Hi All,
I've been reading here for a while, but thought it time to say 'hi' and ask for help.
I have a fissure, diagnosed by my GP just over a couple of weeks ago. The pain started 2-3 months ago & I wrongly assumed it was piles & treated as such, but it just got worse & worse until I went to the Drs and what I believed to be piles are skin tags - great.
I had a 3rd degree tear with my daughter 3 years ago, so whether that makes the area more prone to tears, tags?, and then due to the tear, opted for an elective C Section with my son in Sep 2012. I think all the meds after that must have caused constipation, leading to the tear, and I'm breastfeeding which means I'm seemingly always dehydrated..
So, my GP prescribed Rectogesic 0.4%, to be used 'externally' - is this right, as the instructions say internal, though the sticker on the front says 'external use only'? To further complicate it, as I'm breastfeeding, I'm only applying a little before bed each night, after his last feed, as don't want it to pass to him. It' s making my dizzy, but as I'm breastfeeding, I'm putting about half the dose on. Well, I'm still in a lot of pain, burning and pain for hours & hours after a BM.
Dr didn't recommend anything else, but thanks to you guys, I'm also:
Drinking loads & loads of water - I don't drink alcohol anyway, no fizzy drinks, & have maybe one tea a day if that, & start the day with either a peppermint tea or hot lemon & honey drink
Taking a magnesium supplement before bed- 300mg
Having banana/porridge for breakfast, with a few dried apricots/prunes/figs. Lunch is normally a bowl of weetabix/cheerios & fruit/yogurt. Dinner I've not yet modified, as hubby & daughter can be awkward, so this is normally pasta, chicken & veg, sausages & oven chips etc.
Sitting in a warm bath at least once a day - tricky with 2 little ones to watch, but if I can get 2-3 in, I definitely feel better
Taking Fybogel each night
Eating more fruit generally, grapes, pears etc.
The Rectogesic nightly
Cutting down on red meat - I still have sausages/bacon once a week - does that need to go?? And are chicken & fish OK?
Takeaways & fried food are gone
Stopped eating my seeded bread
Reduced cheese intake
I do still eat chocolate, ice cream, cheese, peanuts, bread, white pasta - though all much less than I was. Am I naive in thinking I can still have these in moderation? As I said, Dr just gave me the ointment, mentioned water & more fibre.
The bleeding stopped almost as soon as I was diagnosed and really started trying to beat this, so no blood for 2 weeks now (there was usually some on wiping after every other BM prior to this), so I'm hoping this is a good sign. BM's are less painful, too, though still hurt, since more water & some diet improvements, but the burning, spasms & pain for hours & hours after is still the same. Of course, as I breastfeed, sitting down a lot comes with the territory, which I'm sure doesn't help, and stress levels can be high when I'm in a lot of pain looking after 2 kids. I Have BMs every other day, which is actual more frequent for me than it used to be, as I could go for days before.
So, any and all advice and opinions would be very welcome. Feel quite alone as it's not something you share, though my husband's been very supportive, but feel I'm battling constantly, and my life revolves around going to the loo now :(
Thanks for reading