I've just bought aloe vera gel in a tube which says it's 99% aloe vera and pure wheatgerm oil in a bottle. What do I do with them and have I bought the right stuff?
Also, where do you put the ditliziem?inside or outside. I get really squeamish trying to put it inside but will it still work if you just rub it in?
Sorry so many questions!

Hey,
I don't know about the wheatgerm oil but the aloe vera sounds spot on! You can rub it on the fissure itself. I also take aloe vera in capsule form though I know some of us drink it.
My doctor told me to just apply the diltiazem on the outside like you were putting on lip balm. I am back on diltiazem now and I just stick a dab down there. There are some others here who were instructed to put it inside the anal canal though.

I put my nefedipine as high up as i could get it, to relax the spincter.
But but I have been told that if it is applied just inside the anus, it will eventually loosen up all the areas down there that need it.

sorry to ask silly questions, but do you put the aloe vera gel on at a different time to the diltiziem, say a couple of hours apart or at the same time?
I went to see a colorectal surgeon today(is that a CRS?) and he said that I shouldn't use anything in the bath just water and painkillers are no good because they won't work for that area. I think the epsom salts are really soothing. Oh, and he said I have really damaged my bottom by burning it with the hot water bottle. Haha!!!
He's given me 4 weeks to heal with the cream and says if it hasn't healed by then, I'll have to have surgery.Ahhhhh!!

I put them on at different times just to make sure they both get absorbed.
The CRSs (yes, colo-rectal surgeons) here, or at least the ones I have seen don't have a problem with Epsom Salts but other bath products could be irritating.
I don't know why he said painkillers don't work in that area. They work for me. He probably just didn't want to have to prescribe anything. Have you tried ibuprofen-that is over the counter? I take 800 mg after I go the bathroom.
Well, I think you can give it as much time as you want before agreeing to the surgery but it is definitely something to consider. It has a very good success rate but hopefully it will be a moot point by then because you are all better. Did he say it had healed at all?

I was squirming about too much for him to see and he said it was not possible to do a stig-something, whatever that is. He also said that the bleeding stopping was not a sign of healing, but I think it is because I was bleeding loads and now it's only very little, very infrequently, so I feel that's progress!

I mean, the bleeding woulld have to at least slow down some if it were healing, you would think.
But even a "healed" AF can bleed just a smidgen (sometimes)...which goes to show yu how permanent they can be, even when they don't cause trouble and you don't realize they are there.

I think every CRS should be required to live through an AF before they say things about it. Maybe this is just a pet peeve of mine, but I have had so much bad advice from drs. with regard to this thing...

First of all, pain killers can be very helpful. Some can be constipating, so I can understand why he wouldn't want to precribe those, but asprin and ibuprofen really do help!

Second of all, in my experience lessening of blood and pain do indeed mean that healing is taking place. Granted, the healing of that area is a very, VERY slow process, so it might not seem day-to-day like progess is taking place and things may definitely not be fully healed, but those signs do indicate healing!

Third, there are many things that one can use in the water to promote healing! I find iodized salts work the best for me, perhaps becuase they contain iodine (a disinfectant) and make a saline solution of sorts in the tub. Also, as the sister of a medical anthropopgist, there are many places in the world where treatments (in general) still include politces and soaks in herbed water. Though I haven't used them, things like a few drops of tea tree oil in the water could be usedful. so could a "bath tea" of chamomile and lavendar or licorice, soothing, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory.

Finally, it is up to you when you have surgery. If you feel like you are healing, you could stick it out longer than four weeks. If you want the surgery go for it! But keep in mind, you still have to heal the fissure afterwards, though it is supposed to be easier once the LIS is done.

buttgirl,
I agree with you completely. Certain pain-killers DO help and certainly cant hurt to try. In addition, the healing process is very prolonged due to the fact that the muscles in this area are very powerful and unfortunately, cannot be "rested" to allow for quicker healing. Any CRS recommending surgery after 4 weeks is not being realistic with their patients. Mine took nearly a year to heal, but it seems to have done so without a surgical procedure. Most people who can tolerate the pain should at least try the conservative therapies and diet changes for 6-12 months before having surgery, in my opinion.

I find sometimes that the painkillers work and sometimes they don't. One day last week I had over ten hours of pain and had taken ibruprofen, paracetamol, valium AND pethidine and I was still in agony!I've also got a stomach ulcer so shouldn't really take ibruprofen, but I still do!After the spasms get a bit better how long will it take for the pain and soreness to subside a little? I know you say to try six to twelve months but will it be this painful for all that time?
I heal extremely slowly anyway because I have an underactive thyroid gland and adrenal fatigue, so I'm not sure the surgery would be too beneficial, seeing as there would be two wounds to heal instead of one. Then again, I know nothing about any of it!!