I have been dealing with a fissure for over 15 yrs. Seems to have flared up again and been causing LOTS of pain now for 2 months. The cortisone suppositories aren't doing any good at this point. It nice to read that others have the spasms. That is the most painful for me, doesn't seem to ever relax. I have an appt in 3 days with the colon rectal dr. I wasn't sure about the spasms, was hard to explain to my hubby why I was in tears after a BM and curling up in a ball until the pain passed. But it seems that my sphincter muscle is staying tight all day long. Passing gas hurts like all get out.
Sometimes the pain is felt in my hamstrings on both legs.

I love your name--very clever. I just want to say welcome.

15 years?! how have you managed to live with it that long? how bad has it been all this time? it's most likely chronic at this point and surgery will probably help you with the spasms.
welcome to the forum

OMG! 15 years? How have you lived like that without losing it!? YES, see your CRS and get something done. I hope that after all that time you don't have too much scar tissue from healing and retearing.
I never heard of the hamstring pain, that is really unusual! Please let your CRS know how long you have had this, you need to end this and get it over with!!
Juney is right. LIS (the surgery) is probably your only and best recourse after all this time.
Good luck and welcome to the board!

Let me clarify. Had the fissure happen 15 yrs ago and went to the Dr, problem fixed with cortisone shot. Never had any issues again, until recently, probably stress induced. For close to 2 months now I have tried to self treat, more water, more fiber, less beer. Cortisone suppositories are not doing a darn thing this time around. I have developed the spasms now and that is making a BM unbearable to the point of tears and for at least an hour after a BM the spasms are very painful. I also have itching, that drives me nuts!
I wasn't sure what was causing the spasms, that had me worried. Finding you guys and reading about the spasms relieved my worries.
I am a massage therapist and believe me if I could figure out how to get that damn sphincter muscle to release, I'd be doing it myself. But my butthole is so tight I hurts to insert a darn suppository!
Passing gas hurts like hell!
I also have issues with a bulging disc at L4 & L5, same area for the nerve for the intestines, I figured this was causing the flair up.
I just want to have a BM everyday and not DREAD going to the bathroom or sitting down.

Get surgery asap! That's my advice :D
Good luck!!
Corsica

Welcome to these here boards whyme.
you shall find heaps of useful advice and tricks to try on here. everyone is friendly. hope to read more posts from you soon.Am not one for gd advice on fissures. as i have only had mine since dec08. But all i can say is follow the advice, get to a crs asap. dont suffer. there are creams, tablets out there to help ease your pain, you dont need to suffer. take care x

Well, you could ask your CRS about nefedipine/diltiazem creams, which loosens the anal area to a degree, botox, or nitro, all of which have roughly the same healing rate, about 50% or maybe a little better, and the surgery which has a much higher success rate but of course, entails some risk, as with most all surgery.
The cortizone is only going to thin your membranes and most likely make it worse, I personally don't consider it a useful treatment for AF. Hot soaking baths, on the other hand, and lots of them, are. It will be interesting to hear what your surgeon says!

Kim,
Is the healing rate for ointment/creams only 50%???????

I need some education on what is LIS surgery. Went to look a pics of fissures, shouldn't have been eating lunch during that slideshow! :roll:
What other surgeries do they do to correct fissures, is it a buttectomy! If I don't retain my sense of humor over all of this I will be nutso soon!