I think there are a lot of people on the board who use it/used it in the past. I just didn't want to make another post, since I've made a few in the past few months! :oops:
I think I'd prefer the headaches over the increased heart rate! I feel out of breath. Oh well. I haven't used ANY today - I'll start using it again tomorrow, and maybe only use it once or twice before I go up to three times a day. I'll have to call the pharmacist, too, since it says external only.
Thanks!

i hope you get some answers from your pharmacist or your doc today crimeofpassion....
hang in there.....

Hm. Well, I called today, and the pharmacist said using it internally can cause low blood pressure and headaches, but it's okay if the doctor said I could use it internally. He also told me it WOULDN'T increase my heart rate - if anything, it should lower it, so I have no idea what's going on with that... I googled "nitroglycerin increased heartrate" and found a bunch of websites that said it was a side effect, among many others. There are certainly more side effects than just the headaches, which is all my label warns about.
I guess I'll keep using it externally for a few days and then try using it internally.
I'm kinda feeling resigned, though, and think I'll have to get the surgery anyway. Based on what I've read on the forums, it seems like once the fissure has lasted more than six/seven months, it might heal for a time with the cream, but continually retears until you have the surgery.

By internally, do you mean deeper inside the anus than just the outside of the anus (and not swallowing?)

Yup. Right now, I'm just using it on the outside.
OMG! I don't think I could swallow it. It's too goopy!

i am sorry that you are in a lot of pain. My AF was doing better for the past month or so after using nitro daily. But for some reason i was in a lot of pain last night. The pain was bad as when AF first started. I am not sure what triggered the pain but nitro stopped working! i couldn't sleep last night due to the pain. :( i won't be able to see the doctor till tomorrow morning.

That is really bad news, Hank, to go a month and then have the pain return like that! I wonder if you somehow retore during the morning BM -- odd that you didn't get the pain until evening. But AFs are certainly a huge, impossible to understand puzzle. I hope the Dr. can determine if you did retear and also hope you didn't, but something is going on for you to have that kind of pain, right? Let us know what you find out!

the doc prescribed me with Lorazepam and Nupercainal. But i won't be able to get Nupercainal till tomorrow morning. I hope Lorazepam will be able to knock me out tonight. Sigh gotta love it when it kicks you in the ass when you thought everything is getting better.

I am totally unfamiliar with those meds unless those are generic terms for something i do know! :)
I know exactly what you mean and most everyone on this board does, Hank...that is perhaps the cruelest thing about AF, the disappointment when it returns after you start to think you have it beat. It can be crushing, but once you know it can come back like that you learn to get over the HUGE disappointment just a little better.
I hope those meds help!!

Lorazepam is the generic for Ativan, a tranquilizer. It can be very addicting so take only as prescribed. Usually drs. give valium because it has more of a muscle relaxing effect but ativan will definitely help you get a good nights sleep. Try a heating pad on very low. It helps me and so do hot sitz baths. Nupercainal is an over the counter ointment that has lidocaine in it. As far as the nitro goes I had to cut it down because of headaches so I just mixed a little with equal amounts of aquaphor or vaseline. I mixed it well and used a q-tip to get a little bit inside. It won't hurt you just don't use it more than 3 times in a day. Good luck Suzy