I have been with my new physio yesterday- who was very informative about ways to help me empty my bowels as well as teaching me how to do my pelvic floor excercises, which I am going to do 3 times a day. She was very encouraging and said that if I strengthen my pelvic floor it could help my rectocele (which is where my rectum is bulging into my vagina making it impossible to empty my bowels properly and causing constipation and straining which in turn has caused my fissure).
She showed me how I could massage my tummy in a clockwise motion as well to encourage a complete bowel movement. I'm really hoping this programme is going to make things better for me. I don't want to end up having surgery if I can avoid it and as my pain has become more manageable of late my CRS says that he wouldn't operate unless my situation was unmanagable - like it was during the summer and autumn.
I have found that understanding the mechanics of what is wrong with me has really helped. I've been living with this for over 10 years now and just not understanding what was going on. I have to do this thing called digitation now after a bowel movement, where a place my fingers in my vagina to support the wall between my vagina and my rectum and this allows me to complete my bowel movement and then I don't have to go for another 24 hours. This is so different from before when I could have to go up to 4 or 4 times a day- often to no effect.
If I could build up the muscle wall with my exercises and not have to do that it would be great. Obviously I would prefer not to be the person who has to stick their fingers up their fanny every morning but hey that is better than the pain as I'm sure everyone will agree!