Patient 37

Date: Mon, 20 Jan 2003 16:57:59
To: jackfaf6.arc.nasa.gov

I just wanted to thank you for putting this website up. I cannot tell you how much I have learned from reading these accounts. I have tried almost everything that everyone has said on here. All of it has helped me at some point. I still use my heating pad at work even though people think I'm a little bit wacky and even have acuqired the name "hot ass". Hey it helps me and that is all I care about. I have even scheduled surgery 2x but have chickened out because of the accounts on here that people have healed themselves. When this first set in I didn't care what I had to do to get better and that is why I scheduled surgery. I was at the end of my rope mentally and physically. (oh and ps dr's will have you rolling into surgery the next day you request it if you want it because they need the money...save your money and keep reading this site.)

I must tell you though, these fissures are no fun at all. This site kept me sane and made me feel that I wasn't alone in my private hell. When I read this site I found myself shaking my head a LOT!! There were days that I was really in a bad frame of mind because of the pain. I have had 8 major surgeries in my life and this has been pretty bad. I had to stop my life at certain points because of this ie being later for work and cancelling out on any type of physical activities. ugh! My boyfriend is a saint! Hang in there and keep positive every little thing helps you when you're not feeling good staying positive can help you a lot. What made me sane was to keep doing everything that everyone said on this website....ibuprofin, heating pads, benefiber, stool softeners, warm baths, vitamin E (no suppositories only because that irritaed it too much and my dr said not to use them anymore), and eating foods that made me "go". I also have really got into doing YOGA. That keeps you positive and helps your blood flow and relaxes your body. Eventually something has to give and work for you.

The miracle drug for me was COLACE. The generic brand stool softeners and the stool softeners I got from the health food store didn't work at all. I know COLACE is pricey ($25 a bottle for 60 tablets here in Jersey at CVS) but it has been worth every penny! That stuff really works for me. Oh and get the 100 mg one because you only have to take 2 for them to work unlike a lot of other stool softeners that you have to take 6 the first day then pretty much guess every day after that. I try to take them whenever I am feeling a bit "irregular". I was consistent at taking them when things were really bad and it really helped my situation. Thank god that I have a job where they have a bathroom where only one person can go at a time and they don't care where the heck I am most of the day. I still take baths when I come home from work to relax me.

The key to healing yourself is knowledge. This website provided me with peace of mind with my decisions I made about not getting surgery and life in general dealing with this fissure. My parents also helped me and gave me every remedy from the "old days" that is out there. Sorry but I still can't eat prunes. ugh! Thank you again for putting up this site. I cannot tell you how much you have helped me not only physically but mentally. GROUP HUG!!

- J from Jersey

you have my permission to post this if you would like to...you are a saint! Thank you!