Let me back up (hehe) and introduce myself. My name is Wendy, and I have an anal fissure. I am self-diagnosed since around July, and haven't visited the Dr, nor taken any Rx meds for it. I've suffered w/ hemorrhoids off and on for over 20 years due to childbirth. By some strange fluke I found this site and have been lurking here gathering info for several mos. now. I've changed my diet and upped my fiber intake. My hope is I can heal on my own w/o the aid of someone lurking around my posterior.
The spasms have been the worst. I'd feel fine after a BM for a good couple hours, then I'd get hit w/ excruciating pain that would lay me up on the couch for 4-6 hours. I've also experienced blood on the TP most times, usually just a trace but sometimes a shocking bright red splotch. I also have the telltale tag in front of it, which hasn't been a hindrance...I think it's small compared to what I've seen and read about. I am curious what it all looks like down there!
Anyway, about 2 weeks ago, I haven't had the bad spasms. Sometimes some discomfort afterwards, but nothing like before. I've also been itchier than usual, too. The removable showerhead has been a godsend w/ both pain and scratching that itch. My question is, does that mean I'm healing? Itching on any injury is usually a good sign of that, but the spasms of the inner sphincter are still quite the mystery to me. I love not having the spasms, but I'm quite the pessimist and don't want to celebrate what might be a small victory in this war on my butt... not until someone can fill me in.

Oh the puns..

Hi Wendy!

I totally understand not wanting to see a doctor. I suffered with the worst pain of my life everyday for six weeks before I finally went in to see someone. Unfortunately with the fissures usually the sooner you get treatment, the better they heal (or so I'm told) so I don't think I would wait so long if it happened to me again... but that said, there are also people on here who have healed themselves over many months without ever seeing a doc - so it is doable!

I don't know for sure about the itching... I only experienced itching at the very beginning of my episode. Generally speaking wounds do itch when they heal, but hemorrhoids also itch just generally speaking. Have you tried any OTC hemmie cream to see if that would help? Also, your post was about two weeks ago now... any change/progress?

I can't believe I lost the whole post I just did on my tablet. I'll come back later after I calm down and type it out on my PC...