10 weeks post surgery

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10 weeks post surgery

Postby juney » 23 Jul 2007, 22:32

So it's been exactly 10 weeks since my sphincterotomy surgery. I feel like things are progressing...albeit VERY slowly. I'm still taking 4 - 200mg ibuprofen every day after a bm. The actual bm itself doesn't hurt, but then it wasn't hurting much before surgery either. It was always afterwards that it hurt for hours on end. Now, 10 weeks later, the pain doesn't last as long and it's definitely not as strong and debilitating as it used to be, but it's still there. I remember at 5 weeks thinking i couldn't possibly have much longer before i was completely healed, and now at 10 weeks I feel the same frustration and worry that i'll never get better. I'm calling the surgeon this week to schedule another appointment. I don't want a 2nd surgery at this point, I just want him to check things out as much as possible, and at least know that I'm still dealing with this every day. I want to give it another 4 weeks at least before I decide the surgery was a complete failure.
I've definitely changed my attitude towards dealing with this and that has really made all the difference in day to day life. I keep telling myself I'll get over this, even if it may take longer than I'd have hoped. It's been a year now that I've been dealing with this and it has had such a huge effect on my life. I'm so glad i found this site when things were at their worst. And now as i continue in the healing process, it's pretty reassuring to read other people's accounts of their own struggles with the dreaded fissure.
Anyway, that's it for now, just wanted to give another update on my "progress" since the LIS.
juney
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby Deleted User 5 » 24 Jul 2007, 05:59

It is good to hear from you Juney, but also disappointing that you aren't healing. I think something definitely is amiss here, either the surgery didn't take, or something. I know with me, the spasms ended the same day of my surgery, and for others it was the same.
Yes, you absolutely need to go back and have your fissure examined and make it clear that the surgery so far has yielded little fruit. You will not be the first person to have the surgery and still not heal. But it is rare.
Stay on the diet, keep up with the baths, drink water and try to stay off your arse as much as you can. You will eventually get past this, I feel sure.
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby Guest » 24 Jul 2007, 10:03

Hey Juney,
Glad to hear from you and that you are noticing some improvement over time. I think your surgeon would be very interested to hear that you aren't progressing so quickly. I will be interested to hear what he has to say about the pain you are still having. But I think you have the right attitude and that will get you through this.
Just keep doing what you know to do and see the surgeon again and things will fall into place.
Take care,
Lecia
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby juney » 24 Jul 2007, 10:58

my dr wasn't in today, but i've left a message for him to call back. and i've scheduled the next available appointment (just for another "consultation"). August 24. It seems so far away, but i'm hoping that in the next 4 weeks I'll see more recovery. Things ARE improving over time, that much is obvious to me.
I don't have spasms. It's more a pain when I take the pressure off it, like standing up after sitting. Even that's not as bad as it used to be, it's just taking so long. And the fact that I can't actually see it is frustrating, because I can't visually measure any progress it's made - like you would a wound on your leg or something.
I was on vacation the past 2 weeks and everything was fine, it didn't spoil my trip at all! I had very minimal pain and the chance to lay around and relax. Now that i'm back in the office 8 hours a day I think i'm just forced to think about it more since i'm on my butt all day, and that's the only time it hurts. I wish i could take a month off work and just get over this!
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby Deleted User 5 » 24 Jul 2007, 11:13

I had that same type pain, but not for nearly as long. It sounds like the incision is not doing well, or there had been some nerve inflammation that won't go down...
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby Guest » 24 Jul 2007, 11:20

Yeah, it does sound like a nerve has been irritated. Anti-inflammatories can be helpful for that. Omega oils are a good natural source you could use.
Let us know what the doctor says.
I am glad you had a good vacation. Have you tried a cut out cushion at work or a heating pad?
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby juney » 24 Jul 2007, 11:23

yah, i have a nice foam pad at work. It kinda blends in with my chair so it's not as noticeable. i would NEVER tell anyone at work about this. I kept the surgery completely confidential too.
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby happyass » 24 Jul 2007, 12:15

hi juney,
be gentle on yourself. your body will listen in ways that you won't believe.
definitely keep your appt on 8/24 to see what is going on but also tell yourself what good progress you are making. even if it slow, slow is better than no progress at all.
****
with sitting at work for 8 hours a day, it does put stress on your ass. if you can get yourself to get up from the seat every 30 min or on the hour and give yourself a little walk and your ass a break from sitting all day, this i think will help.
****
i am very curious after your surgery, what other things are you doing to help your healing progress?
diet wise?
toilet methods wise?
vitamin/mineral/supplement wise?
exercise wise?
perhaps there is some room for improvement in these areas to help speed things along.
i'd be interested in knowing what you do before, during, and after a bm if you don't feel embarrassed answering.
let's try to help you out.
and CONGRATS on having good little baby steps forward. i haven't seen you write about having blood on your toilet paper, bowl, etc.
just be very aware that it can take a good year to complete the full circle, maybe two if you had really intense surgeries or other anal issues.
good luck.
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby juney » 26 Jul 2007, 20:21

i'm doing everything right as far as the healing goes. i take 2 - 250mg stool softeners every day, along with tons of water. i eat a very healthy high fiber diet w/ no red meat and very little dairy. i'm beginning to add a flaxseed oil pill in everyday too. i don't do anything to aggravate the fissure...no strenuous exercise. i'm very regular as far as BMs are concerned. every morning like clockwork, and always painfree. i honestly don't know why i'm not healing, there is no explanation i can come up with except that the surgeon just didn't cut deep enough to make a fast difference.
the pain is definitely less than it was before the surgery, but it's still there and it's still always on my mind which is the most frustrating part. i'm trying to remain positive that it will heal within a few weeks, but at 10 weeks after surgery it's very hard to keep an upbeat attitude.
juney
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Re: 10 weeks post surgery

Postby happyass » 26 Jul 2007, 22:55

okay keep the positive thinking......
perhaps you just slowly heal in that area and need to get some blood flow in there.
since you are still under 6 months mark, i would say with what you have described that you are making progress, just not at the quicker pace you would want it to go.
may you experience the grace and patience of God to get you through this healing process and in no time, you'll be even better than you are today.
have you given your anus a hug today? hehehehehehe..........
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