How are you now?

I'm still pretty much the same as ever.
AF is still there, hems still play me up.... Botox has definatly not been the answer for me. I'm just trying to maintain my current pain level.. I'd say a 5... And not slip any further down.
Taking movicol..1 am, 1 pm
Drinking lots of fluids
Adding ground organic flax seeds and olive oil to my lunch
Using wet wipes
Feet up on foot stool
Straight in warm bath after BM
Using anusol for hems...... About to start recto next week.... I will post an update.


ETO..... Yes, your right, I'm drained. I know I only got back from holiday a few weeks ago... But boy, I need a holiday!!! LOL not to worry... I'm a tough old bird... I'll keep on keeping on!!!

Love to you all

OMB xxxxxxx

Yes OMB this routine is exhausting, god knows how we keep it up hey!?
Keep fighting my lovely Bird!

Hope you are feeling a little bit better OMB - my doctor just prescribed me Buscopan for the spasms
, she is my GP/family practioner not CRS, I just went to her office and cried and cried, anyway, don't know how this is meant to help, but will give it a shot! Diltiazim - not sure if it is working.

Oh revma3... I've been there too... Just breaking down at the drs. It's good to get it all out though... And I'm glad you were prescribed something different to try, and not just sent on your way with "eat more fibre, drink more water" etc.
I have never heard of buscopan.... What is it????

How long have you been using diltiazem??

OMB x

A4 weeks on Diltiazim, Buscopan is usually prescribed to IBS patients as far as I have read, but it is anti spasm medication. I also start Hyperbaric Chamber therapy tomorrow. Not too happy with my CRS - saw him yesterday, told me to take hot baths and more pills, fiber - come back in two weeks.

Buscopan is for IBS to stop cramps, though it's not very strong. I am on a stronger one called mebeverine which helps my stomach cramps aswell as the spasms :)

Hi OMB, i have read your thread with interest. I dont want to hijack this post but would like to ask you about your experience with Mr. W whom i consulted about my anal fissure. He has recommended much the same course of treatment as i believe he has carried out for you - skin tag removal and botox. I had gone in fully expecting that lis would be suggested. I cant seem to find a single success story with botox and even success rates reported in research papers seem to be low. I really wonder why he is suggesting it. It seems to be a bit of an assembly line approach and i feel a little disappointed after all the good stuff i have read about him on this forum. He spent all of 20 seconds examining me and said i should call and book a botox procedure when i was ready. Im not even sure why he wants to remove the skin tags - do these really affect healing?

Cant seem to be able to PM you... Pls let me know.

Hi pyra,

Couple of questions ...

How long have you had your AF?
What have you tried already?
Are you male or female??

I ask these questions, because... Botox is really the most sensible first plan of action. It's temporary, safe, and gives the fissure a chance to heal.
Females are much harder to treat than males.... Mr w told me that LIS is normally very suitable for men, as they have a longer anal canal.
He may not have looked at you for long, because he could probably see what he needed to first time, and not want to put you through any further discomfort by poking around down there.
There have been a good few success stories on here lately.... Rachael1984, JHH and welshdoublefissure all had their Botox done around the same time as I did... And they have all had success with it.
Don't let my story put you off.... I really am a complicated case!!! LOL

I'm not sure about the skin tags... You could always email him and ask???

OMB x

Hi OMB, I'm a 34 year old female. I've noticed the fissure for the past 2 years now - constant cycle of tearing and healing which repeats itself every 2-3 months. I might have had the fissure for longer though - have had episodes of mild discomfort in the past but no pain until 2 years back. Have tried GTN and sitz baths, and take Dulcolax off and on - all of which seem to help a little, but havent fixed it permanently. I do have a tendency to have hard stools - which retears the fissure. I couldnt do anything more interventional with it for the past year or so since I now have a 6 month old baby and although I had consulted a CRS, he understandably wanted me to wait until I had the baby and then had stopped breastfeeding.

Mr W told me much the same as he told you about LIS - the risk of incontinence in females being higher than in males. I'm going to email him some questions, specifically if he HAS done LIS for females and the success rate (it sounded like he had only performed LIS on male patients). From whatever literature I have read it seems that Botox is not likely to be a permanent fix for most chronic fissures and most patients needed subsequent follow up with more of the same or LIS. My GP had told me not to get over-reliant on stool softeners, but Mr. W said it didnt matter - I could take them every day if that helped.

I will read the stories of the others you have mentioned here. Any advice welcome. I hope all of us find some solution to our AFs soon :-(