Well it’s been nearly a week now and I admit I’m a little scared at this point. It’s been a rough ride and I’m having trouble staying positive.
First problem is that I can’t stop pooping! Saturday I went 12 times, yesterday 6, today I’m already at 5 and it’s only 3PM. My water bill will probably be $300, as I'm taking a bath after every BM.
I admit I used to be a fast food junkie, I rarely ran into a vegetable, almost no fruit, and definitely no fiber substitutes – but I was always perfectly regular, twice a day in the morning. Now, post-surgery, I’ve avoided food and focused on healthy fruits, fibers, vegetables, very little meat and dairy (I’ve lost 6 lbs in the first week). I wonder if my body is cleaning out all the bad stuff, angry that I’m not eating cheeseburgers or if I’m on fiber overload. Oh, by the way I’m not taking any laxatives or softeners…I just can’t stop going! All my added fiber has been from fruit and some fiber plus oatmeal for breakfast. Anyone else had this experience?
My bowel movements are complete agony, much worse than pre-surgery. I know a portion of the pain is my fissure re-tearing – how couldn’t it with “exercise” 6-12 times a day? I’m hopeful though that at least half of the pain I’m experiencing is bruising and soreness from the surgery (and that it will subside soon). I haven’t taken any pain meds since day 4 (Saturday morning).
Right now I’m scared, I long for the pre-surgery mild pain. The pain I have experienced in the past three days hasn’t been human.
Somehow I’ve got to limit my movements, but keep soft, so that I can get some kind of routine. I have to go back to work next Monday, I hope I figure this out, otherwise they’ll find me in the fetal position in one of the bathroom stalls.
I'm nearly as low as I can get at this point. Thank you all for listening.

Oh dear! That's quite a bit to be going every day. Have you talked to your doctor at all?
Try eating some bananas! They're supposed to regulate your system - that's why they're good for both constipation and diarrhea, although some people swear they constipate them. Just be sure to drink lots of water when you eat 'em.
Keep in mind that switching your diet drastically, especially to a diet heavy in fiber, can mess up your system. Too much fiber can cause cramping, nausea, diarrhea...the works! You may actually need to back off the fiber and just try eating some softer foods, like Jello, noodles, etc, in addition to the fruit and whatnot. Don't overload your body with fiber! I've done that a few times, and sure enough, I usually end up going 3-5 times per day, and with a fissure, that's no fun at all.
My surgery recovery has been really rough, too. I had my surgery in late May, and my spasms are still continuing. My pain is just now starting to be the same as it was before surgery. Earlier, it was 20x worse! I couldn't believe so many people said they felt way better after surgery. Lately I've been wondering if the surgery didn't work, and if it was a bad idea to do it. I got a second opinion and the surgeon just said to give it some time - I have another appointment with her next week, I believe.
*HUGS!*

thanks crime o passion...
i think i'm in the same boat. i know i'm having spasms, and i haven't had anything close to leakage or incontinence...makes me think they didn't cut enough.
i can relate to your statements exactly, i read everyone elses great stories of improvement right away and wonder why i'm different. spasms, pain, worse than before surgery. i will try to stay patient, but i want to be able to live with some predictability...
please update me on what your surgeon says. my first follow up is two weeks from surgery date - next monday. i'm trying to hold off until then to contat the doctor.

Safaller, have you cut back on the fiber?

i haven't had a real fiber supplement or stool softener since saturday, but i'm still average 6 BM's a day! today is the first day i'm cutting out my quaker oats weight control oatmeal for breakfast. this oatmeal has 9 grams of fiber and may be one of the reasons i'm overloaded with fiber.
i think i'm going to go natural for a while. i think maybe the fruit, natural fruit drinks and my wife's compulsion for wheat bread and whole wheat pasta will be enough to keep me regular, without having so many trips to the bathroom...
if i had any advice for someone reading this board i would tell the to stay on their regular diet and add fiber and softeners. i became an instant health nut, changing my diet and adding fiber and supplements. my diet change alone probably upset my stomach and caused many more BM's than if i'd stayed close to my old diet for a little while.
i think it's easier to soften and increase BM frequency than firm up and decrease the frequency...

You are learning what so many here have had to go through...trying to regulate the daily BM and get it behaving in a fissure-friendly way. Sometimes it seems impossible!
I have read that too many sweets and starches can decrease (speed up) the transit time for food to move through your system, so that may be an avenue to investigate.

I didn't have outright leakage or incontinence, but when I had to go after the surgery, I had to go. I really couldn't hold it very long.
I know my surgeon made a very small incision because that's all he thought was necessary for me, but yeah...at times I wonder if he didn't cut enough. When I told him the spasms were continuing he didn't seem fazed, and didn't offer any suggestions. That's why I sought a second opinion.
The second surgeon actually couldn't see the fissure when she examined me (obviously that doesn't mean it's not there, though). However, it was very painful when she pressed on the area where the incision had been made, and she said there was a slight, slight chance I had an abscess. She really couldn't tell, though, and she wanted to give me more time to see if I'm just a slow healer (vs. the surgery being totally unsuccessful) before doing anything drastic like putting me under and doing a more in-depth exam.
I just feel like I've taken a big step backward, which was NOT supposed to happen! I want to study abroad soon, so this thing needs to be healed, NOW!
How are you feeling today?

i'm in the same position COP, racing against the clock. i just lost my job effective 7/31 and i'm the sole wage earner for a family of 6. so being incapacitated with this is painful and scary for my family.
what is an abscess?
i have an interview later today, somehow i've got to sit on my hard leather car seats, hope i don't have to poop, and hope i can tolerate the pain through an interview.
i haven't sat since my surgery last tuesday. i keep having nightmares that the interview will have a hard wooden chair for me to sit in..
i've had 5 BM's today...everyone at home tells me to call the doc, but what is he going to say? he's certainly not going to tell me to slow things up and initiate constipation...
today is not as good at sunday and monday were...i'm probably stressed about the interview, which isn't helping....

Yes, the interview may not be helping, but if you get the job that will certainly help and we're all rooting for you! I think that stress can go right to your digestive system and wreak havoc there.
Perhaps if you just eat less, period, for a couple days??? That won't cause constipation, and should certainly choke off the stool volume some.
What kind of stool softener are you taking?

thanks for your well wishes. i'm not on anything right now, nothin'. i was originally on Colace, but it did nothing so i discontinued. saturday, the nightmare day, i had taken Miralax. after going 12 times that day i decided that, normally, i'm perfectly regular, so i stopped all medication.
it's almost seems like post-surgery that i get the "urge" to go and i just have to go...instead of my body waiting for an accumulation all at once...