Hey everyone,

I feel like I'm at a loss. I actually had felt like the fissure was healing until Friday. I was diagnosed with mastitis and put on an antibiotic that has given me horrible diarrhea and reflux. It was so painful I went to the Urgent Care today in which they prescribed me a different antibiotic that has also given me diarrhea. To make matters worse the Rectiv I have been using (which does give me headaches and make me dizzy but I've just been sucking it up and continuing it) put me over the edge and I decided I have to stop using it, as the vertigo I experience is even interfering with my sleep and giving me anxiety.

So now I feel like I'm back to square one and my bum feels like its on fire and someone cracked my tailbone with a baseball bat.

I am going back to the proctologist tomorrow. I'm praying that he'll be able to give me a different drug or some insight on what I can do. I can't stop treatment for the mastitis because it can come back worse.

Has anyone had the same issue with antibiotics? How did you handle things? I've tried warm baths, zinc on the area. I also tried diltiazem for 2 weeks but didn't feel like it was helping so he gave me the Rectiv instead.

Is this thing ever going to heal?? I feel so discouraged and depressed.

Oh Newmommy, I am so sorry. First off, I know how painful mastitis is - and you have to keep nursing, no matter how much it hurts, to keep that milk duct clear. Maybe if you nurse really frequently (or pump), you could stop taking the antibiotics once the infection is down? That's what my doctor told me when I had mastitis.
Failing that, I hope they can find an antibiotic that doesn't give you diarrhoea!

And then, yes, back to square one feels terrible. You dread going through everything you've already been through! But it's not quite square one, because you already know a lot more than you did - you've learned how to keep your stools soft, you've already been through diltiazem and rectiv, so you know not to try dilt again, and you know you'll only do rectiv as a last resort. Your next option is nifedipine, so fingers crossed that will work for you!

Good luck with your proctologist tomorrow - hope s/he's a good one! And, this set back will pass - you get another shot at healing. Survive through this pain, it won't last for ever. It feels terrible now, but you can do it!

I'm so sorry for what you are going through! I just wanted to give my words of advice. When taking antibiotics, you should take a really, really strong probiotic. Definitely more than 5 billion CFU. Try to find one that is specifically for when you are on antibiotics. Along with that, eat the BRAT diet, bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast. I just started antibiotics and with this regimen, and I have not had any diarrhea. Also, try drinking lots of things with ginger in it, helps with nausea and inflammation :)