Hello all,

I am a bit of a hypochondriac. If nothing else, a load of anxiety.

I have developed several anal fissures over the past few years, but didn't have chronic problems until a year ago. It began with a large stool--like all have--but this time was particularly bad. Then, a doctor put me on hydrocortisone suppositories for several months (stopping once I learned this weakens the skin). I have a had a few incidents since then due to hard stools, and started developing hypertonicity in the sphincter after using coconut oil to heal the area (which seemed to really improve the skin quality!). I am on stool softeners (17g Miralax and two 400mg Magnesium oxide) and nifedipine now.

I haven't had blood in my stool for a LONG time. I haven't felt "definite" re-tear in a long time either, though I occassionally feel pinches and stings (which may or may not be retears). I am never in pain after a stool, and little itching.

But my anxiety and obsession is through the roof! I am fearful that I am incapable of healing due to overuse of hydrocortisone. And I know that the anxiety only makes it worse. Truth is, I can't tell how healed I am or not--so much of it surely brought on by the hyperfocus. I don't think I'll ever be healed unless I can change the way I think...

First, has anyone else overused hydrocortisone suppositories? The doctors tell me it probably isn't an issue, but it sure feels like I'm re-fissuring easily.

Second, have any other anxious folks/hypochondriacs been able to regain better thought patterns. What helped you?

Thanks all! Sometimes I think the only way I can heal is if someone will botox, not my bum, but my brain.

Hello!
I can understand your concern and how you feel. Ihad huge anxiety after my but and gut problems started. It was bad enough before, but when antibiotics affected my gut anxiety was much much bigger. I was so afraid to take any medicine. I can say that with my digestion improved, my mood improved, in spite of the fact that my pain is still here (with some very very slow improvement and the cause is probably the pudendal nerve). There is a gut - brain connection. I take Bio Kult probiotics now and I think butyrate helped me a lot too. Some reading on this http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rea ... nt-anxiety
It is o.k. that you are not in much pain. Try not to worry so much about skin thinning.

Hi Outdoorsman,

Yes, I've used hydrocortisone suppositories and had to stop because it felt like they were 'peeling' layers of skin off down there! After a week of using them I had a lot of bleeding and stopped taking them right away.

I'm also riddled with anxiety and an absolute hypochondriac (since I was a kid). But for years my thoughts have been circling around this damn fissure.

I try and do a 20-30 minute meditation every morning which helps a little with the anxiety - I try and focus on my breathing and when I get distracted by all the thoughts I bring my attention back to my breathing. Apparently when the thoughts start slowing down and you have moments of total silence you're starting to get somewhere.

I also find if I eat too much sugar or take too much caffeine I get very panicky. Walking an hour everyday - in nature - helps too. When the anxious thoughts arise during my walk I just look at the trees or listen to the birds, take in a few deep breaths of fresh air and then the thoughts are gone again. There's not much else I can do about it really.

And what's going on inside of my head is usually a thousand times worse than what's actually happening outside of my head!

Good luck with everything!

Sorry for taking so long to respond Rio and McCrackin. I submitted a response, but it didn't go through, I suppose.

Rio - I started taking probiotics recently, so the anxiety/flora connection is an excellent thing to know about.

McCrackin - I don't think that skin could have been 'peeling' off of you. I'm trying to figure out how meditation can work for me. I am very ADD and sitting still often feels even more anxiety-inducing. I'm sorry to hear about the hardships you have suffered as a hypochondriac. I wish you peace and happiness.

As far as my fear of skin thinning, good news! Every doctor (2 gastroenterologists, 1 naturopath, 1 general surgeon) I have talked has been dismissive of hydrocortisone damage, saying that it 'probably hasn't done any damage.' Well, a few days ago I talked to a CRS (my first--Dr. Maranon, Las Vegas), and he told me that he truly believes that there is no steroid damage. He continued, saying that he has patients that have been using them for years, and though he tells them to stop, they are stubborn and continue. Point is, people have used them for years and still have functioning sphincters.

So that is relieving. I was feeling GREAT...and then I tried to taper off Nifedipine and my sphincter became hypertonic, the poop had trouble coming out, and I found a small amount of blood in the stool.

Ugh. That's the first definite reinjury I've had in a long time.

So...I am not worried about steroid damage, but I still have to manage hypertonicity. At least hypertonicity has solutions...