So for a few weeks now I've been suffering with an anal fissure. For the first part of my experience I was coping with it pretty well, yes it was excruciatingly painful, but I could deal with it. I've never really had a regular bathroom pattern, so this is probably where my more recent problem started from.
What I'm about to talk about (and yes, it may get graphic), is my warning to all of you. Last Thursday (14/11/13) I had to work until 9pm. Now, being a very private person, and not being able to go to the bathroom any where but my own home, this interrupted with my bathroom activities. I also drank a lot of caffeinated drinks that day, to keep myself going, which I have since learned is very bad for someone with an anal fissure, as it dehydrates you making your stool hard. By the time I'd got home from work, and had something to eat it had gotten pretty late, and so I didn't go to the bathroom that day, I just went straight to sleep. In all honesty, I just didn't feel the need to go any more. This lasted for a couple of days, until Sunday night, when I began feeling really sick, and my stomach was pretty sore. I have to admit, my eating habits aren't brilliant, and this doesn't help my situation either.
By Monday, I was feeling even worse, but every time I tried to go, my body would tense up because it was so painful. I did a bit of research online, and some people were advising (this is wear it gets graphic, queasy readers, look away now) that you use your fingers in order to pick bits out. I sat in the bathroom for the best part of an hour, slowly breaking pieces off, but I still felt so poorly, and this was a pretty slow and painful process which wasn't really making a difference. My dad had noticed how long I was in the bathroom for and asked if everything was alright. I explained everything to him, and he went out and bought me some Senokot.
I took two Senokot before bed, and knowing they take 6 - 12 hours to work, I went to sleep, prepared to wake up to the worst.
It's Tuesday morning now, and I'm still unsure of whether the Senokot was a good idea. I woke up feeling sick and bloated, with a desperate need to go to the bathroom. I had no time for all the preparation I planned the night before (which involved more things I had seen online, including drinking water, and going for a walk to get everything moving). It was not a nice feeling as I felt really sick from the urge to go to the bathroom. The trouble is, Senokot gives you the urge to go, but doesn't remove any of the pain from going, so I have spent another hour this morning in absolute agony.
Please, please, please everyone who ever reads this, do not wait as long as I did. I've spent all morning sweating, shaking, and almost crying in the attempt to get this stool out. I noticed that although Senokot does soften the stool, it didn't soften the bit that came out first. I think this is because it was right at the end of my bowels and had been sat there the longest. I also think that I'm probably going to have to go again later, but I was so exhausted and in so much pain I just couldn't.
Looking back, what I had to my body was so childish, it is in fact what a lot of children do when they experience pain when going to the bathroom. Every time I felt the urge to go, I just ignored it, until it's got too bad. I also haven't been to see my doctor, as he's so difficult to get an appointment with and I work such ridiculous hours (I know, I know, excuses, excuses!). I think I will need to book an appointment today though as I don't think I can deal with this pain any more.
I still feel pretty nauseous, and I'm not looking forward to going again later, as I know it's going to be worse.
So here's my advice. Don't leave it like I did. Just go every day. Don't sit there and force though as this could make the fissure worse. Simply go to the bathroom, take your phone, laptop, book, magazine, newspaper, anything and just sit on the toilet and relax. Your body is supposed to go every day, so eventually it will. Also make sure you're eating plenty of fiber, as this should soften your stool and make going much easier.
I am not a trained professional or anything like that, I'm just telling you my experience, and offering some advice for anyone else suffering.
Take care.