Hello everyone :) I thought I'd introduce myself on this forum, I've been spending a lot of time on a forum for Crohns Disease sufferers but it's becoming apparent my problem might not be Crohns related, so, I thought this forum might be more appropriate.
I'll summarise my story because if I don't it would literally take me hours to write, so, in a nutshell:
Fissures and constipation since childhood (I'm not 23)
Went to see GP 18 months ago
Have seen 1x Registra CRS, 1x Consultant GI Doctor and 1x Consultant CRS
Tried dilator and GTN with no effect
Had two large chronic fissures
Rear fissure got infected and split causing large anal ulcer
Had the wound examined under anaesthetic and curretaged and cleaned leaving with me with a large open wound
Wound hasnt healed properly in 6 months, now 4cm long x 1.5 cm deep
Have had wound packing, different dressings, antibiotics, salt baths, metronidazole, blood tests, colonoscopy, and CT scan
What begun as two bad, chronic fissures is now one MASSIVE non-healing anal wound (I have photos if you're interested, or don't believe how bad it is!)
After 6 months of being poked, prodded, hearded through various doctors offices, swalling various tablets, seeing nurses almost daily and enduring horrendously painful wound packing......
I either have Crohns Disease so I'll have to take a drug for that, OR...
I will probably have to have anal plastic sugery and a temporary (or permenant) colostomy.
My anal fissure is a monster :(
Hannah

Hannah I'm so sorry. Welcome to the forum, this is the right place for a shoulder to cry on

Hi Hannah,
Welcome to the board. I'm so sorry to hear what all you are going through.
I think we have a couple of boardie's in here who have crohn's. Is it possible that Botox could help? I read a post recently where someone with crohn's was doing the botox. I guess LIS is out of the question once you have been diagnosed?

Thanks guys :) I've done most of my crying over the past 6 months, I'm trying to be brave now although I know things are going to get worse before they get better.
My initial surgeon was supposed to botox me when i had my examination. He didnt because he saw the massive hole in my butt and freaked out because he hadnt seen anything like it before. Because I've never heard of anyone with the same problem I have I've drawn a little picture to give you an idea of what my 'fissure' (massive anal ulcer) looks like:

Wow I just previewed this post and I may fall back on a career as an artist! That's a pretty accurate, to scale view 'from below' if you can (and want) to picture it.
If I don't have Crohns then surely they can do LIS plus some plastic surgery with a temp colostomy and itll all heal up nicely...... maybe?

That is a very good drawing and ouch
Paul, another boardie in here who has anal chrohn's is much more knowledgeable than I am about chrohns. I hope he drops in and see's your post!
There are a couple of old threads in here and one stands out in my mind of a guy named Bernard who seemed to have awful problems down there. I was not in this forum at the time so I'm not sure about all the details. I will search for the thread and post the link here. I do remember reading about the doctors not seeing anything so awful and in the shape as his anus was in many years.... Let me take a look and I will post the link here.

http://anal-fissure.org/t2112-my-break-through-with-stubburn-fissures-and-fistulas#47187

Hi Hannah-
Have you posted on the crohnsforum.com before? I started posting over there more now that I found out I have Crohn's and remember your story. If you are that Hannah, I am sorry to hear that you haven't made any progress in healing the ulcer.
Did you try any medication? If so, did anything change?
Are you able to seek out a GI or CRS that specializes in IBD? Thankfully for me, my CRS deals with Crohn's and once he saw my fissure up close he thought something wasn't right. He told me most fissures look like a paper cut verses an ulcer. My fissures (I had 2 when I went in for an LIS) looked like ulcers. The GI doc I am seeing now specializes solely treating IBD and IBD research. My CRS told me Crohn's can be isolated to only the anal region and this happens in under 10% of the people with Crohn's. I bring up seeking out an IDB specialist since if you don't have the standard presentation of Crohn's, all the GI symptom's, then I think a lot of docs don't think that you could have the disease. I believe that is why it took me over 5 years of fissure hell to finally figure out what was going on with me. I also have had fistula's and abscess also which are classic for fistulizing Crohn's.
Also, if you search other people with IBD have had a LIS and there are some papers I have run across talking about providing relief to IBD patient's. My CRS even though he thought I had Crohn's still performed an LIS and I am thankful every day since it did help me. The LIS incision wound itself healed very fast. It was the fissures and fistula that was layed open that took awhile to get better and I think that was because of the Crohn's. Now if I have a fissure open up I can actually heal it verses before the LIS no way.
I really hope you can get some answers. From my research anal disease caused from Crohn's can be very difficult to treat. I have been on Azathioprine since December. Hasn't really helped much, so I start Remicade on the 25th of this month. Kind of freaked about it but I would love to have my rear heal for once. It hasn't in the last 6 years......
Take care. This forum is a wealth of knowledge with great people.

Wow, Hannah, I'm very sorry for your problem. I cannot complain. You can complain. I hope and pray you get better.
Just thinking, maybe a temporary colostomy, LIS, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is an under-explored treatment. It's also expensive, depending.

Hey Dawn, thanks that's helpful I'll definitely check out that thread :)
Hello paulspain, yes it's me! The very same! And no, no progress on healing :( Ive seen 4 medical experts and theyre all still scratching their heads. I want the LIS surgery tbh, before it terrified me but now I just want anything that will help! I wouldnt be worried about leakage as I get wound exudite anyway and thats far worse so the thing that concersn most people about the LIS isnt an issue for me. Id also have botox, really Id try anything tbh.
Ive got a good combination of GI dr and CRS both with crohns knowledge so i know theyll figure something out theyre just taking their sweet time...
Hey Mr G: Yeah i think you're right - if I don't have remicade for crohns its gna be some sortve anal surgery with a temp colostomy and hyperbaric oxygen therapy would be brilliant as well. im going to bring it up at my next appointment.

Hi
I am so sorry hear your pain. I too was diagnosed with an ulcer: when I lift something that is a little too heavy ( normally would never be heavy before this butt problem) I fee a pulling pain do you feel that ever with your condition or do you feel like a nail file is stuck up your but and literally is so painful to move I get that off and on and I am not sure what ifs causing that. I was getting better nut just started 2 weeks of antibiotic to treat H pylori ( stomach bacteria) I was warned and warned i would get diarrhea bu not me I got constipated terrible hoping I won't get as bad as I was before can't take another yr of this.. Thinking good thoughts for you:)

Hi all, just trying my bit to help.
Have you been seeing the same doctor/physician for all your treatment? Maybe you can consult a few doctors for second opinion (especially those with experience in LIS) and you could be suprised how different their suggestions could be.
Surely, something can be done to help you.