I got my anal fissure a couple of weeks after having my first child, almost 2 years ago. I haven't got rid of it since, despite having stopped breast feeding, diltiazem and botox. The pain has been out of this world, but it got a little better after my first botox shot. After my second child was born 5 weeks ago it has gotten a lot worse though and I am more or less panicking. I am thinking about giving breast feeding up in order to get another botox shot, or maybe surgery (though I really don't want to). It's such a relief to have found this forum, and to feel like I'm not alone (though I'm so sorry for you all!)



What is it with having babies and anal fissure? I have asked lots of doctors, midwifes and nurses here in Sweden, but no one seems to know and say it's more or less my own fault - because of my BM not being soft enough (but that has never been a problem). It seems very rare and few (even doctors) know much about anal fissures here in Sweden (or I guess people just don't talk about it as openly as I do). I'd love to understand the connection between having a child and anal fissures, to tell the doctors so I can get sufficient help. Does anyone here know? (I gave birth vaginally both times, but did not tear up much during labour.)

Thanks!
/Z

Hi,

You may occasionally get fissure after childbirth as your stool might get more hard due to all changes happened in your body. Also natural birth leads to significant pressure in that area.

Nevertheless, treatment of fissure is more or less similar to regular cases. You should start with diet, and make sure your stool is soft. Next step is diltiazem or nitro glicerin creams(but you should find out if these have effect on breast feeding). Botox you already now. And last thing to do is LIS surgery, but make sure you find that right doctor in Sweden, who did these surgeries before and understands your situation. Otherwise you might opt for UK, dr Windsor in London, I can recommend him, as he saved my life.

PS: I think noone speaks that openly about fissure in world, and Sweden is not exception. I am glad you found this forum.

I also developed my fissure 6-7 weeks post partum with my second child's birth. In thinking about my own circumstances, I think there was a lot of pressure on that area through childbirth, coupled with unusually large hemorrhoids and everything just really not being in it's usual position. I had been prescribed stool softeners after the birth, and once I went off those is when I noticed the fissure pain for the first time. It's a terrible thing to have to deal with, and it just adds to the difficulty of raising small children!

I took a drug called zofran in the beginning of my pregnancy for nausea and was so constipated as a side effect I didn’t poop for a week!

During labor, they gave me zofran again IV, and 1 week post partum I was so constipated I tore myself during a bm. That was 4 months ago.

I’m sure breastfeeding doesn’t help with the dehydration, but for me, that medication was not a good fit. I wonder how much hormones play into stool changing consistency...

Did you heal? I am noticing this was a long time ago. I’d love an update.

My fissure started 2 wks after my first son was born hes about to turn 7!!! I've done water diet stool softeners an botox twice. I'm now 12wks pregnant with my 3rd an it's back 2nd the botox got me to 80% better with a flear up every 6months but it's not a long term solution for most and obviously not for me either. In reality we can not have a perfect bm every single day no one can and while using every expect surgery we are expected to have perfect bms every single day. The surgery relaxes the muscle so it forces healing an it allows the muscle to move with bms instead of closing off or being to tight. I'll probably have botox again after this baby is born or the surgery once and for all 7 years is far to long.

I had a lot of trouble with this for 3 years, until I got a prolapse surgery. It all happened by chance really, I went to check some things up and they didn't know what was wrong so an older doctor was called in, who is specialized in womens birth trauma (I don't know the proper english word) and she could immediatly tell I needed surgery - It turned out they hadn't stitched me up properly (just the skin, not the teared muscles in the pelvic floor) after giving birth, and the other muscles in the area tried to compensate and were in constant contraction. So no blood could flow where I had my anal fissure = no healing of the wound, which opened up (excruciating pain) each time I did #2... After the surgery, I was immediately healed! Sooo gratful!

I hope this can help someone, I feel for you who are still in the pain! I'm grateful everyday for being able to go to the bathroom without pain and problems.

Zandra thanks for your comment. Did you have any other symptoms of a damaged pelvic floor? Do you mean pelvic floor or do you mean perineum damage? I have no signs of a damaged pelvic floor but i did get 7 stitches in my perineum an its very hard an tight now right were the stitches were put in

missy moo wrote:Zandra thanks for your comment. Did you have any other symptoms of a damaged pelvic floor? Do you mean pelvic floor or do you mean perineum damage? I have no signs of a damaged pelvic floor but i did get 7 stitches in my perineum an its very hard an tight now right were the stitches were put in

I think it was both a damaged perineum + torn muscles in the pelvic floor. I didn't have any other symtoms, apart from the fissure + the prolapse - which occured 3 years after my first birth/the fissure. It wasn't a very obvious thing, but I noticed changes in my vagina which I looked up. That's when the older doctor said I needed a prolapse surgery. I didn't know then that it would effect the fissure, but it did! i'm sooo grateful!

Hey I've sent you a message to ask more about your experience with a prolapse. Hope ypu don't mind.