Hey, how is everybody? I'm here to share my fissure story
I'm 17 years old and I live in California. About a couple months ago, I started feeling pain after a BM. At the time I didn't care about it and thought it would go away on its own. (boy was I wrong!!) One night the pain was so bad that I honestly didn't want to live anymore. It felt like somebody was stabbing me in my bottom. I decided to man up and put my pride aside and go to the ER. They told me that I had a small Anal Fissure and told me to use Preparation H Ointment, Tucks Wipes, increase the fiber in my diet, and do regular sitz baths. Now I am here one month later and I actually do feel that it has healed abit. I still do have pain after a BM, but it goes away quickly (30 minutes or so). I'm going to be seeing a specialist on Monday just to make sure nothing else is wrong and that I'm doing the right things. My question is, what do you guys recommend? Am I doing the right things or is there some miracle cure out there I don't know of?
Thanks in advance!!
Ps: Excuse me for my English. I am from Greece and English is my 2nd language.

Hi Hatemybutt - I'm sorry you have to be here
But you've definitely come to the right place. There are lots of really great people here who will offer you all kinds of support and good advice. We all know your pain!
I think you are doing exactly the right thing seeing a specialist. Regular docs know very little about fissure, IMO. The only thing I would suggest is to avoid using hemorrhoid ointment. The prep H probably isn't so bad, and may help because it has pain-numbing stuff. But DO NOT let a doctor convince you to use any steriod (hydrocortisone) ointment on a fissure!! That made fissures much worse for many of us here.
I recommend that you ask your doc about getting some nitro ointment or nifedipine or diltiazem asap. These ointments reduce muscle spasms and stimulate blood flow to the anus, which helps promote healing. What causes anal fissures to become chronic is the tightening and spasming of the sphincter, which restricts blood flow so the fissure can't heal. These ointment help with that. So do warm baths. Many of us here take 20 minute (or so) baths a few times a day too. Keep your stools soft (like you are doing), and do your best to try to get the right treatment (i.e., with the proper ointments) as soon as you can. You may have caught the fissure early enough that one of the ointments I suggested will work and you can put this behind you sooner rather than later! Good luck! :D

Oh yeah - your English is excellent, BTW! :D

Hey there hopetoheal, thanks for the kind words! I'm so glad I found a forum where I can share my story with people that actually "get" what's going on.
I have took your advice and I stopped using the Preparation H Ointment. I will also make sure to ask my Doctor on Monday about the ointments you listed. One thing I have noticed lately is that whenever I use the Tucks (Witch-hazel) wipes after my BM the pain starts. I don't want to use regular toilet paper because it just seems to rough. Is there anything that you guys would recommend for me to buy?
Haha thanks for the compliment about my English!! Shows all that hard work is paying off :)

Hi again - if the prep H helps with the pain, you can probably still use it. I would mostly be concerned about the stuff with steriods. Some folks here say witch hazel helps, others say it causes more problems. If it hurts you, then certainly don't use it. Many of us use baby wipes (with no alcohol). It sometimes helps to wet those down with warm water. You can also use unscented toilet paper, again, wet with warm water. Just dab your butt - don't wipe. Taking a warm bath, followed by a quick shower to get rid of the last lingering particles helped me get clean and helped minimize the pain from the spasms.
I hope that helps!

You poor thing..and only 17!
Glad you found us..keep reading as much as you can on this site, it helps as much as anything. Keep us updated. There is a light at the end of the dark tunnel (pun intended), I swear!
Your English is great!

So sorry you have to deal with this at 17, yes seeing the specialist is the best thing how long do you have to wait till you see one? in the mean time watch what you eat eg no fatty foods, no cheese not to much milk or red meat and lots and lots of fruit and veges, take warm baths daily to relax the muscle. If you are having a really bad day take more baths. if you have any other questions we are all here to support you through this.

One thing that I have noticed these past couple of days is that the fissure area is itching. I'm not sure if this is a sign that it is finally healing or getting worse. If anyone could let me know on that I will be extremely thankful.
@Hopetoheal - I completely stopped using the Preparation H and I feel WAY better. Not going to lie, I got abit scared when you started talking about steroids lol. As for the tucks, I put those away too. I bought the baby wipes you were talking about and I get no burning or pain after. Thank you so much for that!
@Sidra1968 - Hello there! I am so glad that I found this forum. Dealing with this fissure at such a young age is very difficult . I finally think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
@New Mum - Hey there New Mum. I was supposed to see a doctor today, but of course because of some Medi-Cal/Authorization issue I couldn't. I'm going to give Medi-Cal a call tomorrow, fix the issue, and get an appointment ASAP. As for the diet, I have been eating lots of fruits/veggies, drinking alot of water, and taking those long sitz baths. Thank you all for supporting me through this. It is honestly the best feeling knowing I can share my day with people who understand what I'm going through.

Hey HMB - I'm so glad you are doing better. Everybody here fully appreciates your pain! It sounds like you are doing everything you should be doing. Good job! I'm really sorry you are having trouble getting a dr's app. Is the specialist you are seeing a gastroenterologist or a colorectal surgeon? A good gastroenterologist can be very helpful, but what many folks here have found is that the surgeon (CRS) is the better specialist to help with fissures. My CRS first gave me diltiazem, which may have worked if I had been diagnosed properly earlier. Ultimately, though, I needed surgery. I'm still healing and a wee bit delicate, but I'm feeling SO much better!
Many of us know about the itching! It's actually quite common as we heal. In many cases, it can indicate healing; but in others, it could indicate infection. So you should keep an eye on things down there - look for unusal redness, swelling and especially pus. Also, keep an eye on your temperature too. Infections are rather rare complications of AFs, so I don't want to scare you, but it's better to be on the safe side.
I really hope you are doing well today. Let us know when you get your app and if you have any questions you want to bounce off of us before you see the doc. :D