Hi,
Diagnosed with a fissure and given Nitroglycerin a over a month ago. I don't usually have pain DURING the bowel movement...it's actually almost a relief.
The worst pain is in the hours after a BM. If I have them at night, the pain wakes me every couple of hours and I apply the Nitroglycerin. I can feel how tight the muscle is when I apply.
I've never experienced pain like this before. It feels as I'm completely raw and scraped inside. Is this what the symptoms are.
The Nitroglycerine seems to do it's trick but it is only temporary relief. It doesn't feel like it's healing. I also am not sure HOW to apply the Nitro? how far in it needs to go?
How long should the Nitro take to heal? are there oral muscle relaxers that would help?
The GI wants to do a colonostomy, but wants to wait until fissure subsides.
This really sucks.

lewloo wrote:The Nitroglycerine seems to do it's trick but it is only temporary relief. It doesn't feel like it's healing. I also am not sure HOW to apply the Nitro? how far in it needs to go?

You should apply a 1.5cm line along the finger and insert the finger up to the first knuckle, I'm assuming that there's a measuring line on the outer carton, the same as on Rectogesic, if not just apply a line of the ointment up to the first crease on your finger then insert, hope this helps

Thanks, but how do I know if the Nitro is working? It definitely relaxes the muscles temporarilly, but I have no idea if it's getting better. I've been on it the last 2 months.

I used nifedipine and like you the relief was temporary. I judge healing on pain, if I was still on fire, not fixed! I was given a Valium like muscle relaxer called oxazepam which really helped, daily I took ibuprofen and generic robaxacet muscle relaxer. Takes the edge off but Valium makes it go AWAY. I didn't get addicted to the oxazepam but the Valium is supposed to be very addictive so be careful. It helps you sleep too. Sorry you're in pain, hope you get healing soon but if your muscle is too tight, you may need surgery. Don't suffer needlessly, surgery was EASY compared to fissure pain, seriously.

Totally agree with Elphie. Don't suffer needlessly. The surgery was a breeze for me compared to a fissure too, and the valium stopped the temporary spasms that I had after my butt work.... It was a lifesaver!
I would try and not suffer with a fissure to the point of becoming addicted to valium, and not go ahead with the surgery, but temporary use should be fine:)
My butt was so tight, there's no way I could have put any ointment in it up to the knuckle
As far as it healing, It takes some weeks, some months and some years trying to heal with the ointments....When months have passed and you haven't had a spasm or a re-tear then your fissure is probably healing but being vigilant with the diet and softeners would probably be necessary for a much longer time.

Funny about the various creams/ointments and what the docs say. Mine said only externally, which is what I do. I am so tight anyway that it is pretty much agony getting anything in.
My GP has given me a prescription for Valium for when the spasms are bad, so going to try that. I take 0.75mg Lorazepam to sleep, glorious painless hours. He tried me on Flexeril, and just one quarter of the tab made me feel depressed (2.5mg). Hopefully Valium will help.
Em