So, Vaseline helps a bit. But things are still pretty sore. Are there other ways to ease the pain?

Well im sure you already know this one but warm/hot baths definately help..Sometimes i add epsum salt..Also wipe with wet toilet paper..Take valiium be4 bed (definately helps you sleep,sleeping is healing) or when in extreme pain. Hope that helps. Good Luck!

Came across this the other day..http://www.walmart.com/ip/26957397?wmls ... 56&veh=sem

The pain will not go away from day to night. You need to make your BMs soft with the aid of diet+water+ stool softener and an ointment for fissures. If you maintain your BMs soft the pain will gradually subsidize. And definitely luv your bum before a BM. These are some tips my CRS gave me to help manage my fissure:

1. Wash your butt only with plane warm water not soap.
2. Before a BM luv yourself with a dab of Vaseline, to make it easy to pass and to clean later.
3. Don't clean your butt with toilet paper, use warm water or baby wipes, preferable for sensitive skin.
3. Between BMs protect your butt with Vaseline or an ointment for babies to ease irritation.
4. Try to limit your BMs to one a day.
5. Avoid at all cost hard, diarrhea or running stools.
6. Keep your BMs soft.
7. Do sitz baths with warm water one or twice a day for at least 20 minutes.

Sitting on a heating pad set to low helps reduce the spasms. If it's too uncomfortable to sit, then I'll lay on my stomach and just set the heating pad on my bottom. Too high a temperature will actually cause more spasms, so you just have to make sure the heating pad doesn't become too warm.

Not straining during bowel movements also helps minimize the amount of spasm.

My CRS gave me nifedipine/lidocaine ointment which helps with the spasms, but doesn't really help if the fissure itself is irritated or painful. If it's bad, I'll take the maximum dose of aleve, and that sometimes takes the edge off.

When I'm really feeling it I will also do breathing exercises called the 'Taoist Healing Breaths'.

I hope you find some relief, and soon!

Thank you guys so much :) This is really helpful! Ironically (and thankfully) a little bit after posting this, I had a near pain-free BM. I think I am on my way to getting better. I just gotta remain diligent with my water, fiber, and good diet. I am hoping to heal enough to not have to worry so much about the risk of having a painful BM.

Isn't that always the way! This fissure thing is so unpredictable.
I hope this pain-free BM means you are on the way to healing!
Just a word of caution - don't ease off on the water and diet too soon. You may have to be diligent for many weeks or months. As I am finding out the hard way! (no pun intended!)

Dont become complacent.. Continue to treat your bum like a baby! If i had a dollar for everytime i heard someone say there feeling better than re rip themselves...Im in the same position right now been feeling really good for the past4 days or so..but can still tell im sensitive down there and can re rip with any careless movement(like bending down to far) or bad eating habbits..so keep taking your sttool softner and fiber and take it easy! Glad to hear your feeling better!