I took your advice, Bettyblue--at least for an extra day. But I'm a little... cautious about using an ointment with an anaesthetic in it, so this morning I had what I can honestly say was the most cautious bowel movement in my life.

No horrible pain. There was some slight discomfort, but this was more of a slight wince than clawing at the air and uncontrollable shivering. The BM was soft and didn't irritate the fissure too much. So it's definitely healing! I'm sticking to as good a diet as possible, but I really am looking forwards to the quiet holiday of good eating, exercise and general chilling out I have planned. One more week to go of work lunches, but I've kept to the positive options and eaten food with fibre beforehand.

I'm still taking coloxyl, 2 tablets in the morning and 3 at night. I'm very aware that I can get dependent on them, so I'm going to take them for one more week and then see if my new diet is doing the job on its own. They're a godsend though, as is Soov It. The latter isn't exactly comfortable, but it helped.

Still haven't bought flax, but it's more of a time issue--tomorrow I'll be able to head to the supermarket.

Thanks again for your help, I'll keep this thread updated.

If you are concern about the coloxyl, maybe you want to try Miralax. Miralax is a mild laxative is not habit forming and is not absorbed by the body. I used it with my fissure and it was the best thing my doctor could have recommended me.
Fredinpain Happy holidays. I hope you have a nice time in the company of the people you love.

These things are so weird - I know several people here swear by their flax seed, but when I added it to my oatmeal, I got a lot of wind and small trickles of diarrhoea (sorry for the image!).
I can't use colace or prunes either for the same reason.
Oatmeal is great though. I like mine with grated apple and almonds (well chewed).

It is weird in fact, because for me nuts are a Big NO. I re-teared my fissure once because of nuts. They gave me bulky BMs.

So another update--I made the mistake of eating tinned tuna, which gave me large BMs--not rough, just too large with a fissure. So I had to apply ointment again. That said, this past weekend I've been doing without, and the pain/discomfort is getting less--so it's definitely healing.

The coloxyl I'm on is the stool softener version, not the laxative. This allows me to take them in the morning (before work) and at night before sleep. I'm slowly easing off, from three tablets (within recommended dosage) to two, and eventually to one and then none (some time next week I hope). We'll see how it goes without... but even with work lunches it's been ok.

I did have a few drinks, but as advised I ate food with fibre and an apple beforehand, and was careful to maintain water levels and take coloxyl when I got home. Turned out ok! Phew. Still, I'm looking forward to holidays and great diet + no hint of alcohol to let everything heal very well.

Bettyblue, nuts are a risk for me too. I have a nearly full pack of chocolate coated nut bars that I used to have as part of breakfast that I don't dare to touch! Instead I make sure to have a muesli and oat bar (making sure to chew very well), which goes down really great.

Never did get flax seed, but I think my fibre intake is ok so far.

One thing that got me by surprise was how badly the fissure depressed me... and the anxiety. I think I mentioned it before, but I'm still a little shocked by it. In this respect especially, the Soov It ointment the doctor recommended was a blessed relief... that and the diet really got me through. I hope this thread helps other people get through it.

Sorry for double posting, but more observations...

I have had some issues, I don't think it's re-tearing exactly but definitely irritation. Sometimes even the good diet produced harder-than-expected BMs.

I've found that V8 juice is really good! I actually like the taste of it too, but they do V8 fusion juices. However I chose the 3 veg one, with tomato, capsicum... and something else. I sip on it during the consumption of food as well, and it seems to really help keep things soft.

Bit worried it might be slightly acidic, however, but no issues so far.