I'm new to this forum, but I'm feeling desperate. I have an anal fissure and really bad hemorrhoids. The doctor prescribed a treatment involving pills, wipes and ointment. So far, it hasn't helped. I have a few questions which I'm hoping someone can answer:

1) When I had to "go" today, it hurt so much that I stopped it prematurely which caused it to hurt even more and now I feel like I can't go again even though I have to. It's feel like it's stuck and is extremely painful. Any advice on how to handle this immediate problem would be appreciated.

2) Should I use a fleet's oil enema or take miralax?


Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.

Daisy

Hi daisy

So sorry your in so much pain. I've had the same problem before where a stool gets stuck and the pain is just always there. I advise a warm bath to sit in which relaxes the sphincter and helps it pass. Before a bm try lubricating with a baseline cream like sudocrem of Vaseline.

Ff x

I suggest using a Sitz Bath and cannot recommend it highly enough for the relief it brings. Took me some time to get used to using it, but would not do without it now. I bought mine in Rite Aid (USA).

Here is info about Sitz baths written by a CRS:

Sitz Baths

A sitz bath can be done using your bath tub or by purchasing a sitz tub. A sitz bath is a warm to hot tub of water. After a bowel movement you quickly get into the warm/hot tub of water (not so hot as to scold yourself). The warm/hot water helps to relax the anal muscles. I recommend sitz baths after each bowel movement for up to 2 weeks. This treatment is very effective when you are in the water. Unfortunately, once the sitz bath is over the symptoms may return. This is excellent treatment of the pain after having a bowel movement, however, you can’t do this during the day when you are out running errands or at work. The other forms of therapy will need to be used in conjunction with the sitz baths.

If the pain with defecation is extremely severe, and unbearable than I recommend having the bowel movement in the sitz tub. Yes I want you to crap in a tub of warm to hot water. Just put the sitz tub on the toilet and fill it with warm to hot water and sit in the tub when you have to have a bowel movement. After you finish, turn it over into the toilet, flush and wash out the sitz tub so you can use it again. Sitting in the hot water while having a bowel movement keeps your muscles relaxed at all times. This method is very effective in decreasing and, in some cases, preventing pain with bowel movements.

Great advice already given...i am going to repeat prior posts here in case you have not seen...here is my general advice...

1. Take some form of stool softener...this is THE MOST IMPORTANT piece of advice i have. I use Magnesium Citrate (150mg-250mg per day). I would also look into Miralax/Restoralax....not sure what it is called where you are from. This site has a good translation of terms and medications that you can use.

2. Poop using a stool of some sort to get your knees up....makes the trajectory easier.

3. If you can at all anticipate it...take a couple Ibuprofen a half hour before you go to the loo...get in front of the pain

4. Stick some coconut oil up there just before you poop....provides some lubrication and a small barrier

5. Sit on heat as much as possible during the day to promote blood flow....cold can also be good -- i use a cold pack wrapped in a towel for 10/15 mins at a time

6. If your butt really hurts and you are in the acute stage of pain...DO NOT WIPE. Hop in the shower to clean off after a bowel movement. Once you are more able to tolerate friction down there...still DO NOT WIPE...use a baby wipe or wet toilet paper to dab after a movement. Only once you have passed the acute pain phase you should consider wiping with baby wipes or damp toilet paper

7. Drink a teaspoon to a tablespoon of flax or olive oil with breakfast, lunch and dinner....then cut down to twice a day after a week or so...lubricate inside and out!

8. Use a cream 2-3x a day...like diltiazem nitro, niphedipine

9. Take as many baths as you can a day...warm/hot for 20 mins at a time...hey sit there f or 30 if you got the spare minutes

10. Eat super healthy...DO NOT bulk up with metamucil (that is b.s. as far as i can tell). Eat a good balance of non-processed foods that include soluble and insoluble fibre. DO DRINK lots of water. Do add probiotic foods to your diet that could include kombucha, kefir, miso soup, sauerkraut, kimchi, unpasteurized cheeses etc etc

11. Talk about it with people who care....this was as helpful to me as everything else....use this outlet too!!

12.....this is the worst and the best. TIME. This situation requires some time to heal....we all go through the period of time when nothing seems to work....but slowly (way toooooo slowly) you should find some relief

13. Try and stay as positive as you can


Go get yourself some sort of cream from your dr...nitro, diltiazem or niphedipine...use 3x a day and within a couple weeks you should hopefully get some relief from the intense pain. This condition will test your pain threshold and your patience...but know that you will get better.

As for fleet vs miralax...my guess is that if you are compacted right now you might want to start with a fleet enema so remove the compaction (dont kid yourself, it may hurt....but the pain will be worth it because you will be clearing out the old to make way for the softer new!!). I would then start using Magnesium Citrate -- i would start with 200-300mg/day (take one dose in morning and one in evening)...that should soften things up for you if you are generally constipated...you may need more or less. If that works great...if you need an extra boost you can also use miralax at the same time...but you may not need to.
Good luck and hang in there....i and many others have been where you are at...its no fun but you will get through this.

Canadabum

Thank you so much. Getting all this support is amazing!

Daisy