Hi Everyone, this is my first post. I've only just found this forum this evening after doing lots of research about Anal Fissures. I am a 35 year year old female. This a long post, sorry but I hope some of you will read it.
It is some what of a comfort to know this forum is going and fellow sufferers can share their stories/advice/opinions. It's also good to know that someone else understands what this horrible condition is like to deal with!
I first visited my GP 6 years ago, when I started to have problems with pain when going to the toilet and long lasting pain after every BM. I was told i was suffering with Piles at first and started to use Anusol cream, the cream was of no help and so I went back to my GP a few more times before he decided the Piles may need banding. I arranged an appointment for this to happen. On the day, i got to the medical centre to have this procedure done, the doctor made a start (this was the first time anyone had actually examined me) and said ' you haven't got piles, you have a Anal Fissure', so I went back to my GP.
I was given various different creams, Rectogesic, GTN, Lidocaine. None of these worked. My GP eventually referred me to a CRS after I went to him in tears and practically begged for a referral. I was in so much pain.
At my first appointment at the hospital, I was prescribed Diltiazem Hydrochloride cream, I started to use this and to great relief the Diltiazem worked :-)
It is now 6 years later and the problem is back, worse than ever! I'm pretty sure this was triggered by passing a one off hard stool around 9 months ago, I never get constipated. So, off I go back to my GP, again I am put through the process of trying every cream, or possible medication the GP can prescribe me, again none of them helped, this process in it's self took a long time, as they wanted me to give each cream time to work....all this time I am still in horrible pain!
I eventually decided to go Private and have a consultation with a CRS as I was in so much pain and fed up with waiting for my GP to arrange a referral. The CRS prescribed the diltiazem i'd been longing for and explained 3 different procedures to me that may be a option for me if the Diltiazem didn't work. First was Botox Injections, 2nd was a Lateral Sphincterotomy and 3rd was a Anal Advancement Flap. I left the consultation feeling positive this would now be sorted, one way or another.
On this occassion the Diltiazem has not worked, it is now 8 months of being in horrendous/clawing the wall pain after every BM. I cannot compare this pain to any other, I regularly experience 6-8 hours of severe pain after every BM, which i describe as it feels like someone is shoving a poker up your backside and twisting it over and over again. It is unbearable/Dibilitating pain at times.
After realising the Diltiazem was not working, I contacted my CRS's secretary and explained I was desperate for something to be done. They thankfully contacted me soon after the call and got me in to have the Botox injections.
I had the Botox injected into my Sphincter on 2nd Jan 2015 under general anesthetic, the operation took a hour, i had no pain when i woke up and I was in and out of hospital the same day. The CRS also did a EUA and found no signs of inflammatory bowel disease or such like, which was a relief to me!
During the first week after the OP, I suffered from more wind than usual and struggled to control it, which was slightly embarrasing, i also noticed some leakage after wiping myself clean after having a BM. I guessed this was the Botox relaxing the muscle. It is now about 3 weeks later and that seems to have stopped. The first couple of BM's after the Op were particularly sore and to be honest I have not really felt any improvement 3 weeks on. The pain feels as if it is higher up inside now and slightly better around my anus. I was sceptical about the Botox after reading other people stories on different websites but felt I had to try it. I am again in Pain and have again been referred back to the CRS through my GP, this is desperate now! I did however, remember one thing I was prescribed 6 years ago, that I had not tried this time, I rang my GP and got a prescription for INSTILLAGEL (a local anesthetic gel) I have been using this for just over a week and along with warm baths it seems to be taking the edge off the pain considerably! I have had the first fairly pain free BM in months!
I do know that this Instillagel isn't a permenant solution but it will help until i can get another appointment with the CRS. I think I will end up having a LIS and from what I have read they seem to be quite successful. My CRS said they are more reluctant to do the LIS on women incase they are going to have children but it's highly likely I wont be having kids so that doesn't effect me personally.
I just want all this sorted out now. It has dictated my social life for months and I can't make plans incase I will be in pain, as all I want to do is lie down when i'm in the awful pain! It has been no fun for my partner either, although i have a lot of support. It has affected my life at work, I am currently on reduced hours and although my employer has been sympathetic, I am starting to get pressure from my employer as to when i think this problem will be dealt with! It really is a nightmare but I am hoping there is light at the end of the tunnel!!!!!!
One thing i have realised is that you have to keep on to your GP and CRS and make them constantly aware of how you are! Good luck to anyone else going through this, I really do feel for you.