So I went to the pharmacy to pick up a refill of 0.2% nitro ointment. Only after I got home did I realize that they gave me this instead:
http://www.drugs.com/pro/images/c09e70e1-d7c2-4ac2-8873-30b2a5db742b/nitro-bid-s-07.jpg
It's 2% rather than 0.2% nitro ointment! I was wondering why my prescription was cheaper than usual this time and I guess that's why -- they forgot to compound it and gave me the strong stuff used for angina! :)
Anyone ever try this strong stuff on their fissure? I plan on just bringing it back and asking for the right stuff but I have to admit a part of me is a little curious as to what would happen. I wonder if it would make my sphincter insanely loose, cause a precipitous drop in blood pressure, give me the worst headache of my life, or what. The irony is I was just about to ask my CRS for stronger (maybe 0.4%) nitro ointment too. And the amount of 2% ointment in this tube I got looks like it's enough to compound like a year's worth of 0.2% stuff!
I think I read on this forum a while back about another fellow that had the same thing happen to him before. I guess it's a good thing I'm familiar with what it's supposed to look like. It would've been bad news if some poor soul who wasn't familiar with nitro ointment went ahead and slathered the 2% stuff on his fissure without knowing it

My GI tried to prescribe me the 2%. I talked her into compounding it to 0.2%, and I'm glad that I did because even the 0.2% gives me headaches. If it were me, I'd take it back.

I'd say to give it a try, just a little bit and see what happens. What's the worse that could happen? You get a headache?

Hi, my CRS has me on 0.5% nifedipine - that is not causing any headaches and seems more effective in relaxing the muscle than 0.2% which a previous CRS had me on. He said there is no dose-response data to show what is the most effective amount.
All the best.
Charles

Ok I sissied out and took it back to exchange for the usual 0.2% stuff :) I was pretty curious to give the 2% a go since the 0.2% stuff produces zero side effects for me anymore, but was a wee bit worried about taking such a big jump up in dosage all at once. I also take Valium which lowers blood pressure and didn't want to end up fainting or anything. Oh well, guess I'll never know now

I used 0.4% at one point - nothing different happen. LOL
I do not think that you would "faint" ; ) , otherwise one third of cardio patients would be in permanent coma LMAO
BUT - recommended dose is 0.2 % and you should stick with that :D. Too much creams can cause irritation and burning and one does not want to risk THAT one happening

hey NG haven't been around for a while since I've been busy for the holidays.Anyhow 2% was what my doc prescribed to me,he told me to just use a very small quarter of a pea size amount and yes I had the usual side effects but I started to tolerate it even though it irritated me and I started to mix it with lidocaine.Too bad you returned it and maybe should've given it a try.Anyhow I thought you were trying to kick the valium?

What's up dude, long time no see! So you got the 2% concentrated nitro in a tube? Interesting.
Yeah I probably should have just squeezed a little out and tried it just to see what would happen. But oh well. Now I've got more of the 0.2% stuff to play with for another month or two until I decide what to do next. I only use it like once a day (twice tops) now so I don't know if I even really need it at this point. It may be that Valium and Miralax by themselves are enough to keep things under control. But I'm a little anxious about finding out the hard (pun intended!) way so I figure I'll keep riding the nitro train a bit longer.
Yeah the Valium is still in effect haha. I had the daily dosage tapered down to 2 mg but then some hilarious things happened in my life, including a flare up of my peripheral neuropathy. So my neurologist gave me Klonopin, another benzo, to help calm my nerve impulses. And I've also had chest pain for the past year, which my doctor thinks is a musculoskeletal problem, and he wanted to give me muscle relaxers along with prescription NSAIDs, plus omeprazole just in case it's a GI problem. At that point I figured okay taking all of these at once would be kind of nuts, no need to pull a celebrity overdose, so I'll just use Valium (since it relaxes muscles and also calms nerves) with NSAIDs and omeprazole

2% was good enough for me to heal my fissure overall and it was irritating me but I mixed it with lidocaine and it was all good.I stopped the nitro 2 months ago since I was having some incontinence issues with it but I don't think I need it anymore even though I had a slight re-tear yesterday.As long as I'm on stool softeners I can get it to heal again.Ya I would stay away from muscle relaxers,when my fissure was spasming real bad last year I took them to relieve it and it would constipate me.Sounds like your on more medications than me don't you just hate that.I got those medicine organizers like my grandmother just so I can stay on top of what I take.I feel so old :(

Btw your fissure still active? Botox didn't work?Thought you would undergo LIS by now.