Hi everyone. I am relieved that there is some place that I can go to for this. I am a young mama and really want to heal myself because I am terrified of getting The C word and not being able to be around for my baby. My fissure has never been that painful actually- it was the first few months. It may bother me here and there but most of the time (even while going to the bathroom) it's is not bothersome. I don't know if that is a bad or good thing. I notice it for sure- but I guess it's not like what most people experience with fissures.
I had my son last summer and that is when this all started. I had hemorrhoids and then that caused me to constipate myself which then caused myself to have a fissure. I thought it was just hemorrhoids -as that is what I was told at my checkup after the birth so I didn't do a whole lot except trying to eat fiber and with nursing- it was hard to drink all the water I needed to. I ignored it for a long time but it still worried me but continued with fiber and sitz baths when I remembered and using witch hazel. About 10 months later I got fed up with it and wanted to see my family doctor about it. He said it looked like a few smaller fissures. He told me to just eat a high fiber diet and keep my stools soft for a month and then if I couldn't solve the issue that he would want to see me again. A few months went by and my issue wasn't solved yet so then I went back to see him. He said it was a hemmroid which I later think was a skin tag. He wanted to rule me out for chrons and seemed concerned and I felt like after I left I needed to get a colonoscopy. So I decided to schedule an appointment with a rectal specialist. He immediately knew once he performed an exam that this was a fissure and used all this fancy language, and I could tell he knew what he was doing. I felt really comfortable with him. I had a peace of mind after leaving his office. He told me watch my acidity, no tomatoes or cheese, and to have metamucil once a night and to make sure I get 30 grams of fiber a day. I told him about my worry and that I would like a colonoscopy but he said that we should wait until after I heal because it will only make it worse. Which I understand but I hate waiting..
So here I am- 4 months later and still have the issue. I had it almost healed twice so it's really frustrating.
This is my routine:
+ applying vaseline on the outside and slightly inside to help ease it out when I'm about to go.
+every night before bed or sometimes with dinner have a glass of fiber
+multi vitamins and probiotics
+I only drink water- once in awhile juice or soda (like 1-2x a week)
+If it feels irritated I sleep with a soft ice pack on my bottom and have a sitz bath
+ Avoid anything spicy and have practically eliminated tomatoes from my diet as well as citrus fruits and I stopped drinking cows milk.
+I get a chiropractic adjustment every month...not sure if it helps fissures but figure it can't hurt and makes me feel good.
+Strongly considering gluten issues so am watching that and would like to be wheat free...slowly but surely.
Sorry this is so long...I feel so insecure and ashamed that this has gone on so long. What natural tricks do you have up your sleeve? Does anybody relate to me?