Hi everyone, i'm 28 yrs old and was diagnosed with my fissure in oct, right after the birth of my first child. I am so grateful to have found this site, i cant believe how helpful this has been compared to any doctor or other website ive found...thank you all so much for all the ideas and tips ive learned in just a few days. i have some questions though if anyone has any input...
1- whats with the throbbing/pressure i feel? i used to bleed a lot after every bowel movement and was sure that i was tearing every time, but since i was placed on diltiazem cream by my CRS and figured out the miralax, fiber and water importance...i havent bled at all in the past 3 days. i thought that meant my fissure was healing but i have a somewhat new/different pain, now its more inside and throbbing, almost pressure like. i dont know if im healing or getting worse.
2- is exercise ok? i read that walking is but what about lifting weights and such? ive hired a personal trainer to help with my "baby fat" and id hate to give it up but if its making my fissure worse i could care less how much i weigh.
3- is diarrhea bad? im so scared to have a hard bowel movement that im on the verge of taking too many stool softners and the only consequence i can see is that it'll cause diarrhea, which im not convinced would be so bad, am i wrong?
4- since i haven't been bleeding for 3 days, can i assume its healing at all?
5- my first CRS recommended surgery but i got a second opinion and he wanted to try the diltiazem cream for a month because he said i have a normal sphincter tone. im definitely hesitant to have my sphincter stretched if its normal to begin with, i feel like it will leave me with a loose sphincter and ill have more issues then.
any answers to any of these questions would be so appreciated- again, i am so thankful to have found this site just for the reading material alone. do any of you take pain pills? my CRS wrote me for vicodin which i take only when its intolerable, but i hate taking it and i feel like it causes constipation despite the stool softners...would taking an anti-anxiety med like xanax or ativan be better? i feel like i want a relaxed sphincter so maybe im taking the wrong med for relief?

Hi Cat....I am so sorry you are suffering. You are in the right place though..This forum will answer many of the questions you have. I am not sure how long you have had your fissure, but the throbbing, inside pain you describe sounds like spasms. I know them too well, I had my fissure on/off for 3 years, with some healing and retearing, but this last time lasted 8 months and I just had surgery on Monday and I am doing great!!! I had quit bleeding months ago and just had the intense, pain, throbbing and could feel it actually drawing up and in. Unfortunately, you cannot heal if you are having spasms, the spasms keep the fissure open. You may want to fill the tub nice and warm and soak for 20 min. several times a day. It does wonders for the spasms and I also took Ibuprofen 400mg as needed and it really took the edge of. When they got real bad I would massage the area.
Low impact exercise is great like walking, but IMO I would leave the weights alone. It can put too much pressure down there and tear more.
Diarrhea can aggrevate things terribly, what you are looking for is soft serve ice cream consistency poop, too hard and too soft can be miserable. You need to find the right dose of Miralax for you, sounds like you may be doing too much. I dont do any fiber supplements, just high fiber food, water, fruits and veggies.
Many of us on here have a bag full of creams, lotions etc. and they work for a little while, but mine all just stopped working, I guess cause I used them for so long. But everyone is different.
I hope you get to feeling better soon, all I can say is this forum helped me like you wouldn't believe. Tons of good things to read, so read, read, read, and don't be afraid to vent or ask questions we are all here to help each other.
ps I have a Rx for Xanax and some on here use Ativan or Valium to help with the spasms. I only took that when I wasn't at work and it was really bad, but it does work great

Hola Cat- I feel for u sweetie :( especially with a baby n suffering this. Like Sue says pls read posts here - it has helped me a lot n I'm thankful for all members here . God bless u n ur family n He give u healing soon to take care of ur precious one.

Sue- thank you so much for taking the time to get back to me and answer my questions! Congratulating on the surgery!! Things still going well? It must be such a relief!
Maria and Sue- thanks for all your kind, supportive words

Yes!!! Things are awesome. I am posting everyday in the considering surgery section in hopes it helps anyone considering it. It is a huge relief to be on the other side!! Hope your feeling better

Catniss: Just checking to see how ur doing sweetie.. In our prayers..