This is my third attempt!  When I push 'indent' to go over my post disappears.  So frustrating!!! I'm going to post my pain levels and then do a separate intro.  Argh
I'm not a weenie when it comes to pain, having had three children with minimal pain to no pain meds on board.  The pain is definitely comparable to childbirth only it keeps happening every day!  At 5 or above I have to bite on something during a BM.  These ratings are mostly from the morning BM, though sometimes the after-pain (spasms) have been more severe.  This begins at two to three months after initial onset.
Week   Average pain level     highest pain level of the week
4              7.8     /               8-9
5              7.3     /                9
6              6.8     /               7.5
7              8        /               9
8              7        /               8
9              6.1     /              7.5
10            5.7     /               8
11            6.3     /               7
12            5.5     /               7
13            5.3     /               6
14            5.1     /               6.5
15            2.6     /               4
16            3.7     /               6
17            2.6     /               6
18            3.1     /               6.5
19            2.1     /               3
20            2.4                    3.5
21            1.7                    4      
Now, my intro.  Onset of AF was 12/22/12.  It wasn't correctly diagnosed but I improved after five weeks and then had a month off and then retore (badly) on 2/22/12.  Based on exam, the naturopath who has treated hemmies and AF's for 37 years said mine was at the top of a severity scale (not that one exists) and had minimal chance of healing without intervention.  He estimated 2 cm long and 1 to 2 cm wide and understood the pain I'd been having was very severe.  Yet, he recommended diet changes and the ointments (diltiazem, lidocaine, and steroids on the scar tissue).  I went to the CRS clinic within my HMO and saw a PA, who also diagnosed AF and recommended ointments and follow-up in six weeks.  So I persevered, found this forum and worked on achieving a soft, passable stool!  It has taken a really long time but I am improved again.  If I retear in the future I plan to high-tail it to a CRS for surgery.  I'm in-between health plans and trying to keep going....Kind of a success story, though don't know the ultimate outcome!  Thanks to everyone on the site for their encouragement and tips!:D   

Huge fissure, lots of pain, but the trend is clearly positive. My fissure was "just" 1.5 cm long, so I can clearly relate to your pain levels. Do you have any idea how long is your fissure now?

No, I haven't been back to the naturopath who got a good look at it originally. The PA I saw at the CRS clinic just said, 'it's still there' I think based on the fact that it still hurt when examined. How scientific! Hope you'll forgive my sarcasm....I don't think most people, doctors included, have any idea about how painful and awful it is to have these AF's! I'm assuming it is 'healing over' and leaving plenty of scar tissue. I'm planning to stay 'careful' indefinitely! I have identified a CRS surgeon I can go to with our new health insurance should the thing re-tear! Plan B!

New Data Just In!
Week / Average pain level / highest pain level of the week
22      /       1.7         /          2
23      /       1.7         /          3
24      /       1.4         /          2
Pain levels are now 'discomfort' levels, mostly due to the stretching/pressure sensations with a BM.  There are good days and sore days.  At least once a week I still have spasms and need to use a heating pad.  Also, had a small amount of pink blood two days in a row---scared the crap out of me! :D  No major set-back, though I did use stool softeners for a couple of days.  I still use nifedipine ointment and sitz baths (and heating pad).  Wish me luck!

Pain,
All the very best of luck!
Your data is actually a great idea - you are plotting your progress brilliantly - that's clear to see. I would absolutely agree that you ARE healing and that discomfort now is relating to healing and allowing the scar tissue to kick in.
Blood is never a bad thing - it's definitely the pain factor that's key.....I'm really impressed & interested in following your results!

Thanks so much for your encouragement!  I was a little nervous today as I felt sore after such a good morning!  I think that just taking my regular walk was a trigger for soreness......you just can't turn your back on the AF, like ocean waves!

Wow....after such a good stint had bad pain today.  I pushed a little during a second morning bm and boy, did I pay for it!  It just doesn't feel like I'm 'done' sometimes....like back in the day.  Also, no hot water today (broken water heater) so I didn't have my am sitz bath.  I was in pain all day.  Put in an extra dose of butt cream and used my heating pad when I had time.  But all in all...pain at about a 5 or 6.  It's hard not to get discouraged.  Will I ever be normal again?  Maybe not.  Just keep your fingers crossed for me.  I travel in another week or so and I'm praying I'm not headed for a true relapse.  I hope I don't have to post this under a different heading!!!!

Well, the story goes on.....
I just travelled.  Made it through two longish days of travel including 4 to 4 1/2 hour flights. Kind of a busy week helping to host a birthday party/reunion--I was basically a kitchen servant all week.  Anyhow, halfway through the week I had a larger, firmer BM than normal (after a dinner out at a restaurant....sue me!) and I retore to a degree (red blood and significant increase in pain).  I had to keep going because the main party was the next day.  I had only four hours of sleep and thought, 'this is it...back to square one.'  I really felt like quitting.  You know, beam me up Scotty! As I persevered it turned out to be just a set-back, not back to the really severe pain and I have continued on in the chronic, relatively lower pain quadrant (6 or below).  So, on the one hand my condition is still fragile, on the other hand I know more now and haven't made it back to square 1.  Still wondering....'success story' or not?  Can anyone else relate?

Hi Pain,
I'm sorry to read about your set-back but I have to say healing naturally is a long old road and its not without its rollercoaster ups & downs all the way......Bear in mind, it took me a year & 5 months to finally get confirmed as being fully healed and although I didn't plot my path as brilliantly as you have, I also suffered set-backs from time to time - infact one of my biggest (& I convinced myself I had retorn), was just a week before I was confirmed as healed! - so it really does go to show that fissures are unpredictable & horrible little things to deal with....Good weeks, bad weeks and so on.......
The thing I learned most looking back was to monitor the level of pain (as you have) and the duration and there was clearly a pattern for me too. As I got better and better, any set-backs I had were less of an issue than the set-back before and generally shorter in duration & this pattern continued to continue.....
The fact that you have faced more difficult BMs and have still experienced a reduction in pain intensity indicates to me that you are indeed healing - nonetheless. It just takes so much longer than you can ever really anticipate!! and that's the frustrating part.
I'd just say keep up the good work and persevere if you are set on the natural healing route. You will get there in the end for sure, and if your pattern continues as mine did, it does get easier as time goes on...Just be super careful with everything in the meantime to minimise any potential set-backs.......!! :) 

I'm writing an update another three weeks after the last. I have stopped keeping the daily/weekly pain journal. Not because all is great but because I am still slowly improving and it was too hard to keep up the ratings. My last major retear with red blood was as noted in my last post (3 to 4 weeks ago). I am feeling a little more confident that I'm not headed back to square 1 with each bad day. My system can take a little more deviation from the stricter diet without complete relapse. All of these are good signs. I still use bulk softener every day (Metamucil, about 1/2 dose for me). Other fiber supplements if I don't think I've had enough through diet. If I notice harder stools I'll add magnesium and/or Colace stool softener, increase water, etc. Anything to avoid the hard/large BM. I tend to go more often versus less often (1 to 3 times per day). Still using nifedipine and a heating pad at night. Still adjusting my walking to stay comfortable (have a large sentinel pile that still gets irritated....kind of wish it was gone....). Still wishing I could think less about all of this but know I have to stay vigilant. Goal: get through the holidays without major relapse and with continued healing. That's all I want, Santa!!!! I do have a general physical coming up and may see a CRS specialist based on that. Peace to all my fellow sufferers!