Can you help
Potted history - I'm a 50 year old male, an anterior fissure has flared up again after years (originally from bug contacted in lake water) and recently from chopped nuts! Ouch!
Since Feb, I've tried Rectogesic (bad heads) and am now sticking to Diltiazem.
On last visit to doc about 3 weeks ago he said he could only just see the AF and that he thought most pain - itching, soreness etc - was from secondary infection or similar. He gave me timodine - mixture of mild steriod, anti inflamatory and anti-thrush... for about a week I thought -YES! it's finally going.
Then it flared up again! Type of pain has changed from previous deeper spasm to tingling,prickling stinging at front and slightly to side of anus - but Diltiazem also produces this when first applied.
I'm now confused? Doctor said go on with Dilt (maybe to be sure) - but I don't know whether the pain I have is from AF anymore or from cream!
Natural instinct tells me it can't help the anal tissues to be bombarded by ointment for months on end - good patient tells me to do what the doctor says.
Anyone had similar experiences, or with practical advice? I don't really want to badger my doctor every other week as I read that Dilt can take months to work (and I've missed quite a few days)

Diltiazem does not cause pain although some people here were bothered by extreme itching. In my opinion it is great for short term use. It helped me get healed!!

What I find is that I get a bit of mild stinging when it goes on around where I think fissure is... then later on, particularly further out of anus (as it disperses i suppose) extreme itching. it's ointment so doesn't absorb well.
the pain is a prickling pain that comes on later - as much when Diltiazem has stopped working.
having a go with anti-fungal and witch hazel at the moment, which seems to help a bit.
Very puzzling, particularly as doctor says it's pretty well gone.

Hi Bluefizz,
Here's a post that may help youhttp://anal-fissure.org/t1998-diltiazem-side-effects#46073
There are many threads to read where others have posted about diltiazem. Just put it in the search. Hope this helps.:)

I am using Nifedipine 0.2% which I only apply externally (and only half a pea size, twice a day), which is what the colon and rectal surgeon at Lahey Clinic in Boston told me to do. Do you know the other ingredients in your Diltiazem, which is also a calcium channel blocker like Nifedipine? I have reactions to lidocaine, so the compounding chemist made it up without this. It also does not have Vaseline in it either. However, I now use Vaseline there at other times, so probably need not have worried about that!
I have just got a prescription for Nitro, which I am somewhat nervous about using. My only other experience of it was when it was thought I had a heart attack a few years back and was given it, which I reacted to by having the most excruciating headache of my life... But, this is only 0.2% and that was surely over2%. Awful! I have thought of using a very very tiny amount to start, and putting Vaseline to 'cut' it at first.
Anyway, hope this is some help, in that you may have a reaction to some of the ingredients.
Em