When it didn't heal for 3 months, I did think I'd need to experience surgery. Thankfully, I took a second opinion. Let's acknowledge the Elephant
in the room
Disclaimer: Antibiotics were in my prescriptions. I do not recommend taking them unless prescribed by your doctor.
Being obscure
The first time it had appeared, I mistook it for hemorrhoids for symptoms. It pained while defecating; the pain persisted. To my curiosity, I checked for swollen veins in the anus but to find that it was a small cut. I thought it was my nail that caused it. But I was relieved as I was scared of hemorrhoids. After two days, it healed.
Inducted into
I got it back, approx., one and a half years later. Due to my previous experience, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought it would go away in 2 days, but it lasted for a month. In that month, the first 15 days, I didn’t treat it. I bore the pain, thinking it'd heal. The pain was severe to the point that avoiding going to the loo felt right.
In the next 15 days, I saw a doctor.
'Doctor, could you please see?' I asked, 'I think I got a cut in the anus due to my nails.'
He did acknowledge it and prescribed oral antibiotics and pain reliever. He didn’t say what it was, assuming it would heal as hemorrhoids symptoms subsided in 2-3 days (following a visit to the doctor). That very day, I ate chicken! It was my friend’s treat. As expected, it didn’t heal in 2-3 days.
So I visited the doctor and this time:
'Why didn’t it heal? Is it my nail?' I asked.
'No!' he exclaimed. 'It is a fissure, an anal fissure.'
'What is it?'
'It’s sort of hemorrhoids but not exactly hemorrhoids.'
'Why didn’t you tell me that at first!' I cried. 'I didn’t follow the required diet.'
This time he prescribed antibiotics, pain reliever, and an ointment (which I was too scared to apply with an applicator that came with it, so I didn’t apply).
After that, the bleeding stopped, but the pain didn't (the pain did ease up though). As I knew then what it was, I searched on the internet for conservative treatment. I started taking sitz baths and ensured fibers were in my food. (Why sitz bath? Around the fissure there is swelling -- to soothe it.)
Utterly aware
This time I lost my mind! I started overthinking. I looked over the internet, read every article and figured from those it would take about a month to heal. Constipation and hard stool; these two causes were my concern as I didn’t have IBS or any disease.
So I ensured a fibrous diet and took sitz baths but to no outcome. It started creeping into my social life that led to anxiety. After a month, when its symptoms hadn't been alleviated, I went to see the doctor with the hope that his medication will help. (This time laxatives were also prescribed.)
For 2 months, I visited the doctor intermittently. My anxiety got worse by then. I was being treated for chronic anal fissure. I was anxious not only for it but also because all the articles suggested that it will come back even after healing. The doctor then advised on surgery. I was frightened. So I took a second opinion.
This doctor performed proctoscopy and said,
'It is a big fissure, but it’ll heal in one and a half months.'
I felt so reassured after hearing that. This doctor did remove all my doubts and also advised me on how to apply the ointment(he had prescribed). His prescription was similar to that of previous doctor's: antibiotics, pain killers, ointment, and laxatives. He also told me its causes elaborately. (Laxatives are addictive. Bowel movement becomes dependent upon them if we take high dosage for long.)
He said: 'In your case, you don’t have hemorrhoids. It’s just a fissure. In some cases, piles in an initial stage obstruct the stool because the opening is contracted. If the stool is hard, or girthy, it injures the anal lining and in case of an initial stage of hemorrhoids causes a cut on it.' (Prolapsed is the final stage of hemorrhoids.)
What did I learn:
Being obscure
The first time it had appeared, I mistook it for hemorrhoids for symptoms. It pained while defecating; the pain persisted. To my curiosity, I checked for swollen veins in the anus but to find that it was a small cut. I thought it was my nail that caused it. But I was relieved as I was scared of hemorrhoids. After two days, it healed.
Inducted into
I got it back, approx., one and a half years later. Due to my previous experience, I didn’t take it seriously. I thought it would go away in 2 days, but it lasted for a month. In that month, the first 15 days, I didn’t treat it. I bore the pain, thinking it'd heal. The pain was severe to the point that avoiding going to the loo felt right.
In the next 15 days, I saw a doctor.
'Doctor, could you please see?' I asked, 'I think I got a cut in the anus due to my nails.'
He did acknowledge it and prescribed oral antibiotics and pain reliever. He didn’t say what it was, assuming it would heal as hemorrhoids symptoms subsided in 2-3 days (following a visit to the doctor). That very day, I ate chicken! It was my friend’s treat. As expected, it didn’t heal in 2-3 days.
So I visited the doctor and this time:
'Why didn’t it heal? Is it my nail?' I asked.
'No!' he exclaimed. 'It is a fissure, an anal fissure.'
'What is it?'
'It’s sort of hemorrhoids but not exactly hemorrhoids.'
'Why didn’t you tell me that at first!' I cried. 'I didn’t follow the required diet.'
This time he prescribed antibiotics, pain reliever, and an ointment (which I was too scared to apply with an applicator that came with it, so I didn’t apply).
After that, the bleeding stopped, but the pain didn't (the pain did ease up though). As I knew then what it was, I searched on the internet for conservative treatment. I started taking sitz baths and ensured fibers were in my food. (Why sitz bath? Around the fissure there is swelling -- to soothe it.)
Utterly aware
This time I lost my mind! I started overthinking. I looked over the internet, read every article and figured from those it would take about a month to heal. Constipation and hard stool; these two causes were my concern as I didn’t have IBS or any disease.
So I ensured a fibrous diet and took sitz baths but to no outcome. It started creeping into my social life that led to anxiety. After a month, when its symptoms hadn't been alleviated, I went to see the doctor with the hope that his medication will help. (This time laxatives were also prescribed.)
For 2 months, I visited the doctor intermittently. My anxiety got worse by then. I was being treated for chronic anal fissure. I was anxious not only for it but also because all the articles suggested that it will come back even after healing. The doctor then advised on surgery. I was frightened. So I took a second opinion.
This doctor performed proctoscopy and said,
'It is a big fissure, but it’ll heal in one and a half months.'
I felt so reassured after hearing that. This doctor did remove all my doubts and also advised me on how to apply the ointment(he had prescribed). His prescription was similar to that of previous doctor's: antibiotics, pain killers, ointment, and laxatives. He also told me its causes elaborately. (Laxatives are addictive. Bowel movement becomes dependent upon them if we take high dosage for long.)
He said: 'In your case, you don’t have hemorrhoids. It’s just a fissure. In some cases, piles in an initial stage obstruct the stool because the opening is contracted. If the stool is hard, or girthy, it injures the anal lining and in case of an initial stage of hemorrhoids causes a cut on it.' (Prolapsed is the final stage of hemorrhoids.)
What did I learn:
- wait for an urge (give up straining. How?)
- try to maintain a squatting position on the toilet (that isn't a squatting position imagined by you)
- eat an adequate amount of food containing fibers every day; I tried eating fibers much, but that caused bloating and excessive gas (what makes a diet fibrous?)
- drink water about 2 liters a day, or at least don't let yourself get thirsty (Do you know? Drinking too much water at one go may cause water intoxication)
After one and a half months, I saw the doctor again to confirm whether it had healed or not. He said that it'd take some time to heal entirely (although, until that point, all the symptoms had alleviated or had disappeared).
I am all ears at: see the sidebar or comment.
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Still not healed mine..from 6 months,,it recurring
ReplyDeleteSamee did it helppp
DeleteStill it is not healed? What diet are you following
ReplyDeleteI have been suffering from fissure for 5 months I suppose-2 months I was in abroad and I had to take laxatives(You know u definitely cant see a doc) and Ik I am coming back to India in a month. So after travel I made my fissure worse I guess(just one day and things turned out bad Ig) .So the main picture-I consulted the doc, they said it is is fissure and surgery might not be needed(thank god it didnt get worse). So I have been on proper diet(thanks to mother's care). And I am taking stool softener at night(lactilol husk granules) and a cream(anobliss) and doing sitz bath as well. The stool's good too Ig. But how long does it take to heal, I kinda am having a bit pain now and then).
ReplyDeleteHow can I contact you brother..? I need your help please
ReplyDeleteI am suffering from anal fissure almost more than 2 months now. I am following proper diet no chillies no chicken or fish. just a combination of fiber carbs. I'm taking stool softer every day. Doing sitz bath 2 to 3 times a day. The pain has reduced but after 2 to 3 hrs of passing stool I get pain I cannot sit. I have to lie down and work. For me it's becoming difficult. My work is getting affected. I haven't been out of the city . I am fighting every day. Trying not to get depressed. Today my partner checked there is a tag and the cut still looks fresh. I don't know what to do. Can anyone help me understand what should be my next step. I don't want to get operated.
ReplyDelete