Been using the Nitro cream religiously for the past week and it seem to healing somewhat ! Yippie !
Problem is - five minutes after application ( where sun never shines ) I get a splitting headache and feels like the top of my head wants to blow off. ( slightly exadurated but true )
But really, I'm not using anywhere near the amount the doc suggests - does everyone else get the same effects from this Nitro cream ?
Now, if they could just make a cream that gives you a delightful buzz - wouldn't that be a pleasure ?

I don't know about the nitro, but I am on nifedipen. I guess its like nitro without the headaches.
I like the nifedipen. To me, it heals fast, but does not stop the fissure from reocurring.

I used nitro for 6 weeks and probably for the first month or so, I had a pretty good headache(pounding). The doctor suggested tylenol to help with it and to use the cream right before bed so I could lay down right away because it lowers your blood pressure. The headache lessened as time went on, but I still would get one for just a minute or so.
I stopped using the cream for about a month, but had some bleeding again and used it again for 2 weeks suggested by the doctor. The headache was definitely alot less, just for a couple of minutes.
The other thing I get with it is a burning sensation for a few minutes. The doctor said that was normal and as long as I could handle it, it was okay.
She said to use it for two weeks if I have bleeding or pain. I just finished up the 2 weeks again and still have a pinpoint of bleeding on the TP. But, I'm taking a break from the nitro for awhile, unless the bleeding gets worse. Just kind of tired of the headaches and I'm not sure if the burning is irritating the outside skin. I think that's where the bleeding is coming from and the skin seems to burn a little during the day. But, I have a whole new prescription filled in case I need to go back to it.
Julie

Nitro causes headaches - it is its most common side effect. They are not dangerous - just annoying. I had very mild ones although I used cream 4-5 times a day. With Nifedipen I had none. I had burning with both of them and it is because they both cause vasodilatation which causes pruritus ani ( in translation, they cause blood vessels to get wider and that way promote circulation but when it happens it can cause burning sensation in anal area).
In all studies, cream were used 6 to 12 weeks until full healing was achieved, in some patients additional 4 t0 6 weeks.
In my opinion, if they work , one should use them until no pain or bleeding is present - in other words until fissure is not completely healed. Going half way is only going to make ones fissure more likely to reopen and more times it opens the more time it needs to close again.
All the best !!!
PS: It is not necessary to put cream inside the anus - I used it only outside.

I used nitro and got headaches. a couple minutes after application i got a pounding head rush that lasted anywhere between 5min and 30mins and the rest of the day I would have a low grade headache. If it had helped me, I would gladly have continued the regimen (sp--i suddenly forgot how to spell this word). On the bad days, I would take an ibuprofen. That seemed to help.

i used nitro for at least a month before i had my first LIS. i applied it inside the anus, around the fissure area, using a q-tip 4-5 times a day. i never had a headache from it. it also didn't help me heal at all. go figure.

Well, I know that friend of mine had heart problems and nurse applied nito patch on his chest and said : "You might get a slight headache soon , but it is a good sign since it means that it is working." So, maybe it can be applied to our butts too - ?!?

Yup, same thing happened with me when I used Nitro. I could only use it for a short while because the headaches got too bad and I became so light headed, I would only apply Nitro directly before sleeping, hoping that I could fall asleep before the headache kicked in (but I'd still wake up with a numbing headache)! So I switched over to diltiazem which helped a bit, and now I'm just on aloe vera which, oddly enough?, seems to be helping more than both. And no side effects...

why don't you try applying the nitro with some vaseline to dilute it a bit, my pharmacist makes me a special mixture of nitro and a vaseline type product so that I don't get heahaches, it works wonders! just ask your pharmacist they'll know how made the heahaches from nitro can be

The nitro I got came mixed with white petrolatum, but it still gave me a pretty good headache. The headache was worth it, though. because it really helped get rid of the pain when going poo. I'd rather have a short term headache anyday compared to that pain.
When I first got the nitro, it didn't have any directions or applicator, just finger cots. I filled the prescription on a Friday night, so had no idea how to use it. The pharmacist said just to take a little on my finger and put it inside a little bit. That didn't seem to help at all. Finally, the next week I got a hold of the doctor and was given an applicator. She said to use 1/2", which on the applicator was 1/2 gram. And get it up inside of me. I found that if I left any on the outside it irritated the skin too much, so I would dab that off with TP.
No bleeding this morning for me. Yay! It burned a bit coming out, but that was all. I really think this time it could be irritated skin or internal hemorrhoids that caused the little bit of bleeding. So, I'm saving the nitro cream in case something actually feels like it's tearing again.
I wouldn't worry about the headaches, unless they're just too much for you. I know I've read that some people need to use nitro cream many times a day, but I read some research that said there should be a 12 hour window between doses to keep you from getting to used to the cream. Then, it's not as effective. So, I guess that's why the CRS I have said to just use it at bedtime. I never did feel it wasn't working, just that the headaches lessened some over time.