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Postby FLhopeful » 11 Mar 2013, 01:42

Hi, I'm from FL and have had an AF since last summer. This is my second that I know of. The first was 12 years ago when my husband was overseas for 6 months. That one cleared up without medical help.
This one started from stress, too... but it is not going away. I visited a CRS a month ago, hoping he could help with the AF so I could finally get a colonoscopy (my regular drs been bugging me) Well - the exam was horrid and afterwards he just prescribed RectiCare (lidocaine) and told me to take Konsyl. I told him caines bothered me... he said "this one won't"... he was wrong. I used just a teeny bit of the RectiCare which I rinsed of right away due to intense burning. I ended up with a painful rash that made everything worse. The Konsyl didn't seem to be a plus, either.
Before I went to the CRS the AF was somewhat interfering in my life...Now... it's my whole life. I've been getting spasms that can last 12 hours or more... before this it was a couple of hours, usually. The itching and burning is crazily intensified. There's lots of crying going on and I rarely leave the house.
I need to see another CRS but I live in a rural area so need to go about an hour away to find one who sounds good. I'm afraid to make an appt because I can't trust my body to be able to get there without screaming.
The previous one was so bad (I called the office twice after I saw him and was told there was nothing else to be done besides the creme to which I was allergic!) that I joined angie's list just to give a review.
To add insult to injury my back went out a couple days ago. I can't win.
Thanks to everyone who posts here... It's been helpful.
Diane
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Re: New to the forum

Postby owmybum » 11 Mar 2013, 03:55

Hi and welcome Diane,
So sorry to hear of the pain you are in... And the appalling dismissive treatment given to you by your crs!
I would definatly get another crs.. Dose up with pain killers if you have to to get there.
Do you use any type of stool softener? I would highly recommend mirilax. Drink plenty of water to keep things soft. Soaks in the bath are great for relaxation and are a good natural pain killer.
My af tends to get far worse when I am stressed and anxious too, it gets to be a bit of a vicious circle. In the end I was sooo miserable I was prescribed anti anxiety pills. These have helped reduce my anxiety considerably... And the af pain!
I urge you to have a good read through the posts here and gather as much info as you can. You can then start to help yourself before you get another crs appt.
OMB x
fissure after hem banding and tag removal feb 11
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Diltiazem
Botox June 13
Nitro
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Diagnosed with HS EDS type 3 (causes poor wound healing )
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Re: New to the forum

Postby coconut » 11 Mar 2013, 08:04

There are a lot of people on these boards who are having a hard time getting to a good CRS. Your's is the first I've heard of a CRS giving such horrible advice!
Needless to say, lidocaine is not good medicine for AFs. I used it to make me more comfortable, with some success, but it doesn't help with the real problem.
I think you might benefit from getting a little advice from a Jersey girl. See, if there is one thing we are good at in this part of the country, its asserting ourselves. I would print out scientific studies from medline - a reputable online source for medical studies - on the effectiveness of nifedipine for the treatment of anal fissure and demand that the doctor either prescribe it or give you a damn good reason for withholding it. Heck, if you think your GP would be more receptive, go ahead and get it from him/her. Sometimes its a good thing to be a little bit of a b!tc&. Think of it this way, if a doctor tried to withhold an effective medication from your child, what would you do?
Once you get the right cream follow the diet/laxative advice you find on this forum until you are well enough to get yourself out to a better CRS. Chances are, if you take Miralax, clean up your diet, and get started on the cream, you'll feel a good bit better in a few weeks. Which is not to say that you'll be cured, but you should feel a lot better.
The spasming and itching are all a normal part of having an anal fissure. I know its terrible. I've had them, too. But I find it helps if I don't blow them up to be more than they are. They are just my body retracting from the pain of a tiny little cut.
I hope this help. Good luck!
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Re: New to the forum

Postby Rachael 1984 » 11 Mar 2013, 09:03

Coconut, you have a great attitude towards these AFs! How do you do it? How are you after the surgery??
Yes u agree find a CRs who will take action. After using Nitro I demanded my doc give me Dilt. Just so I can get some comfort until I get Botox. One Doc refused due to the cost! It isn't licensed here in UK. I was crying at the Doc and outlining my depression issues due to this!
Hem Banding sept 2012
2Fissures
Nitro- Effective short term
April 2013-Botox-Effective short term
Diltazem-No effect, developed Rash
July 2014-Diagnosed High Resting Pressure
LIS performed on 17.9.14
Ongoing pain/re-tears. Awaiting pressure test results.
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Re: New to the forum

Postby coconut » 11 Mar 2013, 09:41

Diltiazin is not that expensive. In the US, pharmacist have to compound it from pill form into a cream. The compounding is a little expensive, but the pill is super cheap. I payed $65 for mine, and the tube would have lasted me a good long time, if I hadn't developed an allergy to it.
My recovery from surgery is slower than I had hoped. I'm back to work today for the first time and I'm glad about that. I like having routine in my life. I haven't gone back to regular bathroom habits since the surgery, and that's super important to AFs, so I'm fixated on that.
As for the good attitude...I'm not so sure. The assertiveness about working with doctors comes from learning about the nature of western medicine, how it views the body and the patient's role. I don't subscribe to the idea that doctors are gods and I should be passive and submissive. I think that women are taught to be like that too much. Submission is a good thing in due measure, but most of us use it to our own detriment.
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Re: New to the forum

Postby delasama » 11 Mar 2013, 10:04

Hi flhopeful. I live in Arkansas and apparently Arkansas has crapy doctors too. My crs wouldn't give me any creams at all and said continue with miralax and diet.i even asked him for nifedipine and he said he doesn't prescribe it anymore, because his patients hadn't had any luck with it or got side effects... I'm in the same boat as you flhopeful. Hopefully we can beat this thing! Image
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Re: New to the forum

Postby FLhopeful » 11 Mar 2013, 18:25

Thanks for the welcome, OMB,
Guess what came in the mail today - a bill from that horrid CRS. I'm going to question BCBS about it. I already paid my copay.
I sent my husband to the grocery for Miralax. I've been taking Mg and it's very helpful, but I want to find what works best for me. I've been aiming for a gallon of water a day but sometimes only make it to about 100 ounces.
I've been doing soaking in the bathtub the whole time - even when I had it 12 years ago. Sometimes it is the only thing that helps.
Stress is awful. I've been trying relaxation techniques for a long time now but not found relief yet.
I'm definitely going around the forum... I was reading for a while before I joined. I soooo want relief.
Diane
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Re: New to the forum

Postby FLhopeful » 11 Mar 2013, 18:37

Thanks coconut!
I found a CRS up in Tampa who has good reviews... I just don't want to do that drive (about an hour) until my butt and my back calm down a bit.
Lidocaine is especially not the drug of choice when the patient says she has had problems with caines! I grew up on LI, and you - Jersey girl - are very right that I need to be more assertive. When I'm in a drs. office pretty much the only thing on my mind is getting out of there as soon as I can. It took me a long time to build up the oomph to see this bozo.
I've been eating well for quite a while. For several months I was eating meat and vegs plus bits of this and that. I read "The Virgin Diet" in January and have been mostly following that since mid January. I've cut out dairy, gluten, corn, peanuts, soy, sugar and sugar substitutes and eggs. A few weeks ago I tried to reintroduce eggs (I thought I had no problem with them) and had HORRID spasms for about 12 hours. No more eggs.
Now I've decided to eat sardines several times a week for their anti inflammatory properties.
Sometimes the itch and spasms are tolerable (never welcome, for sure) but sometimes they are hell. I want out of hell.
Diane
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Re: New to the forum

Postby FLhopeful » 11 Mar 2013, 18:39

Rachel,
I'm so sorry you had to cry at the drs. They often haven't a clue how crappy their patients feel.
There should be a mind meld where they could experience what you feel so they could better prescribe a good course of treatment... of course there would be almost nobody willing to be a doctor, then.
Diane
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Re: New to the forum

Postby FLhopeful » 11 Mar 2013, 18:41

I'm so sorry you don't have any good CRSs in your area, delasama,
I hope you get relief...
Diane
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