analfissuresupportuk-blog

[analfissuresupportuk-blog]

Anal Fissures

Hi all,

I wanted to start a support group for Anal Fissures in the UK.

I have lived with this for a while now and it is extremely painful, debilitating, frustrating and..actually...being british...embarassing. I have found it to be a very taboo subject, my local shop keeper and neighbours think I have chronic back ache as I do not feel able to share with them that I have a very large and painful cut up my bum whilst grabbing the milk! My work colleagues know the truth however and find the whole thing hilarious..come on..it should be funny, but I’m not quite ‘up there’ yet and seeing the humerous side.

I have been suffering, and I mean REALLY suffering for five weeks now. I spent the first three weeks frantically googling for a magic solution only to be faced with so many conflicting stories and advice. 

My doctor, although helpful and lovely, really didn’t know enough about it and I felt I was sent away with things to trial for her to see how I got on when I really needed her to confidently say ‘ah yes, have this, this should do the trick’! One doctor said I had thrombosed haemorrhoids and skin tags, another said the fissure was causing the pain, I spent the Christmas period on a special ring cushion and having to take morphine! 

I had someone told me to keep putting ice on it and somebody told me to keep it warm?! Its been horrendous, I have felt so alone and fragile.

 I went to see a surgeon two weeks ago today and he took one little look and said ‘Blimey, thats nasty’! Those three words were magical to me who had kept thinking I must be being a baby-My husband had actually asked me whether I may just ‘have a low pain threshold’ - code for ‘are you just being a bit of a hyperchondriac’ A friend suggested I put his testicles in a vice and see how high his pain threshold was! Anyway, I left the surgeon with Laxido and Ditiladam and two weeks on I am feeling much better. I can’t walk very well without a ‘dragging’ feeling down there and its still quite sore but its not excruiating anymore so I feel I am on my way to recovery. 

Having almost come out of this situation my message is this:

Don’t spend hours googling for magic cures, I have tried them all to the point that the garlic clove went in as well and it DOES NOT work and it really DOES hurt! Take as many warm baths as you need adding in some organic cider vinegar, coconut oil and/or seasalt (yeah, you will end up smelling like a bag of chips but who cares when your bum is on fire) Be prepared for the long haul, its going to be a few weeks, keep lots of paracetamol and ibuprofen in the house and make notes of the times you take this so you can be sure to keep on top of the pain, even if it eases off, still take it! And last of all keep a hot water bottle with you at all times, it is instantly soothing and helps the sore heal. Have two laxido a day-laxido was recommended by my surgeon as it softens and bulks out the poo making it easier to come out. A lot of laxatives stimulate the bowel and you don’t really want to force something out, it will only tear again! Sit on the toilet (only 3-5mins)and try and relax, you know its going to sting but its going to get worse with it staying in your colon. Drink lots. You need to heal yourself from the inside too so no sharp or spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine (I had to do this over Christmas and it didn't kill me) Eat good foods.

I have spent lots of time (and money) trying every different ointment and creams and laxatives, researched every scrap of research and I just wanted to share this with you. People don’t realise how bad this ‘illness’ is or that their is support out there. I want to reach out to people just to say I know how you feel and you can get better from it