I am 34...have had bm pain for a couple years on and off but in the last few days it has become practically intolerable...like passing razor blades. 9 to 10 on a scale of 10 pain. I have tried using preparation H/ aspirin/ colase but nothing is working. I am going to the doctor tomorrow because I can't take it any more. This sucks anyone have advice on how to manage the pain? Do they have numbing lotions or something? Any advice is appreciated.

GG, sorry to hear that things have gotten worse, much worse it sounds. There is quite a bit you can do to manage things and hopefully get healing underway, but if your fissure becomes chronic it may take long-term efforts on your part to bring the pain levels under control.
1. avoid junk foods as much as possible, and eat soft foods whenever you can. Lots of fruits and cooked vegetables will supply your stools with fiber so you stay regular and son't (hopefully) get conmstipated and/or have hard BMS, both of which will increase your agony.
2. Drink plenty of water but don't overdo it.
3. Use a stool softener like colace everyday to keep your stools soft.
4. Take warms or even hot baths as ofetn as you can, up[ to about 4 times a day. This will speed the healing and give you some extra relief.
5. Don't strain while on the toilet and never avoid using the toilet. As the stools "back up" they get harder and harder and will make your next trip horrible if you wait.
6. Conservative measures like diltiazem or nefedipine creams, or nitro cream, will relaz your anus/sphincter and make passing the stools easier.
7. Botox or surgery may be an oiption if healing doesn't occur within a reasonable time.
READ the posts here and you will find tons of other advice and helpful hints at fissure management.

Welcome and yes, there are things you can do to manage this problem. Feel free to look around the other threads and see what all has been outlined.

You can take ibuprofen for pain. My doctor said (4) 200 mg tablets could help. Baths, and lidocaine or prilocaine or praxomine can help with numbing the area too.

I have found that heat works best to alleviate pain. Take a bath that is as hot as you can comfortably stand. Then sit on a heating pad for the rest of the day. that will help you stop the muscle from spasming.

stop using the prep H or any suppositories and especially any wipe pads that have witch hazel.
you may want to consider applying a very thin coating of vicks vapor rub on the outside of the anus without inserting your finger. it actually has a very cooling effect that kinda lessens the pain or takes it away momentarily.
also lubricating before every bm is essential. and try applying very hot wads of toilet paper or sponge to the area before and after bm.
and if you haven't yet, combine all these tips with positioning yourself to squat over the toilet to relieve yourself. it will help.
look into macrobiotics (see link in my signature) for additional help with your diet.

GG, sorry to hear about your pain. I'm new here, too. There are alot of nice people here on the board with lots of great advice. I hope you feel better soon.
Kim, I have a question about how much water to drink. How much would be too much? Is it counterproductive to drink alot or is it just not needed?
Thanks,
Julie

as mentioned above..diet change..softeners etc.
i use Aloe Gel you buy at CVS and other stores..without the alcohol and scent..clear gel same stuff you use on sun burns. I use alot of it at a time. Once in the morning and once a night. I use about 1/4 inch dab and wipe it in the area it hurts. It seems to take some of the pain away and lubes up that area before a BM. Apply after a warm bath at it really seems to help with the pain. It has kept the bleeding to minimal to barly any blood and inflamation down. Drink lots of water to keep the stools soft. No hard foods like candy, chips, abrasive stuff that can stay in your stool and cause that rough feeling while exiting. I drastically changed my diet to not even eating meat because it was so hard passing it without hurting down there. I eat chicken, cooked pasta soft foods like that. I also use non medicated wipes. Try to stay away from witchhazel. I dont know why but it tends to cause build up down there and doesnt seem to help in healing process. I think i made my abcess worse when using wipes with witchhazel. Just the ones at CVS near the tolit paper aisle will work. I keep them hidden in a clear bag so when i have to go i just take it with me to the bathroom.
Last year i ate a whole bag of peanut brittle that i think caused or contributed to the fisure. It sliced me wide open down there.
I notice pizza does the same thing to me...dam i love pizza
My 2 cents
Bernard

Hi there : ), I am not Kim, but I think 8 glasses of water would be sufficient , especially if you take fiber supplements ! They do not work (do not soften your BM ) if you do not take a lot of fluids. Try to monitor how much water you take daily - I was surprised how little I took actually !!! Remember that coffee and similar does not count ; ).
all the best

Juliemo, from reading maybe 10,000 posts over the past year or so, I have seen that even though some people drink more than their RDA of water, it doesn't help. Too little water would a recipe for disaster, though.

Thanks, Kim and Fissulyna! I know I drink more than 8 glasses, but I get thirsty quickly. So, of course, I have to get up in the night. I might try to cut back a little and see what happens.
Julie