Just come back from the GP.
He had a look and confirmed that the fissure is on the mid-line (12 o' clock) and that there was no fissure that he could see elsewhere.
He said that he hadn't (as a GP) heard of the Anoheal, but by giving him the drug name he's going to look it up and if possible he'll prescribe it for me, because I said after a BM the GTN ointment application is like putting tabasco sauce on my butt; that plus the headaches.
He said that it looked better than last time too, slightly more closed. Need to keep it soft!!
If its still giving me more grief in 6 weeks, or if it opens up really badly soon then he'll refer me to a CRS.
Thats the scoop folks!
Anyone else in the UK used anoheal? Any information that I can get about it in the UK would be great.
Cheers guys 'n' gals....

That is great news you don't have more than one and that he will look into anoheal. It is called diltiazem or nefidipine here in the US. There are several boardies from the UK who have used it. I know that Val gets hers from a mail order company.

Hope you continue to improve.

Lecia,
I hope that you are feeling better. Are diltiazem and nefidipine one and the same, or are they different compounds?
Cheryl

Thats good news the fissure is healing..
The Anoheal in the UK is not licensed maybe that is why your GP hasnt heard of it, but it can be prescribed on a named patient basis by a specialist :)
Wishing you happy healing :)

Diltiazem and Nefedipine are not one in the same, but are in the same class of BP drugs, so they are very similar in action and I wouldn't choose one over the other, either would have the exact same effect.

Hi Brendan !!! Great news - I am so happy to hear that you are healing ! Try to be very careful with your regiment and stay on it for
many months even when your fissure closes completely. Once this place is compromised it needs about a year to regain it's original strength - never forget that. I learned it hard way . My fissure healed after 4 months of careful diet and creams and my CRS told me that I can ease up with mineral oil and milk of magnesia and sure enough my fissure reopened again and I than decided to have a LIS. After surgery I healed in 9 weeks (pain was gone immediately though) but got overconfident and re-injured the area in mid April because I was dehydrated, (was gardening whole day) and even dared to push during BM and voila ! The opening was small and with minor discomfort but emotionally devastating . So, just be very consistent and stubborn - more stubborn than the fissure itself - that is the only way you can beat this monster !
Thank you so much for the in depth description of the health system in the
UK - I am really interested since I am contemplating moving out of the States.
Health system here sucks any way you look at it - you pay premium money for mediocre care. I was laughing so much when you described you childhood experience with nice hospital - here I think maybe Bill Gates would have accommodations like that - or maybe not if he would like to stay at Stanford Hospital LOL- one of the best in the USA. Many people discovered so called "health tourism" - they go to Europe or even India to get top notch treatments for the fraction of the cost here !!!
Anyway - Sorry for my rumble now !
Thanks again for all of the info and keep up good work . You can do it Brendan - just stay on your path !!!
:parrot:

No problem! I just got a breakdown of a private insurance quote today actually, where all the hospitals are really, REALLY nice. It was cheaper than what I paid for health insurance in the USA and its all 100% covered with no co-pays or (*shudder*) deductibles. It was only 58 pounds a month for my personal circumstances, with 48 hour waitings times on average and access to great medicines and such.
The UK private healthcare scene truly is remarkable in my humble opinion. The room was super clean, the menu of food was diverse and really tasty without being grandiose and I had my own personal bathroom.
When my father had a medical emergency, the UK NHS system really saved him - big time, and for that we owe much. He had over $30,000 worth of medicines and didn't pay a penny. Like I said, the NHS hospitals are comparable to the US hospitals, excepted no money is ever exchanged.
I remember going to the pharmacist whilst in the US, just thinking that my prescription was enough to get my medicine. It was at a University health center, and she was like 'don't come to me until you've gone to see the cashier. I won't be able to do anything until you've got your receipts validated'. It was a new experience anyway.
I ate alot of pizza and steak whilst in the US. My first meal there was a 22oz T-bone and it was the best I've ever had. With the fissure, I think that I have to be careful whilst eating in the US. I found that fresh produce like fruit and veg were generally more expensive than over here.
Not to digress too far, but upstate NY pizza is the best and once we got 4 slices and had to put it in the trunk of the car because it wouldn't fit on the back seat. We're talking calorrrrific, terrific!!
Memories!
-Brendan

Gone_Fissuring wrote:Not to digress too far, but upstate NY pizza is the best and once we got 4 slices and had to put it in the trunk of the car because it wouldn't fit on the back seat. We're talking calorrrrific, terrific!!

Ha ha ha - well yeah, that is why obesity problem here is now of epidemic proportions LOL - but food is cheep and good , although I still think that the best pizza is served in Italy LOL
Regarding meds - well - tell me about it LOL - I had to pay for my Nitro and Nifedipine creams COMPLETELY out of pocket (about $100 or more for each) since they needed to be compounded in the pharmacy and were not considered "standard" treatment - I always forgot to ask other members about that fact - did they pay full price for those or just co-pay !???
Last month my older daughter needed antibiotic (Amoxicilin) and I payed $75 in Longs Drugs. When I came home I pealed off the label from the original bottle to see were it was made - guess what - MADE IN SLOVENIA !!!! They payed for that drug $5 at most and are now selling it here for $75 - talking about the profit driven health system :pale: - just awful !!!!
Anyway -stay where you are buddy LOL - come here to have fun and pizza though !!!

Oh my word!! I got sick about 3 months back and took some Amoxicilin; I will quote you how much it costs the NHS which means that is its around-about price.
Amoxicilin, 500mg x 21: cost Ј1.37 which is approx $2.74.
$75 is outrageous and making that much markup off sick people is criminal!!
I'm sorry you had to leaf out the green for that! :(
When I'm not taking the GTN ointment, I sometimes need to use Anusol (which is made by Pfizer) with hydrocortisone in it for hemmies. I bought it over the counter (non prescription in the UK) : 2x15g tubes @ Ј3.99 each, so Ј7.98 in total, or approximately $16.
I look at drugstore.com for the equivalent US Rx and I find that if I wasn't armed with any insurance (that is on the presumption that my insurer would cover a decent proportion of my prescriptions), it would cost $69.99, or about Ј35, which is beyond belief!!
Before I come to the US next I'm going to bring about 4 tubes, just to be sure!
$75 for amoxicilin though!!
$2 for pizza the size of your torso though. It's all swings and roundabouts and the equilibrium of the universe is restored.

You seeeee !!!! I am telling you - I can compare the prices since I am originally from Europe and poor people here have no idea how much they are ripped off !!!! When I try to explain they do not believe me - and you made great point that I forgot about - same manufacturer is also much cheeper in Europe !!!! How can Anusol be
2 different prices in GB and here ???? I am also now "stashing" on drugs that my relatives send me - just pitiful One would imagine it would be other way around LOL !!! Not to mention that here one has to be sick for days to even get antibiotic LOL !!!! Yes, by all means bring any meds that you might need with you . AND , make a dental app. to check your teeth before you cross the pond too - one filling will cost you about $150 at least .
Oh my gosh - I think that some undercover "med police" will take my insurance away now LOL to "shut me up"