I supposedly don't have a fissure and my hemorrhoids are grade 1, but over the past week I've been getting more sharp pain and blood almost every day. If I try to put cream or lotion inside for lubrication, I just seem to hurt myself. Sitz baths prior to the BM might help, but I'm not sure (it's not consistent). I hope it's just a hemorrhoid, but I'm not sure. I feel like I'm getting worse and worse, and I don't know how to stop it.

Speedy recovery! Perhaps a second opinion? If you are bleeding everyday and that crs sees nothing, perhaps time for a new doc?

It's been worse since the last time that I saw him. I think cutting out sitz baths in the morning may have contributed to this. I don't think it's a fissure, because I'm not having cramps. It's probably just a stubborn hemorrhoid, but it's puzzling why he doesn't think it should be causing these problems.

He wants to do a colonoscopy, but I asked if I could do sigmoidoscopy instead (haven't heard back). He's already my second CRS, and he's the best one within a 90 minute drive, so I don't want to start over yet again.

Nothing wrong with a colonoscopy (esp maybe the price). Perhaps the CRS just wants to make sure there is not a larger underlying issue. I understand about starting all over.

The colonoscopy scares me because the risks are higher than most people realize. I've read as high as 1 in 200 people have serious complications, including about 1 in 1000 having perforations (about 1 in 15-20 resulting in death). Since my bleeding is associated with pain, it seems to me that the problem has to be near the end of the tract (anus/rectum), and that a much-lower-risk sigmoidoscopy would be sufficient. On the other hand, I'm almost 50 and, given my previous cancer history (kidney removed due to tumor), it may be a good idea to do the colonoscopy anyway. Another reason to do it is that if the sigmoidoscopy finds something, they would need to do the colonoscopy, too, so I would just be adding to my risk by having two procedures.

Hi yes your right there are always risks and I know someone at work who has a colostomy due to a perforation during a colonoscopy. But that is highly unlikely to happen....I have had 2 a year for nearly ten years due to my crohns and I know lots of fellow crohnies that have numerous ones without any hint of a complication.
I think it always best to have a look....although I refused my regular checks when my fissure was active due to how the prep affects me....it doesn’t take long and you can be sedated or have gas and air or have no help at all it’s all down to you. At least it will put your mind at rest and yes if you have the sigi and they find nothing you will have to go back for the full one.
Good luck and I hope it all goes well

This thing is still getting worse. I have sharp pain throughout the BM, and some blood (although not as much as a few days ago). My CRS seems to think that the pain and the blood are independent, because the coagulation supposedly reduced all of my hemorrhoids, but I'm almost 100% sure that that is not the case. I only get blood when I have pain, and sharper pain guarantees blood. The only positive thing is that I don't seem to get sphincter cramps. I just have sharp and/or stinging pain most of the day. When I wake up the next morning, I usually feel fine. Hopefully that means that it's not a fissure. I can't help worrying that it is, though.

The most frustrating thing is that I'm worse than I was when this started 10 months ago (although I had some cramping then), and all of the treatment, diet, etc. that I've done since then has been for naught.

I decided to go the Prep H route today and could clearly feel the hemorrhoid when I barely went inside with my pinky. I think this thing has been the main problem all year, but both of my CRS's didn't seem to think much of it. It's certainly gotten worse in the last couple of weeks, so it is more obvious, but how do they overlook it as the source of my pain? I'm starting to think the colonoscopy, biofeedback, and nerve medicines are all bullcrap. I have a very painful hemorrhoid, pure and simple.

Perhaps you should talk to the doctor and direct him where the pain is when he scopes. Mine scopes in the office- and has alway pin pointed area and asked if the pain was there or there while touching. And we narrow down the true issues.