Well, I am new to this. Figured out I had a fissure about 6 weeks ago. I tried to take stool softeners, but still had pain and bleeding. The first GI doc I went to couldnt see it and sent me to a crs. He used an anoscope and said he couldn't see it either! He gave me nifedipine cream and sent me home. And insisted that I schedule a colonoscopy. When I asked him how to change my diet, his response was "if you try something and it bothers you, don't eat it" Really?? That's what I came to you for. . Very frustrated, I called the office the next day and sent pictures to one of the nurses. She was amazed that he hasn't seen it!!
So, I am 10 days into nifedipine. And trying desperately to alter my diet on my own. I NEVER have a problem with regularity, just bulky stools. Any suggestions?? I have been taking 3 colace every night and increasing my water intake. Cutting down on veggies, that sort of thing. Nothing seems to help!! I want this gone! I am a 33 year old woman who is otherwise perfectly healthy! And this thing is taking over my life! HELP!! I'll take anything you can give me!!!

Welcome Jballerina24
We are so sorry you have these fissure but they are beatable. I'll have you know that I beat mine with diet alone, but it may take a while.
In my 20's I was too stubborn and naive to stick to a diet that worked. I found with diet its a process of elimination when it comes to finding the right combo to beat these fissures.
Diet, along with water and exercise balance is a puzzle that fissure sufferers deal with for months or years before they find what truly works for them.
Basically though you want to start eating very healthy all the time. To pinpoint the offender if it is indeed a food, you may want to start out by totally eliminating this or that from your diet to see if that helps soften up your bm or even the burning.
you said

Cutting down on veggies,

My dear friend. veggies are one of the last things you want to cut down on. Increase your veggies is what I was hoping to hear. Now if your one that loads them with the cheeses and salts and spices, thats what you want to cut down on.
Also increase your fiber, making sure you balance the insoluble with the soluble, you will learn more about that later. Sometimes as in my case just increasing the exercising regime may produce very manageable stools.
I do hope you do not have to revert to drastic measures like a LIS, when you can fix this on your own. Like a mechanic, some Docs out there will be more than happy to suggest operation so get a second or even third opinion.
So, high processed food, highly seasoned foods, red meats, all junk foods, start a process of elimination and see if that dosen't start to give you better trips to the John.
Keep searching in the diet section here to find other things that worked for others, you will soon find something that worked for you.
GL

Colace didn't work for me. I finally figured out that taking almost a cap full of miralax with dinner every night made me poop as soon as I woke up in morning and it is always soft. I eat hearty food like chicken, potatoes, greens. Also stop eating red meat. Every one is different, but that was the main thing that worked for me. Took two months of this routine to get where I have no pain or spasms.the main thing was figuring out that taking miralax with dinner makes you poop soft poop in morning then fissure has all day and night to heal.i also quit drinking alcohol and caffeine and went gluten free. The main thing was miralax and not eating red meat....

Jballerina24, I have to agree with Buttastic about not cutting out the veggies, they are essential to good health and should only help with your movements. delasama is spot on about the miralax, it's the only thing that has helped me with chronic constipation in about 50 years. I'm taking around 2/3s of a cap daily, works wonders.

Thank you for the replies! It's so nice to hear back from someone! I feel so alone in this because no one I know has this problem!! And my docs have been useless so far. Buttastic, thanks for the advice! I spoke with a very helpful cr nurse just filled me in on diet. I assumed if I could debulk by decreasing veggies that I wouldn't rip. But I understand it now! It's not necessarily the size, but it's the texture and the ease that keeps you from retearing. Lightbulb moment!! I still have to see if its colace or miralax that works for me. Thanks again! And keep it coming if there is anything else! I want this gone!!!

I would agree with what the others have all said. Veggies are good.. But you don't have to over do it.
Mirilax is a great stool softener... It's very reliable, I would highly recommend it. Just don't forget to drink plenty with it.
OMB x

ballerina24 hi there, sorry to hear that you are suffering from fissures.
The thing about this bothersome and painful problem is that once you get them and they become chronic they take longer to heal.
Some people are lucky and heal faster while others take longer and some will required surgery.
Sadly is others like me that have mine for 11 months after diagnosis and while I have control over it and can live a normal live, once in while I get irritated after a BM and it will bleed.
But with care I can deal with the fissure and has never been incredibly painful and uncomfortable as it was beginning.
Is plenty of information in the board about how to help with the pain, irritation and stool control.
I hope you heal soon.

I assumed if I could debulk by decreasing veggies that I wouldn't rip.

You know, thats actually the bane for many of us too. Thats why you'll here not to take in too much fiber of the insoluble type.
Alas now you see why these fissures are so insidious. you almost have to do everything spot on and perfect it seems like some times before we send our fissures packing.
I would indeed try to see if I could find something in my diet that may be causing too much bulk. A lot of times it may be too much pasta or breads or other things with a high flour ratio.
Its trial and error around these parts my friend.
GL

Ballerina,
I love those "lightbulb" moments! I've been having a few of my own recently too!
I'm with everyone on the veggies. They are brilliant fissure friends especially if you cook them so they are softer to consume.
Bran, wholegrain bread, wholegrain pasta are great sources of fibre but do "bulk" if you overload on them, so I don't eat anymore than 2 slices of bread a day and maybe every two -three days a portion of pasta. Whole grain rice works better for me than the latter.
Definitely no red meats too - hard to digest & bulky too....
Lots of fluids, soup, soft veggies, fruits and beans always work well for me - Lean towards the soluble fibres rather then the soluble ( although you you do need both)
It is a lot of experimentation to get that right consistency - maybe a food diary might help you plot what seems to be the right job and help you rule out what doesn't help?...
Miralax is highly recommended by a lot of people on this site - I use Lactulose, have never had issues with this as a stool softener and works well for me too.
Keep experimenting and hopefully soon you will the things that help and learn the things to avoid/ take in moderation. Another little great tip (if you don't do so already) is to apply lots of vaseline just inside the anal opening before a BM. This "coats" and protects the fissure and eases the evacuation process through lubrication.
All the very best to you :)

OOps I mean't to say "lean towards the soluble rather than the INSOLUBLE fibres".......