Hello!
After coming to these forums for a few weeks now to read about everyone's experience/suggestions/and advice on how to go about treating anal fissures, I figured it was time for me to post about my AF problems and to see if anyone out there had any similar experience to mine and could offer me some suggestions to kick this thing in the rear! haha. I'll start with a little bit about my AF history. (sorry if it is really lengthy, but want to provide as much detail as i can)
It all started the first week of April (about 2 months ago) around Easter. I'm not sure what caused the AF to occur, if it was a big bowel movement or not but I remember one day after a BM i felt a sharp, searing pain, burning sensation during and after the BM. I noticed after my first wipe there was a good amount of blood on the toilet paper. This lasted for a few weeks after, where each BM was the same sharp pain, almost like a rip at first and then burning sensation to follow. The burning sensation would last almost half the day after the BM and it would be uncomfortable for me to sit down. This lasted about 3.5 weeks and the blood started to diminish towards the end of the 3.5 weeks, where i would see minimal blood after the first wipe. Pain was also diminishing and the burning sensation occurred during the BM and only a little bit after, unlike the whole day during the previous weeks. During the 5th week I noticed that there was no blood at all and then there was almost no pain at all. There was only a slight discomfort but that was it, and i was estatic that the AF had healed and soon i wouldn't even noticed anything during BMs. Sadly, this only lasted for that week. The following week after a BM the sharp, ripping pain had come back during a BM and of course, there was blood on my toilet paper again. This was the beginning of the month of May. Since that day, I've had sharp pain and slight bleeding during each BM and then only bit of discomfort after the BM. The burning sensation did not linger this time and i was able to continue on with my day as if I had never had a AF. After about 2 weeks after this, I had another good week where there was minimal blood and no pain once again. This time it last about week and half, but of course that good run ended too soon.
Starting a few days ago, I noticed the same ripping pain, but not quite has sharp or searing and no burning sensation at all. There is however a good amount of blood on the first wipe and no blood on the second and rest of wipes. It was been like this for the pat 3 days and I got fed up so I now turn to all of you for help!
So where I stand is, 2 full months of AF problems, started off really bad with lots of sharp pain, ripping pain and during each BM and then burning and discomfort for the whole day after. Then got better about 4 weeks later where i had no pain or blood and then a week later the pain/blood returning but pain diminished and blood started to diminish. Then 2 weeks of that and then got improved for a bit again but for only a week and half and then now starting 3 days ago, back to slight discomfort, not as much ripping or searing pain but still feels like pricking and NO burning sensation at all, but blood on toilet paper. The pain right now feels like the BM is stretching my opening and it feels like a small prick or over stretching and I'm guessing it's my AF trying to heal but the BM is making it stretch. But there is no burning sensation and not sharp pain during the BM. I feel fine afterwards and I can resume normal life and sit down regularly. It's almost like I never had a AF symptom during that BM. So overall, 1 full month (April) of bad AF with sharp pain, ripping sensation and burning during and after BM and then 1 Month (May) of ups and downs of good week and bad weeks. With minimal pain and discomfort during BM and pretty much no burning sensation or pain after the BM. But Blood is on and off from very little faint blood to a considerable amount of blood. The last few days have been bad symptoms.
My diet has been pretty consistent and healthy the past few months as well. I've been eating pretty much only whole grains, fruits, veggies, lean meats since January. I've actually lost 60 pounds in weight! Which is another reason I'm sad about my AF since after getting my life and body back in order, this AF is a step back in my new healthy life style I've been taking metamucil everyday (2 teaspoons a day, lemonade flavor) and the last 2 weeks i started on Dulcolax as my stool softener to see if it can help me finally heal my AF after 2 months and prevent what i think is a re-tear from occurring after my good weeks. I also take warm baths everyday as I've heard that can aid in healing.
Pretty much, I can't tell if I'm getting better of if all this getting better for a week and then the blood and slight pain returning is just re-tears? I've heard of people getting re-tears when they are trying to heal their AF, so I assume that is what is going on with me. I feel like it's a good sign that my symptoms have improved greatly since that first week of AF about 2 months ago compared to where I am now. Just the fact that the pain and burning sensation is so minimal now, but the blood returning scares me so much.
So my question to anyone that can help or give me advice is what is going on with my AF? Is it a re-tear? is my AF healing at all or am i getting too optimistic? Has anyone else had a similar experience? Is there anything else I can do to finally heal this thing? Right now my AF is manageable but only if it is getting better. I don't want it to get worse from here and go through these ups and downs forever.
Thanks and hope everyone is doing well!