Goodness, it's good to know there are other people out there going through this (sort of....don't really want anyone to have to go through it, but you know what I mean).
So, I'm a 31 y.o. Aussie and have just been diagnosed with an AF. I suspect it's not the first I've had - I have had problems "down there" over the years with very similar pain, but always just assumed it was haemorrhoids - but this time the pain was so excruciating and hadn't diminished after a week so I decided it was time to see someone. GP sent me to a colorectal surgeon (who thankfully saw me the following day) who immediately put me on Rectogesic and Movicol (dose 2x daily) and told me to drink lots of water (3L a day) and make sure I kept eating lots of fruit and veg.
So, that was Thursday. And here we are on Monday afternoon and since then I have only had one bm which was on Friday and which was not at all a pleasant experience. Hard does not describe it. I know you're not supposed to strain, but I got a little distressed (I hadn't been since the Tuesday before) and thought that if I could just clear that one things would be smooth sailing from then on in. Wrong. Since Sat I have had the urge to go but nothing happens at all. Yesterday I was beside myself and gave the push of my life (thought my head would explode...and words can't describe the feeling in the nether regions) and still could not move that thing. This is more than a little frustrating. My tum is sooo swollen and gurlgy from all the fibre, movicol and water, and the thought of food or any more liquid just makes me want to be sick.
Anyway, just needed to tell people who understand. Has anyone else been this constipated after using movicol for 4 days? I called the emergency hotline at the hospital last night and they said to just keep doing what I was doing and things would move eventually (I've been bathing a ridiculous amount of times a day, drinking prune juice, not taking any codeine based pain-killers, making sure I get PLENTY of fibre, walking around a lot (when I can) and yesterday evening I also started on the linseed oil). I'm now waiting for a call back from the colorectal guy I saw the other day but it's hard waiting. The pain doesn't even bother me right now....I just want to go, you know??
Okay, thanks for listening.

I had this issue way back in the beginning, it was tree days for me, I used a water based fleet enema, yes it hurt to put in, waited as long as I could, about ten solid minutes til the cramps had me doubled over but it worked! It broke up "the rock" and out it came... For about five minutes. My pain that day was bad, but after I got that one out the rest were no problem, unfortunately, I didnt know about movicol or miralax then so I was drinking tons of metamucil and BMs were huge, caused bleeding, etc. Since then, thanks to this forum, I have found the perfect combo for BMs, also pain meds. A combo of ibuprofen and generic robaxacet ( muscle relaxant) takes the edge off. Also for bad days I use a Valium like drug called oxazepam which stops the burn. I'm also sorry you have to be here but glad you found us, this forum got me through. I am 2 1/2 weeks out from LIS, which got rid of that pain, but I've been where you are and it's not fun. We r here to answer any question you've got. Good luck, hope this helps!

Hi Nothappy - I'm so sorry you are suffering! Elphie's advice sounds very good to me (poor you, Elphie! That mist have been awful!). The only thing I would add is to suggest slowing down a bit on the fiber and increasing the water. For me at least a lot depends on striking the right balance -lots of fiber without enough water has caused constipation for me in the past. Also, you might want to increase the amount of insoluable fiber and decrease the soluable fiber. Soluable fiber will bulk the stool. Insoluable helps moves things along (leafy greens are really good, especially spinach, broccoli can cause lots of gas) I really hope you get some relief soon!

Thanks for the advice, Elphie and hopetoheal. I actually ended up in the hospital yesterday after taking the prep stuff you have before a colonoscopy on recommendation of my CRS and it having absolutely no effect. After a couple of different failed treatments, the doc at the hospital ended up giving me the strongest enema they had and thankfully that worked. Because I'd taken the prep, I pretty much lived in the bathroom after that - the pain wasn't good but they gave me an unlimited supply of a local anaesthetic to apply which helped a lot. Not the most pleasant way to spend a day but I am so grateful things are cleared out. Goal now it to keep things nice and soft and moving along so the AF can heal.
I read a bit about your LIS in another thread, hopetoheal. I'm glad to hear you are recovering well (and you too, Elphie!) but I'm sorry to hear that you had to go through such a traumatic experience. My sis had a similar psychopath doc treat her at the birth of her first baby. She had a 3rd degree tear and what the gyno did after her labour was inexcusable. Ended up giving my sis bad PTSD and sent her into counselling for a while.
It's definitely worth talking to someone about the experience you had - nobody should have to suffer what you went through.

Oh my goodness, nothappyjan!!!! what an ordeal! Poor, poor you! How are you doing now?
I'm so sorry that your sister had such a terrible experience. I can understand why she would need some help coping with that! I might end up seeking some assistance myself. I'm thinking I ask my doc for anxiety meds. I'm actually recovering psychologically as well as physically right now. I am really grateful for this forum because so many people offered their support, advice and encouragement, that I am feeling better about the whole thing.
I really hope you are resting and feeling much better today!

Thanks, hopetoheal. I agree, the camaraderie and encouragement here is amazing.
I am feeling much better now. Have spent much time lying about doing nothing both yesterday and today. So glad I'm not working at the moment. Turns out to be a blessing in disguise.
Hope you are also faring well!

Glad to hear that you're feeling better now. I feel for you -- I also had to go to the ER once because I hadn't had a BM in four days. The enema was the one thing that helped me when laxatives failed. It was a very painful and uncomfortable experience.
I had trouble with drinking too much fiber (Metamucil and Citrucel) last year. My GP told me to do that and eat more fibrous foods when I complained about my rectal pain, not knowing that it was an AF at the time.
I think I overdid the fiber with two salads a day and 3 doses of fiber supplements. It was making me worse--more constipated and harder to have a BM. Looking back, I think one needs to drink a ridiculous amount of water so that BMs don't get too bulky and hard to pass when on such a fibrous diet with fiber supplements.

Thanks rockpine. It's reassuring to know that others have been where I am now.
The annoying thing about the whole thing is that before the gastro bug, I had a perfect balance of fibre/water etc. (have dealt with digestive issues for years in the past and managed to find a diet that worked really well) and was really regular and having no problems with BM's/AF's. Three days of no fibre from the bug and it COMPLETELY stuffs up my system.
BUT(!) things are MUCH better now - back to my normal regime and all seems well with my bod. The only extra thing I am doing is taking movicol and drinking a glass or two more water a day. Hopefully things will be right from here on in.
Are you still suffering from AFs or are they a thing of the past for you now??

Hopefully you caught your AF early enough that the ointment will clear it up for you! Just don't forget the extra water, it's very important. Soon you'll know where every public washroom in your town is! Good luck and I hope today is a good butt day!

Glad to hear that you're doing much better.
Yeah, that's the trouble with AFs is that is seems like you need to be really good and lead a perfect existence to feel normal and once something throws you off or you get stressed, it comes back.
I got LIS three weeks ago along with a hemmie and fistula removed (Got the fistula 19 years ago and didn't know what it was till my CRS removed it. I've had AF/butt problems most of my life and didn't even know it!).
I'm really glad I got the surgery. It's a load off of my mind to not worry about it now. With chronic AFs it seems like you really need to be proactive about getting it under control or if you're in a lot of pain, getting LIS. In my case, my CRS told me my rectum is too small -- hence all of my butt issues!