Heartbroken- Need Advice

Just diagnosed with Anal Fissure

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Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby erbear » 19 Jul 2016, 07:13

Hello, I have been very thankful to find this forum the last few days and it is comforting to know I am not alone in the suffering. A lot of your stories are inspiration and give me hope. A little background about myself- I am 25 and extremely healthy. I know we all say that but I haven't had children, I don't drink, smoke, or eat unhealthy. I have a strict diet since I have acid reflux so I am used to having small meals and organic foods only. For a whole entire year, I was diagnosed with Hemorrhoids and was taking everything under the sun for them: every. single. day. I had bleeding after stool movements and immense paid during bowel movements. I started feeling uneasy using these meds everyday for a year (especially while not getting better) and I have read steroids can essentially weaken the skin over long time use. Exactly two days ago, I go to a new doctor to asses why I haven't been better and they kind of freaked me out for having taken prep H and witch hazel for that long. My heart drops. I was then diagnosed with an anal fissure. This whole time I was taking meds I didn't need to that didn't help?! And now, it is only replaced with new ones- I was now given diltiazem, lidocaine, metamucil, and sitz baths. I am day 2 on dilz and metamucil and I am scared for this new journey. I would love to find natural methods that have worked! I am tired of being scared to go to the bathroom, to travel to see my family, or any daily life. I worry about my future for when I do start having kids or when I am older and my body starts naturally declining. I am getting used to living in fear and letting it take over. PLEASE, if you have any advice on my new meds or your experience, I would love to read it, or even feel among friends. Thank you for your time. And especially, thank you for those who are vulnerable in this experience. I know it is not easy.
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby thedude » 19 Jul 2016, 09:04

Hi Erbear,

I'll go ahead and tell you that the anal fissure road is not an easy one. There are ups and downs for sure. The most important thing that will help you is to do what the doctor tells you to do and also make sure you eat a good amount of fiber and drink A LOT of water. For me, Miralax also helped to keep everything soft. Sitz baths or just baths in general after a BM will be your friend. Coconut oil also helped me. Before a BM, I would put a little coconut oil up my butt which helped the BM to pass easier and coconut oil also helps to heal the area.

However, in the end, if the Doctor suggests surgery such as LIS, Fissurectomy, etc etc, don't be afraid to go through with it. I put all of that off for 4-5 months and then finally the Doctor recommened a fissurectomy. Best decision I ever made was to go through with that surgery. I think you'll find most people are terrified of the surgery not because of going into surgery, but rather the aftermath of surgery such as going to the bathroom and the pain. However, for me and I know several other people the pain after surgery was far less than the pain that we all had with the fissure.

For me, those first 2-3 months were terrifying just as you say. I was terrified to use the bathroom, terrified of going places in case the pain kicked in. I even had to cancel a dental appointment because I had a BM an hour before the appointment and I couldn't stand to sit down for that long. However, you have to stay strong, and keep going even when it sucks. Positive thinking also helped me to get through those tough times. Just saying to myself, I will not let this keep down, and I will heal from this.

Best of luck!
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby erbear » 20 Jul 2016, 02:29

Thank you so much for your response. I have been jaded by doctors before with the misdiagnoses of the hemorrhoid, but you have reminded me to have faith in their prognosis and medicine moving forward in this new situation. I have used coconut oil before, and even freeze suppositories, but I took a break as they were messy, but you have inspired me to start again. I feel like all the meds are just so oily and messy down there. I have been drinking a ton and ton of water!! I just worry taking Metamucil will cause me to be dependent on it- do you feel like Miralax is better?

My post was primarily about the emotional effects this is having for me so I am extremely thankful for your last sentence of how positive thinking really helps. I will repeat your sentence!!!
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby Mypoorbutt » 20 Jul 2016, 07:24

Hi erbear,
I can totally empathise with you, I have had my fissures a year now and can honestly say it's been the worst year of my life.
The pain of the spasms is indescribable and when it lasts for hours it is as challenging mentally as it's is physically.
I have IBD but that didn't limit my life as much as the pain from the fissure has, for 8 months I hardly left the house only to go to work I daren't socialise and couldn't exercise a at all. Thanks to the GTN the pain became manageable so I hope the same will happen for you now you have the right treatment.
I have just had Botox and a fissurectomy and can say these last few weeks have been the best I have had in a year, I know I need LIS later in the year but I am thankful for these mainly pain free weeks.
I can't honestly say the fear has gone because it hasn't i do still have pain just not the spasms. All I can say is I reached a point when I accepted that this is going to be with me for life so I have to carry on as I did before...I have started going to the gym and swimming again and going out with my children. I don't know if I could do this if I was still having spasms but I do know I feel better emotionally when I feel I'm actually living instead of just existing with this horrid fissure.
Please don't give up give the cream time to work I'm sure that it will, once the pain decreases, even just a bit. Your enthusiasm will return and you will feel brave enough to start going out again.
Your not alone in this and trust me this is the worst pain I have ever experienced....if I didn't have children I'm not sure I would have pushed through the dark days. But the dark days do end and it does get better eventually and most people heal and carry on as normal before the fissures
Keep positive and try and keep relaxed you will get better
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby thedude » 20 Jul 2016, 08:13

I understand the emotional part. There were definitely times I got down and out just because of the affect that the fissure had on my life. But chin up and keep moving forward!

I haven't used metamucil though it was recommended to me by my CRS. I used colace before miralax and for me, miralax works better than colace and since it's working, I don't see a need to switch. It all comes down to what works for you. Sometimes you just have to play around till you find the right combo.

Also, yes, this is all very messy, but unfortunately it's part of this for a while. As mypoorbutt said, the dark days do end.
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby Healingthroughdiet » 20 Jul 2016, 18:17

Hi ER bear, first of all hugs to you. My first fissure was at age 8, then 18 and then at 27. All those times I was perfectly healthy except for the last - just had had a baby! My daughter is now 13 and I am 40! Dealing with fissure 4. Everytime it's caused me agony and emotional pain - but this time I had this forum! You are not alone.
The road is long as the dude says - but as both MPB and the dude say there is definitely light . How would you rate your diet? Food is the best key to healing - be conscious of soluble fiber - it's better than too much insoluble fiber.
Miralax is good - so is magnesium - I use both with a stool softener. Drink 3 liters a day helps me - I know it doesn't help others.
Had 2 LIS and 1 Botox but always it's been my determination in diet that helped. Bristol scale for stool - Google that and see what scale you are at- Bristol 5 is good for me.
We are there for you
Best
HTD
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby erbear » 20 Jul 2016, 21:25

Thank you, thank you, thank you for the replies!

Mypoorbutt- I love your honesty when you say the fear isn't completely gone but you are accepting how to integrate it into your daily life. Your post helps me realize that a lot of the healing has come from getting out of the house and back into the world. You mentioning swimming has inspired me to get back into yoga and use that as a center for healing as well! I will do my first session in a few months tonight, thanks to you!

Thedude- The last few posts I have read and responses below have also mentioned Murilax. I believe I will give it a try. Thanks for mentioning the "playing around" and testing because sometimes when something does work, I think it is the end of the road, but there are a bunch of different products that work differently for all people! I'll let ya know what works for me. My doctor did give me 3 cans of Metamucil as part of my prescription at a low cost, so I might see if I can continue that and see about prune juice. Did you ever try prune juice? I feel like it is more natural? I have also been adding Vitamin E to my coconut suppositories. Have you heard anything about that?

Healingthroughdiet- Big hugs back! It must have been so hard to have it start so young. I feel that way with having started at 25. I want to start a family so bad, but my fear of having it come back when I give birth is causing some distention in my heart. I would say my diet is really good. I have a 32 FL OZ water bottle and I drink about 3 or 4 of those a day! I wake up with lemon, ACV, honey and water to help my digestive system, I then have maltomeal/oatmeal with flaxseed and almonds for breakfast, I do have a cheese stick and crackers for a snack but limit to my only cheese of the day or week, for lunch it is usually a salad for potatoes with a side of meat- either chicken or beef. For dinner I will then have a vegetable smoothie with avocado, carrots, spinach, mango, banana, and blueberry. I sometimes cheat with coffee, but I make sure to drink a full 32 ounces before and then in the evening I have been trying prune juice. Do you have any additional suggestions or changes I should make? Thank you for your kind words.
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby erbear » 20 Jul 2016, 21:32

Oh! Healingthroughdiet- I also wanted to talk to you about supplements. I have not tried magnesium (it is now on my list), I do take Vitamin E, cranberry pills for urinary tract health which has Vitamin C in it too, probiotics, pre-natals (for when we try in a year if I have healed) vitamin D3. Are there any you think I should cut back or add?
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby Healingthroughdiet » 20 Jul 2016, 22:16

Nope I use the c and E. I use b12 - it's the worlds best placebo!
Glad we cheered u up dear.
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Re: Heartbroken- Need Advice

Postby Mypoorbutt » 21 Jul 2016, 02:35

Hi,
Hope the yoga went well, I too like yoga but cannot do the seated postures I did try a Pilates class yesterday though and that was good.
I can't offer much help RE constipation but my friend takes oregano oil a few drops in water or makes it into a tea she said it works better than anything else...she only told me about it yesterday as I have been making a mixture with it and coconut oil to apply on the fissure .
Hope you find a regime that works for you as I truly believe it's the state and frequency of our BMs that enable us to heal
Hugs
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