Hi

I´m new to the forum, nice to see that the internet even has room for a discussion forum for things like this :)

My question goes out to people who have had experience with Rectogesic. After having had a fissure for about 6 months on and off, and lately mostly on, I was finally examined by a specialist who confirmed that I had a quite ordinary anal fissure. He prescribed me with Rectogesic 0.4% ointment, and told me to use it for 8 weeks.

Now it´s been 2 weeks and I can´t really say that I´m noticing much of a difference. I read in some medical trials that rectogesic does not actually heal fissures, it just helps with the pain. Is that true? Or is your experience different?

How long should I expect to wait before feeling an improvement?

(Apart from the ointment I´m doing all the other stuff, like taking stool softeners and drinking lots of water, using wet wipes etc)

Many thanks!

Hi Efr97...

So here is the skinny on all the ointments we smear on our butts (prescription ointments - nitroglycerin, diltiazem, niphedipine). All of them do the same essential thing - they help lower the resting pressure of your sphincter muscle...by approx 30% I think. These same creams are used by people who suffer some heart ailments like angina to lower the resting pressure of the heart muscle. Lowering the pressure in the sphincter allows for more blood flow to the area which then allows your body an opportunity to heal itself.
So the cream does not do the healing but helps create a situation where the body's natural healing agents can do their job.
This is why we all also use heating pads, hot water bottles, warm baths...to comfort but as important to help stimulate blood flow.
I found that the creams took approx 6/7 weeks to really help cut down on my pain. I started on nitroglycerin and after 8/10 weeks switched to diltiazem. I found dilt gave me rashes...since then I tried niphedipine which has been the best for me. So be patient with it and be open to trying other creams if this one is not working for you.
Hope that helps a bit. Good luck with the creams (and no need to stick inside the anus...smear around the anus opening. The medicinal agent is well absorbed by your body and will do its job)
Best - Canadabum