about and knowing that there are others out there suffering from the same debilitating problem, and reading about people's experiences, has been a solace and provided so much useful info. So, I'm 37 and for two years now I've been suffering from AF's, one that possibly healed and then another that is more recent. I haven't had health insurance, so I didn't go to a DR (until today.) I take Colace every day, stopped eating bread/rice (since it was a crusty Banh Mi that gave me the AF in the first place
) drink tons of water, eat dried prunes and lots of veggies, and never wipe with normal TP (I'll moisten it with hot water or Balneol and pat.) I've tried coconut oil, zinc oxide, gold bond, and vaseline- with mixed success. I've taken Cramp Bark drops and evening Primrose oil with questionable positive effects. The pain up until this month has been frustrating (and varied from making me want to scream to just uncomfortable), but was usually just right at the time of a BM, with maybe some throbbing after. Well, last month I started getting this throbbing dull ache in my perineum that was relieved with standing or walking around. I spent a sleepless night, taking tylenol didnt help (I can't take NSAIDs because of ulcers years ago.) Thankfully, it went away. Until, this last week where it came back with a vengeance and I spent two mostly sleepless nights. The only things that helped were some epsom salt baths and putting a thermacare heat wrap (the one for menstrual cramps) in my underwear (maybe not the best idea, but it worked!) I decided to go to the CRS. I thought I might have a cyst or abscess, was terrified, and decided to just pay out of pocket. The exam itself was painful, weird, and as I just had it today- I'm sore. I fear that it made my fissure worse, as I've had this sharp pain walking around I didn't have before. And I think my old, possibly healed fissure is back too
). The DR said that I didn't have an abscess, but that I did have a fissure (uh yeah) mild hemorrhoid, and gave me nifedipine/lidocaine ointment prescription and some Calmol suppositories. He said the pain I felt could have been muscular, but it felt like pressure... I don't know what to think. I guess I'm relieved he didn't find an abscess or worse.So, I guess I'm just wondering what people think about 1. the nifedipine- which I've put on and now I have this kind of throbbing feeling. Do you just put it around the outside (not internally)? 2. Is that dull frustrating ache with a feeling of pressure the spasms that I've read people talk about on here? 3. Could the CRS have messed me up with a digital exam and brief scope?? It STILL hurts and feels strange hours later and after I put on cream
and 4. Being that I'm a woman with a family history of endometriosis/cysts and that this pain has come twice now at the same time in my cycle- could it be endo related? 
Thank you in advance for your input! It sucks royally having AF (understatement) but I'm so glad this forum exists!!
