TMI - Anal fissure after giving birth

I feel your pain - literally! I havent found anything that works yet but ive only seen my GP. There is a 'minor' operation you can have if its not healing but I thought that would have been offered to you by now?

I drink heaps of water, like 5 litres a day and have tried all sorts of prescribed/natural remedies but nothing has worked

Ouchy. I saw my gp after 3 months, was prescribed lactolose and told to give it another 3 months. But moved over here during that time and didn't bother talking to a gp here.
After 6 months it was a bit better, I really had to watch my diet though. Had bran for breakfast, no white bread, lots of water and prunes etc. Slowly slowly I felt better.
The biggest change was actually when I stopped breastfeeding at 13 months. I have no idea why but it seems to make all the difference.
I still bleed a bit most times I 'go' but it is nowhere near as painful as it was for the first 6 months.

Oh!! The most helpful thing I found out was from someone on here. Sounds really odd but as you go #2's close your fist and breath out through your fingers. I know it sounds crazy but by relaxing your fingers a bit when you breath through them it's meant to help relax other muscles IYKWIM?

I hope my ramblings have helped a bit...

yes i got this with #1 and they eventually healed after a year or so - not always painful but came and went. Then got preg again and constipated so they are back. Time, bran and water seem to be the thing. My gp swore by rectogesic but i never botyhered with it.

I also feel your pain! It took me ages to figure out that I had something other than hemmorhoids. The thing I found that helped was a natural fruit laxative called Nutralax I think. I got it from the Warehouse and it's in a green and yellow box and only costs about $7.50 or so. Basically I gave myself quasi diarrhea (sorry TMI but I figure we're sharing!) for about 4 months which gave the area a chance to heal cause nothing was ripping down there. I still have a bit of drama every once in awhile but nowhere near where it was.

Although I really feel for you poor ladies having to deal with pain, it kinda feels good to know I'm not alone!
Lisette - good idea about the arnica - I'll have to try that. Also the nutralax Mollycat - will look for some of that too, I'll give anything a try!
Chickoin - thanks for the advice. It's like being in labour again everytime I need to go number 2's!Wow, it's taken ages for it to get better for you! I guess I have to accept I'm in for the long haul and there is no real quick fix.
Thanks guys

yeah ultraproct was a laugh for me - both the cream and the suppositories. Did absolutely nothing.
The nutralax was the only thing that worked for me and you have to keep using it well past when you think things are getting better to give things a chance to knit back together. Also, don't go cold turkey on it - wean yourself off on smaller and smaller doses or you end up getting constipated and ripping everything back open!

melopop- I'm not 100% that's the name of it but pretty sure. Just look for the all fruit laxative - I know it's in a yellow and green box. It's this foul looking fruit paste that's a pain to store and you have to take 1.5tsp of it for a dose. It certainly does the trick in clearing things out....

Try wizards ointment you can get it from a naturopath and it works wonders, I have had fissures many times not from child birth but constipation and its the only thing that has given me some relief, if I put it "on there" where its blardy sore and keep up with it 3 - 4 times a day they seem to heal up really fast and I also up the water, and cut out sugar as these seem to make things worse for me. Also kiwicrush to get things "softer"

Oh and wizards ointment also works wonders on nappy rash, and is safe for use in pregnancy and when breastfeeding.

Got the nu-lax - weird looking stuff! Looks full of fibre though! Are you supposed to just eat it off a spoon or add it to something?
hhhmmm...might google it!

What's the difference between anal fissure and Hemorrhoids?