Hello everyone!

I have a strange question that maybe you guys maybe able to help with.

I had botox in December 2022 for a chronic fissure that I had for almost a year. The fissure absolutely dominated my life & it totally dominated my life. I finally decided to bite the bullet & took the botox. The botox recovery was brutal & for a month I felt no changes - I was feeling depressed & thought it was a waste of time & money. But after week 5, I did feel incrementally better. 12 months out, although I am 70% better I still feel itching, slight burning and irritation in my anus, especially after a number 2.

Yesterday, I went to see a specialist on the 12 week anniversary of the procedure & he told me that I have completely healed. He cannot see any signs of the fissure & everything looks structurally normal. He put a camera thingy up my backside to take a closer look & he couldn't see anything... He just said that I have skin irritation and my skin is sensitive down there and gave me a special cream to reduce the irritation.

I still feel little twinges from time to time and itchiness - is this normal to feel like this after recovery? I don't quite know what to make of this development. I have had the fissure for a year & I can't quite believe I'm there yet. I don't feel 100% but I don't feel like I want to jump off a bridge like before because of the pain. I know that having a chronic fissure can do a number on your mind as well as your body so I'm a bit puzzled...

Anyone got any thoughts on this? Have you had a similar experience?

It sounds like you're well on the way to recovery. If the itching persists, maybe try a different cream. In your post you don't say what cream the specialist prescribed. Calmoseptine is often recommended for AF, but there are many others, and some people recover without any creams and ointments at all.

You will still have fissures from time to time (you will know when you see the bright red blood). But they don't need to be chronic and can go away in less than a day. If the doctor said it healed then you simply have irritation from a BM and it's nothing to worry about. Happens often to me. It might itch, feel irritated but nothing bad. A quick sitz bath takes care of that.

Congrats!