I have been on this site before, but have not posted in awhile. I have been having problems for about 6 months off and on. I went to a quack dr this summer told me that anal fissures are just an annoyance. He didn't really want to treat me because I did not have insurance. He perscirbed licodiane and the nartoic lortab. He told me I was not ready for further treatment/surgery. I was fed up with him and his quality of care, so I just stopped going. I just started a new job and got some insurance and went to a new dr today. He seemed more concerned and more empathy. He prescribed me 0.5% nitro, but the stupid walmart pharmacy doesn't fill compound prescriptions they said. They are so stupid. The lady at the counter said..If you don't mind me asking..what is he prescribing this for. The pharmacist and pharmacist tech were all looking in the drug hand book. So I called an independent mom and pop drug store and he told me he would fill it and have it ready tomorrow morning. The new dr told me if this dosent work he will get me into a surgon and get it sewn up..he says he dosent think I need surgery. I am so over this crap! I have increased fiber..all the stuff you are supposed to do and I just cant take it anymore. This is never ending!

So sorry for your pain!!! As you know, diet, water and a good stool softener are a must!!! As far as the pharmacy, yeah Walmart won't compound anything!! Be careful with the Nitro as if you use too much it may cause headaches. I would go to yet another CRS, "just sewing it up" is not going to relieve your spasms. I know it is a pain, but YOU are the one suffering not the Dr. Are you seeing a CRS or just a GP or GS??? Find a good Dr!!!!

I am seeing a general doctor right now ..he would have to refer me to another doctor I guess. I am going to try the nirto and see what happens. Even though I take fiber and stool softeners and drink plenty of liquids it still doesn't matter. Sometimes my stomach will get up set and I will have diarrhea which makes it even worse. I guess I am super sensitive to that stuff. It seems like time is the only thing that heals is time and it is ok for awhile and then for some reason it opens up again and I haven't done anything different. I don't know what to tell these doctors to make them understand.

hotpink,
I would work on getting into see a CRS. Sue's right, you need more than just getting it sewed up. That just shows how clueless GP's really are about treating fissures.

pls don't waste anymore money, time and more painful days with the GPs. U have to get to CRS, they are specialised on that.
if u like to know more on how to relief ur fissures without surgery, u may like to search for the thread "my success story"

Yes doctors can be so clueless, I agree with Dawn! The nurse practicioner at my OBGYN's office told me that the fissure would literally have to be cut out and that it was very serious and unpleasant. Maybe she was right in a sense, if she was thinking of a fissurectomy. But not all doctors do fissurectomies, I didn't have one and I'm glad I didn't. At any rate doctors shouldn't say things like that that scare the hell out of you and cause you to keep putting off an inevitable surgery that, in the long run, was NOT a big deal.
Anyway hotpink, it really sounds to me like you're on the right track. Just keep pushing to get a referral to a CRS. Don't despair over the random pattern of tearing and healing, it basically happens to all of us and it's maddening! But the others are right, CRS's don't 'sew it up'...they treat it with surgery but it's a minor one. Your GP just doesn't know much about fissures, but at least he knew enough to give you nitro instead of steroid cream. Hang in there!

Well I have been using the nitro for a week now and it seems like it is getting worse. The lidocane is totally worthless. I go back to the dr next week. I feel so depressed and in pain..it sucks!

hmm... nitro shld help u to relax that area... lidocaine to me only acts as a gd lubricant, doesn't numb at all.
Hand on there! Have u read the thread "my success story"?