Thank you to everyone who contributes to this forum. It has helped a lot to cope over the past several months. I appreciate the insight and positivity of people who are currently suffering or who have experienced anal fissures.
I am a 26 year old gay male living in Los Angeles and have been in and out of depression dealing with this disability. Sometimes I am positive and believe I will get better, and other times I fear this is a lifelong journey which will ensnare me in a twilight world of anal punishment for the rest of my life. I realize that I am young, and that relief and recovery are imminent, but this process is arduous and I don't always handle the pain very well. Any advice, tips, suggestions for treatment would obviously be enormously appreciated.
In the past 8 months I have been diagnosed with hemorrhoids, then intestinal parasites, and now an anal fissure. After treatment of my intestinal parasites, it seems that my condition has stabilized but I have not seen any dramatic improvements in the fissure department. I have been on a regimen for several weeks that seems to be at least keeping the pain to a low/moderate level, some days no pain at all.
My current treatment is as follows;
Every evening I take a stool softener, magnesium, and ibuprofen. This way I get a good night sleep, lower inflammation, and ensure a soft bowel movement in the morning.
In the morning I drink a glass of fruit juice, and take a daily probiotic, rutin, ibuprofen, and magnesium. After my bowel movement I use epson salts in a sitz bath sometimes with witch hazel and black tea. Then I apply coconut oil and insert a vitamin E suppository. I try to take at least one more sitz bath in the evening.
I am also taking several kinds of herbs recommended by herbalists and an Ayurvedic practitioner. I take licorice root with amalaki in hot water, avipatikar, marshmallow powder, and a tincture with echinacea and horse chestnut.
I have a very strict diet because anytime I stray from a particular set of things I have bowel issues, which is something I cannot afford to risk in this condition.Mostly i try to stick to Ayurvedic principles of eating. I eat lots of boiled or steamed vegetables, sauerkraut, bone broth soups, and lean meats, mostly chicken. My bowels seem to be fairly regular but I am prone to constipation and take stool softeners to ensure I don't re-injure myself when I shit. I am active, exercise regularly by weight lifting, am generally athletic and healthy besides the anal issues. I am thin and athletic, always have been. In fact I have such a penchant for watching my health I don't know why these things are happening to me. Although I only recently stopped smoking and drinking due to these problems.
I have no pain during my bowel movements, and no blood or mucus, so I'm not sure why I am still experiencing pain and not seeing much improvement. Doctors have been fairly useless besides confirming the diagnosis. I am NOT INTERESTED IN SURGERY. And any prescribed ointments have been no help or made the muscle spasms worse. I experience discomfort often when sitting. I don't know what else to do to be honest.
My life has been turned upside down by this experience and it has effected all dimensions of my daily life. I have not been able to date or have sex with anyone. I cannot go out drinking anymore, in fact I often avoid socializing because my confidence is often pretty low. Sometimes I ignore it to great success and have a great time, but sometimes it reminds me that my life is bound to this private injury I'm not comfortable talking about with most people.
Are there any treatments that I should ABSOLUTLEY be doing?!?!?
Is there anything I should NOT be doing?!?!
Are there any other gay men out there dealing with this issue? Other bottoms who have overcome this? When will I he able to have anal sex again?
Is there anyone out there who has experienced success with the Ayurveda or with the GAPS diet?
I will continue to read other posts and learn what I can, thanks again to all contributors. Thank you for reading this. Please reach out if you have any advice.