Hello everyone,
I'm so glad :D that I found a forum where I can talk about this issue. I'm a 21 year old male from Canada and I got an anal fissure in December, 2012 after a day of eating junk food to celebrate the end of the school semester. At first my doctor thought that I had hemorrhoids and treated me as such for about a month and a half. Then I was diagnosed with an anal fissure by a specialist after a sigmoidoscopy, who has since prescribed diltiazem for me to apply thrice daily.
Now, before being diagnosed with the fissure, I was in a lot of pain every morning after passing stool and the doctor prescribed glycerin suppositories for softer stool, in tandem with stool softener Soflax. However, in the past 2.5 months I have lost 15 pounds of weight and I feel that I might become dependent on these glycerin suppositories. Can anyone give me some advice as to how habit forming these things are? I'm eating more fiber (4-5 apples a day) and drinking about 3 liters of water daily, but I still have constipation! Every time I go to the washroom for passing stool, I have panic attacks because of the pain!!! What more should I do?

Hello there, sorry you are suffering. I am currently fighting 2 Fissures. Hell isn't it. Apples can be binding and acidic. Try pears they are easier digested and softer. Is the stool softener osmotic? These type draw water to the bowel and keep the stool soft. Also try oils, coconut oil is good, take 2 spoons before bed. Do you have IBS?
I have the same problem with the weight issue, like many others , scared to eat! One thing that also works for me is lubrication before BM, into sitz Bath and then lubricate again. This takes the burn away most days. AF are unpredictable and everyone finds a routine which works for them? Have you had any relief from the cream??

Rachael, what are you lubricating with after BM that helps the burning?

Just Vaseline. Applied with a cotton bud, small amount into anus and apply around with finger. I found this helps most days. I have ordered some Vit E suppositories from Amazon to try. Vit E is supposed to have healing properties. The burning and knife pains are the worst for me. All day at the moment. Think the spasms cause the knife pains.
Do you do sitz baths?

Im using vaseline before BM, then I shower and clean the area. Applying nitro after shower. Tried sitzbaths, but it only gives releive while taking them, so I stopped.
I might give it a try to use vaseline after nitro, maybe like an hour later, when absorbtion has happend.

Yes, try it. The Nitro absorbs quite quick, I think.
The sitz baths relax the muscle, so I think they are good for that rather than any pain relief afterwards as such.

I've been advised to eat apples by my CRS. I do so everyday and do great. Some people have a special condition where unsoluble fiber makes them constipated, but that's a special condition. For most of us, we need 50% unsoluble fiber to have soft bowels. If you want only soluble fiber from your apple, simply peal it first.
Also, apples, pears and most fruits have the same impact on the body's acidity levels. Citrus, especially lemon, can be alkalizing in the body. (Ironic but true, according to acid/alkaline theory, which is largely... not very popular... in nutritional science. I wouldn't go so far as to say its not true. Its just that your body's ph is more complex than the diet books would have you believe.