For the past six weeks or so, about 90% of my bowel movements have bled, and it felt like I was passing a cactus! Then it would throb for hours afterwards.At first I thought it was hemmorhoids, because I've had them before, but nothing that ever lasted this long. I'm a bit of a hypochondriac, so of course when I Google this, one of the things that can cause bloody bowel movements is cancer. Everything I read about anal fissures sounds exactly like what I have, but I can't help being paranoid. I'm trying to get a lot more fiber, and drinking more water. The last couple days it still hurt and bled when I went, but at least the pain pretty much went away when I was done. If I go to the doctor, how do they diagnose it? Do they just look at it and poke around? I can live with that. I certainly don't want to go through a colonoscopy. Can anyone help out a 'possible' anal fissure newbie??

It sounds like a fissure to me. When they do a diagnosis they'll have you lie on your tummy or side and look/touch around in there, it's pretty quick. Are you taking a stool softener? Mirilax or magnesium is very helpful. Drink a ton of water. Don't strain!

I haven't tried a stool softener yet. But it's normal for them to bleed every time you go? And sometimes that throbbing starts as soon as I feel like I have to go. I've tried Prep H and vaseline; it helps a little with the pain when I go but there's still blood. And I swear sometimes it even hurts to pass gas! I also wonder if things like this are genetic at all. I remember my father always had issues with hemorrhoids and even had to have surgery on them before. And part of the problem is, I NEVER used to go this regularly. I would go every 2-3 days at most, so if something was going on down there, it would have time to heal. Now I go like clockwork every morning, lol. And I do NOT look forward to it!!