Anal fissures

[Davidevans2112]

Hi-
Does anyone have any experience treating anal fissures? I'm having real trouble keeping them controlled. Being in pain when I sit down is getting to be quite waring. There's practically no space left to fissure any more and all I can do is add antiseptic cream and use antibacterial wipes after every BM. Are there any treatments for this? I'm kindling of thinking wishfully here as I know it's not an easy thing to treat. Ideas?
David.

 

[SarahD]

Hi David,

I have an anal fissure so can empathise with the pain - it has almost made me pass out at times it's been that bad. There are treatments available though fissures can be pretty difficult to treat.

My GP prescribed me some glyceryl trinitrate (GNT) which helped my fissure immensely. It's a waxy substance, a lot like vaseline in consistency, which you apply to the fissure (and a little way into the anus if you can manage it). It opens up the blood vessels which helps the area relax and heal. I had good success with the GTN, but unfortunately my fissure came back because I suffer from constipation which has been difficult to treat. It's always best to treat the root cause of the fissures if possible, else they're likely to recur like they have with me.

My GP also mentioned that there are surgical treatments available for chronic fissures where they cut through part of a muscle around the anus to release the tightness and stop the spasming. It's worth trying non-surgical treatments first though to see if they'll help.

Sarah

 

[justbreathe8]

When I had a fissure my CR prescribed me nefepine(sp) compounded with lidocaine to put around the outside. And then he told me to alternate between neosporine and carmex putting them on my finger and inserting my finger. My fissure eventually turned into a fistula, but perhaps that would help you.

 

[AJC - Australia]

sounds horribly david.
Rectogesic wipes helped a lot for me…i still dont wipe my bum with toilet paper and it is a year later….i just use wipes….but rectogesic wipes were excellent when the fissure was split…….the best thing for a fissure is healthy poos….so, try and get your poos to buff out and be healthy…i guess we are all trying to do that everyday, but there you have it.
good luck.

 

[Essieluv]

I had an awful fissure a few years ago. I tried everything to help it; suppositories, creams, sitz baths, ointments...In the end I got a sphincterotomy, where one of my internal sphincter muscles was cut to stop spasms and let the fissure heal. Ideally, it will prevent future fissures as well. It did heal my fissure, but I do still get them (although they aren't as bad). I also have the wonderful "side-effect" of slight incontinence and fecal leakage because I don't have as much muscular control.

 

[araceli]

Daughter is on remicade due to anal fissure. It worked. I hope you find a solution, I know they are terrible, I saw my daughter suffer a lot.

 

[Davidevans2112]

Thanks for the advice everyone. Just had an appointment with a specialist who has given me antibiotics to clear up any infection and given me a strong course of steroids until the azathioprine kicks in...hoping it will as I've been on just over 2 months now. Next step is a medication where you have it intravenously every 8 months or inject yourself every month. Anyone know this? I forget it's name. So with that it should give the fissures a chance to heal.

 

[araceli]

The ones that I know are the biologics, and are infusion every 8 or 6 weeks, or humira which is injection but I don't know how often.

 

[justbreathe8]

I hope what the dr gave you will help feel better!! As for the medication... Remicade or humira? Excuse my spellings lol

 

[Meech]

DO NOT USE TOILET PAPER, sorry for the caps but having had anal fissures on and off for six months, absentmindedly using even the softest brand will leave you feeling like some one has packed your nether region with ground glass.

 

[fissure2]

ive had a fissure for 4 months now, thought it was a hemorrhoid for the first 2, then finally went to doctor. they did a blood test too and found a lot of inflammation - maybe due to my new symptoms. the most important things are to keep the stools soft and down to once or twice a day, and take a bath after each bm. diet is key.. soft bland foods no preservatives like citric acid. oatmeal, sweet potatoes, soup, fruit, and fish worked best until my other symptoms hit. no meat or dairy either. ive been using nitro cream and have had a little healing - i can sit just fine on a soft surface, and even with all the diarrhea i have now the pain when going is bearable. my doctor said the healing will be on pause until my other symptoms clear up. i would go to a dietician, which i will do next week. ill post again once it really starts clearing up. i use soft wet toilet paper and dab it not wipe, it takes a bit longer but the pain is minimum. there is also dr. wheatgrass cream, coconut oil, manuka honey, and a toilet seat, something works for everyone its more of a matter of finding out what works for you. unfortunately its a lot of trial and error. the downside is the diet for crohn's is the opposite of the diet for fissures