Hi All,
I wanted to post an update on things with me. I must admit I've been something of a lurker here for a while, reading everyone's posts but not contributing much myself.
When I originally posted on here I was in sheer hell. Truly. I was in so much pain I couldn't even walk down the stairs without crying things hurt so much. Looking back I don't know how I coped, I was really in the most pain I've ever experienced in my life.
I went back to see my CRS in December and he insisted I use the nitro for 8 weeks, rather than the 8 days my GP had told me.
Am I cured? No. Am I better than I was? Yes, significantly.
I've read everyone's stories and I know this AF will probably be with me in some way forever unless I opt for surgery. I have learnt so much from everyone's experience on this site not to get complacent about managing it on a day to day basis.
I talked to the CRS about surgery but (in all this madness!) my husband and I are trying for a baby. The CRS has told me AF is really common in pregnancy and told me to focus on baby making as much as I can - I could have surgery but the AF may return in pregnancy. I'm 37, so time is not exactly on my side.
But the fissure has healed from where it was in November, it's not completely gone but most days are manageable and it seems a long time since the weeks I cried in agony after each BM.
I changed my diet, now eat very little red meat, eat tons of fruit and generally make sure I go to the loo every day with loose stools. But probably the biggest thing is that I've removed gluten from my diet which, it turns out, was the culprit for the AF in the first place.
I will continue to lurk on here on get inspiration from all your experiences. I wish anyone reading this lots of luck in feeling better, for the longterm.