Yay... That's great that you've found a combination that works for you!

It's alot of trial and error to get the right stool consistancy ... And it's always a little scary incase we get it wrong. Hopefully this will continue to help reduce your pain and bleeding right down to nothing!!

OMB x

Hey everyone...it has been a little while since i have been around...combination of travel and family stuff, tooth surgery (yuck!!) and a round of antibiotics to stir things up....but hey, I am back!!

So since last time only one negative day -- Jan. 7 I had a harder movement and there was a tiny bit of blood on the TP. No pain and no blood following. I guess that means that either i slightly tore a new area or opened the old....i really have no idea (any thoughts welcome). Seeing that bit of red always makes me see "red" if you know what I mean. It is amazing to me how I can be thrown right back to my days of intense fear and loathing as though nothing has progressed and nothing is going well...it is pavlovian really....and made me think that this is some sort of mild form of ptsd. In any case, I am good and that was an anomaly.

I have continued taking 3/8 of a teaspoon of restoralax morning and evening and 3 doses of metamucil each day. I find that combo is magical for me. However -- tomorrow I start to cut down on restoralax. I am going to do it very slowly. I will start the day with 3/8 of a teaspoon and end the day with 1/4 a teaspoon and see how that goes for a week. Then i will go to 1/4 morning and evening for a week or so...i will take this super slowly so that I can really let my body adjust.

I am feeling so so so so much better than 14 months ago, than even 3 months ago....I actually have many days in a row where i barely think about my butt. From time to time i do feel or sense something down there...but it is fleeting and minor...but keeps me a bit on guard. I am pretty much able to eat what I want with little concern....though I do my best to eat well -- fruits, veggies, water and little processed foods.

I hope you are all doing a bit better each day -- all the best,
Canadabum

So good to hear from you. Been thinking of you. I completely understand the pavlovian response. It's absolutely spot on about how it feels when you have a bad day or it retears. Ugh! Sounds like though you have a good response and plan in place. Sometimes (maybe most of the time) that is way more than our doctors can offer up!

It pains me to update with this news...but this morn I must have had a bit of a harder movement...felt a mild sort of scraping and knew instantly that would mean blood...and just as I suspected. A decent amount in bowl and on tp. Ugh. If only I knew what to do to stop it already. It was accompanied by no pain or spasm...thankfully.

Oh no, I hate that feeling but sounds like if there of nonpayment, then that is a positive sign? Could it be a hem or something that is bleeding or a bit of inflammation? I remember reading a few stories where people had blood/soreness but were still ok ( ever the optimist and marg) I also have pain on bm again a lot and soreness but was told last thurs I was healed so who knows what tricks these bloody fissures play!
Hope you start to feel better again soon and remember you have had a lot of good days recently compared to bad so things must be improving x

I saw my GP today and mentioned my setback...but also explained that i had a great december. I also mentioned that I was going to try and wean myself off the restoralax....to which he said...WHY? I explained that i thought it was not a good idea to be on it for so long....to which he said, WHY NOT. In fact, he told me today that if needed I should simply continue taking this for the rest of my life....wow, first time i heard that. I asked if there were any potential drawbacks that he could see -- he said that if i ever experience bloating, gas etc that i might need to cut down on the metamucil or perhaps a bit on the restoralax.

Today feeling a bit sore from yesterday's experience....but hopefully back to normal in a couple days.

Best to all - CB.

Hey my fellow fissure fighters....and friends...

Happy to report that February has been a month without blood and with little to no pain. I am still feeling "something down there" and continue to be diligent with my eating, water, sitz bath as well as 3/8 or a teaspoon of miralax in the morn and evening and a scoop of metamucil in the morn and evening.

While i am feeling quite good...my arse is still on my mind quite a bit as it always reminds me it is still there. That said, a month without blood is very welcome for me.

I hope you are all well -- sending you my best wishes.

Canadabum

$1million to the person who can solve the mystery of why blood appears for no apparent reason.

I have stuck to the same routine (more or less) of eating etc and on March 18 I had a tiny bit of blood on the toilet paper...no pain though.....and today a really tiny streak on the TP.

Before i have the blood i usually feel more agitated down there than normal..and on the 17th i was at the gym on an elliptical machine and felt a twinge....

Whatever the reason...like most of you I am pretty frustrated with it -- that said, still grateful I am not in serious pain...just freakin annoying at this point.

I hope you are all well - Canadabum

I wonder if the blood is a henmie, as probably all the excitement down there has caused a few added extras! I know I can have weeks of total normality and then soreness for a few days and then back to normal... I think it's the nature of the beast, but you def seem to have had a lot of good days so I would hang onto that x