Hello -
I am new to this forum and need some advice. I have been dealing with an AF for about 3.5 years and have just about had it. I have waited so long to have surgery because I wanted to have kids and was advised that women who wanted to have children should wait until afterwards. Now that I've had my first child, I discussed surgery with two different doctors (before I take the plunge) and have gotten contradicotry advice. One doctor said I could move forward, but the other said to wait until I'm 6 months post-partum or after I'm finished breastfeeding (whichever is earlier) since it's more difficult to heal. I'm still NOT 6 months post-partum, but the fissure is driving me crazy and is taking longer and longer to heal. My question is:
1. Do long term use of drugs perscribed cause incontinence? The one doctor perscribed annusol, the other perscribed nephedipine with lidocaine. What are the side-effects of long-term use of both drugs and are the long-term effects permanent?
2. Has anyone had surgery post-partum? If so, what was your experience? Did it take longer to heal and/or not heal at all?
Thanks! This is so life-altering. I hate it!!

Hi Tester - I'm very sorry that you have to be here, but welcome! I am amazed that you have lived with an AF for 3.5 years!!! Wow, you are a very strong person!
I'm sorry that I can't be very helpful, since I've not had children; but you'll get very good advice and information from the moms here. I think I can comment on your first question, though: I have not seen anything in any of the research I did that said that long-term incontinence was caused by topical treatments (like nitro, diltiazem and nifedipine). In fact, those are the conservative treatments of choice because there is no risk of incontinence (so the literature claims). The effects are only temporary. I have not heard about any long-term, permanent effects of these ointments. That may be because these ointments aren't meant to be used long-term, though. I think that if they don't work by about three to six months, most surgeons will suggest a new course of treatment, like botox or an LIS. Some people persist with the ointments and have healed by doing so; but i think that's a minority of cases. From what I've read, if the ointments don't work by six months, they probably won't get the job done at all.
One thing I strongly suggest is that you stop using the Anusol. If it's the kind I'm thinking of, with hydrocortisone, then that can definitely make fissures worse. In fact many of us here developed worse fissures because our docs gave us hemorrhoid ointments with steriods - very bad for fissures!
I really hope you get the right treatment very soon - you are so right that AFs are life-altering.