I ran across this site when I was diagnosed two weeks ago with an AF, and I am very thankful for all the information and support that this site has and I thought I'd share my experience with the group to give back to this community a bit.
After a week of painful hemorrhoids I went to the Doctor who examined me and noticed the fissure immediately. She told me to reduce my stool consistency to "near water", increase fiber, reduce protein, zero processed foods, and sitz baths, stuff we all have been told at some point.
This is the part were I am going to be honest.. I didn't follow her orders. I did everything, except adjust my diet.
This Einsteinian decision resulted in the most painful five days of my life! My plumbing backed up like rush hour in LA, nothing was getting processed out. I almost went to the emergency room, the pain was that bad!
I took various amounts of exlax, fiber, and a few enimas. Nothing seamed to help, until my best friend brought me prune juice!
Within two hours of receiving that magical elixir, i passed two softball sized stools. I actually passed out because of the pain caused by that passing.. a bad experience was had by all!. My family was thankfully away when it happened, so I recovered, dealt with a plumbing problem (softballs don't flush well..), all before they returned home
More Latter!