Hi there! I'm Renee and after panicking for about an hour, I've accepted that I have an issue and am going to hopefully get this taken care of so I don't have to suffer with it forever.
About 8 months ago I felt the pain during a BM for the first time. It felt like I had a cut and I had very, very light bleeding, but after a week it went away and I didn't think anything of it. However, today I have been using the bathroom many times (because I start my period tomorrow and that's just how my body always works pre-period) and each time I have had quite a substantial amount of blood on the toilet paper and I feel sore. Definitely concerning! So I called my mom and it turns out that our family has tons of issues with anal fissures and cysts, so I'm assuming that's what it is. We said that we should wait until my period finishes and I should keep on my pretty healthy diet and maybe see if it fixes itself. However, she has a gastroenterologist she goes to, so if it doesn't get better on its own, I definitely want to get on some medication to fix the problem. Surgery is an option I'm not sure I have the emotional capacity to face (severe Aichmophobia).
My biggest concern is that I already struggle digestive system-wise because I am lactose intolerant; so when I happen to have something with dairy, I have crippling and uncontrollable diarrhea for about 30 minutes until it is all out of my system. This happens probably once every two weeks, and I'm sure the semi-often diarrhea only makes the fissure situation worse. I'm VERY careful when it comes to dairy, but sometimes the pills don't work and there's nothing I can do but let the course run through.
Just would love to meet others who have the same/similar issues to walk through this process with me until I get better! Medical problems are so scary!

Hi Renee,
Welcome!
Have you tried magnesium supplements? I have much less menstrual cramping since I started taking magnesium regularly. I was watching Dr. Oz yesterday and the gyno he had on the show was saying that advil on your worse days will help with diarrhea, as does eating more bulking fiber.
Were your BMs painful at all? Blood could also be internal hemmies. They often bleed more than AFs, but don't hurt. Glad you are going to get it checked out!
My hubbie is lactose intolerant and he finds some supplements better than others. He likes these two brands; Sisu and Digest Gold (both extra strenght multi), and takes 2 every day.
No need to panic. It all does seem scary, but is actually quite common.
-Tanya

Hi there! :)
I haven't tried magnesium, no. I used to have hooooorrrible cramps and periods in general, but since I've started birth control, the only issue I have is mood swings ( ) and the excessive bathroom usage the day before. But maybe I should try magnesium to help out with that! Ideally I would like to stop my body from having diarrhea ever, of course.
The BMs today were a bit painful, yeah. Felt just like they did the first time I experienced these symptoms, where it burns like a cut in just one spot. I also noticed that once I drank a LOT of water and ate a fiber cookie so I didn't have to strain at all, there was no blood.

Oh yes, nooooo straining at all.
That's the number one goal of soft BMs for a fissure.
Hope tomorrow is a better day.
-Tanya