fissure sufferer

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fissure sufferer

Postby Jo » 24 Apr 2008, 08:32

Hi,
I am happy to find this support group. It is hard to talk to others about this problem.
11 weeks ago I agreed to go through a hemorrhoidectomy during my colonscopy. What a mistake! It's been a miserable experience. 3 internal hemorroids (I believe they also came to the outside somewhat) were removed along with an external tag. I really had no problems or symptoms before surgery except some bleeding, no pain.
My healing has been slow. things sort of stalled. I am improved from the first week or two, the pain was terrible. Basically now I have one deeper fissure mostly inside, and two outer areas that are unhealed with blood vessels that are near, so they are frequently bleeding.
I am on my 3rd Dr. The first one didn't know what to do, he basically caused this with an unnecessary surgery. The 2nd one - just wait 6 more weeks and see if it heals. Finally the third one last week, try the nifedipine ointment for 6 more weeks before botox. I've already used it for 6 weeks but the first dr. told me NOT to put inside. The 3rd Dr. said DO put annointment inside or it won't work and relax muscle. I feel like this is never going to end. I realize others have suffered for a much longer time but it is quite discouraging.
Have been doing the metamucil and other stool softening agents.
I would appreciate any advice or support. I don't want to keep burdening my family with these problems!! My life seems to revolve around this pain.
Thanks! Image
Jo
Jo
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Guest » 24 Apr 2008, 08:40

Jo,
First of all welcome. Secondly your family is there for support. I know my wife is a saint to put up with my baths and questions and clinging to the web for all kinds of ideas. I have been here only a short while but have already picked up so many different diet ideas and healing ideas. You are going to find that talking to everyone here that they can give you more knowledge than any ONE doctor. Because as I mentioned in a previous thread its like talking to 100 doctors at once. I used the Dialtizem cream and not the nif. I have seemed to have decent luck with it. Again some people swear by Nif. This is a process but you have to find a good diet regiment and stick with it.
T
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Guest » 24 Apr 2008, 08:45

Jo,
Also I found that metmucal (bulks) up my stool and switched to Benefiber. Just a thought. Again I think the key is to keep the stool soft so the fissure is not irritated. For me it seemed that once I had ONE hard stool I was back to square one no matter what elsed I did.
T
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Jo » 24 Apr 2008, 08:50

Thanks Tom,
My family is very supportive, but I feel like this problem is taking over our life. My husband took the day off Monday to drive me to a new Dr., we had to drive 600 miles round trip in one day! I guess I wanted some immediate relief, I am tired of pain and discomfort all day. The time seems so far away before I see any relief.
How long does it usually take to have the ointment to work?
Jo
Last edited by Jo on 24 Apr 2008, 16:14, edited 1 time in total.
Jo
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Guest » 24 Apr 2008, 08:55

I have been using it for just about 4 weeks now and I am starting to see some relief. I dont want to jynx it but I have a DRs appointment tomorrow.
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Jo » 24 Apr 2008, 08:56

I am also taking miralax frequently, otherwise I seem to have to strain and it takes days to have bm's. I am trying to drink lots of water.
I also try to add fibersure to my morning breakfast. How does Fiber-sure compare to the Benefiber? I haven't tried the Benefiber yet.
Good luck with your Dr's appt. Have you suffered with this long?
Thanks
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Jen » 24 Apr 2008, 08:59

Hey Jo!
Welcome to the board. I am sorry you have to go through this. I know what you mean - my family and friends are great support, but no one understands the pain and mental anguish until they get a fissure or hemmie. Everyone is so great and helpful on this board.
Why did your doc decide with the hemorrhoidectomy if you were not in pain? What grade were your hemmies? I had rubber band ligation last week and I am just now starting to notice a big difference. I have had a hemmie/fissure problem for a year, but due to lousy medical care, I was just diagnosed 3 months ago, and I am just now starting to heal. Like you I used the nifedipine, and I thought it work until the doc put me on nitro. For me the nitro works 100% better than the nifedipine and does not give me headache like some other board members. I believe the nitro will be my savior.
Welcome again!
Jen
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Guest » 24 Apr 2008, 09:03

Jo,
I have been suffering since November of 07. I went three months in pain b4 I could get to a Dr. I was going to the wrong Dr. I was going to a urologist and he diagnosed me with something else. Long story! Well all the probing didnt help! I finally got to a CRS and he told me I had some small little hemmoriods and an external fissure. Gave me recta gel. Didnt touch the pain! Went back in two weeks told him still no good. He said the fissure looked healed! Im like yeah right! He still wanted to do a colonoscopy to rule out crohns and UC. Everything was clear except the now "internal" fissure. Which makes me wonder about how that happened! Well whatever I have it and have been on the ointment for 4 weeks.
Not sure what the difference of benefiber and fibersure are. Benefiber I know says its all natural.
Tom
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Jo » 24 Apr 2008, 09:07

Thanks Jen,
My dr. makes me angry, I feel like I was their guinia pig! I guess I was at fault also for not being more informed, they told me most people have the surgery Friday and are back to work on Monday! Wow, was that wrong. I had a younger general surgeon, he didn't really tell me what grade they were and I really believe they were not bad, no protrusion just some bleeding. They had a sales rep coming with a new ligasure machine and so I was scheduled on that day for colonscopy and he said if the hemmies were bad then they would do the ligasure. Don't think the Dr. had experience with the ligasure!! I wish I could go back in time because I really regret doing this.
Glad you are starting to heal with the nitro. I can relate to lousy medical care. Guess I have to give the nifedipine a little more time.
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Re: fissure sufferer

Postby Guest » 24 Apr 2008, 09:08

Hi Jo,
Welcome to the board. You will find lots of informative threads full of stories of healing, disappointment, struggles and hope.

I had a hemorrhoidectomy done on January that did not heal properly and turned into a fistula which I had operated on about a month ago. But what brought me to the board over a year ago was a fissure I had from having an external thrombosed hemorrhoid removed. It took 4 months of using diltiazem and 3 baths a day and watching everything I ate. I use miralax and milk of magnesia to help keep things soft but I also have some underlying nerve damage to the rectal branch of the pundendal nerve I got from childbirth so the things I do may be a bit more liberal because of that.

I can't beleive they would just do a hemorroidectomy during a colonoscopy. I would think they would need your consent to do that! Healing from a hemorrhoidectomy is very difficult. It can take months. I am at 4+ months and am still in pain. But I had a doctor who refused to believe I had an abscess so I lost 3 weeks of healing time from that.

I too have to drive long distances to see doctors. In about 30 minutes I leave for a 4 hour car trip to see a CRS in the next state.

In terms of fiber I like glucomannan-it seems to provide enough bulk but not scratchy. I didn't notice much from benefiber. I also like fibermucil from Andrew Lessman either at hsn.com or procapslabs.com.

Good luck with your healing. Don't get discouraged. It always seems to take longer than the doctors tell you. You have been through a lot.

Image Lecia
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