Is anybody here UK based who has a recent 'chronic fissure successfully healed' story that can share their strategy around how best to navigate the completely broken UK healthcare system? I've had a chronic fissure for almost 4 months now and like many people here have been struggling as it negatively affects pretty much every aspect of your life etc, but I'm at my wits end trying and so far failing to get help.

I first attempted to get a doctor's appointment around mid June but to wait 3 weeks. In the meantime I had another traumatic BM and had to visit NHS drop-in centre for help, but no doctors were present only nurses so they weren't able to do much apart from give painkillers. When my doctor's appointment came it turned out this was with a nurse also not a doctor, and the nurse got me to do stool and blood tests to rule out cancer. On the follow-up appointment the nurse performed finger examination but couldn't diagnose the issue so referred me for sigmoidoscopy. A letter arrived a week later from NHS telling me to wait 2 months before contacting hospital endoscopy dept. I waited as instructed but then got told there was further 10 month wait for sigmoidoscopy. This was too long, so I paid for private appointment at Nuffield with colorectal surgeon. Surgeon performed finger examination again and told me he suspected small fissure and that he wanted to treat me through NHS as I don't have insurance. He said I didn't need sigmoidoscopy but something less invasive, for which waiting time was ~4 months. I said still too long as I can barely eat, I've the funds to pay privately, and would like quote for private treatment as well. Surgeon said he'd arrange. 2 weeks passed I heard nothing from Nuffield, NHS, doctor. I called Nuffield, they were unable to tell me anything but eventually gave me surgeon's secretary's phone number. I called her, she blamed Nuffield for no quote and said she'd get it sorted. I received quote few days later, but at approaching £4k it's double what I was expecting, so I call secretary again to ask how much longer I'd need to wait for NHS treatment now. She said I wasn't on waiting list! (she said as they were waiting for my decision RE private).

Basically I feel after 4 months I've gotten nowhere. Communication from both the NHS and Nuffield has been poor to non-existent. I've not been able to see an actual doctor via NHS only nurses who referred me for the wrong procedure. I've not even been able to get firm diagnosis yet only suspected as surgeon didn't perform an anoscopy or proctoscopy.

I've booked to see different colorectal surgeon privately next month who will perform anoscopy so I can hopefully at least get firm diagnosis. NHS feels hopeless and I also feel like giving up with Nuffield as it's me who has to make all the effort. If firm diagnosis is small chronic fissure as is suspected, I don’t understand why regular doctor can't suffice, at least in the beginning, to try me on a couple of the regular ointments which are known to have good odds ~70% of healing chronic fissures. If my fissure's small as suspected there's surely strong chance of success. Colorectal specialist surely only required if these fail and surgery becomes only remaining option. So my plan is therefore do get firm diagnosis and then get regular NHS doctor to treat me, but I'm not sure this will work.

I'm just so confused and disillusioned it all. Am I going about this in the wrong way? Anybody got any sage advice?

Many thanks in advance