Hi guys, I've been coming here on and off for the past 2 months. I've been suffering from fissure on and off for about 4 years. I didn't know it was called "fissure" as I am a gay bottom and I do anal sex. I thought "sharp pain" is just part of the anal sex. I would do it once and wait for a few days and then do it again. This went on for a long time and I think a chronic fissure eventually formed earlier this year. I was also drinking caffeine heavily. I always started the day with a Large Carmel Iced Latte from Dunkins every morning and then drank soda during the day or tea. I had no idea my body was dehydrated even though I didn't feel "thirsty".
I have learned about my body for the past 4 months more than the past 25 years of my life!!! It is such a WAKE UP call for me. My normal routine consists of sitting in front of computer for a long time, no exercise at all... sigh.
Anyway, I have FINALLY healed it (I would say 98%). My criteria for a healed fissure is higher because I want to do anal sex. Anal sex is way more invasive and destructive so my fissure has to be fully healed. Some people would consider "no blood and pain during BM" as "healed" but not me.
I've tried several things but honestly, I cannot say which thing is the most important. I think to heal a fissure completely, you need to do SEVERAL things. One or two things is not enough. My fissure has formed a small skin tag outside. My partner saw it first as I didn't feel it.
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Routine:
1. The first thing I do when I wake up is to soak in a warm/hot tub for 12mins. I lay with my knees bend a bit to make sure my "asshole" is soaked in water and not just my butt cheeks.
2. I get out of tub and I only dry my body. I normally don't wipe my ass with towel. I lay in doggie position on the floor for like 3mins to let it air-dried.
3. Then I apply a generous amount of Palmer's Cocoa Butter oil with Vitamin E http://www.vitacost.com/palmers-cocoa-butter-formula-moisturizing-body-oil-with-vitamin-e-8-5-fl-oz?csrc=GPF-PA-010181041709&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=010181041709&gclid=CPiFl_3CvrcCFVSe4AodAXsACg around my anus and insert finger in a bit.
4. I go to kitchen and heat up warm water with Unrefined Sea Salt. I only put a little bit as I do not want to consume too much salt. I put less than 1/4 of teaspoon. Basically, it's salty enough that I can taste it like "soup".. not like very salty. I put it in the micro for 25 seconds only. I want it warm but not burning.
5. After drinking sea salt water, I eat one Orange. (I used to take Metamucil but I think it gave me heart burn after one month. This step, I believe you should take the kind of stool softener you like). I want to eat actual food/fruit than just supplements.
6. Then I eat 10 organic Almond.
7. Then I take 2 x 1000mg Fish Oil.
8. Then I start my normal workout/exercise. Nothing major. I just want to grow some muscle. If you are not working out, I suggest you do light exercise like "Running in Place". Watch this youtube clip on how to run in place CORRECTLY: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OsBk8Xe5Wo
Run for like 5-10mins to get blood flowing more in your body!
9. Then I shower for work. After I get out of shower, I let my ass air-dry and then I apply Palmer's Cocoa Butter again.
10. I am a bit lucky in a sense that my BM is quite irregular. I do not have BM everyday. I've also made an effort to avoid food that normally triggers faster BM. To me, that would be spicy food, very greasy food. The goal is to reduce the # of times you use BM because each time you have BM, it hurts your fissure. Before you have BM, you MUST put some lubricant. I use water lube as I like how easy it is to wash it off. I use water lube at home and Vaseline at work. It is hard to explain why I have water lube at work. LOL And also, I do not wipe my ass at home. I literally just put my butt under tub faucet and rinse with warm water. If I am at work, I wet tissue a lot and wipe it very gently.
11. During the day, I drink a lot of water. I would say on average, 3/4 of a liter. I don't drink a lot of water at once as that gives me "full feeling". I normally just take a sip of water once every 30mins. Some of you are probably already drinking that much water. I also try to avoid sitting for too long at once.
12. Lunch/dinner time, I eat a lot of chicken. Chicken broccoli with "white sauce" (not brown) with white rice (brown rice could be better if they serve) and low salt is something I request from Chinese carryout all the time. It's cheap in my area. Only $6.
13. When I get home, the first thing I do is take one fish oil pill (since I still have food in my stomach from dinner). The goal is to take at least 2400mg-3000mg per day. I prefer taking it at different time than all of them at once. I take 2 in the morning after breakfast and 1 when I get home.
After that, I soak my ass for another 12mins in warm/hot water. Soaking in hot water relaxes your muscle which is very important for step 14 - anal dilation.
14. Once I get out of tub, I start my Anal Dilation process. I set my iphone to 12mins timer. I use water-lube to lube my ass first. And then I insert one finger. This could be a tough step for those that have never inserted things into your ass. I believe anal dilation is extremely important. You gotta get used to it. Once I feel one finger is comfortable, I put two fingers. I bought an Anal Dilation kit form amazon. Honestly, you can just buy two dildos.. small and larger (not large!). I let the smallest dilator sit for 3-4 mins and switch to larger one and wait until the time is up.
Tips: To insert dildo/dilator, do it STANDING UP.. legs apart, bend your knee a bit but not too much. Breathe in hard and when you breathe out, your muscle is at the most relaxed state.. you push dildo in, little by little depending on how tight you are. Do not use it in doggie style to start as that position actually puts a lot of stress on your ass-muscle. To take dildo out, pull it when you breathe IN because when you breathe in hard, your diaphragm expands which also pushes your ass outward. Use this technique when you have BM too.
15. I only do anal dilation once every other 2-days. I would do it on Monday, rest for two days and do it again on Thursday. I used to do it once every other day but it was stretching and pulling my skin tag too much. You need to let it rest and heal up before you dilate.
16. After dilation, I wash it off with warm water and then apply Palmer's cocoa butter again. I would play video game, watch TV...
17. I drink another 8oz of Sea Salt water before going upstairs to sleep. Microwave it for 25s.
17. Once it's my sleep time, I apply Nitro 0.2 Ointment Rectogesic (bought it here http://www.unitedpharmacies.com/customer/product.php?productid=1028). I rub it outside of my anus and into my anus.
The reason I only apply Nitro once a day is that I do not like that slippery feeling when I walk during the day. In fact, I find it very irritating.. it's like my skin tag is pulled when it's too slippery. And also, doing it before bed can make sure I reduce the amount of headache I suffer.
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I follow this routine religiously for one full month. The first 3 months, I was only soaking my ass in a Sitz Bath bowel but I think eventually the bowl is pulling my ass too wide apart and skin tag cannot healed well. I was also not taking Fish Oil pill and no sea salt water.
I don't know if it is Time that eventually healed it but I am going to stick with this routine for the rest of my life... I view Fissure as Cancer. I need to live with it. I am NOT going to suffer through another episode again.
I will eventually introduce coffee back but not after I have zero-pain ass for another month to even take that chance.
PM me if you have questions. I feel your pain. My case is not as severe as some of you but I hope it helps.