My fissure adventures

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My fissure adventures

Postby PainedSA » 25 Nov 2014, 21:23

On the 27th August I had my beautiful baby girl Arwen. Two weeks later this nightmare began.

I have another topic introducing myself and explaining my state of mind but it will probably get touched on again in here.

A brief timeline -

27th Aug - Birth - Traumatic labour with ventouse delivery. I had three code blues called, multiple black outs, oxygen loss, massive blood loss and big episiotomy.

6th sep - Bum started hurting - thought it was because of episiotomy

8th sep - Because of iron tablets RE massive bloodloss I had a very large, very black BM. Hurt the AF that I already had (didn't know that yet) Took ibuprofen thinking that the pain would go away.

9th sep - had a feel around down there and felt a lump. Researched on the net and assumed was hemorrhoids.
Went to pharmacy and got Coloxyl stool softeners and Hemocane cream. Upped my fibre intake.

(At this point i treated with the cream and stool softeners - overdid it on the fibre as most of us do at the start and probably made EVERYTHING worse - still thinking I had hemorrhoids.)

30th sep - things were still bad but i had read about bowel dependance on the colace so frightened myself and decided to stop taking them for a week or so. Probably not the best idea. At this point had been a month and was pretty ropable.

6th Oct - I couldnt take the pain any more, i was having a BM in the morning and then being stuck in bed until at least 3pm. At this point if I had had a job i would have been fired. I went to the Dr who was ignorant of AF (and at this point I still thought I had a hem) he was rough with me and looked inside with a very painful instrument (I KNOW he made my AF worse.) He said i had a couple of tiny hems inside and nothing to worry about prescribed me Proctosedyl and that was that.
I left feeling crap - how can I be in so much pain if there is nothing wrong - I thught I must have something wrong in my head. I was in horrific pain for days with no letup after that visit.

10th Oct - I had a panic attack due to the pain and due to being scared that this will be a forever thing. I feel ripped off of time with my daughter and learning to play and grow with her. At 11pm having a panic attack i woke my hisband up and made him drive me and my baby to my mums. The top of my head had gone numb and i was shivering (from the PA) - mum took the baby, rugged me up and made me sleep.

10th - 30th Oct - I stayed at mums for 20 days. I had another 2 drs visit as i felt the first didnt help me at all. First dr had a look externally while i broke down in his office and said he could see a small tear (this was the first time anyone had mentioned a tear to me) and was more worried about me developing PND. I couldnt explain that I was sad and upset because of the pain I am in and not PND. I left there feeling more crappy and desperate as it appeared that the diagnosis was Man up essentially. The next doctor had a quick external look and declared there was nothing there and pain was in my head (THE FK)
I started self treating from this website and other websites. Things included -

Hemocane
proctosedyl
Ice (but have learnt that's the wrong way to go)
Witch hazel for my hems (no idea if that's good or bad for fissure but lord did it sting)
Rectogesic wipes
Cotton balls (wet) for wiping
Drinking 3-4 litres water per day
coloxyl (have stopped)
Lactulose (have stopped)
prune juice in morning and before bed
Complete diet change to high fibre
Probiotic tablets
Vit e - healer of skin and promoting skin strength
Vit c (swallow capsules) - stable immune system
Garlic capsules - purify the blood and promote healing
Zinc- again promotes healing


Coconut oil


30th Oct - now i felt i had to go home so for the last month have been battling this demon at home alone for most of the day. My house has gone to sh*t. I cant do any housework and hubby works long hours and doesnt help. Baby is high needs and doesnt like to be put down at any point. People seem to be really annoying and all just say "it'll take time, it'll work out" which is all well and good for them to say but its not helpful AT ALL.
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby PainedSA » 25 Nov 2014, 21:28

Yesterday hubby came back from the pharmacy with magnesium 400mg tablets and rectogesic 0.2%. I am loathe to try the nitro as I am worried about a reaction while home alone with the baby. I have had magnesium with lunch and dinner and will continue. (so 800mg all up)
I have changed my diet to include LESS fibre as I think I have been overdoing it.
I have an appointment with my dr on monday and am going to be asking for a referral to the CRS as I am at the end of my tether after 3 months of this i am over it.
I will never ever underestimate someone who says they are in chronic pain again.
I would like some reassurance to commence using the Nitro if anyone is around and able :)
Also doc says its ok for BF but internet says its not... any info there if nursing mums have used it?

I also want to say thank you to this site for just being the best information source around and making us sufferers not feel so alone.
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby PainedSA » 25 Nov 2014, 21:32

Oh and I have put in an express order for a sitz bath as they are absolutely impossible to buy here.
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby Scientist2516 » 26 Nov 2014, 00:41

Hi PainedSA, my heart goes out to you as you struggle with baby and fissure and all that pain.
I've used NG, and am still using it. I don't get headaches with it. I get a slight feeling of pressure in my throat and chest for about 5 -10 minutes after applying it. I don't put it inside, as the pressure feeling tells me that the NG is very well absorbed from just being rubbed gently to the exterior anus.
I started with very small amounts, like the size of a lentil, and worked up gradually to the pea-size they tell you to use. I increased gradually over about 5 days.

Here is a website that talks about NG while breastfeeding: http://www.drugs.com/breastfeeding/nitroglycerin.html
It is quite reassuring. It says "Topical use of nitroglycerin for anal fissures by nursing mothers appears
to have no adverse effects on their breastfed infants."


Here is another: http://daytongastro.com/portals/0/forms ... 2_0627.pdf
"While there are not adequate studies to confirm the safety of NTG in pregnant or breast feeding women it has been used without incident so far. We recommend waiting at least one hour after applying the NTG ointment before breast feeding."

Waiting one hour sounds like good advice, though we know from experience that baby will not always wait! However, if you apply immediately after a feeding, you should have at least one hours grace.

I know it's scary to take any drug while breastfeeding, but if you try with tiny amounts, you can monitor your baby and see if you notice anything. It is not a drug that acts long term or accumulates in the body, so if there is any reaction you can stop using it right away.

Good luck. You are doing the right things, and I really hope you get some improvement soon.
:smilyhug:
Nifedipine/lidocaine, no help
Diltiazem, effective, but caused major rash
Nitroglycerine, effective.
Topical estrogen for final healing.
Gentle heat to bottom - pain relief, muscle relaxant
Kondremul mineral oil
Time - lots of time.
Status - Healed!
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby PainedSA » 26 Nov 2014, 05:54

Thank you scientist - you are a great person to have around on these forums - a lovely presence ;D

How long have you been using NG? - I see you are more or less healed - so do you just use it when you have a setback or have you not stopped using it yet? sorry if thats nosy.

Yeah - i think I am just scared of using it... need to get over it! haha
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby Scientist2516 » 26 Nov 2014, 14:57

Thanks for the kind words, PainedSA. That gave me a warm glow on a cold day!
I've been using NG for over a year, on and off. At the moment I'm "on" because I've been getting episodes of soreness that seem to come out of nowhere. It's not like the original fissure agony, but it's quite annoying.
My current plan is to keep using it without breaks for several months and see if I can heal completely. I'm lucky that I don't get headaches with it.
So - are you going to give it a try? Let us know how you get on with it.
Nifedipine/lidocaine, no help
Diltiazem, effective, but caused major rash
Nitroglycerine, effective.
Topical estrogen for final healing.
Gentle heat to bottom - pain relief, muscle relaxant
Kondremul mineral oil
Time - lots of time.
Status - Healed!
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby PainedSA » 27 Nov 2014, 00:57

Today I have had a lovely day - perfect BM this morning with pain only until 12 am. I am sitting which makes a change! I think the magnesium and backing off of fibre has helped. I still get 20-25gm but was getting 30-40gm previously.

Yes I will try it :) Going to put it on while hubby is home this weekend so someone is home to help with baby if headache is bad or feel like crap lol.
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby PainedSA » 15 Dec 2014, 08:22

So I didn't try the rectogesic as I'm just so reluctant to try new things, but I have finally managed a diet and medicine routine that is working for me.

My world doesnt seem so bleak in that now I know I can get this to a manageable and liveable sort of pain compared to the bedridden agony I was in.
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby PainedSA » 05 Mar 2015, 06:03

So having a relapse today after 2 1/2 months :(

Guess that proves I wasn't healing I was just managing the poo.

I think I will need to go and see the CRS... I have put off getting a referral as we are having surgery for our daughter and she's just been the bigger issue, especially when I had it in control with medication.

Does anyone have any information on long term use of magnesium supplements?

I'm in tears typing this.
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Re: My fissure adventures

Postby msimon » 05 Mar 2015, 12:44

Hi PainedSA. So sorry to hear you are in pain again. These things are just so frustrating and it can be so disheartening. Must also be really difficult when you are looking after a small child, especially an unwell one. I hope your CRS can be of some help for you. What medication were you using? As far as I know using magnesium long term is perfectly fine (if that's what you are asking). In fact, many people are actually deficient and should be taking a supplement.
Dec '13 Fissure from anoscope
3 X internal sphincter botox
'08-'15 Botox for pelvic floor dysfunction
Nov '14 LIS/sentinel tag removal
Feb '15 Deroofing of recurrent infection from LIS
summer '15-healed but still ongoing muscle dysfunction/pain
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