Well, I just hit the 10 week mark on using the diltiazem/lidocaine 2 days ago. I'm just about out of the stuff and my CRS did not advise a follow-up visit way back when this all started.
My progress is hard to tell. Since I never had any pain and only slight blood when the fissure first appeared, I don't know if it is gone or not. What makes it more confusing is that every so often I get stinging when applying the ointment (usually after a very loose BM), but I'm pretty sure it is from the general area being raw and not a sting from where the fissure is/was. (Anyone think that could be the case?) I think I am pretty well healed...heck, maybe I am! If there is no pain or blood, wouldn't it be right to say there is no problem? I kind of think (or overthink) that maybe it is healed to a point and now needs time to get "completely" healed and that the ointment is not really doing that much, if anything.
My plan is when I am out, to continue sitzbaths and possibly use A&D to keep the area protected - OR just let it go as normal and see what comes of it. I'm in a very strange situation right now. If I went to the doc, I'm sure he'd laugh since he initially told me that if it was him, he'd do nothing with it. Yet here I am using ointment and still on occasion experiencing some stinging, but no problems with pain or blood. I've been using witch hazel wipes, and I'm not sure if that is a good thing to be doing or not. On my last fissure I used baby wipes but had an allergic reaction to the hypoallergenic kind. Some days I use simply wet TP followed by dabbing with dry TP.
Any thoughts would be welcome and appreciated. I'm sort of stuck where to go and I'd rather talk with people who have had these than a doc who never has, even though he treats them by the boatload.

Hi Snow dog, glad your feeling better, oh yes about the witch hazel wipes, Please try a fragrance free and alcohol free wipe, like a baby wipe. The ones I have are so soothing, they also contain lavender and other soothing ingredients.
By the way where are you from, with the name like snow dog?
I like your technique in the shower, I'm gonna try that.
With all the goop that we all use, (like Vaseline for BM,ointment or zinc cream's in-between) It's good to start with a clean slate.
Thanks again and have a great day. :) 

Update. Or Downdate, depending on how you look at it.
I've been doing great the last few weeks. No stinging or burning in the shower from the soap, etc. All I have been doing is using a little vaseline on the area before bed to make my morning pass smoothly. If it actually does anything, who knows. Not sure how long I was going to keep that up, but if it is giving me comfort, who cares!
Anyway, yesterday I think I had a slight re-tear. :( I feel just the slightest twinge when I sit the wrong way. Nothing major. No pain or blood with BM's. No soap sting in the shower. Is this like totally common or what? I was at the doc the other day for something totally unrelated and I asked the guy who works at the desk of the GI doc if that doc deals with fissures and the man said that he himself has had one for years and just lives with it, and that tons of people have them. I told him about the board and he laughed so hard. He could not believe there was a support group for it. He said that his acts up every month or so and bleeds and hurts, but he just goes on about his business. Said he gives his fissure about as much thought as an insect bite. Really makes me feel like I'm wasting a lot of my life messing with this thing when a zillion people have them and just live life with it and that's all. He said it is all stress and probably everyone on the board (like myself) has anxiety issues. He went on to talk about how the condition of the mind fan change the condition of the body and if you are always worrying or concerned about something like a fissure - unless it is major and needs surgery, it will just not get better and rob you of your life.
I'm taking it all in and looking at it differently now...not going to cater to it or let it run any part of my life. So what if it hurts a little when I sit down sometimes? I can't believe I let my mind get the best of me with this thing for so long...twice!
I hope you are all doing well and improving daily!

We don't all have anxiety issues, sometimes it's diet over all and wither it's constipation or you can get a fissure from diarrhea too.
Even hospital trauma , like I had or surgery.
But how we see it is very important, like you said, it can take over our life.
Take care..all the best Snowdog..:)