Hello,
I am new here. My name is Adrian, I am a 23 years old MALE and I had been suffering with anal fissures for about 5 years. I think they surfaced at the age fourteen when I first began to see blood but then bleeding stopped and would not resurface until I was about 18.
I have been seeing a surgeon for the three years who was reluctant to give me surgery, just constant perscriptions of nitroglycerine. Finally, this year, one month ago I had the surgery done, and right now I am trying to stay positive about it, but I have some doubts.
For the first three weeks of my surgery, things were going great. I was using the bathroom much easier, only had a slight stinging sensation which is natural, and then major itchiness which I thought to be a good thing as it is a sign of healing. The doctor gave me Tylenol 3 which I threw away right away when I had come home from the surgery. The pain of the surgery was very bearable; except for the fact that I found it hard to pee the first day. I was on light stool softeners some days and some days I wouldnt bother as there was very little pain, and very little blood, some days no blood.
HOWEVER, its the last three days that have left me worried. One day before work, I used the bathroom, and the stool wasnt even that big, but it hurt very very much. I felt tighter down there. It was very hard to pass gas, very hard to pass a stool, I saw a little more blood than usual, and my rear felt stiff and very tight for the next three days.
I am scared and upset about that because I thought the whole purpose of the surgery was to loosen up a bit and I feel tighter. I am trying to think. Could it be because the stitches had dissolved so it was more pressure for my sphincter and therefore the tight feeling? Has anyone else felt tighter after the surgery? The last thing I want is a fistula.
I am going to note however, that for the past two days, I feel that the tightness is subsiding, but its too early to say, because I personally believe I felt better two weeks after my surgery than I am feeling now. I think that I am improving as I am finding it easier to pass gas, but I still cant say...As a matter a fact, its a little depressing to feel a setback since its been 5 years of struggle.
Anyone want to share their thoughts, or relations to what I am going through.
I have an appointment with my surgeon in 10 days, but has anyone else had a similar experience?
Thanks,
Adrian

Hey Adrian
I had my first surgery in April, and I had the same sort of problems. I felt like my muscles were always tight which made it really hard for me during BM. I went back to the doctor first who told me it was just the healing process, then eventually the consultant who couldn't find anything, and later another consultant who told me that I had muscle spasms. He gave me Anoheal to used which makes your muscles relax ans allows blood to flow which helps the healing process. For the first time in months I found I was not pushing at the last part of BM to get it out.
What also helped was taking stool softeners and keeping up the fibre. Read the threads on fibre on here - they are fantastically helpful.

Thanks Steve,
I was beginning to think that perhaps it was part of healing process, its just that not many people mention that they have felt the tightness as part of their recovery when I was reading the other posts. The reason for my worry was because from the first few weeks of the surgery, I didnt have to push whatsoever during a bowel movement. I hope that I will eventually get back to that more "looser feeling" lol.
I live in Canada so I dont know if we have Anoheal; never heard of it, but perhaps when I see my doctor I will ask for some nitroglycerine as that also enhances blood flow, to help my surgical wound heal faster :)

Anoheal is just another term for Diltiazem. You may also want to ask you doctor about Nifedipine. My CRS no longer prescribes nitroglycerine because of the side effects.

thisfissurecankissmtbutt-I was just recently prescribed nitroglycerine, are the side effects you are referring to headaches and dizziness or are there others? I was going to start taking it tonight beause I wasn't sure if it would make me to dizzy to drive.

Hi BH!
According to my CRS, the most complained about side effect from nitroglycerine is headaches, although some people do complain about dizziness. For some people the headaches are mild; for others, the headaches can be pretty severe (in rare cases, even worse than the fissure). Like I mentioned above, my CRS does not even prescribe nitroglycerin anymore due to the complaints about the headaches, especially since Diltiazem and Nifedipine appear to be just as effective with less side effects.
If it were me, I would try the nitroglycerin when you know you are not going to have to drive for a while, just to see how your body reacts to it. You never know - you might not have any side effects at all. If you do, I would ask your CRS about Diltiazem or Nifedipine. Personally, I have used both and prefer Nifedipine. I didn't have any noticeable negative side effects with either of them.

I had taken nitroglycerine for a long time actually...when you start off with the medication you get heavy headaches, but after a while your body adjusts and sometimes I wouldnt even have headaches anymore...I never felt dizzy...
Update, entering the fourth week since the surgery, less blood in stool, feeling a lot loser since last week when I felt tight...

I've been using Rectogesic (glyceryl trinitrate) for over twelve years now and I used to get quite a nasty headache tho it was usually short lived. I have noticed in the last year or so tho that the headaches have become really mild and now only last a minute after I first apply the ointment.
I asked my doctor if it was possible to use the Rectogesic too much and he said it wasn't so long as the side effects were manageable and that I should aim to apply it up to four times a day.
Anyway I had the surgery 25 days ago and now just apply it once a day but i have my post op appointment tomorrow and am hoping he will tell me it's all healed and that i can finally stop using it.