Hello everyone! I have a bit of a long backstory that I'll try to abbreviate. I've been having pain/discomfort in my rear area since last December (so 9 months now). I thought it was a skin problem, and since I have psoriasis on other parts of my body, I went to my dermatologist. He thought it was psoriasis (though without a biopsy, which I didn't want to do, you can't be 100%). I tried numerous topicals and antibiotics (in case it was bacterial instead), but with no solution found. I'd have good days and bad days, good weeks and horrible weeks. I also saw 3 other dermatologists, none of whom gave me ideas that worked out to eliminate the pain.
About 15 years ago I dealt with an external hemorrhoid, and every now and then I have a hard stool that would irritate me for about a day (maybe once a year or every other year). My derm said he saw an external hemorrhoid in the spring, so I was doing my normal routine for that (diet, fiber, water intake, soaking), and over this 9 month stretch of discomfort, I've had a few episodes where I thought to myself, why am I getting more hemorrhoids now? I finally got a referral to a GI doctor, who I met with last week. He said he didn't see any external hemorrhoids, and he didn't feel any masses inside based on the rectal exam. He said this sounds like a fissure, and it could be a fissure that's been bothering me this whole time. He recommended Citrucel as a supplement and Rectiv.
I waited a couple of days to get the Rectiv so I could investigate it. I was worried about the headache side effect. But I've been having a bad week down there, so I ended up getting it. Now, as a straight guy, the idea of putting something up the bum wasn't pleasant, but I've been getting through that. I can't get it up the full inch that is recommended though. I do the best I can. I haven't felt any side effects...no headaches, though I've been proactively taking Tylenol before doing the treatment.
I have a million questions about the Rectiv. How do I know if it's working? Could I be aggrevating a fissure by sticking my finger up there? (it sort of feels worse after I do it). I use a finger cot, of course, but is it possible that I'm making the fissure worse? Does applying the Rectiv externally do anything? That doesn't make me feel as bad. I'm also wondering if I'm not getting headaches because I'm not getting enough of it up there? I'm on day 3 right now. I also don't know the best way to position my body to insert it?!?!?
I've been soaking in a plain tub of warm water, but is that the same as a sitz bath? Does it do the same thing? My legs are covered in addition to my rear end. I'm not sure I understand how a sitz bath clinically helps, but I've still been soaking. Sometimes it makes me feel better and sometimes it doesn't. That's the story of this whole thing, though. I'll have a period of a few hours where I don't fell anything back there, and then that same day I'll feel stinging pain.
So...I've written a lot here...sorry about that. If you have any advice on how to get through this for someone who was recently diagnosed with a fissure, it would be much appreciated.
Thank you!