How to tell if AF is healing

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How to tell if AF is healing

Postby Lorettalippold » 09 Nov 2016, 10:53

Hello, My name is Loretta Lippold and I have been suffering from one stubborn AF for about 4 months now. Only been treating it for about 3 months. The doctor I have been seeing me is referring me to a different doctor at this point as he thinks my condition, although improving, should be healed at this point. SO I am off to see another specialist to discuss possible surgery. My question is, how long does it normally take this thing to completely heal? I still have a bit of pain with a BM and still small amount of blood and still stinging a few hours after BM, BUT it is SO much better than it was about 2 months ago. I feel like I have been at this level of feeling better for awhile now and not going any further. I really don't want to do surgery but really don't want to live like this for much longer. The pain is tolerable now and I can once again function so part of me says " You are getting better, so give it some time" BUT how much time? Also, I am concerned this might be something worse than an AF ( cancer) since it refuses to heal. I have read that the symptoms of an AF are very similar to symptoms of rectal and anal cancer. SO my worrying, definitely doesn't help my situation as I am sure stress adds to the problem. Anyway, I have rambled enough. Would just like to get a word from someone who has actually suffered from one of these. Healing time? Surgery? Tell me your story!

Thanks so much!
Lorettalippold
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Re: How to tell if AF is healing

Postby Mypoorbutt » 09 Nov 2016, 11:20

Hi loretta,
There is no real timeline for healing as everyone is different. But a fissure is chronic if it doesn't heal in 6/12 weeks. You could try different creams than what you have been using, or maybe change your diet if you think that's a factor.
Whether you have surgery again is hard to advise on...I have had this awful thing for 18 months, would I have had surgery after 4 heck yes if only someone had offered it to me...but I have IBD and can go to the toilet a lot in a day and can sometimes have weeks that are horrendous so there wasn't much hope of mine healing without surgery. Although I got it manageable with GTN as long as my bowel behaved.
As for the symptoms being the same as cancer....my surgeon say not at all...only the surface ones such as blood...your bowel habits shouldn't change due to a fissure unless you are actively trying to make them and certainly in the begining and for some people quite far on rectal and anal cancer is painless hence why it's often drastic...and the one thing a fissure is not is painless. But if you have blood you should ALWAYS get it checked and should be offered a colonoscopy very quickly.
Hope you continue to improve
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Re: How to tell if AF is healing

Postby Lorettalippold » 09 Nov 2016, 11:29

Thanks so much!! So have you had the surgery? Or you can't because of the IBD? 18 months! UGHHHH SO sorry for that. These things are horrible. I am using Rectiv at the moment and it helps. My stools are completely where they should be so I just don't know why I am not healing completely. The doctor says at this point, he can barely find it when he looks SO why is there still pain? I don't get it. No rhyme or reason with these things. IF I have a completely pain free bowel movement, I will have pain come within the hour and last all day. IF I have a horribly painful BM, I usually don't get much pain after. Makes no sense. I really wouldn't wish this thing on my worst enemy.
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Re: How to tell if AF is healing

Postby Mypoorbutt » 09 Nov 2016, 12:14

Yes I had LIS yesterday, but have done the whole step ladder required by the NHS creams Botox now LIS hence why it has taken 18 months. Me and my surgeon have been working hard to try and get the IDB better but he specialises in IDB and assures me that as long as the fissure is not caused by the crohns then LIS still has a very good chance of success.
I'm strange in that if I have a BM that's a Bristol 3 or even a 2 then the pain after is a lot less than if I have a Bristol 4 or heaven forbid a 5. I asked my surgeon who said sometimes the harder or more painful movements stretch the sphincter which in some people can make the spasms and buring less after. It's so hard as every single persons anatomy is slightly different. The looser my BMs the more acidic they are and the worse the pain is. My serious pain has always started about 20 mins to an hour after a BM and at its worst can last 10 hours. Sometimes regular GPs can miss the extent of a fissure to be fair mine didn't see my fissure but when I went to the CRS he said it was one of the worst he had seen in 20 years....it was hiding behind a hem lol
I use rectogesic was offered diliatazem but had an allergic reaction too it...but lots of people have success with that....I was also talking on another post about amytriptilline which is for depression but has been shown to help chronic fissures I tried it and did see a bit of improvement but the...my colon decided it didn't like it so I had to stop. I agree this is the worst pain I have ever had no one should have to deal with it day in day out week after week.
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