hi everyone, i don't know if this will go in the right area, introducing yourself. This is my first fissure. I have ibd, dr. pressing more to chrons. So far mild. 2 weeks ago was badly constipated and had to use finger to scope out for 2 days becasue the stool was just sitting at end of rectum and it felt so awful which is why i used the finger and am paying for it now. Family dr. said small tear and just use vasoline on it. Well i came home and read about it and did only the sitz baths and take metamucil. So far its not too bad, mostly burning. I don't feel pain with bowel movements so far. But today gassy and does the farting cause the fissure to open. Seen dr. again yesterday for my refills so i asked him to take a look and he said no infection but a skin tag from an old hemmi is showing. I asked about a crs and he said no. For the burning he said use cortisone cream which i haven't yet. The burning goes down and up. Its been about 10 days since i've had this fissure. Am i doing right and should i push dr to refer me to crs.

You need to do what's right for you. If in the USA a lot of insurance plans don't require a referral to see a specialist. Aetna doesn't. For that matter when your dealing with this kind of pain. Make the appt, pay for it out of pocket if you have too, at least you can get the information you need and if the CRS feels more treatment is needed you can take
that back to your PCP as proof you need a referral. Don't be afraid to ask for a discount if you go out of pocket. At the same time. Try the home remedies first so you know you did everything you could do. In 2005 I did the home treatments and it wasn't till 2011 I finally decided to get surgery. I had 6 relatively pain free years. I knew it was an issue. But no pain. This time. Enough is enough. I've lost a month of my life already, I don't want to lose more.

Remember your health is in your control, don't let a doctor dictate your making choices for yourself. My primary told me "no one gets surgery for fissures , its all about diet". That's just not true.

I live in canada and waiting time for referrals are very long. I am seeing the surgeon who did my colonoscopy because he told me if my ibd gets worse to see family dr. or i could see him, he is very attentive. I am considering changing my own dr but can't seemto yet as i seen him 20 years. I never had any issues until 2007, dx with uc. It's hard for me to change. I see thesurgeon in 2 weeks so i will ask him to refer me. Even my dr. barely wants to look in my bum. I know the surgeon will check me right. I know this is not right, i have to find a different dr and i know of one already but its so hard to see him and waiting time is so long and he seems to always be on holidays. I am going to have to look hard for a new dr.

It's so frustrating to hear stories like your because their is such a push for national healthcare in the USA now. Weeks and months of waiting is going to happen here. I just hope people wake up.

yes its just awful, the waiting times. So far not too bad, just at night the burningis a bit bad but by morningits gone down.