Hello...some advice please :)

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Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Guest » 28 Jul 2009, 13:19

Hello All,
I'm really happy to have found this website...it's so hard to get feedback from people who actually suffer from this damned problem.
I have suffered from an Anal fissure for the last 4 years. Unfortunately I had been constantly been mis-diagnosed by my GP with haemmoiroids for the first 3 years. The pain would come and go and I told myself that I hadn't been as vigilant as I should have been when I had a bad bowel movement.
Eventually I got reffered to a Proctology clinic at Charing Cross Hospital, London, UK . The specialist told me it was a fissure and to just continue a high fibre diet and it should dissapear. I did this for 5 months and no change!
On my 2nd visit I was given Diltiazem and have been using it for 3 weeks. Unfortunately I've also got a pretty irritable bowel and one dash to the toilet and 6 weeks of progress have gone.
I'm now completely at the end of my tether. The Doctor at Charing Cross won't see me till October as he's too busy with other patients. As this condition has really screwed up the rest of my life I am seriously considering going Private for surgery.
Should I wait till Oct to see the doc and get surgery through the NHS or go privately immediately?
If Private can anyone recommend an excellent private surgeon? I have been petrified of incontinence since I read about fissures.
I really want my life back Image
THANKYOU
Last edited by Guest on 28 Jul 2009, 13:54, edited 1 time in total.
Guest
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Deleted User 5 » 28 Jul 2009, 13:54

Hi Roy and welcome! Image
Wow, *4* years! Man, I bet you DO want your life back! You can get it back, too!
Misdiagnosed for three years, and then given nothing but a diet to heal on? And now they say, "Wait until October?" That's almost criminal!
Much of the initial things I would suggest, and you may have already tried(?) can be found here:
http://anal-fissure.org/general-anal-fissure-discussion-f2/i-have-an-af-what-should-i-know-t1849.htm
And also look at the sticky on the surgery board, too, in fact, read as much of the threads as you can and you will learn a lot about your options.
But I do want to say, that after four years, your fissure has in all likelihood (remember I am NOT a medical professional) developed scar tissue around the wound's edges and that is a major reason why it probably will not "close together" and heal.
Also your anal canal is probably just too tight!
Incontinence is very, very rare for people who have LIS surgery. But if you fall in that 1%, then that's not a good lottery to win. Of all the people who have come hear, had surgery, and stuck around to tell us the outcome, no one has yet to become incontinent. A few have had some transient incontinence (an occasional mishap) in the days and weeks after surgery, but then, the sphincter is recovering and "learning" to adjust. One or two people have had some leakage issues. And one or two people still could not heal after surgery.
BUT most people do well, heal, and get their lives back. I had the surgery in Dec 06 and I would do it again in a heartbeat. And I only suffered for seven months! I think only you can decide, at what point do you say, enough is enough and I either take this small risk, or I live with this nightmare for perhaps the rest of my life.
Did you see any improvement with the diltiazem?
I am from the Southeastern US, I am not familiar with Charing Cross...
Deleted User 5
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Guest » 28 Jul 2009, 14:08

Thanks Kim :)
The Diltiazem seemed to help for a week but I've had stomach cramps for the last week and the fissure has ripped again. I think my upset stomach has caused all the problems. I wonder if the Diltiazem cream can give you an upset stomach?
I really think I need surgery. Will the scar tissue cause any complications to surgery?
Guest
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Deleted User 5 » 28 Jul 2009, 14:35

Roy, it really takes 14-20 days for the diltiazem to kick in and make any effect...and no one here has ever complained that it caused an upset stomach, it's possible but I tend to doubt it.
The scar tissue issue can be dealt with and is something you should discuss with any surgeon who may be doing your surgery. I think they can remove it during surgery, and you maybe lucky and not have much scar tissue!
Do you take hot soaking baths? And any type of stool softeners?
Deleted User 5
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Guest » 28 Jul 2009, 14:38

I do take baths and follow a high fibre diet
I haven't had any stool softeners...can you recommend one please?
My biggest problem at the moment are the stomach cramps. I'm not having proper bowel movement.
I'm seeing a nutritionalist tomorrow...fingers crossed
Thanks again
Guest
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Deleted User 5 » 28 Jul 2009, 14:44

I took colace, the liquid form worked better than the gel caps. Milk of magnesia is pretty mild in small doses, but is not recommended for long term use. There is also movical, but I am not personally familiar with it. I think there are a number of threads here on this topic.
I am sure the nutritionalist can help you find foods that will ease the stomach cramping! Do you eat dairy? Some people just cannot tolerate it...
Deleted User 5
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Guest » 28 Jul 2009, 15:43

Yes I do eat dairy...maybe I should switch to Soya
Just broke up with my girlfriend too which isn't helping
Sorry to sound such a misery! :)
Guest
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Deleted User 5 » 28 Jul 2009, 15:50

I would cut back on the dairy some, (see if the nutritionist agrees tomorrow!), you might be a bit lactose intolerant. It would be good (in a way) if it was that simple! What kind of dairy do you eat/drink the most?
No, heartache doesn't help fissures! But this is the place to share the misery. Sometimes just talking about it helps a lot.
Deleted User 5
 

Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby cherylk » 28 Jul 2009, 15:52

Roy,
I have never had stomach aches from diliatzem, and I have IBS!! :roll: Maybe stress is causing you distress!! I wanted to say welcome! Image
cherylk
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Re: Hello...some advice please :)

Postby Guest » 28 Jul 2009, 16:25

Thanks for the support everyone!
I only have milk with my breakfast. I had been eating All Bran for 3 weeks with good results but after my stomach cramps I thought I might have had a reaction to too much fibre and have switched to Weetabix
I've just come to the end of my patience with this thing...
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