Fissure or Hemorrhoids?

[BrownBagger]

I thought I'd grown some hemorrhoids last week during a particularly "straining" bout with constipation, but my colorectal surgeon (whom I spoke with on the phone) thinks it's more likely a fissure. Having never had a fissure, I thought I'd see if anyone can shed any light on my symptoms, which feel a lot to me like 'roids, which I have had.

I'm on chemo, so constipation is routine with me. Sometimes I can get ahead of the game with Metamucil if I time it right, but sometimes it's just a matter of pushing a little harder and hoping for the best. Well, I must have pushed too hard, because I suddenly found myself with a sore, swollen rectum with a very small amount of blood showing in the bowel and a stinging sensation in the rectum. This was accompanied by frequent urges "to go" that resulted in nothing more than a lot of pushing against swollen tissue (which, like hemorrhoids, feels like a bowel movement passing out the back door), but nothing to show for it. I finally got a couple of good bowel movements out of the way (more pushing), and everything got a lot better. The swelling has gone down, no more pain and while I haven't tried to pass anything for a day or two, it "feels" like it will be easier.

So, for those who have had a fissure, does this sound like what happened to you--i.e., stinging, swelling and difficulty in passing stool for a couple of days? My old 'roids were a permanent fixture. They would slide out my anus during a bowel movement and eventually retract by themselves unless I pushed them back in. They weren't usually painful and while I was passing significant amounts of blood at times, I think that was from the tumor. The 'roids disappeared along with the tumor following radiation and chemo. I'm due for a colonoscopy any week now, once I can clear it with my onc, who made me cancel my last appt a month ago because she didn't want me prepping just before my first round of chemo. So, I'll know for sure what's going on then. In the meantime, any input will be appreciated.

[PGLGreg]

Don't know about fissures. During every post-colonoscopy conference, my gastroenterologist or his assistant reminds me that I have hemorrhoids and I'm warned: "Don't push!" Excuse me if I seem to wax philosophical about BM philosophy, but though I'm sometimes impatient, I have practiced the technique of relaxing to let the turds slide forth as though self-propelled. (I don't mean to be crude, but a polite term for "turd" escapes me at the moment.)

[BrownBagger]

As I learned post-reversal, gas can be your friend. And yes, patience usually does pay off better than pushing. Wait it out, so to speak.

Turd is the word, Greg. Sometimes, it's all I wish for.

[CRguy]

Greg,
at the risk of desensitizing a delicate issue... I do believe that turd is in fact the word....
as in the modified lyrics of the Trashmen's classic song " Surfin' Bird " which I have taken the liberty to rework in your honour :

A-well-a, everybody's heard about the turd

turd,turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, the turd is the word
A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, well, the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, well, the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, well, the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, don't you know about the turd

Well, everybody knows that the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, t-turd's the word
A-well-a ......

So yes I in fact agree with you and BrownBagger
turd is indeed the word !

Cheers and best wishes all
CRguy

[lohidoc]

Greg,
at the risk of desensitizing a delicate issue... I do believe that turd is in fact the word....
as in the modified lyrics of the Trashmen's classic song " Surfin' Bird " which I have taken the liberty to rework in your honour :

A-well-a, everybody's heard about the turd

turd,turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, the turd is the word
A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, well, the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, well, the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, turd, well, the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, t-turd's the word

A-well-a, don't you know about the turd

Well, everybody knows that the turd is the word

A-well-a, turd, turd, t-turd's the word
A-well-a ......

So yes I in fact agree with you and BrownBagger
turd is indeed the word !

Cheers and best wishes all
CRguy

Extraordinary.

I wish I had a different cancer, earlobe or something.

Btw BB try indocid suppositories.

[SkiFletch]

Dude that sounds like textbook fissure. I had one through-out chemo. Infusion Wed, Sat morning I'd tear it back open again... Lame. Lots of stininging especially with the next few BM's and blood on the TP. I agree that letting things happen naturally of course helps, but it's not always possible. Metamucil helps (so does oatmeal), and I found judicious use of miralax and stool softeners helped too. The key was to take the miralax the day BEFORE the constipation, get a good not-so-bad BM out, then follow it with a bunch of softeners. Next day a little more miralax mid-day stimulated a move that was still smooth from the softeners, and then I could get back to normal. Also, baby wipes are KEY for when you screw up and get the fissure anyways. Don't bother with adult wipes. They're more expensive and not as comfy... The babies get the real deal.

[BrownBagger]

So a fissure would swell up and make it even more difficult to pass a.....whattadoyacallit?.....a turd?

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, they do swell at first, then swelling subsides and is replaced with stinging. Sometimes the two are concurrent, though the stinging for me lasted beyond the swelling

[BrownBagger]

Sounds just like what I got. Thanks.

[beccab1]

Eric always said it felt like he was pooping glass when he had his fissures. His were pretty bad. Like Ski said, stool softeners and baby wipes are a huge help. If it gets too uncomfortable, the sitz bath always helped too. Hope they go away quickly!

[lauragb]

Sorry you're going through this. It's always something down there. Anyway, I have had fissures. I don't remember having swelling but I wasn't constipated when I had them I do remember the stinging hurt really bad. So I second the advice of sitz baths, soft wipes and metamucil or stool softeners. If the turd was firm, it felt like my anus was splitting open, fun times. I've read the best treatment is to have easy BMs which sounds like a challenge with your chemo. I hope you're on the mend from this bout. Try to drink a lot of fluids too.

Goodluck.

[vickitwo]

My DH has had a long history with hemorrhiods. When he was started on Avastin he started having more painful BMs. Fissures were confirmed by an unpleasant visit to the surgeon. Because of the Folfiri which he is now on, he has diarrhea for which he takes immodium. Then it swings in the opposite direction--constipation for which he requires a stool softener. The constipation is very painful for him. He describes it as passing razor blades. It also feels like he has not adequately passed the stool which may be from the swelling. A time or two he has used a saline enema which got things going. The surgeon recommended some cream which helps some. I thimk it is a steroid but would have to check exactly what it is. He always uses wet wipes. He was discussing all of this with the oncologist yesterday and will try taking some fiber pills. Another thing that he does is to take pain meds for the pain caused by the fissures. It really helps the pain but can lead to more constipation. Because of the Avastin then the Zaltrap and constipation, the fissures never get a chance to heal. He needs to find the recipe for the perfect poop. It is a delicate balancing act.

[Guinevere]

It sounds like how my sister described how she was feeling when she got anal fissures, Eric. Definitely get it checked out. Turd is the word indeed.
Thanks guys for making me laugh myself silly this morning. I needed it!!
Guinevere

[pollo65]

Yep, it sounds like a fissure to me and I guess I should know---Intellaseat (faux bidet) was a life saver as was calmoseptine.
pollo 65

[mm66ny]

I love this topic! How could I not click on something as inviting as Fissure or Hemorrhoids? That could be the name of a new game, where you roll the dice, pick a card, are asked a question, and the answer is either "fissure" or "hemorrhoids!"

For example: I roll a 3 and land on a space where I pick a card. The question is: you're minding your own business when you sit down on the can for a bit, strain and strain, finally manage to get something out, a very little bit of blood in the bowl, none on your turd, but there's bright red blood on the toilet paper and your butt is burning like hot lava was coming out of it. "Fissure or Hemorrhoids?" Then everyone laughs.

Ok, in all seriousness, I went through something like that about a month or so ago. What I noticed more than anything else was that when I wiped, there was this stinging pain just off center to my you know what. Felt like something was there, but nothing was sticking out. Googled fissure, looked at the picture, got a mirror, and after feeling like a freak for what I was doing--looking at my butt with a mirror--discovered it was indeed a fissure.