So I've been fighting internal hemorrhoids for many years now. It started with a bowel movement from hell (my first ever). For months later I was in miserable pain, constipated, etc... At the time I wasn't properly diagnosed and I'm fairly sure I was constipated + had a minor fissure. Over the years I learned to adjust my diet; remove lactose, reduce wheat, all the regular stuff. I also uncovered a magical method of using a jell, or something like Anusol Plus to pre-grease the skids right before doing a bowel movement. It did wonders for years. Then about 1 year ago I found out about the squatty potty. Thought why not. It worked terrific - no issues.

Then just a little while ago a had what I thought was a regular movement and nope... teared myself something brutal. Started taking a bit of metamucil at night but it continued to get worse with blood in the morning after each BM. Pain goes away but then at lunch it comes back with massive spams. Saw a doc and he prescribed diltiazem. It helped a bit... I thought but now I'm getting significant itch in that region. Also I continue to have the blood in the morning weeks later.

I've read the forum but had some questions that maybe people can point me to:

1) My BM seems to start out hard and then is soft. I think the initial hardness is blowing the valve so to speak. Should I take metamucil during the day, not just a night? I'm trying to adjust my diet as well. I tend to eat rice krispies every morning since I can't really eat wheat products.

2) Is there anything you can take to just make your poop go soft all the time? In the past this is how my system worked but now it seems to not do this .

3) My doc said I have a chronic fissure. Said I can do this diltiazem for a bit but then he's thinking if it doesn't work I should go the surgery route: fissure stitching + colon "snip" route. I'm a bit scared of that. I'd hate to get an infection, or become incontinent because of it.

4) I'm trying to stand all day (or lie down) now since I'm 99% sure sitting caused this problem. Good idea?

5) Lastly - heard exercise helps a lot. Given that I used to sit down all day I figure walking 10k steps might help. Also a good idea? Someone said this helps w/ the hardness also.

thanks for any advice fissure gurus.

Hi

I have the same prob with stools being hard at the start of a bm and then soft later on.
One thing that really help stool slide out is coconut oil. I take a teaspoon with every meal and also apply it topically around u know where and it really made a difference with the pain and burning. To keep stools soft leafy greens is a must. I also used to use prune juice but that made it extra watery. Now i take 100 mg of magnesium every other day or so and that helps alot.

Thanks. I also heard about coconut oil and might try it. It's just that I've tried coconut water before and it really made my stomach growl. Now with this pain though... a bit of stomach upsetness is nothing so maybe will see what it does.

I applied diltiazem today and think it accidentally touched the wound. Then I immediately felt tired and had to take a nap. Not sure what's going on - this is messing me up somewhat.

Hi,
Can’t help much with consistency of BM as I have the other end of the scale but you could also try applying a barrier cream or a nappy cream before a BM not only will this help to protect the fissure but it will also help the BM to slide out.

Hi sorry to hear your in pain these things really to change our lives I had Botox 2 days ago an so far no change I feel just like I did before the Botox which is good no adverse effects in just waiting for the Botox to kick in I'm hoping it heals my chronic fissure worth giving it a go if the creams don't work for you I will try Botox many more times before surgery but only because it's gone so well so far no extra pain or anything I recommend it as a last try at something before surgery but it's your choice look into it an I'll let you know if it heals me, best of luck

Hi I had a chronic fissure for years and the one thing that I found helped keep my poo soft was a sachet of Movicol after my evening meal also lots of veg etc. I have now had a fissurectomy, scare tissue removed, skin tags removed & botox injections & still taking the Movicol. It's not quite 4 weeks since I had it done and I feel fantastic no pain! (I'm just praying it lasts).

Oh wow fantastic that's great I wanted a fissurectomy aswel but the surgeon decided not to after looking at it while I was out he said it looks new an is soft an should heal so he just did Botox I hope we both heal : )

That's good news missy moo! Did the botox hurt to inject? Do they numb the area first? Sounds painful