fissure and constipation...

Discuss any questions, problems or share your solutions here...

Return to General Anal Fissure Discussion



fissure and constipation...

Postby alpha » 20 May 2011, 11:48

Hi guys.
I have this anal fissure started back in last November. One day I had a real hard-big stool. I felt like I was popping our a beer can. After that, you know the story. I got a chronic anal fissure. Since then, I started to take docusate and using verapamil ointment and hydrocortisone acdetate 2.4% - Paramoxine HCI 1% cream for the fissure util it healed my fissure in March this year. Upon healing, I quit taking docusate then that big-hard stool came back which re-opened the fissure.
I also had colonoscopy done in Dec 2010.
I am sure that the reason for that big-hard stool (the direct cause of fissure) was various vitamin pills that I was taking at that time. Now I take no vitamin pills, no more such big-hard stool.
But ever since the colonoscopy which was done in Dec 2010, the urge to defecate started to get weaker.
Now I only drink prune juice. With prune juice, I can feel the urge and have normal bowel movement. But without it, no urge from the rectal area. Only bloating from lower abdomen.
My bowel habit has been pretty normal through out my whole life until I get this fissure. I've been going every day in the morning. Occasional mild constipation but that was all.
I now removed the main source of fissure, so my bowel should move normal like it used be. But why am I still not feeling the urge from the rectal area???? I only feel bloating every morning still like a clock, but just no urge from down there?
What is wrong with me? I still have fissure and expected to have a surgery within 2 weeks.
Can anyone tell me why am I still constipated???
alpha
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 79
Topics: 5
Joined: 19 May 2011, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby Elphie » 20 May 2011, 18:23

I still need metamucil for that and miralax/movicol/ restoralax makes everything move like clockwork. Have you tried miralax? It changed everything for alot of us here.
Elphie
Fissureologist
 
Posts: 452
Topics: 10
Joined: 08 Mar 2011, 17:00
Location: Ontario
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 3 times
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby mbpaul » 22 May 2011, 12:56

Hi Alpha, in addition to miralax (for me milk of magnesia - but its tricking figuring out the correct dose), you have to carefully examine your diet: are you drinking enough liquids (water and real fruit juices) and having enough vegetables and fibre (both soluble and insoluble) everyday? Maybe your iron intake is too high. Many vitamin supplements have iron in them; iron adds to the risk of constipation. My CRS also recommended that I take Gas X (or generic equivalent for bloating, etc) Good Luck!
mbpaul
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 33
Topics: 3
Joined: 26 Apr 2011, 16:00
Location: CT
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby alpha » 23 May 2011, 09:37

I quit taking all the vitamins and drink lots of water. I eat fiber and healthy food....
I do everything that's good to prevent constipation. But seems like these changes are doing nothing.
Besides, I've been fine for the last 40+ years without doing all these preventive measures so why am I suddenly getting constipated???? Could this just be age related thing?
Prune juice works fine. But would it work forever? I saw some people saying these stops working after few months or years and eventually nothing works for them... I don't want to be one of them....
I am so depressed with this constipation problem I am having.
Why all of a sudden, am I being constipated???
alpha
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 79
Topics: 5
Joined: 19 May 2011, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby StevePain » 23 May 2011, 12:45

You're right again about the age thing, constipation is very common in older people, my father suffers really bad and I have to treat him with my stool softeners or he just can't go, sometimes it's inevitable that we'll get bunged up, diet changes don't work for everyone, I prefer my stools to be quite bulky and a bit hard, as soft and fluffy ones burn and cause irritation to my over sensitive rectum.
StevePain
King Fissure
 
Posts: 1226
Topics: 45
Joined: 11 Feb 2010, 17:00
Location: UK
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 4 times
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby mbpaul » 24 May 2011, 08:03

Alpha, I fully understand your feelings of depression especially when you believe you are doing everything right, yet the issue persist. My constipation started after I relocated from GA to CT. So I'm pretty sure it was food based.
Also, in discussing this issue with my CRS, he wanted to know if I have a family history of constipation. My mom complains of constipation, but I'm not sure about my siblings (of course, people do not normally talk about matters like this - thank God for this forum).
Anyway, I only got it under control when I literally gave up all food and begun to have ONLY home made vegetable soup with the vegetables cooked almost to a puree (for me carrots, cabbage, celery, onions). During this period, I once made the mistake of having canned chicken noodle soup and almost died from a painful BM.
So, DO NOT GIVE UP on the dietary changes. The silver lining in this otherwise dark cloud is that you'll shed quite a few pounds :-) I lost over 15lbs in one month.
mbpaul
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 33
Topics: 3
Joined: 26 Apr 2011, 16:00
Location: CT
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby alpha » 24 May 2011, 11:43

This morning and right now, I have bad bloating. I feel sick. I could not go because I had no urge. Only bloating. This bloating won't go away util late afternoon and will comeback tomorrow morning and if I feel urge then I will be able to go, if not, another day without BM...
This cycle has been repeating for months.
Am I having IBS??? Or just chronic conspitation???
I am worried so much because,
I don't want to take laxative for the rest of my life. I don't want to live while I know that I have a sickness which has no cure.
I can't stop thinking about constipation. I can't stop worrying about it. I have upcoming LIS and fissurectomy. I am worrying about that too.
I am worried that even after successful surgery, what if I get constipated again and fissure comes back???
It will be a disaster so I am worried about that too.
I go to bed while I am worrying about it and as soon as I wake up the next day morning, I start to think about constipation.
I won't be able to see my wife and kid for the next few months. I miss them so much and it makes me depressed.
I am so much depressed.
Yes my mother has chronic constipation. My brother and sister and I, we all have or had hemorrhoids so I can say constipation is in my gene.
I need hope. A hope that I can become normal for sure sometime in the future.
I miss the days without constipation. I went to Hawaii with my son and wife for vacation last year. We had a great time there. I had no constipation or whatsoever by then... I miss that trip so much.... Thinking all this makes me to cry.... Image
alpha
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 79
Topics: 5
Joined: 19 May 2011, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby Deleted User 579 » 24 May 2011, 13:50

Alpha, you are not alone! Lots and lots of people have digestive problems - that's why there are so many commercials for laxatives, probiotics, antacids and so on. Lots of people - I'd say most people - take some kind of product everyday, Metamucil, Miralax, magnesium, fish oil, mineral oil, probiotics, etc. I just treat Miralax like vitamins - it's part of my morning routine. The problem isn't so much that there is something wrong with us, but rather the modern, Western diet and lifestlye are not digestion-friendly and that's why many of us need supplements, especially as we get older.
A high-fiber diet will definitely cause gas. This is more troublesome for people with fissures because we are not very physically active anymore, and good digestion requires exercise. Anxiety and depression also cause lots of digestive problems because good digestion relies on good brain chemistry (serotonin, for example, is quite important). Many people here report that their digestive systems improved dramatically after the LIS - that has happened in my case too. You might consider asking your doc for some anti-anxiety/anti-depressant meds (lots of people here have taken those too to get through this ordeal).
But I really, really think you should try Miralax. You will want to have it for after the surgery anyway, so it's a good idea to see how it affects your system now. It doesn't cause any gas or bloating for me - it just makes good, soft poo. You should also mention that you are prone to constipation to your surgeon too - s/he might give you something for after the surgery.
For the bloating, you can try putting a heating pad on your stomach. That works for me when I have gas - and it somtimes also stimulates a BM. There's also Gax-Ex, which breaks up gas bubbles and really helps.
Please don't worry that you have an incurable condition just now. With a fissure, your whole body is not normal. And as long as your body isn't normal you will not be able to tell what other problem there is or even if there is any other problem. For now don't worry about having to take laxatives for the rest of your life. You know that you need them now so you should take them for now. Besides, even in the good old days, people took "laxatives", in one form or another, their whole lives (cod liver oil was my gramma's favourite thing!). They just need to be safe for long-term use.
Things will get better, Alpha! After your surgery, your fissure will heal and you'll feel better ... and the worst case scenario is that you might have to take some kind of digestive aid for the rest of your life; but then you'll just be like almost everybody else in the world!
Deleted User 579
 

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby alpha » 24 May 2011, 14:31

Thank you hopetoheal.
This is a vicious cycle. constipation gives depression and depression gives constipation. I know have to break this chain bad reactions.
I've been exercising like crazy. Even my 4 year old son thinks that my job is exercising. But nowadays, I don't want to do any more exercise because it makes no difference with constipation. I quit smoking over a year ago. Now I want to do it again. I had no constipation when I was smoking.
by the way, how much miralax daily do you recommend to begin with? I am not sure if prune juice is still working with me because I am not so regular anymore with prune juice.
Last edited by alpha on 24 May 2011, 14:49, edited 1 time in total.
alpha
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 79
Topics: 5
Joined: 19 May 2011, 16:00
Has thanked: 0 time
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: fissure and constipation...

Postby Deleted User 579 » 24 May 2011, 14:38

I really miss exercising! That made everything better. Don't smoke! I know the temptation (I used to love my ciggies), but you know that will really make you feel a lot worse.
I started with one dose of Miralax - either a capful or one sachet, depending on which kind of packaging you get. See how that goes, and then increase or decrease as needed.
I really think you'll find that it helps - good luck!
Deleted User 579
 


  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to General Anal Fissure Discussion



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 50 guests