so, when i was 9 i had some sort of intestinal problem... i don't remember what it was, and most of my memories from that age are entirely faded away, but i do remember pain that literally immobilized me (had to be carried out of school once), many hospital visits, and constipation that brought me to tears on the toilet a number of times.
i'm 29 now, and while i've never had painful constipation since then... i've also never had an extended period of awesome BMs since then. it seems like i have 1 or two weeks of "normal" business, then the bleeding and anal paper cuts come back. it's never super painful... normally just a quick, sharp stab while i'm pooin', and then uncomfortable during the cleanup like it would be cleaning up any small cut anywhere else.
after 20 years, dealing with this seems almost normal for me. perusing the boards, i see i could have it much worse - i never have those spasm pains some people seem to have, and perhaps because it's become my norm it's only ever a passing annoyance. i don't have any "skin tabs" or anything else... just a bloody rump once or twice a month, that lasts for a few days or a week at a time (certainly no single episode has lasted 6+ weeks, to be labeled "chronic").
for a lack of any drastic symptoms or pain, i'm certainly uninterested in surgery or botox, and am entirely unsure that dilating is necessary (no spasm pains).
but... SOMETHING must be wrong, that i can't seem to heal for good.
thoughts? i sort of feel like a lifetime of resignation to sub-optimal pooping is in my future, but i'm interested in anyone's proposed solutions.
thanks, and thanks for this board.

hi, u may like to check out the thread "my success story"
i think surgery are reserved for last resort IMO, so unless you can't take the pain and it has disrupted the quality of life, then you wld consider it.
let me know if u have any other questions. Take care