My experience with an Anal Fissure
Posted , 32 users are following.
If you are reading this because you've got a fissure, my heart goes out to you. How something so small in somewhere so private can cause so much pain is amazing.
Like many, I thought I had piles, so spent a fortune on creams. It was eventually diagnosed as a fissure about six months ago, but not before struggling with pain for many months (if not sporadically for the last 10 years or so). The problem got to be severe and highly debilitating - I literally had to stay near a hot bath all day as it was the only relief.
My life saver is Rectogesic. My understanding is that the intense pain comes when the anal muscles constrict (hence hot baths working by relaxing the muscles). Rectogesic does a similar thing in that it relaxes the muscles and therefore promotes healing. It really was / is a life saver. Ask your doctor for it - it's fantastic.
The cream is fantastic - but as you will have read from other postings, it takes a very long time for the fissure to heal. The way I've coped with the fissure, and my advice for anyone reading this, is to follow a pretty strict food regime. The one simple golden rule is \"only put in what can make a smooth exit out again\".
Whenever I had painful stools I used to follow the advice of eating more fibre. I actually think I was doing myself more harm that good because I overloaded on fibrous foods like all-bran, seeds and nuts etc - basically stuff that your body can't easily break-down - and remember the golden rule \"only put in what will have a smooth exit out again\". Don't quote me on this, but I understand the key is the difference between soluble fibre rather than non-soluble fibre. So, brown wholegrain bread is great, but more fibrous breads with the seeds in is bad idea. Wholegrain cereals are great, muesli is dreadful. Prawns or fish are good, lamb jalfrazi....hopefully you've got the idea.
If I don't feel as though I've had enough fibre in my diet I then supplement it with Fibregel which is a soluble fibre that you can buy from the chemist or supermarket. Lots of water and anything you can do to make sure you go just once a day are other essential elements.
Sticking to that simple rule keeps the pain away, however my fissure hasn't totally healed yet - it has come back twice in the last six months, but only for a number of days. When it does come back I then follow a strict regime of lot's of water, double doses of fibregel plus milk of magnesia - basically making the stools as soft and runny as possible which stops it from getting worse PLUS the Rectogesic cream twice a day until it's no longer painful to pass a stool.
I really hope this helps.
6 likes, 44 replies
Guest
Posted
Guest
Posted
Have read your posting - I have recently been diagnosed with a anal fissure and have been given rectogesic amongst other things. I have been using it since monday (now Friday) and from the first night I ahve been experiencing crushing headaches all night (they wake me up they are so painful) I am going to not take tonight to see if it makes any difference.
Has anyone else experienced any symptoms for using Rectogesic?
janet14362 Guest
Posted
Hi, I have had exactly the same experience. I don't know how long I can go on using the cream if these headaches go on. I only started it yesterday and had really a really bad headache all day. I told the Doctor about it and she said it is quite usual to get the headaches and to carry on using the cream but take paracetamol before I use it. I must say that my headache had not been quite so bad today but it is still there. I am hoping the treatment works quickly because I am told I will have to be refererred to a specialist otherwise.
r77834 Guest
Posted
Hello, I have not tried that cream but I have used nitroglycerin which gives headaches. Maybe its the same thing just has a different name? Anyway, I noticed that if I used a latex glove or something to apply the cream where my hand is protected, the headaches wouldn't happen or not as badly. Maybe that can help you also? I was also told not to use too much. Just a dime size amount as it's a very powerful medication. Good luck! I hope it helps!
cavey Guest
Posted
yes, headache and dizziness, also chest pain but sat down and things sorted themselves out. a bad reaction for me. but I am determined to get better no matter what I have to endure.
bobby57900 Guest
Posted
I got headaches but they get less bad over time. Push through it - don't stop taking it - maybe you're taking too much? I only use about 1cm or less.
Take some pain killers - it's worth it. You just have to get it healed so you can move on. Also try movicol / cosmocol / forlax for stool softening (see my tips below for more info).
PJ21
Posted
Rectogesic is great, but it can give you the headaches you are experiencing. With regular use these get better and with me it ended up with just a light feeling in the head. This took about a month. Persevere as Rectogesic is by far the best non-surgical treatment.
I hope that for your sake it goes with using the oitment. I had my surgery 8 weeks ago and am still in pain most days. I am going to ask for a repeat prescription of Rectogesic to see if that now helps
Best of luck
PJ
helen_79032
Posted
Thanks
ziphius
Posted
I just put it on top rather than in. It makes you feel woozy and gives you a headache but it's so worth it. I guess the better it gets the deeper you can put it in. I don't believe the cream does anything to heal the fissure, more directs blood to area to aid healing.
The other key thing for me is (what was called Milk of Magnesia) which is the only thing that turns my stools to liquid. You can't buy it any more but you can buy Magnesium Hydroxide. I got a prescription from the Doctor but the pharmacist very helpfully told me I could buy it cheaper without a prescription (£4.20 for 500ml which lasts ages). Without it you are literally damaging the fissure every bowl movement which is horrendous.
Get the retrogesic on pronto and have a tablespoon of Magnesium Hydroxide after every meal. A few days of easy stools and it should improve massively.
Good luck.
helen_79032
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darrell83110
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susansan darrell83110
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dave33035 susansan
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helen_79032
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michamara
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bobby57900 michamara
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