I got my fissure in 2005 from an illness where I had a lot of diarrhea followed by some hard stools from taking antibiotics.
Basically I have been using Nifedipine on and off for the entire 8 years.
I have a very good bathroom routine, I use a cleansing spray (Dermahealth Perineal Spray from Walmart), moist wipes and I wash up in the bathtub followed by my Nifedipine. (I only use the cream in the morning after my BM)
I have been doing this for 8 years and have had little or no pain and been able to live a normal life. I have gone to a Specialist and he has said "if this is working, then continue with this" There is no reason to get surgery if you can manage with what you are doing currently. The only downside is that I will have to use the Nifedipine all of my life.
Well yesterday, I had a larger and harder stool them normal and had some bleeding (nothing major but there was some blood) Not much pain except for the initial stinging pain when I was passing the stool. Today I don't have much pain and my BM was not that painful except for some minor stinging. (less bleeding today as well)
My questions are....
1) If there is blood, does that mean I am back to square one again? or is bleeding normal from time to time? Like those who have had LIS, do you still bleed every so often? If the fissure is healed, then why is there blood? Does it open again fully? If it is bleeding, it must be open again?
2) Does having a fissure for so long expose me to other complications? Infections? Fistulas? Skin Tags etc? I have had this fissure for almost 9 years and have had no other issues.
3) I just do not see the point to having surgery if I can manage fine without it, why take the risk? Do you all agree with that statement?
Thanks for the input :)

Hi gahgah!
1) Hard to answer that one. Bleeding with fissures is such an individual thing. Some people bleed a lot with minor fissure recurrences, some people don't bleed at all with very very deep fissures down to the muscle fibers. Also, given that fissures are often present with hemorrhoids, this can make it even trickier to sort out because the bleeding can be coming from the hemorrhoids. Only way to know is to have your doctor take a look. I go more by pain level than bleeding. Not one of my fissures has ever bled, but my doctor has told me I've had them so deep they are down to the muscle.
2) Yes and No. My various doctors have told me infections are more commonly seen with hemorrhoids than fissures, but there is probably debate out there on this, as there is with everything. However, the longer a fissure has been around the higher likelihood of a sentinel pile (skin tag) forming.
3) Again, totally an individual decision, and really depends on so many things. An indiviual's own health history, how much the fissure pain disrupts their life, how fed up they are, how willing they are to take a risk on the ptential complications, both in the short term and the long term. You'll hear opinions on both sides when it comes to surgery and if/when a person wants to consider it. My doctors all feel I am a poor surgical candidate at high risk for complications so I'm pretty much stuck with learning how to manage multiple painful fissures every day. So, there are peope who do just have to live with it.
Not sure how that much helps, but I do hope you start feeling better soon.