Hey all- I'm still relatively new to the forum but I wanted to give a general run-down of what has & hasn't worked for me. This has just been my experience & hopefully it'll help people. I can attest that this is seriously the worst thing I've ever been through and no one deserves the kind of pain & anxiety that an anal fissure can cause!
Basically I've had them off & on since September, 2010 when I got back from a long stay on the Utah Salt Flats. I think I got it in the first place from being dehydrated & over-tired. Since then I've seen 2 regular MDs, 2 Naturopaths, an accupuncturist, a chiropractor and a CRS. I think it's really important to make sure you like your doctor. My wife's mom is a nurse and she always says get a second opinion. My CRS (Dr Goyal in Sacramento) has been condescending and abrupt with me since the start. He insists that fissures are caused by anal sex or pregnancy- two equally unlikely causes in my case. If I see a CRS again, it'll be a different one. Also, my CRS administered my Botox shot in December that was disastrous- I got a thrombosed hemorrhoid from the shot and another hemorrhoid from the pain medication (Vicodin and Norco). If it gets bad enough to consider surgery again, I'll just go with LIS (from a different CRS).
I heard these can be brought on by food allergies so I had a food allergy test and nothing came up at all. It might be worth looking into though. What was another $200 on the credit card when I was literally sobbing in pain every day?
My chiropractor is licensed in the B.E.S.T. technique (Bio-Energetic Synchronicity Technique) and he's been very helpful in keeping my attitude positive and helping me look into what might be causing the fissure emotionally. Ask yourself what was going on in your life when it started? What are you thinking about when it starts hurting? Talk to a good psychiatrist if the pain is driving you crazy. My fissure healed up in June, 2010 when I started using Nifedipene and came back in October, 2010 when I turned 40, my cat died and I became unemployed- so yes- environmental stresses can trigger a relapse.
Meditation is very helpful. If you've never tried it, just get a guided meditation CD from the New Age section of a record store and put it on after your BMs. Dr. Andrew Weil's "8 Meditations For Optimum Health" has been my go-to disc for months & it honestly helped me when I was totally "in the red" with pain. Plus, if you're stressed at the CRS' office or even laying on the gurney waiting for your procedure, the techniques will help you calm down.
The best doctor I've seen for this is Dr Hubbard in Portland, Oregon. His clinic specializes in hemorrhoid care and they treated my fissure, hemorrhoids and enlarged papillas over a week-long visit. I was totally pain free for about a week but relapsed recently. I'm still hopeful that their work is helping me to heal and it brought the pain way down. His advice to me was to stop taking fiber since it may have been bulking up my stool too much & I wasn't particularly constipated. Also, I've found lubricating the rectum before each BM is tremendously helpful. I know it can be daunting sticking a finger up there but just take it slowly & don't force it. I still have wicked spasms even if the BM isn't painful so I take alot of Sitz baths. Also, and this is essential- wash, don't wipe. Take a shower after your BM. Showering and Nifedipene helped me beat it the first time.
Of all the supplements out there, I take magnesium and vitamins A, C & E. My diet is primarily vegetarian, 50% raw veggies, 25% cooked veggies and 25% everything else. No coffee, no caffeine, no alcohol. It makes me sad to think my old dinners of a whole frozen pizza and half a 6 pack of beer are gone forever but it's a small price to pay if I can live without ever having a fissure again!
I'm still taking it day-by-day but I believe that some day we'll ALL be done with this ordeal and we'll be able to help other people as well. I know I say it alot, but a positive attitude is paramount. The pain can be debilitating but try to do what makes you happy whether it's reading a book, watching a movie, taking a bath or drawing a picture. Just hoping and complaining isn't enough- take an active role in your recovery. I wish everyone the best in healing.
Also, I am mightily impressed by the variety of emoticons this forum offers!