My experience with an Anal Fissure

I take movicol 1 satchet a day and going to the toilet has never been easyer. It is not absorbed in the blood stream. It is very safe. Better then milk of magnesia. :-)

Hi There

             I had suffered  with an anal fissure for 18 years before it was diagnosed,i was in the Navy when i first had symptoms,but the Navy doctor just about killed me on examination and said to me you have not got piles.Advance 18 yrs living in Australia had suffered with constipation all of this time then lots of blood.Went to doctor he just looked at my backside,into hospital had operation on sphinter and voila cured,i was in hospital 4 days.Advance 30 years it's back,rectogesic must be the new replacement for an op and yes it is working.To help things along i have a banana smoothie with 600ml of milk blended and 3 to 4 tablespoons of psyllium husk. I lIVE IN Austrakia but i buy this product in woolies so i would say tesco would be the place it is tasteless and the smootie is nice to drink.Hope this helps

Hi there...I am similar to you, having had chronic anal fissure for just over 20 years now. I have had surgery twice. The last was quite successful, but quite traumatic, with almost a week in hospital. The following years were mostly ok with on and off bouts of constipation. I have learned over the years, that I need a high fluid intake to 'keep healthy'. Being active really helps as well. But...even with all this personal knowledge, sometimes it all justs goes to hell....after 6 weeks in NZ, doing strenuous hiking, with a good diet and fluid intake...once I stopped the activities, and did a couple of weeks slow touristy things, and the occasional (truly) cream bun...I began to have problems. In the end, I was in dire straits before we flew home, even with drinking heaps of water, and adding nuts and more fibre to my diet. At home, the big relief was daily corn intake, and twice daily Metamucil. This has helped enormously....plus I have been extremely diligent with my fibre diet. Sadly, this is now 2 1/2years down the track. I am still on Metamucil; still on a generous corn daily serving; still drinking plenty of water....still have painful stool motions with anal fissure....am now wondering how I will fare when I go to Europe in 3 months for hiking, kayaking, via ferrata! I am quite concerned....does anyone have ideas, please? Thanks, L.

Iv been on it for two days now how long be for it works and I had a skin tag took a way two but on the left side im still in pain just hope I get beter has I dont no how much longer I can go with it geting me down now but just had blood for one day out of the 3

Hello ziphius,

It's good to know you're finding relief after this time.. usually, so you're making progress. I too have found the same situation, as for many people, some days are better than others. Like others say, even from one moment to the next, after an unhappy episode in the bathroom, at least part of that day can become difficult. Your contribution here sounds different to that of most others, and while each one has its own merit, with everyone being different, I'm wondering in your case, could seasonal changes be impacting on your fissure/s. I have found since last summer, and this one upon us, mine has become progressively worse these past few weeks with the heat increasing, while not unexpectedly, it was sudden. In having said that, it is documented hot weather can aggravate fissures, some other people wrote, ice packs made no difference to providing relief. I'd say it depends on the person, and while many here claim sitting in a hot bath with coconut oil applied, which has healing properties helps, it could solve the issue for me too. I'm reluctant to attempt it for the moment, someone of authority recommended it's also applied in betweeen showers, I'm putting off because of the likely stinging. Anyway, while it's fairly cold here in winter, and quite hot in summer, I found I presented with no symptoms of fissures until temperatures rose this season. While I paid admittedly more attention to diet during the cooler months, with more fibre, and some of what you too recommend in your regime, I found today, simply putting on the air conditioning, an unusual strategy, provided welcome relief for these few hours I didn't think would otherwise occur. After that I was fine, in finding there's a pattern forming, it could be I don't manage the heat well, whenever it's a cooler day, I never once have an issue RE: fissures. To give you an example, more preventative than a cure, I've decided, as much as practical, to avoid venturing out in the car, with its 'hot seat,' so to speak, past a certain morning hour, as it can add to discomfort in that area. While I can't speak for everyone, one of the hardest aspects of fissures I've found is, the initial process of sitting in the car, until the air conditioning changes that. I must say, I've taken to sitting in the car while immobile, in having no idea what the neighbours must think, I drive when I'm ready, when it's cooler yes, I have found even a brief drive somewhere helps me relax during which time I'm then able to face the world. In then fully meeting my commitments,(like others would have, I'd order groceries online,) while it's true when they say, you get what you pay for, the same could be said about buying something after you've seen it first. For the moment, after my time in the car, I return home free of pain. Once again, this measure to most might sound oversimplified, it would be impractical for those of you using public transport in your daily routine, while waiting for a train or bus, though some forms of transport have standard features of cooling the surrounding air, including any hot seats someone else has vacated.This car idea works for me, in then today, considering doing likewise by cooling the house. I then considered work options, sometimes I was lead to believe I couldn't return to work until drastic measures were made, such as surgery. What I'm doing, won't solve all aspects of fissures, the object is getting through this summer, I'm writing this in the hope it helps others. I have found, as so many others say, this experience is debiliatating, understandably, it's hard to smile when it flares up, any number of us could have experienced pain of one kind or another, I found other kinds I've had were shortlived, in getting through it. I think doctors would have a fair idea what it's like, but are choosing to underplay it. I have noticed a common thread among medicos, among patients seeing them with this condition as described here, I too thought I was the only one with complaint of this nature to share, that many doctors don't consider worthwhile treating. Like you, I have found ointments prescribed an expensive exercise, despite the cost, none of us at this point would mind paying for something that's effective, one stung far more than coconut oil did. That could be why any number of people swear by coconut oil, because it's natural. 

As I said, I have found advice about fibre helpful, I can relate to what you're saying. Along with the recurrence of pain not being easy, I can still truthfully say, this summer is so far proving a bit better, with fissures being manageable, thinking what to do about it. It's clear any number of us are working our way around this ourselves in consulting forums, my day, like that of others, is much easier when I follow food intake with care, in adding, what one food type does for one person might differ for someone else. Clearly diet is the key, it may not altogether solve the problem of fissures, but will have prevent any recurrences after an effective remedy, many here do make sense, or alternatively surgery. 

I first had one in 2012 got scared to go to dr as lots of blood in stools, eventually went to see my gp as pain was so bad diagnosed with a fissure and an inside pile went through all creams diet changes etc didnt work so had botox in 2013 i felt like a new women after going to the loo pain free was like heaven unfortunately fissure has returned much worse have to take valuim (only temp) as ive been referred to consultant straight away for more botox i do recommend all the stool softners try and stay away from strong painkilkers unfortunately this time i had no choice as pain and spasms are ruining my life it has been a nice 4 yrs until now, i do truly recommend the botox treatment

I've only recently been diagnosed with a fissure having been suffering since roughly Aug 2016.

I've been increasing my water and fibre intake daily and will a bm is relatively easy it's the pain for an hour after. My gp prescribed me rectogesic ointment yesterday. How soon after application do the headaches begin? And I know it says to insert on a finger inside but do any of you apply just externally?

Thanks

Excellent and informative write up!