Hi,
I developed a fissure about a month after the birth of my beautiful son. First I thought it was hemmorhoids (I got them from the birth). Some days there would be pain and bleeding, other days it wouldn't. When the problem didn't go away after a month I went to the GP. She assured me this was perfectly normal and told me just to eat some more fibre. So I did...and no pain for about a week, but then it came back. I started looking up hemmorhoids on the internet and stumbled over a description of anal fissures...and now I know what I have.
During the last 3 weeks I have very actively tried to do something about this, and tried a lot of things people on this wonderful forum have suggested. Surgery scares me like nothing else so I'm giving natural healing a go. At the moment, this is what I do:
I do sitz baths 3-4 times a day
Creams:I use a witch hazel cream for hemmorhoids, I figure it can't hurt the fissure and I still suspect the hemmorhoids may have been what caused this in the first place as they were sortof popping out during BMs. So now I'm trying to shrink the little suckers.
Supplements: vitamin C, Magnesium twice daily, drink prune juice twice daily, 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil, 40ml of Aloe vera juice, probiotics, 2 teaspoons Psyllium husk twice daily. I also take stool softeners (Coloxyl 120 containing 240mg docusate sodium) and am terrified of going off them and terrified of my body getting used to them.
Diet: the first weeks I tried to just eat tons of veggies and fruit and drink 5-6 L of water, but I ended up with sloppy and rather bulky stools...so I got a tear again. I then read some discussions here about too much fibre and soluble and insoluble fibre and to eat more soluble. So that's what I've been trying to do for the last week and so far I think there is a difference. Stools aren't as bulky and sloppy...however I they aren't exactly tooth paste either. Don't really know what else to do because I'm running out of options of what to eat and what to change. Will post a question about this in the diet/supplement section on this forum.
If I'm not getting anywhere with this diet I might try to stop breastfeeding and see if that makes a difference because some people say it might and I'm getting desperate to find a solution.
I have an appointment with a specialist in 2 weeks and am terrified of what he will say...mainly I'm terrified he'll say I need surgery.

I am soooo fed up with this fissure and sometimes struggle to think positively...Some days I think that it's just a little tear...surely my body will be able to heal. But other days I read on the internet about people having this for years and getting it again and again and again. It's like a bad dream.
Anyways, I'm on a good week now and determined to enjoy life and my baby :D
Good luck to all of you, and maybe in the future the doctors can come up with some fantastic solution to these fissure problems...I mean...seriously...we send people out in space...surely a little tear in the bum can't be all that hard to figure out!!!

Hi newMummy...
I saw your post and responded over in the other forum, but I didn't realize you were taking psyllium in addition to flaxseeds too. That is quite a bit in the fiber supplement department, and particularly heavy on insoluble fiber that will bulk up your stool. You might want to try easing off a bit and see how it works for you. I find stool softeners work better when I'm not jamming an overload of fiber, particularly insoluble fiber, into my body. Unfortunately, it takes a lot if experimenting to find what works best with your system, and in the meantime of course you still have to pass those bowel movements every day.
Welcome to the board. There are a lot of wonderful, supportive, helpful people here! I'm so sorry you have a fissure, but you've landed in the right place!

Good Morning,
Happy to hear about your new baby. I can understand your mental frustration and fear. Its can be a part of dealing with this. At least it is for me too.
You seem to have learned allot. I am also still learning what is good for my system. I wrote on another thread, about me, thinking my hormones have made it harder for my body to digest foods. Like the period of time before or during a period. As you know having a baby has the hormones different. So maybe also think about that with your healing.
For me I just turned 50 and hormones have kicked in. So foods I use to eat do digest the same way. Just another piece of the puzzle for find the way to heal.
Also eat smaller portions too. It seems to help me. Some others have posted some nice diet choices to my other thread. The people on here are so kind. I am brand new here also.
Enjoy your new baby, as I am sure you are. That is a true joy.

Hi,
Sounds like you are gradually healing. It is normal to have set backs when healing.
Have you considered trying miralax as a stool softener?
(Ask your doc about it and breastfeeding of course). I don't use it myself, but lots of folks here do. A lot of people (including myself) find the docusate pretty ineffective.
-Tanya

Hi, thank you everyone for your posts. I made some changes to diet (less fibre, more steamed veggies rather than raw and fried/roasted and more soups and adding oranges and dried mangoes). This week has actually been great. I've almost forgotten how it was to wake up feeling sick and stressed out to go to the toilet, and I've gotten to enjoy little baby Dylan like never before. So even if I have a setback next week at least I've had this lovely week! But hopefully it will continue this way.
If I get a setback I'll try Miralax if doc says it's safe (am going to a specialist on tuesday).
Also, I'm very interested to see if hormones do indeed contribute to this problem so I'll absolutely post an update on this forum about how I go after I stop breastfeeding. I think this would be very useful info for other breastfeeding mums out there...
Thanks again to people on this forum...if it wasn't for you guys I'd be in hell right now.