Anal fissure: What helps it heal?

Posted by lisval @lisval, Aug 2, 2022

Hey-wondering if anyone has developed an anal fissure during chemotherapy? What helped it heal? Any advice as it is very painful!

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It was a pill given to me off-label for headaches by an MD at a headache center. It did not help my headache but my pelvic pain went away. I told my pelvic physical therapist and she said she had heard of that before. Maybe because it is for seizures, it loosens up the spasms in the rectum? I don't know. Since PTs can't prescribe medicine, I don't know who you would ask. Maybe discuss with family doctor???? Let me know how you make out. Who are you seeing now? As any doctor you are seeing now. Good luck. I will pray for you.

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I developed squamous cell carcinoma (skin cancer) at the exit site of my colostomy 3 1/2 years ago. I have never experienced more pain than this, and I am 83. They finally did surgery nine days ago, despite the fact that it took me YEARS and dozens of hyperbaric treatments before I healed after the last surgery. I am doing daily sitz baths now and packing the wound with gauze soaked in liquid lidocaine for 5 minutes a day, followed by a gauze pack soaked in a saline solution. This seems to diminish the pain somewhat. I am also taking 2 tbsp. ProHeal (Amazon) daily to enhance the healing process.

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@lacy2

....my anal pain and it's severe is from ibs diarrhea and every other day; now i have it after a course of antibiotic; when on antibiotics you are not allowed to take anti diarrhea meds; anway, after c.diff 2018also hae fecal incontinence. ....so today passed about ten times fecal matter and anal area is so painful and this has been going on for years. difficult to discuss with friends and neighbours! as soon as i clean up or have a half shower, get dried and they suggested hair dryer on low; use some zinc ointment, or vaseline etc., and get redressed about half hour later have to go again and nothing stops it or it leaks out.... honestly, compared to other life threatening issues and my other medical issues this should be easily handled but it is not; and constant change of clothing and cloths... but really its the pain... like pouring lemon juice on cuts. not a nice subject to discuss but no cure as soon as use ointment, it is wiped off shortly after..... any ideas welcome.....

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Same here! Once I start going it won’t stop! Mostly water, incontinence, wearing pads and depends, making messes beyond belief! Besides that Awful Pain! No one understands that burning pain! And yet, still, no one can help me!

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...after pelvic radiation, years later they said ibs-d, but over the years hasn't stopped and then too many antibiotics and c.diff 2018 since then bowel issues worse and diet poor; Imodium - the least I can take because too much then cannot go! Then the dreaded fecal incontinence - every time (I am female) I urinate, there is feces to clean up and the skin inside and around gets so sore; I used to get relief from sitz baths but then realized my frequent uti's was from sitting in water in sitz bath with feces germs in... so now it's wiping area .... with those round makeup remover pads with vaseline on and then putting a clean one there; but next bathroom visit it is soiled. and gets expensive; .. its unbelievable how extremely sore rectal area (along with other illnesses to cope with) can be so painful even to sit on a chair!

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My rectum hurts almost constantly and I’ve had constipation for years. Dr wants to do a Botox injection. Colonoscopies have never showed anything. I’m tired of taking Miralax or Metamucil and fiber. I’m trying probiotics. Has anyone ever used any brand that has provided relief? I’ve had pelvic floor therapy with short lived pain relief. I would love to hear from anyone who has this problem and found relief. I haven’t been able to sit comfortably for years!

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@mikayla68

Okay so I've decided to have surgery after all. I believe this is the best decision for me. Botox + cauterization of the fissure. It's scheduled for next week so I'm looking forward to it/not looking forward to it (if you know what I mean!) Thanks everyone for such great info.

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how did your surgery go? I have an anal fissure that started 3 months ago. I have tried two different creams prescribed by my colorectal surgeon, and tried botox for the first time last week but so far it's still bothering me. it's still stinging and burning. don't know if I should try botox once again, or surgery.

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....no luck searching internet, each site says something different; one says use vaseline, preparation h, zinc ointment (like for babies diaper rash); then another site says do not use ointments at all; then another, see your doctor etc. etc. why in the year 2023 is this such a hard fix? they are making such amazing strides in complicated medical areas but a sore rectum seems such a difficult thing to diagnose and treat... ?? J.

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@lacy2

....no luck searching internet, each site says something different; one says use vaseline, preparation h, zinc ointment (like for babies diaper rash); then another site says do not use ointments at all; then another, see your doctor etc. etc. why in the year 2023 is this such a hard fix? they are making such amazing strides in complicated medical areas but a sore rectum seems such a difficult thing to diagnose and treat... ?? J.

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My doctor prescribed Nitroglycerin-lidocain 0.2-5 % ointment compound but it didn't work for me. I just had my first botox injection last week and still in pain. I hope the botox works. if it doesn't I will need surgery.

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@jpere

My doctor prescribed Nitroglycerin-lidocain 0.2-5 % ointment compound but it didn't work for me. I just had my first botox injection last week and still in pain. I hope the botox works. if it doesn't I will need surgery.

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....I have fecal incontinence and often, too often, so sore in that area and no longer take sitz baths re bladder infection, my husbnd has had anal cancer and used preparation h in Canada but i refused until one last week and I must say it did help but i dont want to become dependent on them type thing,.. where i live not enough doctors and if not very serious (on their scale) we wait some months if not a year...I wish you the best J

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I too have been dealing with this nightmare for the last 3 months. I've had 2 refills on the prescription compound ointment, which by the way has stained just about every lower half article of clothing I own. I was scheduled for botox procedure but decided to cancel it 2 days before procedure. Let me tell you why.
My biggest problem is slow to no heal, then once I think I'm getting somewhere, I think I retear them. I was told slow heal was mostly due to pelvic floor muscles being so tight that blood flow was restricted, not able to heal.
Try and follow me, I've had pelvic floor issues to the point that I'm unable to have intercourse at all(getting ready to start pf therapy), which also effects my anal region. I had full hysterectomy in 2018, when it all started but was not taking hormone replacement. I've since started, which to get to my point, is helping my pelvic floor and tissue health tremendously, hence, allowing more pelvic floor relaxation, to heal anal fissures finally on their own. No surgery needed. Hope that helps a little.

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