I know many of you on here take stool softeners every day to ensure soft, easy to pass stools. It seems to be a requirement if you have an anal fissure. I was just wondering if any of you take them when you normally don’t have constipation issues? I’m not sure exactly how my fissure developed (it could have been due to weakened anal tissue due to straining while on previous vacations – I have a shy bowel and only really get constipated on vacation or when I'm someplace I'm not comfortable; or I may have developed the fissure from having loose stools and tons of stress during Christmas time last year). I don’t normally get constipated (when I’m on my regular routine, that is, at home) and I eat a healthy diet with fruits, grains, and veggies (very little processed foods), but I worry about times when I might develop constipation for whatever reason (life is unpredictable sometimes) and get a re-tear of my fissure. Of course, I’m equally concerned about getting really loose, burning stool or diarrhea or lots of bowel movements each day (going 2-3 times a day is enough for me, thanks), because I know those things can be just as bad as constipation when it comes to a fissure.
So, my question is: should I be taking a stool softener right now even if I don’t normally have constipation issues? If so, should I try Colace or Miralax? My mom took Colace for a while after she had a hysterectomy and said it worked for her, so maybe it would be fine for me. I know most of you on here prefer Miralax, though.
I just worry if I try a stool softener that I'll get diarrhea or that my system will become dependent on it to have normal bowel movements. I'd prefer to just stick to a healthy diet (as boring as that is sometimes), but if a stool softener will prevent any issues that might come up and ensure consistently soft stool every day to help further heal the fissure, I'd give it a try.