Hi everyone,
I'm Helen and I live in the UK.
I think I've had my fissure on and off for 7 years since I had my first child. I thought it was recurring piles, but the pain has been getting steadily worse. I took pain meds and found ways to cope until recently.
I had one episode recently that was so painful I went in to A&E (ER in US), they referred me to a surgeon and sent me home with laxatives basically.
Last week I saw the surgeon and she said she thought it was a fissure, she gave me some Anoheal cream to use for 8 weeks and then i will be seen again. She did mention surgery, but said she has a few things up her sleeve first!
The cream doesn't seem to be doing much, although I've been told it can take around 6 weeks. But the pain has got a whole lot worse! Tomorrow I am going to see my Dr. to ask for pain meds as the over the counter ones aren't touching it. I went shopping today and nearly passed out.
I feel awful, it's throbbing and I feel like my insides are trying to escape. The pressure around my butt is awful. My coccyx really hurts as well, but they didn't seem interested in that. I know it's related becasue it only hurts when the fissure hurts (which recently is all the time!).
We have a family history of rectal cancer, so to say I'm a bit worried is an understatement. I am thinking of asking for a colonoscopy next time I see the surgeon.
Finding this site was brilliant, I'm so glad I'm not alone! Some of your user ID's have had me splitting my sides
Helen x

Hey AnalAngel (Helen),
I know, everyone managed to come up with such funny usernames except me. This was the first place I had ever posted to so the concept of "username" was foreign to me!
So, it looks like you are dealing with the same kinds of things we are here. My butt problems started after I had my second baby 4 1/2 years ago. Well, technically, they started during the last month of pregnancy. I have so damage to my coccyx from falling down the stairs and childbirth so I think it is entirely possible that you have some kind of component that is affecting your pain from that.
I think it would be important to maybe see if there is any nerve damage or pelvic issues that could be contributing to your pain aside from the fissure maybe.
The pain is very real and it isn't treated sufficiently. I have to take (4) 200 mg ibuprofen to even touch the pain at times. That is available OTC. You might want to ask your doctor about tramadol (ultram). It is non-narcotic and it even comes in extended release. I use that on and off too.
I am so sorry you are having to deal with this and your problems have been lingering for years. I hope you can find some useful info here and let us know if you have any questions and we can help point you in the right direction.
Lecia

AnalAngel wrote:I feel awful, it's throbbing and I feel like my insides are trying to escape. The pressure around my butt is awful. My coccyx really hurts as well, but they didn't seem interested in that. I know it's related becasue it only hurts when the fissure hurts (which recently is all the time!).

I know what you mean. I don't have a fissure to speak of anymore. Just a very small wound left over from a hemmie, which I can't even feel most of the time. But the scar tissue from my anal surgery/fissure and my internal hemmie causes me significant pain sometimes. It make my muscles clench like crazy!!! which makes my rectum feel like it is trying to escape from my body--kinda like I'm trying to give birth to my rectum.
It sounds like your fissure hurts when your muscles clench and your muscles clench tighter when your fissure hurts. It's a vicious cycle, I know. But really, it sounds like you just have a regular old fissure. the pain is usually disporportionate to the size of the wound.
Still, the one thing I always warn people of, especially when they're in constant pain, is to look out for abcesses. I had one and that is why I needed the surgery, and I got one even though my drs. swore that the area wouldn't get infected. I don't want to worry you by saying this, but I want to put it out there as an option, something for you to check for while at the dr. Seems to me like it might explain the sudden increase in pain.
Anyway, hope you heal quickly.

Thanks for you replies :D
buttgirl, I will ask my dr to check tomorrow. I had emergency surgery back in December for a perianal abscess, I seem to be prone to those kind of things, so best to check.
Trying to give birth to your rectum sums it up perfectly! I even told my surgeon I have had two children and would rather give birth again than have this. I really don't think they know how much it hurts.
Lecia, my coccyx hurt for ages after I had my son, so you're probably right! I wonder if everything just gets inflamed.
I'll ask about Tramadol tomorrow, depends what kind of mnood the Dr is in as to whether I get it or not. I think you have to be half dead here before you get it
Thanks again :D

How have you altered your diet? Are you eating more fiber, using any stool softeners, and getting plenty of water?

Hello!
I'm from the UK too, there aren't many of us here, and we seem not to have the same creams and pain releif that our US friends do. My doctor and crs are not overly helpful and they don't seem very clued up on AFs either! It takes me up to 3 weeks to get the anoheal cream as it is apparently special order! Do you have that problem too?
7 years is a long time to suffer- I hope you get some releif very soon!
Val

ithurtstosit wrote:How have you altered your diet? Are you eating more fiber, using any stool softeners, and getting plenty of water?

I've been following the Slimming World plan to lose weight, so my diet has changed for the better. I eat loads of fruit (mostly nectarines and strawberries), and drink at least 2l of water a day. I eat something called scandanavian bran crispbreads everyday, they are 85% bran and are my saviour at the moment.
I don't use stool softeners, I don't really need them at the moment with the bran. I do have to be careful what I eat, cheese is lethal, and if I have yogurt I have to drink extra water or have more bran :roll:
It does make you very careful what you put in your mouth I find, alcohol is an absolute no no for me, it dehydrates me too much.

val wrote:Hello!
I'm from the UK too, there aren't many of us here, and we seem not to have the same creams and pain releif that our US friends do. My doctor and crs are not overly helpful and they don't seem very clued up on AFs either! It takes me up to 3 weeks to get the anoheal cream as it is apparently special order! Do you have that problem too?
7 years is a long time to suffer- I hope you get some releif very soon!
Val

I got my cream prescribed by the surgeon, but she did say I can only get it from there. I think it's becasue it's only licensed for angina and not fissures yet. I have no idea how to get the next lot, I'll have to ring the hosp. My next appointment is 6 weeks, it won't last until then :roll:
My GP gave me voltarol today, she was really sympathetic, but didn't do an examination. She just said if the pain gets any worse to ring the outpatients department and ask to speak to the surgeon :|
I think you're right, they don't seem very clued up over here, we're always about 5 years behind the US with meds.
Does the cream seem to be helping you?

The cream has really helped me, I was in agony for about 3 months but on the advice of the forum, I asked my doctor for valium and the anoheal. When I put in a repeat prescription this time, I asked for 2 tubes of it so that I wouldn't run out, as none of our chemists stock it, it has to be special ordered and can take up to 3 weeks to get it!