Hi, Fissuredude - and thank you for your reply! I'm sure you realize how valuable support is, along with just the relief of being able to talk about this problem with other AF sufferers. So, thank you.
I first had a fissure about 3 1/2 yrs. ago - but it healed relatively quickly (2 mths.) with a moderate treatment - just an external application of the nitro/lido ointment, and a daily a.m. breakfast of Fiber One. That is all I did to get that AF to heal.
Not so this time. I had a re-occurrence this past October. I really don't know what caused it to re-occur, but it came back with a vengeance. Dr. L (cr who diagnosed the first AF) said my fissure was fine and didn't know why I was in pain. I then decided to see Dr. C (cr who did my colonoscopy after the first AF - and BTW, everything was clear and fine with that exam) - and he said I had an AF, and he prescribed a hydrocortisone cream to use, along with advising me to use Konsyl daily. He said that if the pain didn't go away in 4-6 weeks, I should come back.
Well, that was about 8 wks, ago - but I want to give myself more time to heal before I go back (and I've also hoped I wouldn't HAVE to go back), because I definitely do not want to have surgery, if I can help it. --- With a starting pain level of about 11 (on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being absolute agony), I am now down to about a 1-2. I have had a couple of "spikes," wherein the pain has spiked up -- and I've found that it has not been enough just to add Konsyl and that cream to my routine. This bout with the AF has been a battle, because it's been very stubborn about healing.
So . . . I have attacked it back, full force, with the diet I mentioned earlier. I've been strict about staying on the diet, too. It's surely a good thing I'm not a "foodie" and can stay away from certain foods if I need to -- I can't imagine how "foodies" keep themselves on such a strict diet, but for me it's not that tough.
You're so right - that people who have never had this problem had NO idea how it can completely make a person feel so isolated. I tend to be a hermit, anyhow - but this thing has really taken me out of whatever limited circulation I had. I do have a family - so, I've had to force myself to somewhat interact - and my husband has been wonderful to step in and help me (meanwhile, he can eat whatever he wants, WHENEVER he wants, and his fanny is just fine, thank you! Doesn't seem quite fair).
But I have had some depression over this. I do pray and try to stay positive (it's been hard, though) -- but the feelings of dread, fear, isolation, and of never getting over this sometimes get me down, down, down.
I haven't exercised, only because the jogging I was doing seemed to put me in a pain level 11. I hope to resume exercise, at some point, when I'm feeling more confident.
Also, I've noticed that my surrounding fanny area - kind of the muscle on my right hind-end area, has felt stiff and somewhat sore, on and off. I don't know if I'm just having spasms and tenseness there, or what -- but I'm trying to not get all worked up about this, either. --- My general anal area still does not feel quite normal - but at least I've managed to get the pain down - and I can only think that the diet is so crucial to the healing, that I have to stay on it.
All in all, this has been a h*llish experience - one I wouldn't wish on anyone. The plus side is that I'm very carefully watching my diet, and I've re-found my spirituality. I've also been forced to rest - not something I've done alot of, given my domestic history.
Thanks, again, for replying! I really, truly appreciate any and all help and support with this. It's been an awful, awful time for me. With every, little twinge of discomfort or pain, I worry about the pain coming back and that I'll never be better . . . I sure hope I can heal.