Soooooo, I was in a wreck almost 2 years ago and while recovering I gained a lot of weight from steroids and not being physical. I joined "Curves" and decided to retake my life. Within 2 weeks of retaking my life I ripped myself working out too hard. HELLO!! I thought I was doing something good for my life and it has turned into the nightmare life from hell for the past 5 months.
I have read every forum, blog, Doctor blog, wilkipedia post, you name it I have read it ad I have tried it! I couldbe a fissure doctor myself at this point. I have put more creams, suppositories, gels, meds, etc up my butt than I ever wanted to:| I have ordered Rectogesic from Australia and have been on it for almost 2 weeks. Some days it works okay some days it doesn't.
I am now at my wits end over this ridiculous pain. I literally shake until I almost pass out from pain while I go to the bathroom. Afterwards I lay in the scorching hot tub for about an hour, just rocking back and forth in pain. The pain lasts about 8-10 hours. I get to sleep some nights but in the morning, same thing all over again.
I read some of the posts here before I actually figured out how to join and I am about to go try the potato thing! I mean dang, I have tried everything else mentioned on this forum. Potato can't hurt at this point. I can add it to the list of "things I have shoved into my nether regions" list. Lord knows the list is long and distinguished:| If anyone has any other suggestions I am open to them. My Dr wants me to stay on the Rectogestic for atleast a month before we even discuss the surgery. She is all about, I am young (45) and should try all possibilities before I let someone cut my butt hole.
I appreciate this forum. I have no shame at this point, as I have had a colonoscopy and every Dr in town has seen or touched my butt:| I am a fissure hoochie momma at this point. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

God bless u sweetie - r u doing the eating n drinking n fiber regime? This is crucial for healing - I'm under chemotherapy n this forum is a blessing .

I have the regime of an 80 year old woman. 3 stool softeners in the morning along with 30 grams of fiber pills and a glass of metamucil, zinc, and magnesium. Rectogestic very 6 hours and the same at night. I don't eat greasy food anymore and have lost 12 pounds in the past 5 months(yay) I drink water all day long as well. I take hour long hot baths too. It's crazy pain. I have never in my life thought about offing myself, I have been in rescue my entire life, but I have seriously thought about blowing my brains out from this pain. I would never do it, but I have thought about it. It controls my dang life!

Poor you, I am so sorry for your pain. Can you really rip yourself when exercising, I swim for 1 1/2 hours 4 days a week I think it is the best exercise and no worries of injury. Please could someone tell me what the potato thing is?

Someone posted on another thread that they whittle a potato down to a small capsule size and after a BM they insert it until their next BM. It supposedly heals the tear. And yeah, I was working out, lifting this contraption while doing squats and it tore me.
I had never heard of a fissure at that time. My Dr gve me scripts for hemmorhoids and after 9 days I thought I was going to die. I was crapping razor blades and felt like I was constantly sitting on a ball of razor blades. I couldn't even ride in a car. Riding in a car was the worst pain. I stopped going anywhere and have mostly been home for the past 5 months. I am scared to have to go to the bathroom anywhere else due to the intense pain I have when going.
For 2 months now I have been strict about all my intake and the meds. I have been on a high fiber diet for 4 months. I get a few days relief every now and then but it never lasts more than 4-5 days. I wanted to do the surgery but my Dr wants me to give the Rectogesic time to work before I make that decision. I am over waiting to get relief from this insane pain. As soon as I start making progress it goes right back to where it was to start with:(
But I haven't given up....yet. I try to be possitive but some days I just lay in the hot bath crying and rocking with intense pain. And I hate to cry:| Thanks for this support group, I feel like it controls my dang life at this point.

Hi Belinda,
I think you need to speak to a specialist. A Colon rectal Surgeon (CRS).
I've heard of others getting fissures and hemmies from lifting weights.
I'm so sorry you are feeling so bad!
You've got the sitz bath down pat, but have you tried an electric heating pad?
I would also recommend learning to yoga breath as a way of relaxing in general. I've been finding this to help me. Although sometimes it's super hard to concentrate!
I am going to ask for a second referral from my GP next week. All CRSs are different. Never hurts to see more than one!
-Tanya

I have seen my Dr and a surgeon as well. The surgeon had me do a colonoscopy (obviously whatever Dr came up with the prep for a colonoscopy has NEVER had a fissure in their life!). My colonoscopy came out fine but the fissure is taking forever to heal. I try my best to relax when I go but like you said, it's hard. I do fine til the pain literally takes my breath. Then it's all I can do to make myself finish going. I just want to stop and deal with being full of sh&^ LOL.I know it sounds like a comedy show but there really isn't a thing that is funny at all about the pain. The situation is hilarious but the pain is ridiculous.
I am seriously laying here on my couch typing, telling myself I don't have to go to the bathroom . I haven't been since yesterday morning because it hurt so bad. And I just have a hard time laying around ALL DANG DAY AGAIN. If I have a BM I can just write the rest of the day off. And I take all the right meds so it's not like I am constipated or it isn't soft mush when I do go. It's that the fissure is that painful.
I weigh out.....gun.....pain.....gun......pain. The dang pain always wins!! I have turned into a water logged pain in the ass :) I am trying to laugh through the pain so the gun never wins in my world:)
And as far as the heating pad...I use one every day, I even ride in the car laying down with my seat heater on.
This morning my blood pressure dropped pretty bad from the Rectogestic. It's crazy how the fissure isn't enough to deal with every day :|
Thanks for the tips:) I hope you enjoy your day. I am going to hold out going as long as I can.
BeLinda

One thing that might help, so you don't push, is to use a stool to raise your feet when you go. So you are in more of a squat position. I bought a stool online and have found it really helps all the poop to just slide out without any pushing. I don't get that, "did it all come out?" feeling anymore.
The stool I use is 7" tall. Another guy on the forum uses the box his epsom salts came in.
Try searching squat and see what comes up.
Seriously, do not wait to go, it only makes it worse.
(don't you just wish for a colostomy bag... I never thought that would ever sound like an attractive idea!)
Hang in there, get a second opinion. Some docs are so insensitive!
-Tanya

Both my docs are great. My primary doc has had a fissure so she gives me whatever I want for the most part. She is the one that wants me to wait and see if the Rectogesic helps heal it before I decide on surgery. She told me she would do the referral on the surgery when I asked her to. I did read about the stool last night when I joined here. I am going to try it when I decide to go. And as ridiculous as it sounds, YES, I have thought about a colostomy bag!
Hell, I have thought about pretty much any way to bypass my butt to have to go to the bathroom. That's my biggest fear about the surgery.Knowing I only have one butthole and I still will have to use it:|

Well that's great that you like and trust your docs!
Two weeks isn't very long on the cream. Just wish there was a way to ease the pain for you.
It all just sucks. Hang in there though.
Things will get better!
-Tanya