by Deleted User 579 » 09 Sep 2011, 13:12
Hey JR - it is really challenging at first to find the right food to eat. I really recommend reading through the 'diet tips' thread carefully because there are some really good meal ideas there. Generally, the idea is to eat as much fiber as possible, but be careful because you can over-do the fiber too (this can be quite frustrating!). Lots of us increased the amount of fruits and veggies we eat. I have a lot of steamed veggies that I put on brown rice. Remember that there are two kinds of fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber acts like a sponge and helps to add bulk to stool - rice, potatoes, oatmeal, squash, peas and so on. So have those if your stool gets too loose (watery BMs can also sting like a b*tch when you've got a fissure!). Insoluble fiber acts like a broom, and helps 'sweep' out your system. Spinach, broccoli, green beans, lettuce, and so on are good sources of insoluble fiber. Somtimes the trick is to get the right combination of both forms of fiber. People often get confused because when they are told to eat a lot of fiber, they get constipated; that's usually because nobody told them that a lot of soluble fiber without a lot of water just makes a big block of goo in the gut. I like Asian dishes because they often mixes soluble and insoluble fiber very nicely.
The pain can be coming from the fissure itself and/or the sphincter muscles. Often it's both. When I had sphincter spasms, it really hurt, like a burning, squeezing pain involving the entire anus ('burning ring of fire' is a good description, but I avoid it because I'm a Johnny Cash fan!). The pain was at its worst during a BM (passing shards of glass), but it would also last pretty much all day. I also often felt like I had to have a BM all the time. The fissure itself would usually only give me a sharp pain during a BM. I'd say if you are experiencing pain for hours after a BM, then it's mostly likely the sphincter muscle spasming.
@ Victoria - I'm so glad you are enjoying some freedom from pain. I was one of the poor slobs who was given hydrocortisone by quite a number of butt-headed doctors - they had me using that stuff for seven months!! It really made things A LOT worse.
I'm really sorry you have suffered with this for such a long time. Please don't be afraid of the surgery if it comes to that. I say this because ointments tend to be less successful on older fissures (but it can happen, so let's be hopeful!). If it turns out that the dilt doesn't heal you, I really think you should talk seriously to your CRS about the surgery. It is a scary idea, but it's not as bad as it sounds. I had the surgery in May and it definitely gave me my life back!