Hey there,
I am feeling super low today.
I know I should feel lucky that I don't get spasms. So it's not as painful for me as for some. But it also seems to put me in some kinda weird anomaly category. Why won't I heal???
I just feel at such a loss as to how to help myself and the docs here just aren't available or they have nothing helpful to add.
I don't know if I have a particularly tight sphincter. I can put my ring finger up there no problem (well except for the twinge/sting I get from my AF).
Is it because I am anemic? Then how come other cuts I get heal alright? bruises do seem to take longer to heal than they used too though.
Is there anyone else on the forum who doesn't get spasms and didn't get their AF from obvious constipation?
I would gladly do botox if it would help. I guess I really just need a second opinion, if I can just get that appointment moved up from the end of july!
well thanks for reading. Sorry to be such a downer today.
Tanya.

Hi Tanya,
I am on the same boat. I had my AF right after my first baby. Then it healed and I even had a second child and the AF was dorman most of the time!.. After a few years I had a terrible bout of constipation and things just went downhill from there for AF. Also I did not know I had AF till recently thought this was hemorrhoids all this time !!!!
I do not get any bad spasms or pain. That may be because I am using so many things to keep my stool soft. I had a flare up today, even though there was no constipation (had to push a little to get things out)... I am so frustrated I have been eating right and drinking tons of water !
I have a DR appointment with CRS in another week.. I am going to ask him about AD and I have a feeling he would not know anything about it !...
I really feel that AD may be the solution for us. Sphincter is not just loose enough for the fissure to heal...
TP

Hi Tanya,
I don't have any spasms either, I think it's because I keep my stool so soft. Before I started using Miralax, i would get spasms. My fissure also began after the birth of my daughter.
so are you still bleeding after bowel movements or just pain?

pgre,
I haven't had blood in about 10 days. It tends to happen around when I am menstruating, at the first day or in the last couple days. I guess the tissues get swollen down there and therefore less elastic.
It was just a tiny drop though last month. So I have healed a fair bit, but just can't seem to finish healing.
Is your fissure anterior?
I often wonder if mine isn't partly due to the episiotomy from hell scar I have there. Perhaps it keeps that side of my anus less flexible? who knows.
Glad the miralax is stopping your spasms! That's great. Perhaps it will heal up now.
-Tanya

Tanya,
I don't think it's anterior, it's on the right side, so maybe that would be a 3 o clock position? Have you tried sitz baths or just plain Vit E oil. I've heard Vit E oil is also good for healing scar tissue.
Hope you get better

Tanya,
what diet do you follow to keep things soft ? Do you use Modicom/Miramax?
tp

Hey TP,
I just use metamucil, magnesium and prune juice. Everything is perfect BM wise, so long as I don't eat pizza hut or something like that.
pgre,
I've been using lanolin for over two weeks now and I do think it helps. I started using coconut oil a few days ago, but haven't noticed any improvement with it.
I did read that coconut oil was good for scars. I used to use rosa moschata oil on my epesiotomy scar and it did help a bit...
I really want to keep it simple with the stuff I put back there. I wonder what damage we do to our skin with topicals. Like the nifedipine I was using had a pretoleum jelly base, and I worried about using that for the months that I did.
I don't know. There has to be an answer. I need to be patient.
I was going to ask my doc for my last bloodwork results to makes sure I'm not deficient in anything other than iron. I doubt it, but it did come as a surprise that I was iron deficient. Of course as soon as the doc told me, I felt super tired! :)
-Tanya

ey tanya,
Sorry you're having a nasty day! i hope for a brighter tomorrow for you.
Not that i can help you as i'm definitely a spasmer. also fissure from constipation.
only thing i can say is a relaxed healthy anus could take a ring finger easily and i agree with what TP says about AD. when i applied my creams i was able to relax myself enough to gently tug into fissure free side and it seemed to make bms easier. all i'm going to say is research this fully. i did a little and thought i'd just give it a go. may have backfired!
i felt flexibility was the key.
I have heard of success with homeopathy and ayurvedic treatments. would you be open to this? as you're anomalous as you put it, maybe something like this would work....
we all must have worse days i feel, with such a frustrating condition how can we not! who knows,no worries could be the cure! but who has the luxury of that in this crazy world we live in.
all the best,
Tobias

Hi Tanya,
Sorry you're having a bad day
You are probably not getting spasms as your fissure is more external than it is internal. If that is the case you'll probably feel more sore when you sit down rather than having spasms that go on for hours and hours.
You say you dont feel tight but for me the tightness comes and goes - the majority of the time everything feels relaxed then every now and then it can be very tight and applying GTN can be difficult.
I think the reason you are not healing is probably similar to me. Once the fissure becomes chronic the edges become thick where it has tried to heal and re-tears - over time this turns into a small lumpy bits of skin around the edges and skin fibres have difficulty in repairing this.
One of the ways this is resolved is during botox or LIS the CRS should remove the thickened edges to allow things to heal better.
Davo

Hi WOI,
Sorry you are having a nasty day. All so bloody frustrating!!
Am about to post the most current info that have been able to get hold of, current as at Jan 2012, on Anal Fissures. Putting it on the References, Websites and Facts. Nothing really new on SAD...
Sav