Hi,
I've had a fissure (anterior position) on and off for I really don't know how long. At least 6 months. Thought it was a hemorrhoid and spent stupid amount of $ on obscure cures and anything they sold over the counter. I am seeing a colorectal surgeon now, but I have found over the years that doctors don't know everything, so I like to inform myself as best I can any way I can.
I really do appreciate forums like this, full of wonderful people who just want to help.
SO I have been following my doctor's suggestions and using nifedipine. But it is over 5 weeks now and I can still feel the last little bit hasn't healed. I worry that it is because of the scar from an external hemorrhoid I had removed, or the skin tag that has developed next to the fissure.
I found this video on you tube about Hai Perineal Support. Basically using your finger to support the anterior side of your anus when you poop. Or the other side if your fissure is on the backside. Has anyone tried this?
Also, is it true that after the fissure heals, the skin tag will slowly disappear?
I was also wondering about the muscle spasms. I did have some cramping of muscles down there the first few weeks healing, but I can't say as I ever felt spasms. Do most people have the spasms??
I think I am fortunate that it is a shallow fissure and I don't feel much pain. Mostly just sore off and on, especially after a BM.
Has anyone found Kegel exercises to be helpful? Anything to help strengthen and thereby shap-eup the whole pelvic floor...
Thank you!!

Hi, working . . .
Well, I don't know if I've had spasms, or not. I kinda think I have - and since I don't like baths, I've been putting a heating pad on my bottom.
I'm probably not much help, but I can sympathize with your situation. I've been battling my AF since mid-Oct., and I'm still not healed.
Worry, worry, worry . . . I'm the worry wart of this forum, btw. --- Anyhow, hang in there. If you have a shallow AF, it might heal faster, hopefully.

Hi Sweet,
Worrying runs in my family too. :)
My doc says not to take baths, and to keep your anus as dry as possible. He even goes so far as to suggest taking luke warm showers! I must admit that I can't manage to follow that one! Lol!
But I did find that the one time I went swimming with my mom in her physio's extra warm pool, I had a relapse that afternoon.
-woi

woi - really??
Geez . . . and I've been putting a heating pad on my bottom, just to try to make things settle down and promote circulation.
Honestly - I don't know what works best - but I do believe that a strict diet helps.
That's interesting about keeping the anus dry . . . maybe so.

I really feel for both of you...I've been reading your posts Sweets...As far as this forum goes most people have been told to take warm sitz baths. Thats what I've been told also.
You are very right Sweets about diet. This is my third fissure. The first 2 went away in just weeks. This one is back with a vengence and the only way I could calm it down is by taking a suppliment called Cleanse More (made by Renew Life). It helps my stool to be very soft no matter what I eat. It is all vegetable based..so my doctor said it is no problem for prolonged use.
Woi... I have a constant spasm of my sphincter muscle. It doesn't want to go away...which causes great pain. So because of this muscle being so tight (rectal passage) the skin tears. You could discover this if you ever tried to insert hemor. cream or suppositories. You'll notice it will be very tight. Some people recommend inserting your finger to apply cream, aloe ect. for me just touching that area makes the muscle go bezerk and gets tighter. So I find it much easier to be in a squating position and use q-tips to apply anything that has to be applied internally.
I've been also in this position for 6 months and eagerly waiting for my Doctor to get back from vacation. I could honestly say I've tried everything I could do for myself at home to heal. Even Homeopathy. Nothing seems to work for me. Might have to move to the next step. I've read peoples comments on another AF forum and they said just save yourself from the pain and get surgery already. You'll wish you've got it sooner. Its a scary thought for me, which I'll have to discuss with my doc.
Sweets... if this is your first AF it should't last to long with some loving care to your bottom.
Woi...really soft stool is the way to go. Do not strain or have to push. bm should come out easy not to irratate the area.
This is my experience so far. What a horrible pain we all have to endure. The bathroom break should be a relief...not a nightmare! I feel all of your pain...and know what you are going through!

Hi, Crimson -
No, this is not my first battle with an AF. I had one (probably same area) 3 1/2 yrs. ago, and it went away without too much of a problem. All I did then was add Fiber One cereal to my diet, along with a daily dab of nitro ointment on the exterior area, and that was it. It healed up in about two months.
Holy Moley, this time is completely much more severe! Like you, I'm trying to avoid surgery, if possible. I have nothing against it - but I'm hoping this buggar will heal, in time. So far, I've been suffering with this for nearly 3 months. I have changed my diet, have added supplements, and am trying very hard to keep going and do all the right things.
I'm wondering if I can find that Cleanse More here in the U.S. . . .? I'm going to try.
I feel for you, too. This is tough, tough, tough.

Hi Crimson,
Thank you for the info. I suppose I am pretty tight down there, although I am trying to relax with meditation once or twice a day for 10 minutes.
I've haven't had consitpation issues for 10 years since my daughter was born. I'm too loose if anything, but am still taking a lot of fibre which is actually helping with that. My mom had a bad fissure a year and a half ago, and is religious about the fibre and water. She hasn't had a relapse so I guess it works. The trick is getting healed in the first place... I still don't know what brought mine on. I know I aggravated it for months with hemorrhoid cures. If I hadn't been in the middle of moving from one country to another, I'd have seen a specialist long before I did. When i finally did have a general practitioner to see, she thought it was a hemorrhoid too and gave me a brusk finger up the butt check that left me sore for days. Yesterday I left her a message that I decided to take heme iron pills instead of the ones she prescribed because I was afraid of getting constipated, and how much should I take (I am anemic). So she leaves a message back that I should just take the ones she prescribed. Kinda pissed me off. It is hard to find a doctor here who is still accepting patients though. So I guess I am stuck. I will still take the heme iron as it hasn't caused any issues, but start taking two a day instead of one. Just tired of feeling tired, :)
I wouldn't be too afraid of the LIS if I was sure the surgeon had done many before without issues. But I don't think it would help me. I see my specialist again on the 18th. Hope to be more healed by then...
I am going to try and do kegels once or twice a day. I do find that walking for a half hour to an hour every day is helping.
-woi

woi - I'm thinking about walking, too - if only just to walk off some of my nerves and anxiety.
Honestly, there have been times I've been afraid to move - afraid to stir up any pain - but I realize that I can't keep living like that. --- I had been jogging before my recurrence with this AF - but nothing since then. I'm in a good-weather part of the country (west coast of U.S.), so walking isn't a problem -- I just need to get brave about it and get out there. Maybe it would help me.
It's terrible when a doctor isn't more communicative. These doctors don't always know everything. One of my crs prescribed hydrocortisone for my AF (sorry if I'm repeating myself), and it burned. The nitro is more calming, IMO. My other crs prescribed it, but he said my AF was fine! I have to shake my head about that.
I see my crs again (hydrocortisone doc) again on the 19th. I hope to be better by then, too.
I'll say prayers for all of us.

Sweet,
Enjoy walking, it is calming. Just go easy til you are more sure of yourself.
I think a lot of tightness down there is from anxiety, so anything that can lower your anxiety is a good thing. I know I didn't used to be so tight down there. So I hope that I can eventually loosen up again.
the hydrocortizone and pramaxine mix worked for my mom.
I think the pramaxine numbs the area a bit, so you can forget about it and relax til the next time you have to go to the bathroom. I didn't find it did anything for me.
I like the nifedipine I'm using, but I don't honestly know if it is the nifedipine itself helping, or having what amounts to petroleum jelly/salve on my anus all the time, like a protective coating. -woi

woi - That's how the nitro/lido ointment feels for me (it's looks like Vaseline, IMO) - although I have an the occasional headache from it.
I'm sticking to my diet - oatmeal (breakfast), steamed vegetables, usually brussel sprouts and avocado (lunch), and plain salad with olive oil (supper) - until I really, truly believe I'm healed. Heck, I might be on this diet (or some version of it) for a long time.
Yes, I do think the walking might help out. I've done alot of lying down with a heating pad under my bottom (it seems to help) - but I don't want to get weak and not have energy, either. I'm a little afraid to be out there walking - but I could try it for a short distance.
I've heard of the nifedipine . . . but neither of my crs prescribed it. The one crs did prescribe the nitro for me, and it's been the easiest on me, so far (except for the headaches).