So I have been on here for a bit reading everyone's success stories and different plans of care to help them heal an Anal Fissure. Sure helped in my decision to have LIS surgery. So I hope this helps someone else.
I am currently 38 years old and have been suffering for many years with an AF. I have had 4 babies...3 of them over 10lbs resulting in tears. They have all healed successfully with a good bowel regimen, lots of water and pain medications as well as a change in my diet. However with the birth of my last son and an emergency flight related to a loss in our family I got one painful AF. I am the queen of travelling and getting constipated....I just can't go. I have always laughed and said I am the only person I know who goes on vacation to tropical countries and has to eat prunes for breakfast everyday. I remember the day exactly that my AF went from bad to worse....and my life changed in an instant. After the 5 hr flight home towing three boys....one of them three weeks old I told my doc I needed to see a CRS now. So here is my 10 month story..... For those of us who cant sleep because of the pain here is some light reading:) keep in mind I am an RN of 20 years and I deal with a lot of residents who suffer with constipation. I just could not fix myself!
Sept 2013: I was referred to a CRS to help with my AF. My family doc at the time started me on Niphedipine oint. I started myself on laxaday and a high fibre diet. Took Tylenol and Advil as needed for pain.
Sept 2013: Saw CRS...he said "I can heal you....this is easy!" Nitro 0.2% rectally, Metamucil, xylocaine rectally to numb the bum and sitz baths. Not so easy....I have three kids....no time to pee let alone sit for 10-15 min. But I complied.
Oct 2013: still on the same regimen of laxatives, diet changes: no nuts, seeds, crackers, popcorn. Saw the CRS...he says "Keep doing what you are doing" and off I go....suffering immensely night and day and trying to wrangle three kids. With a baby who wants to nurse every two hrs.
Nov and Dec the same thing. However now I am feeling like I am getting depressed.... Don't want to go out as I am so consumed with the pain in my rear end that I could care less about social chit chat! My arse hurts....not really mom group banter. I can't not figure out why I am suffering so badly. Try to rationalize that maybe I did something wrong to deserve this.
Jan 2014..... My life gets 10x worse..... Not only do I have severe debilitating pain but I am filling the toilet with blood. I am nauseated with pain. And a purely miserable. This has got to be the worst mat leave I have ever had. So I make an appt with my CRS as I can not take it anymore. This is the day I change my surgeons. I got to see him, I am in tears as the pain is so bad. He replays "I just came from seeing a patient dying of pancreatic cancer who wishes his only problem was an anal fissure!" Thanks a lot....I just buried my father in law who died of cancer in August. I finally get a referral to see a new CRS.
Feb 2014: I see my new CRS, she is female and has the best bedside manner. She has a child the same age as my youngest. I pour my heart out to her and she listens. She is empathic and try's a new regiment of meds. And books me for botox rectally.
March 2013: So I have made one visit to ER as the pain was so bad I was on my bathroom floor shaking. Nothing really came of the visit as they can't give me anything for pain that will really work as I am breast feeding. I had the botox done on March 7th under deep sedation. No big deal. I was out the same day and at my sons hockey game...sitting on a soft cushion mind you:)
April 2013: Well the botox did nothing for me. Honestly maybe made things worse. Now I have this intense burning on top of the countless hours of pain. I am back in emerg for new meds. Nothing is working. I decide that maybe I need an adjuvant therapy as conventional medicine is not working. I go to Chiro and try laser therapy to help heal the AF. I see a dietician as well. Here is what my day looks like:
Prevacid 30mg po daily (heartburn)
Toradol 10mg four times a day.
Laxaday 34 gr twice a day
Magnesium 400mg daily
Multivitamin daily
Ativan 0.5mg sl to help relax
Protein shake to help heal.
Niphedipine as needed rectally as well and xylocaine.
Sitz baths
Diet restrictions.... Plus I have now taken out dairy. I have been Gluten free for 9 years as I have celiac.
I seem to have a bit of relief...I actually have a few good days....there is hope...could be a light at the end of the tunnel. But nope....2 good days equals 5 bad days.....then 1 good day...three bad. Just a vicious circle. How can I NOT heal. I am young, healthy and active. I don't smoke...rarely drink.... And yet one little AF has taken me out. I google endlessly into the night for a cure. I read countless horror stories. I cry at the drop of a hat. I remember reading one ladies post who said she felt like she wanted to die, And the docs wanted her to see psych. I got how she felt....I lay on my bathroom floor sobbing to my husband that I want to die. I don't really want to die.....I love my life, my kids, my job....but I understood how she felt. Hopeless and no real cure.
May 12: AF looks the same and not healing. Today....I have had the LIS surgery. I asked my CRS why me? She just said bad luck. I should have healed.....but I didn't. I am sitting in bed on a heating pad at home writing this. My surgery was today @ 2pm. So far I am ok. Took reg Tylenol and some toradol for mild discomfort. More tired from the anesthetic. The discomfort I have now is nothing comparable to the pain I had before the sugary today. Today was a bad AF pain day. I am looking forward to a good recovery....I will still follow my med regimen and bowel meds. Fingers crossed to a speedy recovery. I do fear my first BM....but how can it be worse than the razor blades I have been passing since last Aug.
I hope this helps someone..... I know I read a lot of forums on here. There is hope! I still have some;)