How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby Luka » 21 Feb 2013, 00:55

Ugh, I had a bit more pain yesterday and today in the afternoon and evening. It must be the spasms since I can feel it in my vaginal and tailbone area (it feels like burning and aching). I can still feel the fissure in there, too. It feels "cut-like", if that makes sense. Tomorrow will be 5 weeks on it for me.
Is it normal to be feeling okay one day and then having pain the next and back and forth? Can still having pain at times still mean it's healing? This whole up-and-down roller-coaster ride healing process is really getting to me. : ( I'm exhausted from all this and just want this thing to disappear forever.
January 2013 - Diagnosed with fissure. Eventually turned chronic.
History of IBS and anxiety disorder, along with fear of using bathrooms other than my own caused it.
Tried Diltiazem, but eventually developed a rash.
LIS surgery scheduled August 26th.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby coconut » 01 Mar 2013, 13:50

coconut wrote:I'm on day 13 and this is a good day! Its not pain-free but the pain level I'm experiencing is manageable, and that's without advil or similar pain relievers. I'm hoping that this will be the start of a trend towards healing. Woot!

So, its March 1st, day 23 on prescription creams and I'm still at about the same level of pain I was when I wrote this. I'm feeling frustrated at the apparent lack of further progress. Its great, really great, that I'm not so debilitated by pain right now. But I still hurt and my life still revolved around my butt. I wish I had some objective way of knowing when I was really stalled in my healing and when I just need to be patient. I don't want to be one of those people who gives up after months and years of trying to heal with creams, decides to get the surgery and comes back here to say "why didn't I do that sooner?"
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby Luka » 01 Mar 2013, 15:23

I understand where you're coming from, coconut. I'm on week 6 and I'm still having pain on and off. Again, some days are better than others, but the pain has been a little worse lately at night. I have no clue why. I'm wondering if I'm still healing or not. This is really frustrating.
I'm not sure if I should continue taking the Diltiazem for another couple of weeks or more or just stop. I could go back to my CRS, but money is really tight for me right now, so I'm not sure I can afford it (no health insurance right now). I know some people take longer than others to heal on Diltiazem (some up to 3 months), so maybe I will just continue with it and hope for the best. Surgery is not an option for me at this point due to the cost and I want to exhaust all other conservative options before jumping into it.
Best wishes to you and I hope you heal very soon.
January 2013 - Diagnosed with fissure. Eventually turned chronic.
History of IBS and anxiety disorder, along with fear of using bathrooms other than my own caused it.
Tried Diltiazem, but eventually developed a rash.
LIS surgery scheduled August 26th.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby coconut » 01 Mar 2013, 16:06

Luka wrote:I understand where you're coming from, coconut. I'm on week 6 and I'm still having pain on and off. Again, some days are better than others, but the pain has been a little worse lately at night. I have no clue why. I'm wondering if I'm still healing or not. This is really frustrating.
I'm not sure if I should continue taking the Diltiazem for another couple of weeks or more or just stop. I could go back to my CRS, but money is really tight for me right now, so I'm not sure I can afford it (no health insurance right now). I know some people take longer than others to heal on Diltiazem (some up to 3 months), so maybe I will just continue with it and hope for the best. Surgery is not an option for me at this point due to the cost and I want to exhaust all other conservative options before jumping into it.
Best wishes to you and I hope you heal very soon.

Your doctor might be willing to give you advice over the phone. Then you wouldn't have to pay. You don't even have to beg poor. Its just standard to call the doc and ask them about things like when to stop taking a prescription.
My pain is like this constant low grade pain that makes me always uncomfortable, but never really down and out in pain. So frustrating. And so hard to know what the right course of action is.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby Luka » 01 Mar 2013, 16:58

Thanks, coconut. I'll give my CRS a call this coming Monday and see what he has to say. I guess part of me is afraid of what he'll say (like me needing surgery or something), but I can't just let this go. I'm confused about when I should stop taking the Diltiazem.
I wonder if CRS's usually prescribe the other ointments (Nitro or Nifedipine) if one ointment doesn't work completely. They all work about the same, though, right? I've heard some good things about Botox, but I've also heard it's incredibly expensive and only temporary in most cases. In that case, I might as well just get the LIS! Here's hoping and praying it doesn't come to that, though. *hopeful*
January 2013 - Diagnosed with fissure. Eventually turned chronic.
History of IBS and anxiety disorder, along with fear of using bathrooms other than my own caused it.
Tried Diltiazem, but eventually developed a rash.
LIS surgery scheduled August 26th.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby coconut » 01 Mar 2013, 17:59

From what I've read, if you haven't tried nitro, its probably worth a try. Especially if you don't have a tendency to develop severe headaches.
I think most docs only switch meds if there are bad side effects. But also, most docs start with the nitro and go to the calcium channel blockers if the nitro hurts too much. Some studies say rective (nitro) works better than the others, but some studies say they are all pretty much the same.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby Luka » 02 Mar 2013, 02:02

Yeah, I've heard nitro might be more effective than Diltiazem, but studies seem to have mixed results from what I've read. I guess it just depends on the person and how they respond to each ointment. I do get some pretty bad headaches (not migraines, but pretty bad) before and during my period. So the headache side effect of it does concern me since so many people get nasty headaches with it.
Also, I've heard Nitro is like $400 or something (without insurance). O_o No way could I afford that, especially something that isn't guaranteed to work. The Diltiazem was only $50 for me at the compounding pharmacy.
January 2013 - Diagnosed with fissure. Eventually turned chronic.
History of IBS and anxiety disorder, along with fear of using bathrooms other than my own caused it.
Tried Diltiazem, but eventually developed a rash.
LIS surgery scheduled August 26th.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby Luka » 04 Mar 2013, 17:17

Well, I called my CRS's office and they were absolutely no help. The woman I spoke to (who I could barely understand because of her heavy accent and mumbling) told me to make another appointment. I told her I don't have health insurance and I'm not sure if I can afford it (they gave me a deal last time, but this time I'm not sure if they will), so she just told me to keep taking the Diltiazem. Then she said to clean my butt after each bowel movement... which I've been doing anyway and is just common sense. -_- So, yeah, waste of time. I might try calling back another day and see if I can get someone I can actually understand.
So some people take up to 12 weeks to heal on this stuff? I haven't felt any improvement for quite a while, which really concerns me. Pain is still on and off, but is still there and worse on some days. Guess I will just have to fight this on my own and hope for the best since botox and surgery is out of the question for me right now due to cost. I do know that my fissure is probably chronic now, as it has a small skin tag with a white tip. I can see it when my muscle is more relaxed down there (it's internal) and can feel it in there sometimes, which is a weird sensation. Unfortunately, my CRS couldn't see it because I was so tense and nervous from the appointment that day.
January 2013 - Diagnosed with fissure. Eventually turned chronic.
History of IBS and anxiety disorder, along with fear of using bathrooms other than my own caused it.
Tried Diltiazem, but eventually developed a rash.
LIS surgery scheduled August 26th.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby Luka » 20 Mar 2013, 00:18

Just wanted to update everyone on my progress with Diltiazem. I've been on it almost 9 weeks now and the pain is almost gone (*knocks on wood*). I still have mild pain now and again, which tells me the fissure is still there, but is healing. I can still feel the tag inside when applying the Diltiazem, but it seems to have shrunk a little. I'm guessing the tag never goes away or takes a while to disappear.
I'm unsure when to stop the Diltiazem, though. I don't want to stop it too soon and have problems. Maybe I should stay on it for about three more weeks (making it 12 weeks total for me). I just fear developing a rash or anything... in which case, I'd obviously have to quit it right away. I called my CRS's office about how long I should stay on this, but they weren't very helpful and I can't afford another appointment right now (no health insurance and I have important dental bills to pay at the moment).
Anyway, I'm happy to be healing and that the pain has lessened even more, but I'm still very nervous about possibly re-tearing and having another flare-up. I'm still keeping up my very healthy diet (fruits, veggies, and whole grains, with chicken and fish) and drinking a LOT of water every single day. I have, however, lost a lot of weight (I'm currently at about 98 lbs) and it shows. I really hope I can gain some weight back soon, but with a diet like this, it's very difficult. I really don't like being all boney-looking.
I also haven't had regular (non-anal, of course) sex or anything of that sort including orgasms yet... in about three months. My worry has been getting me down and I know it's taking a major toll on my relationship. I don't want to go through this again and risk a re-tear. Guess I will pray about it and try to take it slow.
There is hope with all this and I highly recommend giving the creams a try, if you can tolerate them. I believe the Diltiazem has definitely helped in my healing process (along with the healthy diet, water, and stress reduction).
January 2013 - Diagnosed with fissure. Eventually turned chronic.
History of IBS and anxiety disorder, along with fear of using bathrooms other than my own caused it.
Tried Diltiazem, but eventually developed a rash.
LIS surgery scheduled August 26th.
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Re: How long does healing typically take with Diltiazem?

Postby anteater » 12 Aug 2015, 02:01

I am only on day 2 Diltiazem, so obviously a bit early for me to judge. As I have had a previous LIS, I very rarely get spasms (mainly when trying to get to sleep) but have low level burning on the left hand side pretty much all the time. Is this consistent with other peoples experiences or is your pain spasmy ally the time?
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