I am a 50 year old male, and wanted to share my situation with others as the support forum was very helpful to me. I have had h/roids off and on for multiple years, with a fissure about a year ago. The most noticeable difficult period came just after starting a new company and was related, in part, to stress and the almost constant state of sphincter muscle clenching. I ached during the day, applied all of the ointments i could fine, including coconut oil, with only moderate relief. This went on for about four months with daily rectal aches that were devastating and distracting. As my business grew and prospered, i took the recommendations to heart and exercised regularly (despite the fissure), drank lots of water, and consumed a higher fiber diet, which all worked to vastly improve my rectal aches. A year later, those aches have subsided and i'm no longer experiencing any discomfort. I am really grateful to have this forum as it was so extremely helpful to me to read about others and their experiences. I am not minimizing the physical component of my fissure, an hroid is quite noticeable, but in my case the mental stress from my job greatly enhanced the pain and distraction. As that has subsided, it really allowed my to heal. The other point for me was the necessity of exercising, running and moderate weight training. That worked to relieve my stress, although it can go against the healing process at times for an h/roid but for me lowering stress was the most critical part for my ability to heal.

Thanks for the post. You had exactly the same symptoms I am currently having; I can't imagine running since most days I can barely walk, however I usually do feel better after swimming.

Would you say you are completely healed?

Naples,
This is so great to read and I hope that you continue with the same strength and positivity you have been doing & that of course you reach a point sometime, where physically things really do feel so much better for you too.
You just can't underestimate the impact of stress on these issues! Being too tense creates so many physical issues with digestion, with BMs, and mentally, it just magnifies all this stuff so it becomes overwhelming!
Exercise is vital and it's great that you have just accepted your issues and pushed on to figure out a lifestyle pattern that works for you and helps. Wishing you all the very best in your continuing recovery :)

I am healed in terms of no current flair ups but still have to maintain the diet balance and also a daily dose of Milk of Magnesia to minimize any chance of bowel straining. That has been a trial and error of finding a dosage balance that keeps bowel movements not too firm and not too soft.