Hi there everyone,
Firstly it's good to see that I am not alone in this one, thought I would introduce myself. I'm an otherwise healthy 19 year old male student from the UK and have been suffering from this for 4 months now.
It all started during my exam period at Uni. I got a little stressed and clogged up and consequently got constipated and this resulted in a red streaks of blood on the stool. After which I got so scared it became a vicious cycle, I would get nervous, hold it in and when it had to go I could feel a tear. Up until a week where I would literally just not let myself go and it built up and almost became impossible to pass the stool. After which I've had nothing but problems, I first thought enough was enough, I went to the doctors who checked and said I had an anal fissure, being a bit of a hypochondriac I was firstly worried about Bowel Cancer, which makes me even more nervous. He reassured me that it wasn't but since then, i've had nothing but trouble, a tearing pain every time I go to the pass a stool, and now there's bright red blood on the tissue paper which seems to be a fair amount, but it's also intermittent i.e. when stools are smaller or softer there doesn't seem to be as much or any at all. At which point I become less nervous about it, some times it doesn't hurt when I have a bowel movement but when there's blood there seems to be a lot of itching afterwards and sometimes pain. I was just wondering whether any of you have shared similar experiences and can relate to this?
I'm wondering what to do, as I don't want surgery or anything like that, I feel like I could live with the fissure rather than having surgery as long as I knew that it wasn't cancer.
Thanks for your time, and I hope to hear from you shortly,
Haydn

Hi Haydn, sorry you are going through what we have all gone through. I think if you really start a healthy diet with lots of water and fruits and grains etc, you may notice a big difference. Also, look for movicol ( i think thats what it is in UK)...it will make your bm soft and easy to come out. It may take a day or 2 for it to kick in, but it does work. Keep with the water though. If you can take a bath after you have a bm, that helps to settle the area down and the heat from the hot water will draw blood to the area and promote healing. I have 3 kids who are around your age, and I have been telling them to start now to watch things so they dont go through this. If things don't start to feel better, go to dr., there are ointments they can prescribe to try to heal it before going the route of surgery. Many people heal without surgery, it takes dedication to doing everything right ...so I hope you are one of them. Feel better and keep us posted..

Thanks for your reply Neen, there was a stage where I kept a strict regimen of water and lots of fibre and things seemed to start improving, but I probably never commit myself for long enough as a student you generally fit the stereotype of not eating as well as you should!
I think it's just sometimes when I see a lot of blood I get really nervous and feel as though if it was just a fissure it would have healed/ not as bled as much! I have also aways been anxious about health. I'm actually a student of Chemistry so as a scientist I see a lot of information about different conditions and then diagnose myself with them.
Thanks again for your reply and i'll keep you posted.
Warmest regards,

Try not to self diagnose...it is the worst thing we can do! I gave myself terrible panic attacks and I am sure it did not help matters as stress is not good for healing. Once you start with a fissure, they can heal , but you would be more prone to it coming back if you aren't strict with diet. It stinks, I know...I have been eating the same thing since my surgery 4 months ago. when I try something different, I have a bad day so I go back to the same old split pea soup! You are so young to have problems, so I really hope you make the changes necessary and wont have to have surgery. However, thank God for surgery in my case, I feel like a new person. Still keep me posted !

So sorry your going through this. Every one in this forum understands you. Its hard not to be stressed about these things. I had LIS done 7 weeks ago and these last two days I saw a little blood and I was freaking out so I understand your fears. Do keep a strict diet though, your diet will make you or break you..literally. Really hope you can heal this without surgery. Keep us posted.