soft and yet not too runny. Too many bms or hard stools are a huge set back. I do not take any artificial stool softeners since adequate fruits and vegetables do the trick for me.
I have not had more than two days of 'not much pain' so far. Then something triggers it again.
As some one said - gluten, meats even fish, alcohol all seem to be contra beneficial. After moving to a full rice and vegetables, lentils etc bases diet and lots of yoghurt it's been steadily improving.
So hang in there and continue the routine that works for you.
vanessa59744 amala2562
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amala2562 vanessa59744
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Is it the stool softener that is making you go twice? I found that going less helped me. Are you putting in coconut oil suppository I make it by poring coconut oil and a few drops of tea tree oil in a steel flat container and out it in the fridge. Then every night I take a wedge out with a knife and insert.
I am also now inserting the Sudocrem a little deeper since the edge sphincter area seems healed but a tag or something inside is the pain area. I put Sudocrem twice a day. And Manuka twice. Coconut oil before sleeping.
vanessa59744 amala2562
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amala2562 vanessa59744
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nazy78 amala2562
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I still take 10ml of Cremaffin every night & started applying Sudocrem thrice a day & warm sitz bath with a bit of epsom salts twice a day if possible.
Before the relapse I have been pain free for abt 6 weeks & after being in pain since arnd February this has been such a huge relief so am trying to not let this small relapse worry me too much cos I know I can get it under control again.
However I am worried abt completely stopping taking Cremaffin as this helps with the softness of the stools although I do have plently of fiber with all 3 meals & 14 glasses of water a day. I trick is to have only 1 bowel movement a day as this will give the fissure time to heal for a few hrs at a time. Too much fiber & it will make you go more & irritate the fissure. Initially I used to take 30ml Cremaffin when the pain was very bad but now am down to 10ml.
I read someone that it can take upto 6 months to completely heal a fissure & although thats a pain (literally & figuratively!!! :S) i much prefer that to having LIS & the very real possibility of having accidents at my age ( I am 36).
So hang in there & once you get into a routine of having your water & fiber etc it really doesnt seem like such a chore any more & it will heal.
amala2562 nazy78
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Shall resume. Also why the Epsom salts in the bath? I have not been using any.
Thanks once again.
vanessa59744 nazy78
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nazy78 vanessa59744
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Cremaffin is a milk of magnesia stool softner. I think any milk of magnesia stool softner should do the trick?
The warm sitz baths do help too. amala2562 I use either table salt (cos the GP said to use this) or epson salt cos read this helps with healing. So whichever ones close at hand. Havent really noticed a difference when using either or when using water alone.
So my treatment for this is
1. Prevent constipation with plenty of water & just enough fiber.
2.Cremaffin to keep stools soft
3. Sitz baths & Sudocrem to actually heal the fissure itself.
Am in Sri Lanka so after creams & baths the next option the doctors give you is to have dilation or LIS & I so want to avoid both!!!
jennifer_15117 amala2562
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jennifer_15117 vanessa59744
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