Posted , 143 users are following.
Hi everyone!
So I went in for the botox treatment for my anal fissure around 3 weeks ago, after trying every cream for the past year or so to no avail.
Since the treatment my pain is still there and I was wondering if anyone else has had the same treatment and was successful and how long it took for the fissure to heal?
Any advice truly appreciated!!
7 likes, 374 replies
We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.
amy70747 lhz31189
Edited
I thought it might help to share my story. I'm a 30 year old woman with no children and I've suffered with a chronic anal fissure since February 2022.
I've always had constipation, but tore when going to the toilet for a hard BM. At the time, I was following a Keto diet and not drinking enough water, which I think contributed!
In the early days of the tear, I tried all sorts of over the counter laxatives, fibre supplements (physillum husk) etc. that I read about on Google and that was recommended on forums - but nothing helped to heal the fissure.
The spasms after BM's became so bad that I have been unable to work and enjoy life. They would travel down my legs and into my buttocks and would last for hours. The stabbing pain saw me sitting in the bath for hours at 2 or 3am because it was the only thing that allowed me to 'exist' with some temporary relief. The toilet was always full of blood. I had several appointments with the GP and was prescribed creams and a high fibre diet, but nothing helped. I would get so tight and sore after a BM that I couldn't even apply the cream.
The docs referred me for a colonoscopy on an urgent list, but with an open fissure, the camera was agony. After the colonoscopy, even though it diagnosed a fissure, I was removed from the urgent pathway - I was so confused! After calling the GP, I realised that all the doctors were interested in was ruling out other causes such as cancer or Ulcerative Colitis - they didn't actually want to treat my fissure!
I felt i had no choice but to follow a liquid diet, because every BM would ruin my entire day. I ate soup and juice only for 3 weeks, but still had to go to the toilet and endure agony afterwards. After hitting my lowest point, I ended up in Urgent Care - but they still only sent me away with another cream.
After genuinely considering suicide, I contacted Nuffield Health's colorectal specialist and decided to pay privately.
My appointment was enlightening - he said there is no way I should have been put through a colonoscopy with an open fissure, nor forced to endure examination in urgent care, and that all of the advice to increase fibre was useless. With a fissure, we want soft bowel movements, not big bulky ones!
He recommended Movicol (and said most other OTC laxatives were useless) and the examination under anaesthetic with botox.
Whilst waiting for my botox, the Movicol really helped and i realise now that all the stool softeners such as dulcoease, Andrew salts etc were really useless and inconsistent for me.
I went private for the procedure and had my botox under general anaesthetic on Wednesday 21st Dec 2022. I was absolutely terrified of the procedure and the general (having not had one before!) but i am so glad i just went for it. The surgeon said that i have a nasty fissure at a 12 midday position, and there was evidence of it trying to heal (which explains why in recent weeks I've had no bleeding), but clearly it was very slow progress with the spasms and tightness. I don't think it would have ever got there fully on its own!
I was only in theatre for 40 mins and woke up feeling fine. I had some blood stained sheets which was a little worrying, and the first couple of days everything was a bit sore and stingy with some bleeding when I wiped, but nothing like the pain before. It's boxing day now (5 days post procedure) and I am already in a better place than before the procedure.
I take Movicol twice daily since the botox, but i am considering moving down to one per day as too many runny BM's are just as bad as hard ones and I feel I am going a little too often right now. Today I was very stingy after going, but using a sitz bath with epsom salt (bought from Amazon) has really helped after each BM. I am also sitting on a hot water bottle to keep good blood flow to the area. I am also continuing with the diltiazem cream, which despite not helping prior to the procedure, seems to soothe and relax things now.
It's early days of course, but I feel so much more positive than I did before and the spasms after BM's have stopped, which were keeping my fissure open and preventing from healing.
Sorry this is lengthy and thank you for reading - I read so many horror stories and negative things before the botox, and it almost prevented me from going ahead. I am so glad i went for it and dont regret doing so. Hopefully this early success continues and whilst I dont expect it will be plain sailing, I am already in less pain and discomfort. I hope reading this helps someone 😃
laura54983 lhz31189
Posted
i need updates as i might have to get botox. i can no longer deal with these spasms and the creams are causing severe burning and itching. help!!!! someone give me good news that theyve healed and are living a normal life. this is destroying me.