I only posted on here once before, but I was so scared and had never in my life suffered from anything like this. I spent hours reading this board and got a lot of useful info from a lot of the members here.
Just to fill you in, I had never had a problem with constipation and had always taken for granted being regular. Even after 4 kids and the toll that can take on your digestive tract, I'd always been really fortunate in that area. Two months ago, for some reason I had the worst episode of constipation and actually had to manually dis-impact myself. This lead to what I now know was my AF, and the most horrendous pain I've ever had.
I put myself on a high fiber diet and doubled my water intake. I began taking stool softeners every morning as well as watching what I ate, being fully aware that what went in one end, could very well cause me torture on the other. I did sitz baths 4-5 times a day and that had to have been my saving grace. I spent a fortune in those early days buying all the creams and lotions and pads for pain, but honestly, those sitz baths helped me the most and after a horribly painful bm, I could find immediate relief with that.
I'm all healed now. I've been able to go back to eating most of the things I like, the only thing that hasn't returned to normal is my regularity. Whatever caused me to become constipated has continued and I have to keep up with my fiber and stool softeners or I start to have hard/dry stools. I no longer have any pain with my bm's. I thought I'd just come on here and give a success story and hope that this will be the end of my experience with AF.
Thank you all for the info on the boards.
Tami

Hi,
Congratulations, and good for you! Though I'll have to say that you've probably been very lucky too. I could never take 4-5 sitz baths a day. I can barely take even one. My timings for work are crazy, and on weekends, I'm usually busy with personal stuff and friends coz I dont get time during the week. I've been suffering from an AF for almost 3 months, and it's been extremely depressing for me. Without any exaggeration, I've become seriously miserable because of this, and can't take my mind off it for a long period of time. I've literally developed a fear of waking up in the mornings knowing I have to go for BMs, a fear of going to the toilet, and even a fear of eating. Been on a prescription medicine for about a week and a half now, but no luck as of yet. I'm at the point where I'm seriously considering a sphincterotomy in the hopes that it will ensure my speedy recovery. Still not sure though.
But again, great for you that you managed to recover very quickly from this atrocity. I wish I was as lucky as you. Try to keep up good eating habits, and maybe you could continue with the baths.
All the best.

Tami, I find it the same ...my fissure is healed but I can't go off the fibre and stool softeners, because I know I will be back at square one. After having had several fissures over many years I know that I will always have to be vigilant.

Hi Tami,
Congratulations on healing!!!
My stools changed a few years ago, but the other way, softer instead of harder. Strangely, increased fiber helps this too!
I've always suspected it was a hormonal thing.
You might want to read this;
http://www.menopause-metamorphosis.com/An_Excerpt-105-digestive_distres.htm
I am 43 now, but things first changed in my late 30s.
I am looking into supplements to help balance my hormones better, like estrosense.
But I haven't tried them yet. I want to wait another month til my fissure is good and healed.
Thank you so much for sharing your success story!
-Tanya

thanks for your success story! helps keep the healing-faith alive!