Hi, I'm 68, I have an anal fissure. I didn't experience it as a sharp pain, so for MONTHS the drs thought my previous coccyx fracture had flared up in some way. Finally had an appointment with my GI (waited for months to get in, of course) for what I thought was my usual hemorrhoids, but lo and behold, fissure.
GI gave me Rectiv and lidocaine, told me vaguely to eat high fiber, and sent me home with a 6 week followup appointment. Well, I had a very rough 4 weeks. My poops tend to be too wide, so at about week 3 my GI prescribed Linzess. I could only tolerate that for 6 days. The worse diarrhea of my life! Just horrible. That's when I decided to experiment with some alternate approaches.
I have a followup appointment scheduled for mid-January, but I really hope I won't need it. And I'm really trying to avoid surgery - I had surgery for fissure, hemorrhoids and they enlarged my anus in 1983 (fun fun fun) so I really think surgery again is a bad idea.
I carefully eat high fiber, and be sure to not eat too much fiber. Metamucil of course. I did a lot of research and found some alternate treatments. I insert homemade coconut oil suppositories before pooping to help it come out more easily. I do sitz baths and sometimes sit on a heating pad. I use "got u cream" frequently. And a big key is that I try to avoid sitting at all, I just sit in recliners or lie down, all day long. Cannot believe the GI didn't suggest at least that - every time you sit on it and it hurts, then that means it's stressed and sitting will prevent healing.
Gotta say, it's going well! It's been 2 weeks on my homemade regimen, and it has improved a ton. But I'm still a long way from complete relief. Would love any other ideas or feedback! I just want to be well again!
Hi, I'm 68, I have an anal fissure. I didn't experience it as a sharp pain, so for MONTHS the drs thought my previous coccyx fracture had flared up in some way. Finally had an appointment with my GI (waited for months to get in, of course) for what I thought was my usual hemorrhoids, but lo and behold, fissure.
GI gave me Rectiv and lidocaine, told me vaguely to eat high fiber, and sent me home with a 6 week followup appointment. Well, I had a very rough 4 weeks. My poops tend to be too wide, so at about week 3 my GI prescribed Linzess. I could only tolerate that for 6 days. The worse diarrhea of my life! Just horrible. That's when I decided to experiment with some alternate approaches.
I have a followup appointment scheduled for mid-January, but I really hope I won't need it. And I'm really trying to avoid surgery - I had surgery for fissure, hemorrhoids and they enlarged my anus in 1983 (fun fun fun) so I really think surgery again is a bad idea.
I carefully eat high fiber, and be sure to not eat too much fiber. Metamucil of course. I did a lot of research and found some alternate treatments. I insert homemade coconut oil suppositories before pooping to help it come out more easily. I do sitz baths and sometimes sit on a heating pad. I use "got u cream" frequently. And a big key is that I try to avoid sitting at all, I just sit in recliners or lie down, all day long. Cannot believe the GI didn't suggest at least that - every time you sit on it and it hurts, then that means it's stressed and sitting will prevent healing.
Gotta say, it's going well! It's been 2 weeks on my homemade regimen, and it has improved a ton. But I'm still a long way from complete relief. Would love any other ideas or feedback! I just want to be well again!
Hi, I have not had cancer, but I've had an anal fissure for months now. Months! I thought the aching pain was from a coccyx fracture 3 years ago. For me, an anal fissure feels like an ache, almost never a sharp pain. I think this lack of sharp pain is the result of years of constipation, all my life (I'm 68) and anal surgery in 1983 (anal reconstruction, fissure and hemorrhoids). GI was thinking I'd need surgery but I have decided to try my best to avoid it. He sent me home with just Reciv ointment and a vague suggestion to get 21 gms fiber per day. Then when I told him my stools tend to form wide, he prescribed Linzess. Disaster! Ugh! 3 out of 6 days extreme diarrhea which just aggravated the fissure. After 6 days I quit the Linzess. Never again! Here's what I've been doing for 10 days now: I use Rectiv and of course lidocaine. I'm carefully using 21 gms fiber per day (the right amount for a woman my age), and 3 Colace in the mornings. All these years and I've never carefully kept track of how much fiber I get - it's working great, too. I've been inserting homemade coconut oil suppositories before pooping to help it ease out. Then every time after a poo I'm doing a bubbling sitz bath with coconut oil and betadine in it. Since I don't have to work, I'm staying off of my tush as much as possible to avoid aggravating it. I hope this gives you some ideas. I googled "unconventional fissure treatment" and many things popped up and I've ordered a couple of them. Good luck.
I thought that you may want to take a look at this doctor. He is excellent !!!
Toyooki Sonoda,
MD
NYU Langone Provider
Specialty: Colorectal Surgery
Treats: Adults
...thanks for information. Unfortunately where I live its a long long wait just to have an exam by surgeon...also my age 79 in a week, and other illnesses sort of hinders surgery... but glad things worked out for your daughter. it is same tonight since suppertime and amazing how such a small area can be so painful! J.
Hi
My daughter suffered with this for about a year. Finally found a doctor who performed a procedure and she is fine. And now she has 3 children. Please look into surgeons that specifically deal with this condition. And also ask how many they have performed. Our daughter’s doctor Lee said he would be able to cure the anal fistula and he did 100%. That was 7 years ago and my daughter is fine !!!
Sincerely Susan
Anal fissures can be very painful and if they don't heal within six months you may need to talk to your doctor about it and best options. We tried lots of different things - Miralax, Collace, etc which didn't necessarily work for me - everyone's colon is different so you need to have a GI doctor or primary who can understand how your colon works and your needs. Adding Supplemental Fiber is the best thing that works for me - I would look up the best fiber supplements to take. I had to have surgery but am post anal fissure repair and it hasn't come back. My local surgeon did it but I consulted with the colon rectal surgeon at Mayo first and he agreed we could do it locally. Also consider doing pelvic floor therapy or at least talking to your primary to see if there is any value in that. I also felt like the sitz bath helped to relieve it some. Have you tried a sitz bath - the one I used was actually able to pump warm water so it kept it warm and you could do it on the toilet so you didn't have to get in the bath everytime. I will have to look it up and see if I can find more info on it.
....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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1 Reaction@mikayla68, allow me to bring in more members who have experience with anal fissures like @lisval @trishplace @stlsampsondev @jeanadair123 @susanpmadigan @richman54660, who can offer tips and guidance.
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1 ReactionHi, I'm 68, I have an anal fissure. I didn't experience it as a sharp pain, so for MONTHS the drs thought my previous coccyx fracture had flared up in some way. Finally had an appointment with my GI (waited for months to get in, of course) for what I thought was my usual hemorrhoids, but lo and behold, fissure.
GI gave me Rectiv and lidocaine, told me vaguely to eat high fiber, and sent me home with a 6 week followup appointment. Well, I had a very rough 4 weeks. My poops tend to be too wide, so at about week 3 my GI prescribed Linzess. I could only tolerate that for 6 days. The worse diarrhea of my life! Just horrible. That's when I decided to experiment with some alternate approaches.
I have a followup appointment scheduled for mid-January, but I really hope I won't need it. And I'm really trying to avoid surgery - I had surgery for fissure, hemorrhoids and they enlarged my anus in 1983 (fun fun fun) so I really think surgery again is a bad idea.
I carefully eat high fiber, and be sure to not eat too much fiber. Metamucil of course. I did a lot of research and found some alternate treatments. I insert homemade coconut oil suppositories before pooping to help it come out more easily. I do sitz baths and sometimes sit on a heating pad. I use "got u cream" frequently. And a big key is that I try to avoid sitting at all, I just sit in recliners or lie down, all day long. Cannot believe the GI didn't suggest at least that - every time you sit on it and it hurts, then that means it's stressed and sitting will prevent healing.
Gotta say, it's going well! It's been 2 weeks on my homemade regimen, and it has improved a ton. But I'm still a long way from complete relief. Would love any other ideas or feedback! I just want to be well again!
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1 ReactionI see this is an old thread. How can I find more comments here about anal fissure?
Hi, I have not had cancer, but I've had an anal fissure for months now. Months! I thought the aching pain was from a coccyx fracture 3 years ago. For me, an anal fissure feels like an ache, almost never a sharp pain. I think this lack of sharp pain is the result of years of constipation, all my life (I'm 68) and anal surgery in 1983 (anal reconstruction, fissure and hemorrhoids). GI was thinking I'd need surgery but I have decided to try my best to avoid it. He sent me home with just Reciv ointment and a vague suggestion to get 21 gms fiber per day. Then when I told him my stools tend to form wide, he prescribed Linzess. Disaster! Ugh! 3 out of 6 days extreme diarrhea which just aggravated the fissure. After 6 days I quit the Linzess. Never again! Here's what I've been doing for 10 days now: I use Rectiv and of course lidocaine. I'm carefully using 21 gms fiber per day (the right amount for a woman my age), and 3 Colace in the mornings. All these years and I've never carefully kept track of how much fiber I get - it's working great, too. I've been inserting homemade coconut oil suppositories before pooping to help it ease out. Then every time after a poo I'm doing a bubbling sitz bath with coconut oil and betadine in it. Since I don't have to work, I'm staying off of my tush as much as possible to avoid aggravating it. I hope this gives you some ideas. I googled "unconventional fissure treatment" and many things popped up and I've ordered a couple of them. Good luck.
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1 ReactionI thought that you may want to take a look at this doctor. He is excellent !!!
Toyooki Sonoda,
MD
NYU Langone Provider
Specialty: Colorectal Surgery
Treats: Adults
Phone: 516-535-1900
Sincerely Susan
...thanks for information. Unfortunately where I live its a long long wait just to have an exam by surgeon...also my age 79 in a week, and other illnesses sort of hinders surgery... but glad things worked out for your daughter. it is same tonight since suppertime and amazing how such a small area can be so painful! J.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionHi
My daughter suffered with this for about a year. Finally found a doctor who performed a procedure and she is fine. And now she has 3 children. Please look into surgeons that specifically deal with this condition. And also ask how many they have performed. Our daughter’s doctor Lee said he would be able to cure the anal fistula and he did 100%. That was 7 years ago and my daughter is fine !!!
Sincerely Susan
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Helpful -
Hug
4 Reactions....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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2 ReactionsOne more thing it was expensive so I had it mixed at a compound pharmacy reduced the price by 90%.
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