Hey guys,

26-year-old guy here, looking for a couple of pointers.

I developed a fissure about 3-4 months ago, and finally saw a specialist after it graduated from a minor sting to actual rectal bleeding. The doctor told me to use polyethylene glycol 3350 (MiraLax, etc.) and prescribed me topical nifedipine, and also told me to take sitz baths. I haven't really been able to implement the baths yet, but I'm using the others.

When using the MiraLax and the nifedipine, I have no pain or blood with bowel movements, so that's good. However, every time I've tried to wean myself off of it, I have a disaster with pain and red toilet paper. In addition, the MiraLax makes my stool... er, really, really messy. I'm going through toilet paper like nothing else, and I rarely feel clean without a shower after a bowel movement. I've had skin irritation and stuff, too. Plus, MiraLax is like a $20-a-month expense that I would really like to not have for the rest of my life. Aaaaaand, using all that toilet paper and repeated wipes causes further irritation to my anus...

I realize that many of you have far more severe problems, but here's my thing: I also suffer from U/CPPS, a condition of chronic pain in the penis and testicles. The only cure is inter-rectal trigger point massage using a specialized wand, which I can't really do as long as I have a fissure. I need to fix this before I can start my treatment for the other thing!

So yeah... I need some tips. Can you recommend some products or practices to help me heal this thing for good? Are there specialized wipes, at least, that I can use to clean myself without the irritation of five toilet-paper wipes? Or a softening laxative that is less of a mess?

Thank you for any help you can give!

Hey guy97!

I'm a 21 year old male who recently reached the 6 week post op period from a fissurectomy and LIS procedure. I suffered with a fissure for about 8/9 months hoping it would get better on its own, but unfortunately it didn't. I only started to really focus on my diet around the 6 month mark. Here me out on this one: Change. Your. Diet. I am telling you to focus on drinking tons of water and upping your fiber intake gradually. It makes a huge difference in the long run. Most of all though, you need water to keep things "soft" and to prevent constipation. That is the LAST thing you want. You don't want diarrhea, but you don't want a super hard stool either. You need to keep things moving just right. Dealing with a fissure did a number on my emotional well being and even after the surgery, I still am suffering the psychological effects of worrying about it. The good news with you though is that you're at the 3/4 month mark so it COULD close up and heal on its own without surgery! I didn't even know I had a fissure at the 3 month mark which made matters worse for me cause I had a history of straining. I thought it was just hemorrhoids until I saw a specialist. Even if you need surgery in the future(which may not be the case), it really was not that bad. Around day 6/7 post op, I was feeling almost back to normal. Make sure you find an A+ surgeon in your area and get multiple opinions if you can. I did a lot of research before I opted for surgery, and in my case, it was much needed because of how deep mine was. I can say proudly though that I have had not too many issues since the surgery(only slight discharge) which should stop in time. But back to what I was saying...I would really focus on your diet, water intake, and make sure you get a light jog or walk in daily. It will make a huge difference in my opinion.