Questions again

Hi budahazya . We don't mind the same question, if you don't mind the same answer! How we manage our daily lives, is by learning and practicing Whole Woman posture. Hard at first, but over time it becomes natural until one day you can't imagine any other way to stand and move. It is not a quick fix or a cure, but it's how you can stabilize everything by restoring lumbar curvature and helping the organs to stay forward over the pubic bones instead of pressing back into the vagina. I have cystocele and rectocele and although I can't say I'm symptom-free, nor will I ever be I'm sure, I can do anything I want to without fear.

Please go back and read the replies you have received to your other posts. You can do this by signing in, clicking on your screen name, then clicking on "track". Read other posts on the forum, read articles on the blog, read the site. You need the resources that are available here - book, DVD's.....we've all had to study and commit to this learning process.

Anal fissures........I don't think eating lots of extra fiber is the solution here. That only bulks up the stool and makes things worse. Aim for just a normal amount of fiber in the diet, maybe some probiotics, magnesium to help things move along without being too hard or large. Search the forums for lots of suggestions and ideas.

I wouldn't let a surgeon cut the anus. Get the name of the procedure that is being suggested, and do some research. - Surviving

Hi,
Since our pelvic issues are not quickly solved our questions will continue to reappear as we find our way. The important thing to remember while we 'hire and fire' medical people to help us is that we hold more information in our bodies about our bodies than the medical people do. Many times their training is to cut, alter and stitch us up. Before we go that route it's really important to do our own research. I'm not exactly happy about having to do all this web searching about my conditions (including rectocele and anal fissure); I basically want a doctor to fix it, but often they are trained in ineffective cures, sad truth. Our alternative is to welcome the opportunity to learn about our pelvic region from this site, the WW book, the videos, the free info on youtube, and most importantly other members of the forum.
Try googling "sphincteretomy support group", there may be something there. I have found that prolapse issues have made my bowel movements difficult and so I have decided to make changes in my diet. I mix just less than a tsp of Metamcul in warm water 3 times a day and follow with a glass of warm or cold water. I'm going to buy magnesium at the health food store soon and try that. I bought a liquid calcium-magnesium mixture but find that that mix doesn't work for me. I have also tried flax oil but that doesn't work for me, either. Too much fibre can be constipating; also, I have difficulty every time I eat meat or chicken. So, I eat fish for protein and eggs (once or twice a week). I eat very little bread and focus on a small cup of oatmeal in the am with rice milk, water throughout the day, baked sweet potatoes evey day with grapeseed oil, spinach cooked or fresh, and dried apricots for snack, plus I've just started doing some of the exercises and always reminding myself of the WW posture. There's more to life than this narrow food plan that I eat, but I'm just beginning to recover from thinking I can eat whatever, so am starting with what I know works. Toilet posture is valuable (see the book or the forum) and walking a gentle long stride walk at some time during the day; I walk about 1/3 to 1/2 mile, whatever my system feels like doing. I love butter so allow myself a tbsp on oatmeal, but because of high cholesterol I use grapeseed oil as my butter substitute (!) on other foods.
I've said more than you asked for and am probably a bit off topic but I wanted to share with you what I find that works. Keep asking, eventually useful bits of info will begin to form into a new vision of well-earned pelvic health.
Many good thoughts to you,
Daphne11

Hi,
Since our pelvic issues are not quickly solved our questions will continue to reappear as we find our way. The important thing to remember while we 'hire and fire' medical people to help us is that we hold more information in our bodies about our bodies than the medical people do. Many times their training is to cut, alter and stitch us up. Before we go that route it's really important to do our own research. I'm not exactly happy about having to do all this web searching about my conditions (including rectocele and anal fissure); I basically want a doctor to fix it, but often they are trained in ineffective cures, sad truth. Our alternative is to welcome the opportunity to learn about our pelvic region from this site, the WW book, the videos, the free info on youtube, and most importantly other members of the forum.
Try googling "sphincteretomy support group", there may be something there. I have found that prolapse issues have made my bowel movements difficult and so I have decided to make changes in my diet. Too much fibre can be constipating. I have difficulty every time I eat meat or chicken. So, I eat fish for protein and eggs (once or twice a week). I eat very little bread and focus on a small cup of oatmeal in the am with rice milk, water throughout the day, baked sweet potatoes evey day, spinach cooked or fresh, and dried apricots for snack, plus I've just started doing some of the exercises and always reminding myself of the WW posture. There's more to life than this narrow food plan that I eat, but I'm just beginning to recover from thinking I can eat whatever, so am starting with what I know works. Toilet posture is valuable (see the book or the forum) and walking a gentle long stride walk at some time during the day; I walk about 1/3 to 1/2 mile, whatever my system feels like doing.
I've said more than you asked and probably a bit off topic but I wanted to share with you what I find working. Keep asking, eventually useful bits of info will begin to form into a new vision of well-earned pelvic health.
Many good thoughts to you,
Daphne11

is it something like this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proctalgia_fugax

During an episode, the patient feels spasm-like, sometimes excruciating, pain in the anus, often misinterpreted as a need to defecate. Simultaneous stimulation of the local autonomic system can cause erection in males. Because of the high incident of internal anal sphincter thickening with the disorder, it is thought to be a disorder of the internal anal sphincter or that it is a neuralgia of pudendal nerves. It is recurrent and there is also no known cure. However, some studies show effective use of botulinum toxin, pudendal nerve block, and calcium channel blockers. It is not known to be linked to any disease process and data on the number of people afflicted varies, but is more prevalent than usually thought.
The pain episode subsides by itself as the spasm disappears on its own, but may reoccur.[4]

My daughter had an anal fissure when she was little and it took a very long time to heal. We avoided a bunch of different foods; any chip, any seed or nut, anything that seemed like it would not digest into something soft.
I don't think the surgery is going to be very successful and I bet it will cause you more problems in the end. Seems like you've been living with this for 6 years. You must have had times when it got better? You also must have tried many things to heal it right? What have you done so far? Zinc cream? dietary changes? probiotics?

Hi budahazya,
I'm afraid I don't know much about this condition. However I emapthise with your reluctance to unergo surgery. In Christine's book 'Saving the Whole Woman',Christine describes some of the long term problems some women have to endure following surgery. So I imagine since the surgery sounds similar, the possible adverse side effects may well be similar too.
Once you've had surgery there is no turning back. However with the WW work and other less invasive treatments, it may be possible to improve your situation in a safer way in the long term. I would give the WW approach combined with annal fissure alleviating remedies a go first.
You may find some solutions via searching the interenet.
From a WW point of view, there are several basic things that may help: Such as toilet training: details of this are in Christine's 'Saving the WW' book. If you haven't got this already, I strongly suggest you (and everyone elsae who has prolapse/similar issues) get copy if you possibly can. If you can buy direct from WW inc, you'll be helping WW inc to continue their invaluable work. There are toileting details in there, (lean forward and wieght on feet...), healthy non constipating diet is a crucial part of anal fissure improvement, try never to be constipated or strain and do the WW posture and exercise.
Wishing you all the best, xwholewomanuk

Hi budahazya – there is only one book, Saving the Whole Woman. However you get it, make sure you are getting the 2nd edition (blue cover). - Surviving

Hi budahazya,
Have tried your local library? They might have a copy of the book, then you can borrow it and read it, even if it is to decide that you then want to buy it. If they don't have it, you might be able to request it.

I can imagine that a cut in your anus would be very painful. I have a friend that has one. She has used St. Johnswort oil as a local anesthesia and lubricate and it helps with the pain tremendously. I make the St. Johnswort oil by just filling a gallon jar with St. Johnswort flowers (they grow wild in New England, US) and then cover with olive oil or apricot kernal oil and sit in the sun in a warm place for six weeks. The oil leaks out and makes a mess so put something underneath it. Then you just strain it and use it as needed. If you don't want to make it you can buy it at a health food store. It really is nice.
Also, I think prolapse makes for difficult circulation so as your prolapse improves you may find healing comes easier to the fissure as well.
hope things get better.

I have been prescribed an ointment called Rectogesic (active ingredient Glyceryl trinitrate) for fissures. It aids healing by increasing the blood flow to the area. It is quite expensive so you may not be able to get it prescribed to you but it seems to work well. Also I use a really good barrier cream every time before I pass a bowel movement - it's called Cavilon. It helps lubricate and seems to help prevent the fissures from coming as often. I use these along with trying carefully to manage my diet and using the splinting and lopo position to pass a bowel movement. I hope this helps - I'd definitely try and avoid surgery in that area if you can.

Best wishes,

Pollyanna