Hi all,
I've had a chronic fissure for years now, probably 5 years, and I've had various proctologists or gastro-enterologists over that time due to moving house.
Today I went to a new CRS for the first time, and after taking my history and me explaining my extreme pain right now (I think the fissure is back), he said he had to do a full physical exam – first he did a digital exam which was already really quite painful, and then second he used the anuscope I guess to look further inside. It was incredibly painful – I told him it was EXTREME and he said yeah, it will be with your fissure... the whole thing must have only lasted around 1 minute, but I've had a lot of pain and bleeding since and I can't help but think that this visit will have set me back again by weeks in terms of healing my AF!!

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Do people think that it'll have set my healing back by a long time? I am so depressed right now about the situation, and I also am really at my wits end with regards to finding a CRS who is good! In my city there are only a few choices, and the guy who I was with previously was horrible – he basically just gave no explanation of what he was doing or what the choices were and gave no info about how to handle the problem longer term. This guy seemed at least to do some explanation, but the exam was so painful and I felt really awful aftwards, like I was going to pass out... and also like I'd just ruined weeks of slow progress on the fissure...

He should not have used a scope at all. Even a digital exam is not necessary in most cases. Fissures can be seen from the outside. I'm sorry you had to experience such pain because of the exam. I would definitely look for a different CRS. This doctor sounds like someone who would blame you for being in pain.

I was scoped this way during my very first one. I had no idea what was going on and was in a foreign country, and tried my best to explain and this was what he saw fit to do. No visual or even digital first; straight to the scope. I thought I was going to pass out walking 20 minutes home but somehow I didn't. Definitely was in shock though.

Really sucks how many physicians are not attentive to this aspect of their practice at all - they just see maladies as problems to be solved, or to make them money, as opposed to things making human beings' lives miserable. I refuse to refer to them or the institution by the name health"care" any more, because those who care are clearly in the minority.

*edit - double post

I had the same experience in my follow up exam after 6 weeks of nifedipine. I told the doctor I could not relax any more, so he forced the scope in. By the time I was home, I was in agony. I feel like it sent me back 6 painful weeks. It's why I joined the forum.

I'm also wondering if this would be considered medical malpractice. Anyone?