Oh, good read! I am going to try it tonight.
My AF is healed at 80% I believe. No pain during normal activities but I know it's still there. I need to heal completely and I am willing to try more ways than just Sitz Bath.
One thing I don't like about Coconut Oil is that it "stings" me. I can't describe that sensation. When the oil soaks into my butt area, my whole bottom "stings"... has anyone experienced this? I don't know if it's coconut oil or the whole bunch of "oil" that's included in Palmer's Coconut Oil that I bought from CVS.
I just googled it and there are Turmeric Cream.. should I just buy the cream or use actual Turmeric or from capsule?

Crayon: I would imagine the answer to this depends on the person. For me, I know it's re-torn when I feel a "tight" BM passing that gets too big and there's a scratchy feeling that arises. For me it's never super-painful but it is obvious. Maybe a spot of blood. Definitely some discomfort the next time I insert my cocoa butter suppository.
buttquestion: From what a quick google search showed for the Palmer's formulation, there's coconut milk in there, and likely other things as well (probably fragrances, preservatives, etc). I'd probably not use that and opt for pure coconut oil which is a pretty easy find. Re: Turmeric formulation. Again sorry no right answer until a prospective study is done comparing formulations. Since applied topically, both are probably good to allow for mucosal absorption, though I gather it is more hydrophobic and mixes better with oily substances, so I stick to the oily capsules.

please tell me the process you take to make the "suppositories"

3 years now wrote:please tell me the process you take to make the "suppositories"

It's not terribly easy (but not that hard), and if anyone has a better method please let me know. Supposedly they sell molds commercially but I haven't found any that are real.
Basically I melt the cocoa butter in a glass cup over the stove (set to low) in a pot of hot water (double boiler method). It doesn't need to be boiling. The lowest heat setting should suffice. If I'm making a suppository with the turmeric, I'll mix the turmeric in while still melted. I then plug a disposable straw at one end and pour the liquid into the straw via the other end, and let it sit for a few hours to initially harden. (I've noticed it takes ~24 hrs to get to final form, though that is shorter/longer depending on how cold/hot the room is). There's no huge rush. It's stays liquid initially even when it seems to have cooled off completely. Once hardened, I gently warm the outside with my hand to just melt the outer circumference and then blow it out the straw. Once the ~12 inch mold is out, I then cut it into individual suppository lengths. I like the diameter of the straw. That's it. Getting it out of the straw can sometimes be a little tough. If it's too solid, it can take forever. If too soft, it may turn to mush once you get it out.
Once they're out, keep them in a cool place. Cocoa butter stays solid at most ambient temperatures but if it's middle of summer and you don't have A/C on, you may go to pick one up and have it melt quickly. I don't think this method would work with coconut oil because it melts at lower temperatures, but you're welcome to try.
Any suggestions? Let me know!
Disclaimer: Only try this if you're able to properly do it and handle the heating techniques. I'm not responsible if you burn yourself or something to that effect. And of course, don't put anything hot onto your nether-regions.

phtgrphr18 wrote:Disclaimer: Only try this if you're able to properly do it and handle the heating techniques. I'm not responsible if you burn yourself or something to that effect. And of course, don't put anything hot onto your nether-regions.

Best disclaimer ever! I promise not to pore hot coconut oil into my tushy hole.
Thanks for the suppository mold idea. I've been looking for a new idea for that.

Will the Turmeric help with spasm pain? Mine's been going on for a few months. Severe burning, feeling like sitting on a red-hot poker and being sliced open at same time. Happens at random, but I noticed that when it does, I usually have just had a BM, feel like I need to have a BM, or the urge hits shortly after burning starts. Also worse (or starts in a 'zinger' way) when standing or sitting for extended periods of time - depending on chair. Using nitro ointment, but A) its expensive for me and B) The instructions are for a peas size to anal area twice daily, but I am having to use it multiple times. MD has also given me hydrocortisone enemas for mild proctitis, but those things kill me going in. And I lube them up with the nitro ointment....I am at my wits end. My wife doesn't know what to do with me, as I am hindered in about everything I do. I use (to no avail, but makes me mentally feel like I'm doing something) witch hazel, Prep H ointment (both burning and regular), Calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, Oragel, Dibucaine, Prescription 2% lidocaine gel, OTC suppositiories, Canasa suppositiories...Colonoscopy and MRI seem to have ruled out fissure as he has given me the cortisone enemas after, but told me that cortisone could actually hinder a fissure from healing if it were an actual fissure. Thanks for any help....

just John wrote:Will the Turmeric help with spasm pain? Mine's been going on for a few months. Severe burning, feeling like sitting on a red-hot poker and being sliced open at same time. Happens at random, but I noticed that when it does, I usually have just had a BM, feel like I need to have a BM, or the urge hits shortly after burning starts. Also worse (or starts in a 'zinger' way) when standing or sitting for extended periods of time - depending on chair. Using nitro ointment, but A) its expensive for me and B) The instructions are for a peas size to anal area twice daily, but I am having to use it multiple times. MD has also given me hydrocortisone enemas for mild proctitis, but those things kill me going in. And I lube them up with the nitro ointment....I am at my wits end. My wife doesn't know what to do with me, as I am hindered in about everything I do. I use (to no avail, but makes me mentally feel like I'm doing something) witch hazel, Prep H ointment (both burning and regular), Calamine lotion, hydrocortisone cream, Oragel, Dibucaine, Prescription 2% lidocaine gel, OTC suppositiories, Canasa suppositiories...Colonoscopy and MRI seem to have ruled out fissure as he has given me the cortisone enemas after, but told me that cortisone could actually hinder a fissure from healing if it were an actual fissure. Thanks for any help....

Wish I could help you out more, but here are my two cents. I'm sure many on this forum will disagree with what I say next, but it's just what I observed.
I never really had problems with spasms until after I started to use NTG ointment. I loved the stuff when I started it but I noticed after ~1 week of twice daily use, I started to have spasms after my morning BM if I was unable to get the NTG before I went. I got suspicious and stopped using the NTG and let me tell you -- I had the worst (what I call) withdrawal spasms for the next ~3 days. It wasn't so much as feeling painful spasms all day. Rather, when I would sit down on the toilet, it felt like I was trying to pass my stool through a pinhole. Very frustrating. Nitroglycerin is notorious in the medical field for its rebound and tolerance (meaning that it becomes less effective with time, and the rebound/opposite effects can be noticeable) when used as an anti-hypertensive agent (for high blood pressure) and I assumed that not only had I become somewhat tolerant (admitting I could have gone to more frequent use, though that wasn't what I was hoping to do) but also was experiencing rebound spasms.
Anyhow, once I was weaned off NTG, I haven't had any more problems with spasms. Is that because I began to use Turmeric/Coconut Oil/Cocoa Butter slurry, or is it because I stopped the NTG? I don't know. I'm not a CRS and I don't think topical NTG use for AFs has been sufficiently studied to say.
I would say that I don't necessarily advise anyone to stop NTG use. If you're using it and are happy with it, keep on going. I thought I'd share my experience because I hadn't really seen/heard of anyone else having that issue -- which may be an indication that I'm full of $hit.
I'd also say that it doesn't really seem to make sense to be using any steroid preparation topically for any extended period of time as this has been shown to have detrimental effects at least on the skin and I'd imagine it's not good for anal mucosa. I doubt you truly have proctitis. When I was having my spasms, the few times it actually became painfully obvious as a spasm where when I was trying to urinate. The muscles involved in defecation form a sort of sling around the pelvic floor to support them, and if they're not happy because of your AF, I reason it makes sense that something as simple and apparently unrelated as urinating could be painful. I'm not sure if you're using all those things/meds you listed currently. If so, I'd think long and hard about narrowing it down because polypharmacy generally does not help most people.
Turmeric is meant to be an anti-inflammatory, so I reason it can help with spasms. I also used it in conjunction with Ibuprofen, which is also an anti-inflammatory agent delivered systemically. Those, plus water/metamucil and anal lubrication (accomplished wonderfully by the cocoa butter/coconut oil) I think would help this pass, but maybe I also just had a smaller/simpler fissure to begin with. I hope you don't have to go through a NTG withdrawal period as I did because that was just very unpleasant. Good luck!

I am waiting for rectogesic 0.2% to arrive but now I am a bit worried. Read a lot of posts of people complaining about spasms and burning, both of which I do not suffer much at the moment.

I could not be happier that I found this post! The last time I had a fissure was almost 10 years ago and last week the pain was all too familiar. I did not want to have surgery so looked for natural remedies. I’ve used turmeric before for cysts so am familiar with it. I immediately started making the turmeric paste with olive oil. At night I would put tea tree oil mixed with castor oil on a cotton ball and let it sit on the area for 10 minutes or so. I would also take warm sitz baths as often as I could and ALWAYS after bowel movements. After reading this post, I ran to Whole Foods and purchased organic virgin coconut oil and Curcumin capsules. I took the Curcumin capsules with black pepper because the pepper helps the Curcumin get absorbed. Curcumin is the most active ingredient in turmeric. The coconut oil/turmeric paste was an instant relief after bowel movements and within two days had amazing improvement! I slept with it on the area every night for almost a week. And now a week later, I no longer feel any pain or discomfort! I am still continuing with just the coconut oil after bowel movements and the Curcumin capsules. Thank you all for the ideas and remedies!