I haven't been here in ages. Last time I'd just been prescribed GTN cream but have been too scared to try it (silly I know, but I'm waiting until I am less busy at work and can afford time off for a headache). Anyway, things have been mostly okay for a while. Fissure still there, some blood, but not the intense knifing pain with the BMs. Just 'ouch', not '!!?!%!!?!?!*&%^%". Last couple of weeks, I'm back to the yelling out loud. Also mixed with diarrhea - some of it urgent and awful.
A new thing though. The crack between my buttocks has become really sore - it's red and cracked open so it's raw. I just realised by having a look. And while doing that noted that I have a brand new skin tag (yay!). I'm sure I have multiple fissures, but it's never been examined properly because it hurts too much to have it looked at. Anyway, there's also a pea sized lump that isn't very painful to touch. I'm burning, itchy all the time. Generally pretty miserable. All this acting up has coincided with headaches, exhaustion, sore throat and gums, and what feels like swollen glands.
Any thoughts? So sick of this ...
[Fissures for about 15 months - with a reprieve of about 4 months in the middle. ]

hi sika, i'm sorry that u r still suffering. YOu actually more or less have 2 options, to heal conservatively (lower chance with chronic or serious sufferers) or go for LIS.
To heal conservatively, get some ideas from the thread "my success story"
To go for LIS, read up hopetoheal, dawn, val and tonystone for their experiences
You nd to watch what u r eating if u want to heal, EVEN after LIS.
God bless!

dwarf, thank you so much for your reply. I will look at the threads/posters you suggest. I'm terrified of the surgery, and don't feel I could ever do it :(
I'm at a complete loss with regard to diet. I just don't know what to eat. Yes, fibre, but that will make things too bulky. My stools are pretty loose most of the time. With mucus. I'm scared of eating everything, so just eat rubbish most of the time. I avoid nuts and seeds. I have tried gluten-free, and I was trying muesli - but muesli doesn't work withou seeds and nuts. I feel bloated and sore with pretty much everything. I felt awful one day after I ate steak so I will stay away from meat. But I would like tips!
At the moment though, I'm not sure anything wider than a finger-width can actually get through? Anything more solid is very thin.
ANyone ever had the crack-crack thing? Or the lump that's not a skin tag?

yes sika, which is y u shld never ever eat too much fiber, moderation is key. Don't eat sharp edges food like nuts and seeds at the moment. CHEW your food really well before u swallow anything. Skip flour, aim for more wholemeal, or whole grains stuffs. Drink loads of water, start on prune juice if u can, or even magnesium oxide supplement.

You might have a fistula which will need surgery - I had a lump on my anus which alerted me to my bottom issues.