I just wanted to chime in about anti-depressants. I think they can actually help you deal with pain better by increasing the amount of serotonin in the brain.
I take cymbalta to help treat nerve pain and depression associated with dealing with a lot of pain. I can understand that people don't just want to jump into taking a drug that affects brain chemistry but I wouldn't dismiss it either if it could perhaps improve your quality of life.
My neurologist just increased my dosage because I was starting to develop a real sense of foreboding and fear when I wasn't in pain worrying about when it was going to come back.

ps.. i have actually seen two colorectal surgeons, one said i would have to live with it and he would not perform any op, the other said pretty much same as we all know.... time heals, come back in 12 months time!!!!!!!!!!! ah well, back to the beginning, i will press my gp for another referal, watch this space! x

Hi, the diltiazem is in a cream which you have to keep in the fridge. They won't want to prescribe it and it's a special order which means a)most chemists don't want to know(includingBoots) and b)you will have to wait up to 3 weeks for it to arrive. Hence I ask for 2 tubes at once. Also it says to use twice a day, but on Lecia's advice, because their cream is the same anyway, I use it about 4 times and the difference is immense! Valium is in tablet form and I have 5mcg. Co-codamol is what I was given and codeine makes you constipated! so it's not a good idea. Paracetamol with ibruprofen works pretty well, except on the days where nothing works!
take care, Val

hi tallulah,
there is a great group in the uk that deals with macrobiotics. their website is on my signature. since you are vegetarian, this may be up your alley. it really helped me get on the road to healing and well after four years of dealing with a chronic fissure, it is gone.
i also take cymbalta due to other life stresses which was exacerbated by a car accident earlier this year.
the other thing i do is acupuncture and take a chinese dietary supplement called xiao cheng qi pian which for me makes a big difference. i love my monday acupuncture appts which i have one today :-)
although your docs have been shutting the door on you, i think you need to keep moving on to other docs until you find one that listens to you!

Before I joined this forum about a week ago , my pain was unreal. Lucky for me I have have made some excellent progress. I have discovered somethings that I would like to share. I found out that too much fiber is not too good. I have had the most pain when I have had a BM and didn't realize that there was plenty more in there that hasn't come out. The pressure of the stuff that didn't come out caused a lot of pain,gas. I have learned to intake the right amount of fiber so not to put a lot of pressure. I hope explained it good enough.
My routine that has helped greatly is when I wake up, sit in sitz bath and then lube up with plenty of vaseline before bm which seems to let it slide out smoothly. After that sit in the bath and clean up. Then apply Diltiazem ointment. The most amazing medication that I have used is Diltiazem ointment. You need to get it. You have to find a compounding pharmacy in your area to make this. Regular pharmcies and doctors never heard of it. Get a colin rectol doctor that will prescribe this for you. It has at times dropped the pain from a 10 to a 2 in seconds. I use it 3-4 times a day after a sitz bath. You have to insert it at least a half finger to work. It is also healing me. I eat the right things now, metamucil at night and a stool softner a day. Hope this helps. Just remember one thing DILTIAZEM OINTMENT

hi all, thanks fo your recent replies, just reading them and associating with them is helpful to me. Quick update: Ive just returned from my gp, (who i have to say is the nicer one in the practice), i sat and sobbed and said i will be shortly carted off to a psychiatric unit if i dont get help.She has rang for a referal back to CRS. Have to
wait now (good old british NHS).I asked for the ditiazem ointmaent which she wouldnt give me as she THINKS is about same as the GTN.... (i will ask the CRS). Instead i have come away with... amitryptillene and tramadol painkillers. Val, thanks for your reply about the diltiazem, i went through the same hoops getting the GTN, and i was willing to do it again, most pharmacies sctratch their head when having to deal with the making up process of GTN. I will look on the macrobiotic site too, thanks for that. Another day beckons. GP asked if i was under any stress.. I said "YES- THIS!!!!!!!!
Lecia, thanks for your advice, i will try the anti depressants, i am at the stage where i will try ANYTHING now,
Love to you all x

Good to hear back from you!
I am glad you saw a doctor that could at least listen and try to help you. The GTN is not the same as Diltiazem but it is a blood pressure medicine and will work similarly anyway.
I take a small dose of amitryptilene at night. It is an older anti-depressant that is used now for chronic pain problems. I also take tramadol on the really bad days. I am so glad she gave you something and listened to you.
Here's looking at better days for you!

Tallulah,
Let us know how the amitryptillene and tramadol work for you after a few days....
Kim

I love the name Tallulah!

Hi
glad you've got something for the pain- the best my doctor could give me was codeine-ahhhh! oh and pethidine, which didn't really help!
Hope you feel better soon