Kim,
I have been using the diltiazem for 13 days 2x aday . I have only been rubbing a pea size amount on and around the anal crease, per instructions.
Am I understanding you to say that it should just now be starting to work?
Do you believe that pushing some up into the anal canal is important. If so how? ie my external sphincter is so tight you would have difficulty driving a nail up my but and if I pass gas it whistles.
Thanks for the help and support.
God Bless All!
WA

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I just got the medicine last night, actually I realized it's diltiazem not the other one. I was happy to see barely any side effects so far. :cheer:
One thing making me a bit mad is my BM this morning, it was hard at first and soft after, but it hurt lots initially. This confused me because yesterday I had 6 small meals (before, during my busy days, I would usually eat two HUGE ones and feel completely bloated after, finding it hard to shove in all the fiber, metemucil, etc. This probably made it hard on my digestive system!).
Yesterday I had 6-8 tall glasses of water, juice mixed with aloe vera juice, bean salad twice, a big bowl of raisen bran, a veggie dog w/ whole weat bun, for dinner i had 2 peices of whole wheat bread with mixed veg stirfry, and i had small portions of fruit: cantalope, a tiny bit of pineapple, 2 or 3 strawberries, and a few of those mini carrots. I also had at least 1 tablespoon of metemucil in the morning, and some peanuts for fibre. Wow, I thought I was doing okay and eating a lot/enough, but the stool was still initially hard in the morning. I had to go to the washroom after eating an orange this morning (orange = fibre) but I don't know why it was still hard!
Maybe the peanuts? I'm confused! I remember reading about a woman that healed herself by eating beans twice a day - I can definitely do that - but I don't know why it's not helping yet, perhaps it takes time

I know a lot of us have problems with that initial part of the BM coming out. It has been in there the longest so it is the driest. It sounds like to me you are getting plenty of fiber. I am not sure about eating peanuts. I know nuts can scrape on the way out since they don't digest down all the way. I would be careful with the nuts and seeds.
One thing that I do that helps to help the BM go over the fissure is putting some KY jelly or A&D ointment (it is a diaper rash cream in the baby section). It helps to cover the fissure on the way out. The KY Jelly helps it to slide out over the fissure. I have use both separately and together.
Hope that helps!
Lecia

Hey Lecia,
Thanks for the advice. Sorry all if it seems like I'm bombarding this forum! :oops:
I was wondering Lecia, do you think Vaseline (petroleum jelly) would have the same effect? I remember using it a few times ages ago but my problem wasn't so severe then so I don't even remember if it worked !

Probably but it's not really made for lubricating that area. KY jelly is used for rectal and gyn exams and is water soluble so it is healthier for you body. It is available at the drugstore-it's just a little embarassing to purchase but a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

Hey Sunshine,
Avoid those peanuts if they are dry roasted! They have the potential to undo the healing you may accomplish!
And they can HURT!!!
I sometimes used vaseline to "coat" the anal area before a BM, to cushion the impact and deflect it a bit. Sometimes it seemed to help.
Kim

hi guys, sorry it took me a while to reply. Thanks for the advice. I'm feeling helpless about all of this because it still hurts everytime I go, regardless of what I eat . I'm getting the softener soon though, thanks to the lovely Lecia.
The only thing I'm confused about now is all my closest friends are going on a huge road trip to Edmonton(about a 12 hour drive) this weekend, infact they're all renting a bus to go together. I'm dying to go but I'm not sure how my fissure would handle all that pressure of sitting so long! I'm sure I could lie down at times and there would be stops and breaks where I could walk around, but aah it's a hard decision to make :bounce:
It sucks having to miss out on things like this.
take care.

Wow-what a decision to have to make. It is tough being a young woman and not wanting to miss out on things your friends are doing, isn't it. I know many others on the board who are about your age feel that way too.
Now, if it were me, I probably wouldn't go......but I am older, have more health considerations and have had generally more setbacks so for me it wouldn't be worth the risk. I think in your case, if you think you can lie down, get enough water intake, have access to a bathroom, eat your fiber and control you pain, maybe it would be worth it to get your mind off of things! I wish I knew what to tell you to do! It sounds like fun! Oh, to be young again!
You package is going out this morning air mail so hopefully it will get there speedy quick!
L.

Sunshine, that is a hard choice t have to make. You probably already know how much sitting your fissure can handle. I do know that just a three hour trip wound up causing me to develop a hemorrhoid in addition to the fissure. So do be careful if you go.

I just wanted to let you both know, todays bm was softer than the rest and caused barely any pain, especially compared to normal. I was jumping in joy. The only thing I changed about my diet was adding pecans (I was hopeless so I tried it) and prune juice - which I think was the biggest help. I've also been using diltiazem for about 5 days now.
About the trip, if I DO decide to go, I have one of those cushions Lecia mentioned before, and it makes sitting/driving/everything a lot easier..My best friend knows about my problem so maybe we can share our seats and lie down for a bit... Still deciding though.. Luckily there is a washroom ON the bus, so I can drink all the water I regularly do! I would just have to be very strict about the prune juice, metamucil, etc. I'd bring with me. I'll be deciding soon but still not sure!... Take care & thanks for the advice!