Hi all! I did the dilation with Dr Cranford and he was fantastic - such a caring and wondering doctor. The area was frozen and the needles were the most painful part for me. I'm still in recovery and healing so will let you know how it goes. I had two fissures worked on as well. I asked about self dilation and he said to try a brand called youngs...I will look into it. He said you need the hard ones, not the soft ones. Take care.

Hi Jessiek - Just curious on how you have been since you did dilation with Dr. Cranford. I'm also thinking of having this done since I feel so thigh some times. Any info is much appreciated.

Thanks!

Was wondering... How much time do you wait since last time you had blood before starting? I've been on Nifedipine and had not blood for nearly two months.. Sometimes it hurts, but it doesn't tear... When should I start? Should I wait?

My fissure has healed to a point where I feel very little pain during BM, but I had to keep the stool a perfect Bristol type 4 and as thin as my pinky finger. Post-BM spasms are tolerable, compared to the worst days, but still interfere with normal life, and I don't feel like I can go back to work just yet. I still can't sit. I feel like the spasms are at least partly due to the fact that my anal canal/sphincter is so tight that even the soft BM I've been having irritates it.

I think I should move on to the next step: self dilation. Just ordered some gloves.