I haven't had surgery because the GTN is the first step. It's basically a chemical sphincterotomy if it works on you. You have to stay on the stuff for a good 8 weeks and make sure you don't do any large / hard BMs for it to work. I would definitely try this first if you can as it's tried and tested, and has a good success rate.
The healing is moving in the right direction I think, as the spasms stopped today. I am of course apprehensive about tomorrow as goodness knows what that could bring. I'm also at a similar stage in terms of the most pain and least blood, although I never had much blood really.
My doctor examined me and could see the fissure, but they did say even without an examination they can tell due to my description and the pain I was in.

crackinup~ how long have you been on gtn?
how did your doc see the fissure? did he use anoscopy or colonoscopy?

Since Tuesday so not long. Going to be a long haul I think. Guess tomorrows pain depends on how the morning goes.
I have no idea how my doctor saw it, I wasn't looking! I haven't been to a specialist or anything. Just my GP.

i hope your cream works. you might want to send the user "toomuch" a pm. this is something i highlighted for you from one of his/her posts today- "I finally plucked up the courage after reading all the posts on here to actually allow my GP to take a look at my butt, within 1 month I had been seen by the Surgeon who has scheduled me for surgery on the 4th March. He told me to stop all the creams that the GP has prescribed as they are not doing any good at all and the steroids in them may well be aggravating it all. He told me that most GP's have no idea at all about AF and so wrongly prescribe creams.
I have put up with this pain for years, existing on pile suppositories, creams sprays and huge amounts of painkillers"

Have you tried squatting when you poo? I was in horrible pain for 8 weeks. I was taking so much fiber, laxatives and water that I was going several times a day. I finally cut down on the amounts I was using and I started going only once a day. I also felt like I couldn't get "it" all out in one sitting, so I had read online where it said squatting is the natural way and I tried it. I am now going with no pain from the bowel movement, only burning afterwards. I use vaseline after I clean myself, and it is soothing. I hope you find comfort soon.

i only tried squating once and everything seemed to come out too fast and hurt. i might try it again tomoro though.

It's not cream as such, it's glyceryl trinitrate. Traditionally used for angina sufferers to relieve an attack.
It basically performs a chemical sphincterotomy from what I've read. It's just something we have to try before surgery in the UK. If it works great, if it doesn't get me to the hospital ASAP.
I'm not scared of a small operation. I've had to have one before its no big deal. Anything to take this pain away. Anything.