My story.....I was suffering for several months with a horrible fissure. At first I thought it was a hemorrhoid since I had no idea what a fissure even was. I went to the doctor (a specialist) and they told me I had a fissure, then described what it was. Their solution was to give me nitroglycerin ointment and a few tips on diet. After using the nitroglycerin for a week with no relief, I never wanted to try it again. It didn't do anything, and it gave me the worst headaches ever! It felt like I was spinning in circles when I was standing still. After that experience, I started doing some research on the internet and stumbled upon this forum. I searched for different remedies and tried them all! When I say all, I really mean ALL!!! Nothing worked for me. A few of them provided brief relief, but nothing longterm. I went back to the doctor and asked what could be done. Their solution was surgery, which was shocking given the fact that there are other medicines as well as botox injections. I left the doctor's kind of bothered. When I got home I made an appointment in a different city with a doctor in a better rated hospital. After my examination he prescribed me a miracle drug (in my eyes) called Diltiazem. It comes in a cream/ointment like nitroglycerin but without the horrible headaches! It started working within 4 days and after using it for a couple of months my fissure was healed at my follow-up visit.
The point of my post is two things. First off, I wanted to provide others with the name of a medicine that actually worked! It feels so great not to be in viscous pain all day long. If your doctor is willing to prescribe it, please try it before surgery. Secondly, I wanted to let others know to get a second or even third opinion. The first "specialist" wanted to do surgery right away without trying any other solutions. Be sure to get a few opinions on your situation, don't let a doctor cut into you just to make some cash.
Hope this helps, good luck!

Glad you found the help you needed BG08.
Thank you for sharing.
I'm on a similar drug, nifedipine, also a beta blocker. It is working, but slowly. Still better than nothing.
I wonder, did you stop using the diltiazem as soon as you were healed, or did you do it a while longer to be sure?
If you stopped, was it cold turkey, or did you ween yourself off it slowly.
I just worry about re-tearing when I stop the nifedipine (if ever)...
-Tanya