Hi from UK, great forum, need some advice!

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Hi from UK, great forum, need some advice!

Postby matt_the_hat » 14 Feb 2010, 16:00

Hello!
Been searching around the web today and came across this forum which looks really helpfull and friendly after having a nose around....
I am a 37 year old male from near London, UK. I've was diagnosed with AF about a year ago which was when it started getting painfull but I had the symptoms (blood on toilet paper and on stools) without the pain for quite a bit before that. Since New Year it has started to get worse and worse and I have tried stool softeners (Dulco Ease which contains docusate sodium) which helped on day 1 and 2 but stopped working after that. Yesterday I started using Anuheal which I am applying twice a day. For a few hours after applying it, it hurts and aches quite a bit but then calms down.
Have any users had any success with this?
I am also after some advice on diet and exercise. I currently go to the gym about 5 times a week and do a combination of weights on some days and CV work on others.
Are there any exercises I should avoid?
I eat lots of fruit and brown bread/brown rice, vine fruits, fruit juices and am a very regular once a day (sometimes more). My stools normally start off hard which I really have to force out bit by bit, this is when I feel it tear a bit every day, and then have a much softer consistency, all in the same sitting!
Any suggestions?
It is starting to get awkward at work due to long visits to the loo due to the pain and then further trips during the day to apply piles cream which gives some relief to the pain and the itching.
Has anyone gone through the embarrassment of speaking to their boss at work about the problem? The thought of that just kills me!
Hopefully the anuheal will help after using it for a period...?
Anyway, really glad I found this site and don't feel so alone now.
Cheers
M
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Re: Hi from UK, great forum, need some advice!

Postby Guest » 14 Feb 2010, 21:26

Hi Matt
Several suggestions. Firstly, because you have had a fissure for some time and it is very painful, I would consider seeing a good colorectal surgeon. Secondly, many people here have found miralax (or movicol in some counries) a good stool softener and benefiber a good source of soluble fibre though it is a matter of trial and error as we are each different. Thirdly, I would be very careful about lifting weights because of the strain on the bowel region and possibly the fissure. You are obviously really keen on fitness which is great - not just for better blood circulation etc but also (at least for me) for stress management. Is there something else you can do instead of weights? Fourthly, to me your diet sounds good - are you having any meat? If you are eating red meat, I would totally avoid it for a while and see if that helps. Fifthly, it is good you are regular each day but important to let your muscles down there do the pushing and minimise the amount you do to force your BMs (bowel motions) out. This is challenging, particularly when it is so painful down there. I cannot comment about the anuheal as I have never used it. I have used nifedipine (0.25 to 0.5%) with some success. It helps putting it on 30 minutes before a BM to help relax the sphincter muscle as well as to lubicate the canal a bit. Remember these are just my own personal comments and it will be good to get feedback from others. Trust you get some relief soon from the pain and on the road to full healing.
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Re: Hi from UK, great forum, need some advice!

Postby StevePain » 15 Feb 2010, 18:05

[b] Hi Matt, I agree with what crm is saying, because you've had a fissure for some time you ought to stress to your GP that you need to see a colorectal surgeon as it's highly unlikely to heal itself after a certain length of time, i'm pretty much in the same position as you I was diagnosed approx 1 year ago and have not been able to heal the fissure myself, also, i've had the Movicol sachets which worked at first but then the system gets used to them and unfortunately they don't have the same effect, I then moved on to Lactulose solution 4 times a day which like the Movicol worked for a time then stopped, I'm now taking Docusate Sodium caps 4 times a day which seem to be having the desired effect (for now anyway) and also i'm applying Rectogesic at bed time which relaxes the sphincter and promotes bloodflow to the area to help with healing, it causes headaches as a side effect but I can cope with that, I always lubricate the anal canal with Vaseline at every opportunity and whilst your finger is in the rectum you may be able to remove any faeces that has gathered (even though you don't need to go) this will ensure that the fissure or any piles don't get irritated, which they do, I find that by doing this it takes the edge off the burning pain, maybe it's just me, but we all have methods of gaining that little bit of comfort as small as it is.
(Food/Drink) Make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water a day, 3 if you can and only eat wholemeal bread and bran flakes for breakfast, eat plenty of fruit and veg avoid red meat and cheese, keep the salt content as low as possible, you may have to give up the very things you like the most, I have found that by cutting out things like crisps, cakes, chips, dairy, meat, pies and greasy foods (basically all the things I used to eat) that it makes a difference, it helps to make stools that much easier to pass, remember, you don't want the anus opening too wide as this could tear the fissure even more, on the other hand you don't want diarrhea as this will also aggravate the condition and can cause more tears and piles over time, besides the hellish burning pain, it's very difficult to get the ideal consistency, i'd say it's near impossible to be honest, you only need one bad BM and it sets you back months which is happening to me regularly, it's forcing me to go down the surgical route, so even with the above food and drink measures in place it's still a very hard battle.
Hope this helps Matt, good luck and keep us informed
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Re: Hi from UK, great forum, need some advice!

Postby cherylk » 15 Feb 2010, 18:37

Steve and Matt,
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Re: Hi from UK, great forum, need some advice!

Postby sidra1968 » 16 Feb 2010, 12:38

Welcome, gentlemen! You will like this board as it can be very helpful when no one else can possibly understand the struggles. :)
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