Hi all,
I will post more about myself soon, but the most important thing I need help with at the moment, is the best laxative to take with my Rectogesic cream. This is my second time trying this cream as the first time I gave up because of the headaches and ended up having a sphincterotomy, which sadly didn't work. My GP mentioned Fybogel Hi-Fibre which I am taking twice a day after meals but after 6 days it still hurts after a BM until the cream kicks in.
I am reluctant to go back to suppositories but I know they work and with the clock ticking (can only be on the cream for 8 weeks), I want the pain of a BM to go soon. So the cream can clear up the Anal fissure.
Hope someone has some ideas.
Thanks in advance.
Tom
PS: This is a great forum and I wish I had found it 3 years ago when this all flared up.

Hi Rangertom,
I used to take Fybogel at first but this helps prevent you from getting constipated rather than act as a laxative. My CRS told me to stop using it and to start using movicol instead - movicol works by forcing water into the bowel which in turn makes the stools far softer and more watery. The more you take the more it turns into a laxative (I only use one sachet per day) - I also take one magnesium tablet per day which almost turns your BM's into a toothpaste like substance.
By the way if you are not UK based i believe the overseas equivalent is Miralax
Davo

Hi Davo,
I am in the UK so it would be movicol, unfortunately according to the Boots website that's prescription only and I had hoped not to be back at the doctors so soon. Was there last Friday for the prescription for the Rectogesic, but if I have to go back so soon I will. I have some Dalcoease tablets around so I could give them ago instead of Fybogel.
Thanks for your help.
Tom

Hi rangertom,
Good that you are in the UK as i can give you a bit more info...
Movicol can be bought over the counter at the pharmacy section in Boots (it is not on the shelf so you have to ask for it) - only on the Boots website is it prescription only (I dont know why) - you can also buy it over the counter Superdrug where they have a pharmacy section.
My full course of medication is 3x Dulcoease, 1 magnesium tablet (I get them from Holland and Barratt) and 1x Movicol.
Davo

by the way you can also buy it from Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Norgine-Movicol-Powder-Sachets-30/dp/B004345RCA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1329945946&sr=8-1

Thanks Davo, that's a great help. I will give my Dalcoease a go for a couple of days and see how I go. Really good to know that I can get Movicol over the counter at Boots though and I will try that next. That's quite a list of medication you are on, have you been taking that long?
Tom

To be honest i am taking way too much medication and both my Doc and CRS have said that i dont need to take so much however it works great for me and i am only two and half weeks away from surgery so i intend to stick to it until then.
If you are just going to stay on Dulcoease bear in mind that it takes a few days to work and you start by taking 3 tablets and make your way up to 5.
The magnesium is actually a supplement to strengthen bones but for some reason it also acts as a stool softener.
With regards to your pain during BM's this could last a little while - sorry if i am stating the obvious here but I presume you know to stick to soft foods, eating plenty of fruit and fibre and drinking lots of water to keep the stools as soft as possible? Also buy yourself some Lidocaine gel from Boots (also an over the counter product) - you apply this before you BM and cover the fissure with it - it is an anaesthetic to take away the pain, it lubricates the anus to make BM's come out easier and it acts as a protection barrier to prevent friction from the BM
Davo

Stating the obvious is always a good idea Davo, as everyone seems to have different solutions to this. Lidocaine before a BM sounds good and as I have a tube in my cupboard (after 3 years my cupboard is more like a small chemists), I shall try that in the morning. I already do all the fruit, lots of water etc, but I still have a sharp pain during BM, which is so frustrating especially after surgery. Good luck with yours, by the way.
I did try a stool softener last year, I can't remember the name, but it had little effect. Maybe I should look at that again. Whilst I wouldn't want to take as much medication as you, I can fully understand why you do it. It's so annoying when something seems to work for a few weeks and then out of the blue the pain comes back.
Tom

I totally agree about taking less medications than me - My CRS said BM's should be like water the amount of medication i throw down my neck!!
A few foods i have which seem to help me are fresh mango (M&S do a fresh pack called Mango Madness and its great to keep you soft and regular). I also love the Tesco finest fresh soups with 3 or 4 slices of wholemeal bread.
Davo

Hi rangertom, I am also in the UK. People on here seem to rate movicol but I have personally never used it. What works for me is having a small amount of lactulose in the morning. I then drink plenty of water during the day, and make sure I have a meal which includes some vegetables in the evening. I then take one dulcoease (docusate sodium) in the evening which seems to help. I used to have the initial part of my bm quite hard but the dulcoease seems to have helped with this. I tried fybogel and magnesium but this had disastrous consequences for me as I have IBS!!! I find the small amount of lactulose and one dulcoease is enough with the water and dietary changes. Think its different for everyone though! I haven't had the op but have had botox in November (which hasn't completely worked so back on the rectogesic while waiting to go back to the hospital). I hope this helps :)