Anal Fissure Support Forum

[Guest]

Hello everyone!
First of all, i would like to thank everyone who has posted over the past months. I have been reading all of your threads, trying to figure out whether to have LIS surgery or just live with the agony. Because of your very honest replies (and that fact that no one has said they have been rendered incontinent) I went through with the surgery 14 days ago.
I have had fissures and crazy pain off and on since the birth of my first child 15 years ago. I should have made him pay for the surgery out of his allowance :) This past summer, my tooth became absessed and I to go on powerful antibiotics before and after oral surgery. You can just imagine how my VERY loose BMs aggrivated my fissure! To add insult to injury, in October I had to have my gallbladder removed, and the unwanted side effect for that is loose - and I mean loose - BMs. That is when I really began my decent into hell.
After my wonderful PCP referred me to a CRS because I was crying in his office from the horrible pain and 24/7 spasms, I was told by my CRS I would need surgery. No creams, Botox, no options. I walked out of his office horrified, and then began to do research. A couple of days later I made an appointment to speak to him about it, and he was great - 30 minutes later, all my questions were answered about why he felt I needed surgery, and what he was going to do. If only he would have done that at the first visit! consult appointments are given more time, I was told. A co-pay well-spent.
He performed LIS with fissurectomy and removed a very nasty skin tag. I had really bad scarring - my PCP said so as well - and it wasn't healing at all. He told me I would want to kill him for 3 days after surgery, and he wasn't kidding! My post-op appt a couple of days ago went well, and my fissure has healed!!! But - he still wants me to follow all his instructions. I still do have pain and burning, and prefer not to it down for long periods. He said that was normal and I would still be sore for another 3 - 4 weeks because of the incision.
Wow - didn't know I could write this much! I really came to rely on this board as the only place I could go where people had the same issues I had - unbelievable pain that totally controlled their lives off and on for years. TGe pain I have now, I will trade any day for the head-banging, banshee-screaming pain I felt.

[Deleted User 5]

The big question is, "Are your spasms gone?" If you can answer yes, you are on your way to healing! The fissure is still there, -- albeit "fissurectomized(!)" -- but now it can heal.
Pain during the BM is the fissure itself (almost always) and the clenching pain later is, of course the sphincter spasms which constrict the blood flow to the fissure site keeping it from healing.
THAT should be fixed now! Let the healing begin! (it'll take 4-8 weeks)
BTW, *my* surgeon told me the EXACT same thing, that I would want to kill him for the first few days after the surgery. Maybe we had the same guy?

[Guest]

The insane, keep-you-awake-at-night spasms are gone, but have been replaced with a type of pressure at times. My CRS also said this is normal, as the muscles are reconnecting or whatever they are doing, and to also wait about a month. Progress is slow, but it is still progress!
I just never thought I would find relief, and feel I am slowly on the way. Most blind google searche about LIS scared the crud out of me, so it was so great to fine this support forum and hear from people how they are dealing with this crazy condition. You don't find many places where people not only mention they have LIS, but will give you an account on what to expect.
My CRS is in Virginia. He kinda reminds me of the character "House" on TV, with a bit of an air of arrogance. That didn't bother me, as long as he knew what he was doing! All his patient references said they gave them their lives back, and that was all I wanted to hear.

[Deleted User 5]

It is true, most people fear the surgery greatly -- I sure did. But what a life-altering thing it became. It really saved my sanity.
Your tail is going to feel very funny, achy, with occasional sharp pangs that may appear unexpectedly and then just vanish. After three weeks that will level off greatly and by week four you're feeling very much back to normal.
So you are right in the middle, currently, of making it back to feeling "regular" again. It's just so important to keep doing everything you have already been doing to treat the fissure, including diet.
My own LIS experience is buried way back in the Surgery board, I went by Hugh then....

[Fissulyna]

Caroline, thanks for sharing your experience with us here : )) - one day somebody else will be very grateful to you too !!! I just want give you special welcome since I had my LIS 3 weeks ago and fissurectomy too. Unfortunately , my CRS did not take a skin tag away and it is bothering me now, but, as you said, nothing to compare to fissure pain and spasms. Still, I wish my healing to be complete....
Best of luck and don't leave us too soon : )> . Keep us posted about your progress !!!
PS: How did they performed post-op exam ? I am having mine at the months end and I am dreading it : (. Thanks a lot in advance

[val]

Hi there,
its so lovely when someone posts something good and positive, I'm glad you have found relief from that awful pain, thats great!
Fiss, its funny, I recieved my appointment today for the postop exam, mines on 31st january, and I was worried what the heck he was going to do to me too!

[Guest]

Caroline, I'm glad you have your life back.
Thanks for posting your story, it's lovely to hear positive stories, and like you say most Google searches on the subject are just scarey!
I hope you continue to heal well :)

[Guest]

Thank you all for the warm welcome!
Fissulyna, I was so worried about the post-op appointment, but it was nothing, really. I guess he could see my fissure and incision site without having to poke around too much. The nurse sprayed something a bit cold (like a topical lidocane, but it didn't last for long), he just looked around and before I knew it, he was done! I went right to work after.
I also have another skin tag that he didn't remove (said it would be too much) and it is making me nuts now. - pain and itching. Nice and swollen, but again, better than fissure pain! I think I starting sitting too long at work today in a very uncomfortable chair.
The one thing my CRS gave me that I have never heard about anywhere is Calmoseptine. It is an ointment that you can buy over the counter, but the pharmacist usually has to order it. It is incredible! The main ingredient is menthol (go figure) and zinc oxide. It cools the whole area down, not really numbing it, but takes that pain and itching away FAST. It also has calamine in it, and has a pinkish-color. That oinment has saved me as I make my way back to work. The website for more information is www.calmoseptineointment.com. THe doctor gave me samples, so I haven't had to order, and a little goes a long way.

[Fissulyna]

Caroline - you are an angel :(9: !!!!
You have no idea how many people have problems with their skin tags (including me) who are for months trying to find something that will help them with anal burning and itching. I now have 2 skin tags - both result of surgery. Before surgery they were so tiny that they were not "worthy" of even being put as being present in my chart. Now one that is above my original fissure is big and hard when touched - it looks more like small bubble than classical skin tag and other one is on opposite side , flap of skin but stayed much bigger after original swelling after surgery enlarged it . I wish he took of at least one above my fissure - it usually goes with fissurectomy - but no . Actually, I even suspect that in my case fissurectomy was not even necessary since I had fissure for only 5 months - so he did procedure that was not called for and did not take away a tag that was potentially a problem later on :roll: . Oh well, what can I do now.
My skin tags react exactly the same way as yours - hate to be in sitting position . Did your CRS said that it might go away with time? How did he "look around" :pale: - did he go IN ??? I am sorry to bug you with the same question :oops: :oops: , it is just that mine CRS is also very arrogant and not gentle at all. I actually had original app. for 20th this month, but was so scared I moved it to 30th to have it with his assistant How is healing going in the part where he removed skin tag - any extra pain or aggravation ? I am asking because I am seriously considering asking CRS to remove my skin tags.
Thank you so much in advance - it is so nice to have somebody that had exactly same procedure done at the same time and being able to compare "notes"
You said that your CRS gave you instructions to follow for some time - what did he say ? Mine said just sitz baths and Metamucil 2x a day.
Thank you in advance and I hope to hear from you soon
All the best !!!!!

[Guest]

Hi Fissulyna! Thank you for the kind words.
And I do not mind at all being asked - this Forum has helped me more than you know.
I was ready my CRS to go poking around, and braced myself for the pain. I was surprised that he didn't - the cool spray was just to numb the area for a bit so he part the cheecks which were still bruised so he could see. When I asked what he was going to do, he said he could see the stitches without going in - he said why would he want to mess with his "handiwork"? He then told me to call me if I needed him, and to come back for my colonostopy when I was 50 (that would be in 6 years) - that was it! I wish I would have know that, because I was totally freaking out in the waiting room.
Because my gallbladder was removed, I do have a problem with loose stools. He told me I just needed to get the gut healthy, and that anyone can use what I use: 1 scoop of Citrucel am and pm, 1 Calcitrate D (can constripate, but he said 1 doesn't really do it and it should help with water absorbtion), and FloraQ, or any other type of hi-quality acidolpholous (spelling?) pill. Follow the dosage - FloraQ says once a day, and some others say twice. And LOTS AND LOTS of water!! And hot sitz baths should help the swelling. He said if I didn't have a problem with loose stools, he would put me on Senna. He said it works better than Colase, and MOM if I needed it. The key is to keep in consistent. Diarhhea cause my fissure, not constipation. So far so good, but I can definately tell if I change my diet a bit or not drink enough water. He said my urine should be "as clear as bottled water", so that is my goal.
The skin tags I have left are swollen and now bother me more than anything residual pain from the surgery. I also have two - and they don't look like skin tags. He said that is fairly normal as the muscle starts to heal together, it is kinda freaking the whole area out. When the nerves are re-connecting, I get these sharp knife-like pains that are very quick. Of course, my skintags look great in the morning! He also said the healing is slow because our butts are in constant use. If you think about what they do down there with LIS and fissurectomies, I am surprised we can sit at all!
Where I had my skin tag removed itched alot, but I really can't tell if it is bothering me because me existing skin tags are making themselves known.
If you are going to get the ointment, it very hard to remove from your finger after applying. Be sure and go to a medical supply store and get some fingere cots - that way you can apply is and not have to stand at the sink for 5 minutes trying to wash it off!
It is nice to have someone go through the same thing at the same time - we can hopefully share our victory stories!