Okay,
First post on here but I feel it's time as I'm starting to lose hope and it seems a great community for supporting those having a bad time. I know the post is long, sorry. But any help or advice would be so appreciated.
So: I'm a male, 34. I'd had bleeding (both on stool and tissues) with extreme pain, on and off, since my late teens. I had an anal-stretch op done back when I was about 17 (back in the days they still did those) when I first got the problem, but it obviously didn't work and being a naive guy I just left it, bleeding + pain continued. For a long time.
Just over a year ago, I discovered what I thought was a suspicious lump - which turned out to be nothing, thankfuly - but this sent me on a course to see a colo-rectal surgeon for examination at an NHS hospital. I'm in the UK by the way.
Surgeon asked all the standard questions, and the painful bleeding came up. Did an exam, saw a fissure. Chronic of course as it had been literally years and years I'd lived with it. Prescribed the wonderfully named Anoheal (Diltiazem 2% Cream) which worked (along with a new much better diet) and I was finally able to go without coming close to tears. Really happy!
Back to the colo-rectal surgeon, this time a different one (this guy turned out to be the head-honcho of the department). He said yep, fissure healed. He also said there's a chance there might be a small fistula (I had detected no obvious symptoms) but he wouldn't really know unless I went for investigative surgery. I asked should I have the surgery, what with no symptoms. He said it's up to me, but was happy to discharge.
A quick bit of reading on fistula's later and I asked for him to do the investigative surgery, better to be sure. I was utterly freaked out as I went under for the op. During the surgery he found a tiny "superficial" fistual (12 0' clock position) and performed the standard lay-over op for something like this.
When I came round he said 'all done' and shouldn't be anything to worry about. No major cutting, minimal wound and no need for nurse to help with 'packing' (actually advised against packing). Just take plenty of baths and keep some gauze pads down there, and change them regularly.
Well, I did all that. I also made a weekly visit to local GP clinic to see a nurse, who monitored the progress from wound all the way to 'it's closed completely!'. Within about 7 weeks It appeared I was done!!! So so happy.
Went back to work - i'd been at home the whole time recovering - and all was good. Then, about a week back at work, went to the toilet and it all went to hell. Sorry for being graphic, but basically I was pushing out a strangely large stool, could feel the area being stretched, then came the blood. On the stool, on the tissue. I was certain this was from the operation wound.
Not long after I was back to the colo-rectal surgeon, he did an examination with something he shoved up my butt - not sure exactly the name, it's the thing with a light so they can look around in there - and concluded I had a tiny fissure. I asked him, are you sure it's not the operation wound I've torn? He said 'no' that looks fine. I also mentioned when I get blood, there is no pain, unlike when I previously had a fissure. He prescribed more Anoheal/Diltiazem cream.
Since then i've experienced periods when all has been fine, maybe a few weeks will go by, then I get blood. But I managed to believe it was just a fissure, not the operation wound.
At my last appointment with the same colo-rectal surgeon, which I saw the day after a bad bleeding session, he said it appeared the wound from the op still wasn't fully closed. It was being 'stubborn' to heal in his words. I asked why this was happening and he just said some people take longer to heal than others. Prescribed yet more Anoheal/Diltiazem cream and I'm back to see him in a month from now.
I'm lucky enough to be able to work from home for the time being (work is being kind as they want me back to full strength) so in order to help the healing I'm doing all the following:
• Baths X 3 a day (and always after a bm)
• Anoheal/Diltiazem cream X 2 a day (usually use it once in the morning after first bm/bath, and at bed time)
• Diet: I don't even touch meat any more. It's shredded wheat for breakfast, beans on brown toast for lunch and fish, wheat pasta and salad for dinner. I've stuck to this religiously for quite a while now.
After 2 weeks of things going great with no problems, about 2 days ago I noticed a tiny amount of blood on a stool and tissue, then nothing since then. The area where I had the op feels okay, but there's a very mild, dull pain/sensation when I press on it.
I'm basically at my wit's end. It's been over a year since this all began, I can't get on with my life in any way and I'm out of ideas on why I'm not healing and what else I can do to help things heal properly. I'm utterly depressed and all I'm told by the surgeons is some people take longer to heal than others.
I'm also worried that because I've not healed quickly/correctly and have re-torn the wound, I'll get another fistual.
Please anyone, advise desperately needed.
Thanks,
G

Oh, and it goes without saying I'm drinking a ridiculous amount of water all the time.
I do have a few cups of tea a day, but I can't believe that's the cause of things not healing!?!
G

hey
im really sorry u have to go through all this pain myn was an anal fissure for about 3 years and i apart from the LIS, ive learned an operation will mean nothing unless u try to work with it, stool softeners and diet, i stick to my movicol/miralax very gud staff and stay away from wheat, its an insoluble fibre what u need is soluble fibre, mashed butternuts, mashed potatoes, pears, prune juice, citrus fruits and apples, plus no red meat.. mostly chicken and fish. i also have been going through such post op disillusionmen and i know wat u going throuh but if u still bleeding maybe change ur crs, best wishes

Thanks for the advise.
I'm trying for a good mix of both types of fibre. To be honest, what I eat seems to work for me, never having painful or difficult BMs.
One thing I have decided to change after a minor setback a few days ago - I think i was being way too "invasive" with the prescribed Anoheal/Diltiazem cream I was described. After the op, when things went well (until the tear) I wasn't using it, just recovering as instructed, baths etc.
Whilst I get why it's been prescribed again, it promotes healing by sending more blood to the area, I think I was aggravating the healing wound by applying in. I'm now applying it mostly to the outside and just a little inside, on the "verge", rather than deep inside which I think has been causing setbacks and problems.
We'll see. I just want to be better, I feel like I can't make any plans and everything is on indefinite hold. No point thinking about dating (and i'm not getting any younger!) or job changing as everything hinges on me getting well.
I think doctors should have "NO RED MEAT" stickers they apply to your forehead after these operations as it's the one thing I'm 100% causes huge problems, as everyone here seems to testify.
I'm considering asking for a different surgeon, or at least for another opinion, if nothing useful comes of the next meeting. I get the feeling i'm now in the "It Didn't Go To Plan And We've No Idea Why" category as far as he's concerned.