Hi everyone, my name is Marissa and I am suffering from an anal fissure.
However, my fissure has improved and almost healed over the last 3-4 weeks due in part to the amazing advice and support I found on this forum. I never posted but just loitered through the previous posts and found incredible tips and suggestions to help me recover. It all start when I gave birth 10 weeks ago, I think the pushing during labour might have started things. Then breast feeding my son made me very dehydrated and constipated. Also, I was passing HUGE BM's. Next thing you know I tore a fissure. I have never known pain like what the anal fissure caused me - even with childbirth in my recent memory, I would rather have another baby than another anal fissure. There was blood on the paper and in the bowl every single time, I cried and writhed in pain on my bed for hours after a BM. It made it really hard to take care of my baby! I stopped eating as I was so scared of passing a BM. This made breast feeding REALLY hard with nothing in my system to make milk with, not to mention I could hardly bear to sit!
I saw my gastroenterologist who prescribed some creams (rectogesic and proctoseydl) and laxatives (movicol and agarol) and salt water baths. From the advice on the forum I made some diet changes (esp water, water, water!), definitely did not strain and took the salt water baths straight after a BM (and hung in there because of the assurances it WOULD get better). Another great piece of advice I read was to lean against the fissure, mine was right sided, so I lifted my right buttock off the toilet seat when passing a BM. My anus was in such spasm I used a q-tip covered in glad wrap, and squat over a mirror, to get the cream where it "needed to go" as there was no way anything else would fit up there.
All I can add is once you get the right creams/laxatives, it can only get better from there so if you think you have a fissure, don't leave it for weeks before seeking help from a Dr. Every BM now is better than the last and I am nearly free from this horror, eating normally again and back breast feeding my bub!
All I really wanted to say was a huge thank you to the creator/s of this forum. I would have felt very alone and scared without this support over the last couple of months and even though I'm only posting now things are better for me I was definitely utilising this site every day, if for nothing more than a daily affirmation that it will get better and to hang in there.
So thanks again and best of luck to all the people coming to this forum. Marissa.

Hi marissa! I too got my fissure after giving birth 6 months ago. Well actually got it after the first few huge dehydrated BMs! Wish someone would have told me I needed to change my diet because I've re tore it a couple times. Are you taking any laxatives still? I'm really wanting to get off. I'm still breast feeding though so my hormones are everywhere. How's your diet? I'm glad you found this forum to help you, it's been such a blessing to me as we'll!

I'm so glad you found these boards... There is so much info from great people who have been generous enough to share. I personally have learnt sooo much more than I was ever told from any dr.
I hope you continue to heal so you can look after your little baby and enjoy him fully.
OMB xxx