Merita
I use 1 colace at night and drink 1 small glass of prune juice in the morning. It seems to be helping me. Plus I have plenty of fluids throught out the day. I hope things are better for you soon.
BBG
Patty

Prune Juice reeeeeally makes me go! I was surprised because prune juice has been helping me more than metemucil! As long as you get enough fibre (I just eat veggies, beans, lentils, etc.), the poop is usually pretty formed, and prune juice just makes it softer and easier to pass quickly. I think the Miralax has been helping me a lot too, but usually when I drink prune juice, it helps me go to the washroom pretty fast. Usually when I'm trying to have a BM and its just nto working, I drink 2 or 3 glasses of water, and that helps too.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone!
Maybe down the road I'll do what you're doing, Patty: prune juice in the morning and then Colace at night. Right now I'm sticking to the 2 Colace, but I'd like to reduce that eventually. Like I said in a previous post, I was abusing prune juice at one point so it still has some bad associations for me!
--Merita

Oh right, I forgot about that! That's true - I remember giving myself diarrhea once because I had prune juice, aloe vera, and perhaps too many beans. It was pretty bad b/c I had been drinking a lot of orange juice too which probably made me burn more there.
Drinking too much prune juice can def. be a problem! I try drinking a small glass per day, I usually don't even fill the whole glass up. hehe

Merita,
I only drink a small glass odf prune juice too. Be aware of grapes though I could not eat them because they went right thru me. OOOO Ouch. You will find a good combo. I am going to a CRS soon to be evaluted so I can get a good routine started. Kim was right the this is not my PCP's speciality. Good Luck.
BBG
Patty

Oh hey Lecia, I just re-read your post and was wondering how/why there is still pain even though your fissure has healed? I thought the pain dissappears as the fissure does? Hmmm..

I have pain from the skin tag and you have to keep in mind that although the fissure it essentially "healed" it can take a year for things to completely normalize. I think there is some scar tissue that can get irritated too. I also had hemorrhoid surgery in that area so I am a little different in that I also had an underlying wound from where the fissure orginated plus I have a condition called Pudendal Neuropathy which makes that area just more sensitized to pain.
But I don't think it is uncommon for even people for whom the doctor has said you are healed to have a few bumps in the road-that is why I am still careful about my diet and supplements.
And why I am still thrilled when I have a good day! What a blessing. We just have to remember those when a bad day looms!

Well, I spoke to the doctor and I have to stop taking the Colace. It's too difficult on my system. I just have to stick to natural methods and keep my fluid intake high. And cross my fingers!
--Merita

Well, I have done quite well without the Colace. The flax and fish oil and aloe vera seem to work pretty similarly. So natural methods can work wonders too.
Merita, I was trying to find some info on Aloe Vera and fertility. Is is supposed to help or hurt fertility? Thanks!
Lecia

Thanks for the support, Lecia! I'm on fish oil, and I think I'll add flax seed oil too.
About a year ago, when my husband and I were planning for a baby, I did tonnes of research online about fertility. I just came across one site--I don't even remember what it was--that said aloe vera can decrease fertility. I know it's only one reference to aloe vera and fertility, but I didn't want to take my chances. Maybe it was just anecdotal.
--Merita