Hi there!
I found sometimes when I got the spasms that gentle exercise helped, but other times, I could hardly walk, and just had to lay down, so I think maybe your body kind of takes over and tells you what it needs!

ok great, thanx so much for your prompt replies

welcome to the forum :)
I think you're right, having a cold doesn't help at all, I recently had a cough and every cough really hurt as if someone was slicing into my butt :(
You'll soon notice how far behind we are in the UK! this board is a brilliant source of info and has fantastic people :)
Personally I haven't been able to exercise becasue of the pain, but I'm planning on starting next week and trying to build up slowly to see if that helps.
Helen x

Just an update:
I went to my doctor this morning and he did a check. Id previously had a check by another doctor but was unsure of the diagnosis.
This mornings check was a lot more thorough (even if a little uncomfortable) but at least he seemed pretty difinitive. He says I have 2 fissures that he can see, BUT they dont seem TOO bad and he said that he has seen worse ones completely healed with the GTN.
He's precribed me more GTN, as Ive been on it for two weeks at the moment, but having had a bad cold for the last week or so, I dont really think it got a lot of chance to work!! So, he said give this a go for 2 more weeks and then if nothing is showing any sign of improvement then he will refer me urgently to a CRS.He said that keeping the motions soft is the number one priority.
So the conclusion here is that I am indeed now a fully paid up member of the AF club!!!! LOL
I feel better for having a more positive diagnosis at least.
He also sent me for quite a few blood tests, has anyone else had these?

I never had any blood tests for the AF.
Two weeks is NOT a lot of healing time for an AF...but if you are currently doing much better, then maybe!

I think here in England they get you to have a blood test for absolutely everything, I know our doctors do anyway. Its like headache?... blood test, sore throat?...blood test, broken leg?.. blood test, broken fingernail?..oh yes, blood test!!

Small fissures heal spontaneously and 2 weeks is their course. Fissures that not heal in 6 weeks are considered probably chronic and 8 weeks and up definitely chronic. Chronic fissures need more time to heal - up to 12 weeks with conservative treatment, sometimes more . But, he longer you have one, the slimmer chances are that it will heal even with creams and Botox. Many people just can't "take it any more" and have surgery after initial conservative treatments fail them.
Blood test is done to exclude some other causes of non healing fissures, like STDs, AIDS, active tuberculosis, Chron disease, diabetes etc.
All the best

well mine are six weeks old now, but I didnt get them diagnosed until 4 weeks in, so lost that time treating them as hemorrhoids.
Doesnt help of course that each time the doctor does a manual exam it sort of sets you back a bit.
Today I feel that I'm no further on and pain is the same as it was a month ago. :(
Mind you the doctor did pull me about a bit yesterday, but of course they have to check fully that there are no other obstructuions up there I guess.
Its even painful to walk at the moment, do others have this?
Still ploughing on with the GTN and other stuff!!!

At least you know now what you are dealing with and I am glad the exam didn't set you back. Yes, keep doing what you are doing. It took me 4 months but it did heal.

I was in a lot of pain and walking or any other type of friction just worsened it. I know how you feel. It will get better though.

mine healed after 7 months-I was just very unlucky that the outside healed faster than the inside and an abcess formed, then it turned to a fistula. But it does get better over time-albeit a long time in some cases!