Hi everyone, thanks for reading and your support.
My story: I have always had a bit of a dodgy stomach on and off while growing up. I remember times where as a young kid I had a fair amount of pain after BM. But these times weren't that often and seemed to go away by themselves. I just figured that I had eaten something 'scratchy'.
Then in 2008, I went on an overseas trip. The combination of dehydration, bad foods etc gave me a proper AF. I was in agony going to the toilet but too ashamed to tell anyone, even my mum (who is a nurse). I diagnosed myself via google. This episode didn't last too long thankfully- maybe 1-2 wks with adjustments to diet and with me trying to squat whenever I went to the toilet. I didn't have much pain at other times, only occasional itching.
Fast forward to this yr, 2012. Again I had been overseas and developed a mild AF. Not bad or disabling and I was able to deal with it (or so I thought). Then about a month after the trip, I developed the most intense burning pains in my bottom (with the presence of two skin tags) which was immediately followed the next day by five days of diarrhea after eating. I saw a Dr who believed that the skin tags were internal haemorrhoids and prescribed hydrocortisone suppositories (which basically did nothing). She also said that the diarrhea was likely to be caused by a virus, however I had no fever or vomiting or not sure I believe that.
Things slowly got a bit better over a week (the diarrhea was gone) but pain was up and down. At the end of the week I had the mother of all toilet experiences which left me cringing on the floor for 5 min afterwards. I decided to try not eating to see if this would help things to heal. The first day of doing that I felt great but the second day was back to normalish.
In the third week, things went from bad to worse as an infection developed. I had throbbing, constant pain in my rear end, especially on the left side radiating into the butt cheek and left pelvic floor area. I noticed pus coming out of the skin tags and that they seemed to be getting bigger. I thought well at least it must be draining itself? and continued on with regular baths and eating as little as possible. I continued to have very loose BM-probably what most people would call diarrhea.
By the Thursday of that week, I could barely walk. I was at work and a colleague noted that I looked green and sent me home. I went to another Dr who put me on antibiotics and said that most of the pain was from the infected swelling. Things got a bit better on Sat- I did a lot of walking as this seemed to help with draining the pus. Then on Sunday I stupidly ate some turkey which had been in the fridge too long and ended up with food poisoning and about 4 episodes of diarrhea! The anal pain worsened again and I think everything went backwards.
Monday of the next wk, went back to Drs as infection didnt seem to have cleared by 5 days of antibiotics. I had constant pain and couldn't sleep an ended up at hospital in the middle of the night. The Dr there thought it was a fissure, not haemorrhoids and said to go back to GP and get a referral to a surgeon, and gave me some oxycontin.
I went back to my GP and got a referral to a surgeon but they could only see me in a month's time! I was in such pain that in desperation I went back to the hospital and got admitted as a public patient (also after a traumatic internal examination by an ED nurse who thought it was just haemorrhoids too). I had investigation under anaesthetic done where they found an acute fissure, and a biopsy of the area was taken.
I think I heard someone say multiple tears- this may have been while I was still recovering. They say that there is no abscess or infection, despite the fact that I can feel two painful pea sized lumps in the external anal area. I have been started on Fybrogel and given a few days of Oxycontin to continue with (they said not to do this long term d/t constipation risk).
So far my BM have been soft and bearable, but I am still in constant pain -when walking, sitting, and intermittent sharp pains. I have a follow-up appointment in 2 wks to talk to my surgeon because he believes I may have Crohn's disease, given my history. I have been given a week off work and am seriously hoping I am better enough to work. It is so embarrassing to try to explain to people, especially when you can't walk properly.
I am still feeling very desperate- should I see another surgeon and get a second opinion about possible abscesses or wait till my follow-up? Will the fissure heal, given that it is ulcerated, still putting out puss/blood combination? Help!