Hello everyone!
I'm a 26 year old male, and also a teacher. Thankfully my fissure struck me over summer break, otherwise I don't know how I would have made it through the last week.
I haven't actually seen a doctor because of financial things and other parts of my life trying to be brought together, but I do have a friend who is a doctor and I have been communicating with him intermittently. Most of his advice coincided with advice that I had seen in other areas of this forum: taking a sitz bath at least 3 times a day and after every BM; encouraging softer stools through use of stool softeners and a fiber rich diet; careful use of specific hemerrhoid ointment; not straining during BMs.
The pain really began 8 days ago, but I just thought it was my first case of hemorrhoids. The following day, though, my bowel movements were excruciating.
6 days ago, I purchased a squatty potty just to try and alleviate some of the BM pain. It did relieve some of the pain, but I was still straining which certainly wasn't helping anything. I also began to use wet wipes. (Iquit the wet wipes after only a day or two, as they seemed to be causing me irritation. I have since switched to a makeshift bidet I fashioned out of a water bottle until the bidet I ordered from Amazon arrives.)
5 days ago, I was told it was most likely an anal fissure based on my description of pain and the presence of blood after BMs, and I began the regiment I'm currently on. I no longer strain, I eat lots of fiber along with a stool softener, I sitz gather after bms and waking, I walk at least 30 minutes a day, I drink lots and lots of water, I use a bidet, and I avoid masturbating.
So far, this regiment has done well these part 4 days. I'm on day 5, and the pain during BM is still present but it has diminished a little. The lingering pain after BMs varies from day to day; sometimes it's nonexistent, sometimes it's there. I hope this is all a sign that it is healing slowly but surely.
My biggest concern is retearing it by accident. 5 days without being back to normal feels like a long time to me, but I guess it's a long road to recovery. Thanks for having me, for all the advice, and all the support!