Hello all. I'm currently in my 4th week with what I'm 99% sure is a fissure. I've developed a skin tag there, and I suffer severe pain during BMs. I drink lots of water to try to help soften the stool which helps a bit. I tried psyllium fiber a week and a half ago but it didn't work very well for me as I was unaware until too late that it needed to be taken with a LOT of water. I am currently staying with friends out of town, so I do not have access to sitz bath materials or fiber supplements or anything like that. Sitz baths have worked well for me in relieving the pain when I've been able to take them.
However, I think my case is different from most others I've read on here in that the pain post-BM doesn't last very long for me. It's terrible during the BM and for about 20 minutes after but it subsides and does not return until I have another BM. I just go lay down on a bed for 20 minutes in great pain and wait until it goes away. It takes a lot out of me, but I'm typically able to resume my daily routine. What does this mean? Is this a sign that it's in the process of healing? 
I haven't visited a physician about this yet, but I'm considering doing so when I get back home. I'd REALLY like to avoid surgery if at all possible and would much prefer to find a cure using ointments, etc.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hi Sutter,
Good news.... 4 weeks is not a long time at all. In fact, you've come to the right forum straight away.
It does sound like a fissure and you're lucky it will likely be an acute one (easily treated with creams) rather than a chronic one (wont heal without intervention from surgery).
Firstly, get to your Doctor, ask for cream, there's 3 types I've heard people are on. GTN is the most common, I've heard of Nitro and I'm currently on Diltiazam and also tried Lidocaine.
Then keep your stools soft, avoid too much fibre, drink plenty of water too. When your stools are large because of too much fibre, they'll end up keeping the fissure open when passing by it and won't give you a chance to heal - which is the razor blade feeling you're likely feeling.
You're in a good position to tackle it my dear. So get straight to the Doctors. I wish I'd gone to the doctors sooner myself.
Let us know how it goes.
Chin up,
Welsh x

Everything Welsh said, but I'd also advise adding Miralax if you have issues with hard stool.  To me, it works much better than the dolc sodium pills.  Also, I'd advise soaking in the tub over doing a sitz bath.  Often times, the sitz bath can put a pulling/stretching tension on the area that's not good.  Good luck.