Hello! I wont to thank you for this forum. I finally find a place where I can get information and some comfort. Not being able to talk about my condition and pain with family and friends because very few people realize what we are going trough.
I am not a native English speaker and I apologize in advance for mistakes.
I am female in my middle age¸and I am dealing with pain since end of march 20013. All started with a stupid urinary tract infection. Doc. gave me antibiotics wich in just 2 days burned my stomach and intestines so I stopped taking them. I got horrible stomach cramps and pain, could not eat for weeks, rapidly loosing weight, became depressed, felt generally ill and much concerned about severe, burning, knife cutting pain in my lower stomach area. Went to ER, gastro, gynecologist, GP doctor and nobody guessed what is wrong - they suggested I am still sensitive from infection and that it will pass. After few months I realised that the pain is definitely originating from my anal area and decided on my own to see a proctologist. The exam confirmed chronic anal fissure with swollen skin tag (and some internal hemorrhoids, but they are not symptomatic). The proctiologist (quite renown old man) gave me hydrocortisone/lidocaine suppositories which did nothing good to me, just increased burning. Pharmacologist sold me some preparations that supposedly cure anal problems, but they are all designed for hemmis. I just recently find out that what is good for hemorrhoids is not necessarily good for fissure and it can worsen the condition. I tried natural remedied suggested from the experiences of people:
aloe vera (fresh from the plant - soothing on the outside, helps when the inflammation is spread on outside, but not working internally)
wheat germ oil with vitamin E, extra virgin olive oil, st johns wort oil, castor oil, (just made burning slightly worse)
medicinal honey, (a little applied inside on fissure - for me the worst thing of all - incredible pain and burning for few days)
propolis without alcohol just a drop mixed with coconut oil (huge mistake, same as honey)
I find extra virgin coconut oil the least disturbing, but it has not cured me.
After six months of trying to get better I went to another proctologyst. She told me the hydrocortisone was a mistake and tried to explain the morfology of the fissure: the swollen scar tissue which is additionally constricted by spasm of the spinchter hide deep the wound so that it can not be cleaned and no potentially healing ointment can reach the wound. She adviced me to use only natural ointments for instance calendula, olive oil, butter... She sold me plastic plug, called "Dilatan" with Xylocaine jelly for lubrication and nitroglycerine ointment, to put it in the anus twice a day for 10 minutes. The aim is to dilate the anal canal with plug and with nitro to relieve spinchter and the wound could be cleaned, she told.
After using this for few days the pain and inflammation even increased and I have to stop the treatment. I tried using only nitro, but it burns even with very small amount.
So now I am going to see the third proctologyst (the expert for LIS) in few days. I am so desperate and considering to get LIS done.
I lost so much during this, cried so many hours in despair, not being able to work and earn much needed money,exercising makes it worse. I feel like a living wreck with no social and love life (even dreaming of any love act makes pain worse), not to mention money spend on doctors and remedies.
It may look like I am making a drama of it, but I am sure you, fellow sufferers, would understand me. I feel a bit more confident now I am collecting information from this forum and beginning to understand some facts. Thank you! Big hug to all.