Hi Everyone,
I am so happy to find this forum, as I am quite desperate to share my pain with someone who is experiencing the same as I couldn't find any forums in DK. Shameful to talk about it. :(
I have had the hems since teens age; in 2009 I has a surgery for loose skin just outside the anus (I do not know English word, but in Danish its called "marisker"). Anyhow I didn't any pain until November 2011, when the hell of pain broke out.
I thought it was hems once again and went to the doc, he sent me to the specialist (this is the way to do in DK). The specialist has given me diltiazem, which after 5-6 weeks didn't help, afterwards he sent me to the hospital, where I had Botox injection February, 27 this year.
Today, more then a month later I still have severe pain after BM in spite of the fact that BM is soft. I am taking laxative everyday and soooo afraid to go to the bathroom. I am crying all the time...
I have control visit first at the end of April and hope that docs will help me out..
Well It was my story, I hope to find some answers here and sorry for my English... I'am out of practice, but will catch up :)

I am so sorry for your pain. Unfortunately, too many of us here know exactly how you feel.
If all conservative measures have failed, including Botox, then LIS surgery or Anal Dilitation is probably your only remaining options. You can search this forum and find some great information about both of these procedures.
In any case, make sure you are referred to a colorectal specialist (a CRS, in the U.S.). You definitely want someone who has a lot of experience with anal issues.

thisfissurecankissmybutt wrote:I am so sorry for your pain. Unfortunately, too many of us here know exactly how you feel.
If all conservative measures have failed, including Botox, then LIS surgery or Anal Dilitation is probably your only remaining options. You can search this forum and find some great information about both of these procedures.
In any case, make sure you are referred to a colorectal specialist (a CRS, in the U.S.). You definitely want someone who has a lot of experience with anal issues.

Thank you for your support. You are probably right that next step will be LIS or Anal Dilatation. Unfortunately in DK I have go through Botox 3 times, afterwards I will be sent to specialist once again to discuss other options, probably LIS....
I really didn't know that so many people suffer from AF. On another hand I am "glad" that I am not alone and can find information and support on this forum...:)

Hi Marille,
I am sorry to hear of your continued pain after your Botox injection. What else are you doing to manage your pain?
I had a fissurectomy with Botox on Jan.24th. My healing was super slow too. I'm feeling better today, but still managing post BM pain - at this point some days are good and some days are not. But, I'm having more good days than bad days which is an improvement from before the procedure. My 3 month follow-up appointment with my CRS is in a couple weeks, too. Not sure yet, if I'll get a 2nd injection. LIS is not an option for me because I'm a woman of childbearing age and I guess there's risks/complications that make it not appropriate for me to have the LIS.
For me, the things that helped best with managing the pain is:
several hot baths/day after BM's and/or an electric heating pad, 1 vicodin pill (hydrocodone with acetaminophen), rest, ibuprofen every day, guided meditation tapes (someone here recommended "m cullen free body scan meditation" to help calm the emotions/nerves - you can google it on-line, weekly acupuncture treatments also helped increase blood flow for healing and calm my nerves and emotional state, and the support from friends and family.
I hope this helps. Keep us posted on your recovery.

Hi Sailorgal,
Thanks a lot for your update. Well, I'm having a really bad day today. Everything was fine until I had to go to the bathroom! Now I am in pain, it's burning like hell and I'm crying having no idea what to do. It’s so hurtful and worst part is that its continuing pain, probably will stop in5-7 hours.
Usually I would also use electrical heating or ice to cool it down (helps a bit from time to time), then ibuprofen, but not daily as it provokes constipation and that's pretty much it. So can you imagine how glad I was to see your advice?
I really need to know what people do after BM's to release their pain. I've just read about aloe vera... maybe its worth to try.
You're writing about bath. Do you take it with soap or just hot water??
How do / did you cope with your pain when you have to go at work??
Thanks once again, so nice to talk to people who understand my situation
BR Marille

Yes, that continuing pain - I can almost feel again it just reading about it! It is so demoralizing.
Do you keep your bowel movement really soft with stool softeners - that's really the most important part of getting healing to start. Also I found it helpful to massage the inside passage with a well lubricated finger for reducing the painful spasm. It also helps to well lubricate the anus before you have a BM so it can slide out easier.

Hi Baba,
I am trying to keep BM soft, but i still have constipation from time to time. I think it's because I am scared to go to the WC and holding for a long time. I know it's not healthy, but the thouth of the pain keeps me away...
Anyhow, thank you for the tip, I will try just about anything...:)

Hi Marille,
I take the hot baths with water only, no soap. Only a few inches to 6 inches of water, as hot as I can comfortably take.
At work, either I don't go. Or the times that I have gone, I will immediately take a vicodin pill and ibuprofen and take either a quick hot bath (we have a tub there) or sit on a hot pack. my supervisor and colleagues know about my situation and my work requires me to mostly stand to treat patients (i'm a physiotherapist), so everyone has been accomodating. I've learned to adjust. For example, last Friday I surprised myself by going when I went to change my tampon and was concerned with how much pain I would be in for the rest of the afternoon. It was not comfortable, but I just tried to take it easy with my remaining patients, sit on a hot pack when I could and otherwise suck it up. Depending on the intensity of pain, sometimes it helps to do something else as it can momentarily distract me from the pain. Other times the pain is too high/lasts for too long and I end up in tears. Just taking it as it comes.

ps, the hot baths have been the single most effective thing for me to get rid of the post-BM pain. When the pain was bad, I was taking up to 6 hot baths after a BM until the pain would finally leave.

Hi Sailoggal,
Long time since I visited this site. I've been quite stressed out, with both fissure, job, my thesis (still study at the university beside fulltime job). So I was too tired of pain and generally to thank you for your tips.
Anyhow, I'm still at the same situation. Taking softer every day, taking aloe vera after every BM and bath, if at home, but nothing seems to help me. I'm having spasms and savior pain.
One day I called my doc to ask for cream for my hem (I thought I will try it too), then I had a really good couple of days and thought, perhaps it wasn't my fissure, but maybe it was just hem problem. NO, it was too good to be truth. So I'm still having pain. Luckily I am going to surgeon next week for control after Botox injection and we will talk.
I even lost 7 kg (15,4 Lbs) for the last couple of weeks, as I am so afraid of going to the bathroom.
How it goes with you? For how long have you lived with your fissure?
BR Marille