Hi, I'm a 30-year-old woman, and I just was diagnosed with a fissure today by a gastroenterologist. I did suspect that was what was going on--blood in the toilet bowl and on the toilet paper, agonizing pain during and after BMs, and pressure and discomfort all day (esp. when sitting in a desk chair). I've had a couple of episodes of bleeding over the last year or two, but this time it has gone on for weeks and it is unbearable.
Back in April I was on antibiotics for a sinus infection, and I believe the loose, frequent stools I had as a side effect triggered my fissure. It got better briefly (which I suspect had something to do with being on steroids for a bad case of poison ivy), but in the past 2-3 weeks has worsened to the point where I have gotten very depressed and almost suicidal. I was doing everything I'd read as "home remedies" for fissures--warm baths, Prep H cream, eating more fiber and taking fiber supplements, drinking lots of water, etc. but have not seen any real improvement.
I finally went to the doctor this week, and to the GI doctor today. He prescribed nitroglycerin cream, and I'm hopeful that it will work.
So glad to know that there are other people out there who feel the way I do! Other than my doctors, the only people who know what's going on are my fiance and my mom. It's so embarrassing to talk about.

Welcome! You have come to the right place. Lots of information and people to help. When you say that the GI prescribed Nitro, do you know the strength? My GP prescribed 2%, which is most definitely not right. It usually has to be compounded (if you are in the States) to 0.2% ointment. We have all been there with the pain and blood. Do you have a Sitz bath? Very useful thing, at least for me as I am very thin and land up on the bones of my butt in an ordinary bath. Soaking after pooping helps to relax the muscle there.
Really hope the Nitro helps. There are two other choices too. Nifedipine, which I am using, and Diltiazam, both topical ointments/creams that need to be compounded too.
All the best. Em

Thanks for the kind words, Em.
It is the 0.2% nitro, and the doc sent me to a pharmacy that he knew would be able to do handle that. My fiance and I took bets on how much it was going to cost because of it being a formulary, but amazingly my co-pay was only $10!
I don't have a sitz bath, but my butt has enough padding that our old cast-iron claw foot tub does just fine. :D

You are very welcome! It is just so good to have a place to talk about things that we dont usually have the need to talk about, with people who have been there/are there.
Did your GI mention the possible side getting a headache with the nitro? I have not actually used Nitro myself, but know from what others have said that this is a possible side effect. If you do a search for nitro on here you will see what others who are using it/have used it, have to say.
Good that you can soak in your bath. I am so used to showers, and after losing weight with cutting back on my food intake, the first time (last time) I soaked in the bath, I could not believe how my butt cheeks hurt afterwards. So, got a Sitz bath at my local pharmacy and that was much better for me.
It is depressing, this fissure thing, but just come on here and rant when it gets bad. There is always someone to 'listen'.
Not sure if Prep H has cortisone in it, but if so, not good to use it for more than a couple of weeks as it thins the skin, which you don't want. I use a little Vaseline outside and that seems to help. They even recommend it on the Mayo Clinic site.

Welcome to the forum Iphigenia,
Sorry to hear you have a fissure. I do believe you aren't the first person on this forum to get a fissure from antibiotics for a sinus infection. I believe we have a couple of other people who had that happen.
I understand how depressing having a fissure can be. I had one for 8 months before getting my surgery. It really does take a toll on you mentally as much as physically.
We are here for you and there is a ton of good info. on here:)
Take care,
Dawn

I'm sorry to hear about all your problems. I too have been doing all the home remedies and have only just started to see a difference 4 weeks later. They believe I have had mine for a while and only diagnosed 4 weeks ago. I'm sorry to hear you feel very depressed, just wanted to say you are not on your own at all. I have felt like that too, I know its easy to say but try and focus on the positives. It will get better I'm sure, and thats what I keep telling myself. You could try St johns Wort (herbal) to help with feeling down, my doctor recommended it and it's helped me. I still have down days but it has def helped. Look after yourself :)

I'm also sorry to hear about your troubles. I am one of the gals that got her fissure from the big "D" while being on antibiotics for a sinus infection. I started out at my GP and she prescribed Nefidepine which I put on 3-4 times a day. After 3 weeks I went to a CRS and he was pretty sure mine was not chronic and once I got it healed I "should" be ok. He told me to start taking Metamucil and I was leary because I have always had soft fluffy poohs but he was the doctor after all. 4 days after starting the Metamucil I was back to square one - maybe even worse as it made me go a lot and it is really firm. At this moment I am pain free although I will get a few hours of spasms after a BM but Tylenol cuts that down considerably. I still take 3 hot baths a day and still use the cream. My advise to you if you still have diahhrea is take a probiotic and eat yogurt to get your gut back in check and use your cream and sitz bath regularly and maybe you can stay ahead of this. Good luck to you.
Kathy

@savaici--Yes, the doc did warn me about the headaches (and I have a history of migraines, so I figured I'd have trouble). I'm finding that taking a couple ibuprofen about 20-30 minutes before I use the nitro wards off the headache.
@BadtotheButt--I went from taking the antibiotics to being put on prednisone a week or so later for a wicked case of poison ivy, so I went from having diarrhea from the anitbiotic to being constipated from the steroid. I did start eating Activia yogurt every day, though. I was taking Metamucil as well, but I started taking Benefiber instead yesterday, as I didn't feel like the Metamucil was helping me.
Thanks for the support!

Hi. I am a 33 yrs old mother of one. I was just diagnose of chronic anal fissure yesterday. It all started last December 2010 and I just thought it is just ordinary pain from restraining stool because of the fear of passing it through due to constipation. It got worse these last few weeks and the pain is unbearable and the "phobia" of going to the toilet is also very depressing. My gynecologist recommend me to his fellow surgeon. And so I went in there yesterday but Oh boy..when he perform an anal check I was screaming and crying like a baby..it is the most painful time of my life! Even after the examination I still can feel the terrible pain due to his "inserted" finger at my almost untouchable swollen butt. The doctor prescribed a stool softener (Lactul solution) , sterile gel (Lignocaine) ,lidocaine,hydrocortisone oitment (Xyloproct) to help w/ my fissures. I was also advise to have a sitz bath to hep relax the muscle around "that" area I believe. I haven't eaten anything yet except for a glass of milk w/ a spoonful of oat. The doctor said that if during the 2 weeks of medicine and I am still in deep terrible pain..he have to do a surgery on me then..which I think based on what I've read in this forum is called LIS. My next appointment will be on July 12,2011 and if by then nothing change..I will be undergo surgery which I am so terrified to do and afraid of it's post side effects like what I have read about. Pls..if someone out there is able to give me any advice regarding this awfully painful illness..Help me! And also please increase my knowledge about LIS and if there is any home remedies or natural help we can practice to help me to cope w/ this. Thank you very much. Only the creator can return all you kindness and thank you for this site..it is a blessing to us who suffered,suffering w/ CAF.

By the way..I'm sorry for my broken grammar. English is my third language.