I've had an AF now for a month. It started of as unpleasant, then gradually became excruciating. About the 5th day I gave in and went to the doctor - bursting out into tears the moment she asked what was wrong with me. She gave me Instillagell and (eventually - she forgot it on my prescription and had to ring back - Hydrocortizone cream) to help me with my BMs and said it was quite a deep cut but it should heel in a few weeks.
I brought the instillagell home, but there were no instructions. After another two days the pain had got even worse, I couldnt stop crying and it was getting rather depressing. I took 2 days off work that week as it was really sore to walk/sit and feared needing the loo.
On the saturday my boyfriend took me to A&E (the doc said to go if it didnt improve), after a 6 hour wait they examined it, said it was pretty bad but there wasnt much they could do. But finally i brought up that there was no real pain relief from instillagell and was i using it right. No, no i wasn't. The GP doc said to just place it on the AF and it came in a syringe with no more info. So i was just 'placing' the gell on it, but you're meant to massage it in (maybe i was just being really dumb about this). This was the most important information i've possibly ever received. Instantly the pain went down a notch (enough to give me some hope). They also gave me some cocadoaml for the pain and some fybogell to keep me regular (i was fearing the loo at this stage and was doing the worst thing i could do - eating very little)
What followed was learning to manage the AF - eating the right foods (avoid bananas - found this out after revisiting the doc). I've spent the last few weeks cancelling everything in my diary - being a hermit and just going to work and controlling pain during BM. Its been pretty dismal but then I now have hope!
I'm able to go about my day fine now - still using everything i was prescribed but the pain has subsided significantly. Now i'm just concentrating on continuing to heal to a point I can go back to normal.
And that brings me to why I felt I should post here. At the beginning I was desperate for help. I spent ages searching for help online. I read loads of posts on this forum and other stories. While the help was great, something became clear that my boyfriend pointed out. People who recover quick and heal well dont ever post. The only people who post are usually people who have recurring problems with AF or the newbies (or perhaps I missed the positive posts). As well as the pain I was in, I began to become very down and disheartened. I read how people suffer for months/years. I honestly couldnt handle the pain I was in and I dont know what I would do if that was to be how i lived for months/years.
Now I know I am not in the all clear (and hoping to god posting this doesn't jinx me in any way), but i can manage the pain now. I'm slowly going back to being a bit more relaxed about what I eat. Dulcoease (stool softener), fybogell and instillagell make having a BM just uncomfortable as opposed to excruciating. And I'm hopefully a few more weeks of recovery will get me there. I just wanted to post incase there's anybody else who's just got they're AF and losing all hope. Once you go to the doctors, and make sure everything is being done to help you with your pain relief, it will become more manageable.
Tips I've been given:
Ask for Instillagell! Rub it in! (needs prescribed)
Dulcoease (stool softener - can buy over the counter) - really makes a difference having a BM.
Fybogell (Fiber supplement - can buy over the counter)
Hydrocortizone (needs Prescription) - helps heal the wound
Sudocrem - (ALOT) - the doctor at the A&E explained why the AF prob got worse and worse - she described it as having chapped lips - if you dont give it moisture, the crack will get deeper. Have sudocrem in your bag, and re apply multiple times a day.
Vaseline - GP advised using this for trying to cover the AF when going to the loo to help with pain and try prevent re-opening.
Baby Wipes - I couldnt tell you the number of baby wipes I've gone through. Dont go near toilet paper! BABY WIPES ALL THE WAY - I've been able to get them cheap in poundshops, but avoid scented chemically ones!
GO TO THE DOCTOR! And if you're still in excruciating pain, go back!
My doc forgot to include Hydrocortizone in the prescription that if i hadnt rang her back, i wouldn't have got at all. Then i didn't know how to use instillagell, phonecall to the doc didnt really help. Went to A&E and they provided me with more info and HOW TO USE IT PROPERLY! It's all been pretty embarrassing, but there's a level of pain you reach where embarrassment just goes out the window. And its very common. Good luck!

Hello!!
I m surprised and infact, shocked to see your list of medications for AF!!!
I myself suffered from AF for a month, it started right after the day of Christmas, i.e, on 26th December,2011.First, I had symptoms of bleeding (a few drops) after my BM. I decided to consult the doc as this continued for a few more days.
The doc did a Proctoscopy and found I had Haemorroids and gave tabs with the name "Sitcom".
Bleeding stopped slowly but reappeared after a few days..
Doc then, found a HAIR LINE CRACK along my colon.
He gave me DILTIACT cream (2% bla bla) and recommended SITZ Bath..
Bleeding has now stopped completely!! I dont feel any pain or bleeding during/after my BM nowadays and I am extremely happy .
I have small a skin tag around my anus, but I dont worry or bother about it..
I always have a very easy BM and I have never had constipation in my life so far!! :D
I would have spent around Rs.300 (Of Course, Indian Rupees, Inclusive of Doc's fees,lol)!!
Life's soo wonderful and exciting and a small crack inside your bum wont kill you (Contact a Doc)..
CHEERS!!!!!!!!!!!:) :) :) :)

Thanks for the info arkarc,
I like how the A&E guy likened the fissure to a crack in your lips. I feel the same way and have been using lanolin. I don't think I truly started to heal til I started the lanolin about 10 days ago or so.
Glad you are feeling better!
zetabird63,
What is sitcom? I can't find it in online...
thank you,
-Tanya