Hi I am a 57 year old granny who 2 1/2 weeks ago had botox and a skin tag removal for an anal fissure I have had for 4 months. Unlike many of you in this forum my butt problems did not start till my 50's. When I was 51 years old I was diagnosed with IBSD and had an anal fissure then. I was able to heal it with creams back then but this time my fissure has been very stubborn. Most of you seem to fear constipation as the cause of your fissures but mine was caused by 4 or 5 bms in am. Prior to my procedure i seemed to have my bathroom activity under some control only going 3 or 4 times but post procedure everything is at if wack. I even had some constipation which is rare for me. The first week post I cried everytime I had a bm. Now it still stings and can last for hours. I am very frustrated and can honestly say the most depressed I have ever been. I am terrified because I go to the bathroom so often I will never heal. I need some advice I take 6 citricel pills a day and colace. I hate to be so graphic about my bm's but since they are so soft the evacuation seems so slow. This leads to multiple visits to the bathroom and is causing so much pain. I wonder if I should stop the colace and just try to bulk up with fiber, which is the advise most doctors give IBS patients. Also if anyone could recommend any creams that will relieve the pain. My CRS advised me to only use a zinc oxide cream but it really does very little to relieve the pain. I have to go back to work next week and am very anxious about dealing with this pain. Thanks very much for listening to me and any advise is greatly appreciated!
:o

Hey bthree,
Sorry you are in pain and having so much trouble.
I would change from the fiber pills to the powder. Two of the CRS's that I saw told me that the fiber in the pill form doesn't work as well.
It sounds like your bm's are too sticky. I had the same problem in my early fissure days. I'm not sure if one colace could be causing that or not enough fiber. Did you try other fiber supplements before your procedure? Some will add bulk like metamucil. I believe my crs recommended that I take citrucel when I told her the metamucil made my bm's too bulky. You may need a different supplement or need to consume more fiber.
I eat around 20 grams or more of fiber a day and take miralax. I don't use fiber supplements. It's so hard to say what will work because it varies from person to person. It sounds like you may need more fiber, either in food or supplements.
Warm baths can help with the pain and are helpful in healing and keeping the skin tag clean.
I had LIS so I'm not really familiar with botox. There are a few other boardies on here who have had botox who can probably advise you better with what to do for pain.
Hang in there

Ah I really feel for you as I am having a terrible time too! I am getting botox and awaiting another scope down under yippee not!! At 42, I am amazed at how little the G.P knows! They hand out any old thing to make you go the loo more and thats the last thing we need--every heard of proper pain relief DOC??? well, after 4 months of torture Anoheal is working for me! Highly recommend it! 2 fissures, multiple internal piles and a woman who cries like a baby every morning lol..Fibre gel (disgusting as it is) works wonders too! Just drink alot of water and hold off red meats. I have found taking laxatives to make me worse. Hope this helps??
Get better soon x