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
misba03684 ziphius
Posted
Hi Ziphius
I'm facing the same condition as you told above and doctors have asked me for an anal fissure surgery..it's been almost more than a month now..doctor also gave me that Rectogesic cream but it gives me a saver headache every time and I stoped using it..u think it will work if I start using it again and forget about the surgery?
nixon1927 misba03684
Posted
pain worse for first 3 days. Day 4 just the stinging pain so far today. In bed on tramadol and lactolose. Been off work for 5 weeks. Just hopingthis gets better
bobby57900 misba03684
Posted
Yeah just power through the rectogesic headaches - its best for your long term health - it's not like the alternatives come with zero pain either. See my note below for more tips.
pecan_tan ziphius
Posted
bobby57900 ziphius
Posted
I had 1 for a year - then a relapse.
Take swift action - the longer you let it continue the worse it gets. Don't mess around go full force as early as possible.
(I'm not a doctor - so check the below with a medical pro obviously)
4 key things, 3 extras
1 take something (for me macrogol / forlax / cosmocol) to turn your stools soft or even to liquid - do this early and stay on it for a while. I was put on some lame fibre suppliments for the first year - they did very little. The good stuff turns your stools soft (1 sachet) or to liquid (2-3 sachets) - it's heaven.
2 when you poop raise your legs up, not just 1 foot on a small step but A LOT really high up so your feet are level with your hips with your knees bent. I use an overturned waste bin that's level with the toilet but you can use anything for this eg a chair. There's a huge difference between a small step and raising them right up like this - huge.
3 try rectogesic / nitroglycerin / glyceryl trinitrate. 1cm or 2cm on a finger immediately before going - seems to alleviate issues very effectively and way better than any other creams which seemed to make things worse.
4 NEVER STRAIN. Relax, let it come by itself - make your room nice and warm - have a bath first if required, don't be stressed just relax. Ideally you wont have to push at all. If you're really tense maybe come back later, there's no rush.
5 Sitz baths can help a bit but this is less important - but by all means try it if you like it helps relax you a bit.
6 Add some allbran to your cereal for breakfast - it's extremely high in fibre
7 Drink a lot of water - 2 litres a day at least - and don't allow yourself to dehydrate - specially if you go out drinking alcohol make sure you are well hydrated with water when you get home (drink 1li or more when you get back) - and if you can throw in 1 soft drink to 2 or 3 alcoholic drinks during the night even better. Or just give up alcohol for a while - it's a fun challenge and saves lots of cash.
I WISH someone had told me the above from day 1 - it has worked very well for me and helped me avoid surgery. Good luck!
bobby57900
Posted
A note on rectogesic headaches - they suck but get over it. It's worth it to prevent a lifelong chronic condition and they get less bad over time. for me rectogesic has been amazing - just power through and take some painkillers if you must.
Whatever pain you get from the headaches is nothing in the long run! Definitely preferable to surgery - avoid surgery at all costs if possible.
bobby57900
Posted
On Metamucil and fibogel - these didn't do much for me. I find movicol / forlax / cosmocol 100x more effective - with those you can go from soft serve to liquid with ease whenever you like.
By all means make sure your fibre intake is healthy - but movicol / forlax / cosmocol are game changing.
bobby57900
Posted
One final word. When I had a relapse - it was because I moved to an apartment and I had no way to raise my feet off the floor - and I got dehydrated due to a hangover.
Once you are healed make sure you continue to raise your feet to hip level anytime you poop. Keep drinking enough water, never strain, avoid apple, put allbran in your cereal - maintain these as lifelong habits!
I went out and purchased a new $2 bin for the bathroom that was the same height as the toilet - when I go I just turn it upside down and put my feet on it with my knees bent. If you're using a toilet frequently figure out a way to always raise your feet.
Solidarity comrades - you'll get through this.
mohan_83459 ziphius
Posted
nixon1927 mohan_83459
Posted
Please take action ASAP
See you doctor for some gtn cream
Stool softness is uppermost
Crouching to have a bowel movement and washing with warm water afterwards
Good luck
girlrocker49 ziphius
Posted
Hi. just read your post and I am wondering if this is what I have. How do you know if it's a fissure as opposed to haemorrhoids? I saw GP in Nov and then Dec both times said it was haemorrhoids. however the pain is now All around the area and I am starting to think it might be a fissure. The problem is I go about 2 to 3 times a day and each time seems to aggravate it.
carole61147 ziphius
Posted
HI everyone, its good to hear from people with the same problem i too, have been prescribed nitrate gel and find it hurts too much to put it inside ive also got some proctosedyl gel and the applicator is rough so i use a tiny syringe from my dogs medication which is very thin, but still uncomfortable i see other people just put the nitrate gel on the outside does it work ok im fortunate in that i dont get the headaches
Sabi1234 ziphius
Posted
thank you for the detained info.. Very helpful. I hope you get better soon 😃 im going through the same scenario and your post has helped me understand the Rectogesic ointment better.