Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

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Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby ring of fire2 » 22 Dec 2013, 12:26

It's been a while since I've been on the forum so I had to register again using Ring of Fire2 as my user name. I was Ring of Fire before ;) You can search for my previous posts with that user name if you want to see my past history including my experience with physical therapy for my chronic AF. I am a 38 yo female who has suffered on and off since my teen years. The pain became unbearable 3/4 years ago while living overseas and developing a thrombosed hem. A surgeon in Spain removed the blood clot and attempted a LIS. Pain persisted on and off worse than ever since that fateful day.

I am two days out from Botox, tag removal, and cauterization of my chronic fissure. Dec 20, 2013 I went in for the procedure in an outpatient center. My surgeon wanted me to do an enema in order for her to do a sigmoidoscopy but she was cool with it if I did not. I chose not to put myself through the pain of an enema so we skipped the scope. She did ultrasound to see where the LIS was and SHE DID NOT SEE ANY EVIDENCE OF IT HAVING BEEN DONE. This explains why it did not work for me and why recovery was soooo painful and didn't work at that time. She thinks my current fissure is actually the attempted LIS site. So the ultrasound was clean showing a strong and TIGHT muscle.

Was very scared and reluctant to go through with this because I have been pain free for over a full month. But the cycle has been that way for so long no matter what I do. The internal muscle is simply too tight. The physical therapist confirmed that with me for the several months that I gave that a shot. The ultrasound also confirmed that.

Day 1
I had IV sedation so felt and heard nothing. I lay on my stomach and they did ultrasound, 4 botox injections (30 units on either side of the fissure area and 2 20 units top and bottom), numbing injections, burned the fissure to "promote healing" and cut off the associated skin tag. I woke up mostly numb but could feel a little pain. The sedation was totally fine - no nausea or anything. Went home laying on my side in the front seat and ate a chicken sandwich. Took two advils on the way home. Took one Nucynta 50mg for pain an hour later. Rested and tolerated the pain pretty well. Mostly just a burning sensation the first day. Very sore. Felt like a hot curling iron in there. Dreaded first bowel movement! Kept on top of the pain with the prescribed pills, hot baths and rest. Doubled up on my Miralax to 2 full doses a day. Very helpful Miralax and Balneol cleansing lotion!!!

Day 2
First BM in the am. Hard and very painful. Lots of bright red blood. Pain persisted for 6 hours and was intense but no worse than a bad fissure day. Continued with pain pills every 4 hours and double miralax. Balneol cleansing lotion is helpful. No rubbing, just dabbing and then a hot bath. (Also using good bathroom habits of relaxing, knees widespread.) Another bm that evening with very little pain. Third bm that evening with almost no pain. Ate dinner laying on the couch, watched a movie and felt decent. Slept good. Only took one pain pill at 11 pm. Did not need one during the night.

Day 3 - that's today!
Took pain pill in am, as well as Miralax in coffee. (I also take a good probiotic and Vitamin D daily.) BM in morning was softer but the pain really hit afterwards. Not as much blood. Took a long hot bath and an extra pain pill. Put lidocaine 5% and Vaseline and sat with hot pad while laying on my side. Pain is there but tolerable. I am eating a plate of kale with feta cheese and typing right now. When I put the ointment on the area, it felt tight and lumpy. Hubby looked and said it doesn't look bad but there is some bruising just to the side and the area where the skin tag was cut looks raw. I was really hopeful last night (day 2) that the botox was doing the trick but today tells me it hasn't kicked in yet.

Does anyone know when the Botox should do its thing? When I asked the surgeon her answer was "I honestly don't know." I might be a guinea pig for her! If anyone has advice/knowledge please post! And if anyone has questions, I'm happy to answer. I honestly am not sure that I'm glad I did this just yet. I am glad for the ultrasound and in the end I'll probably be glad to be rid of the skin tag but I went in with NO PAIN and I now have pain. Ugh.
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby JHH » 24 Dec 2013, 10:12

Hi Ring of fire.

It usually takes a week or two for the botox to kick in. Personally I felt a difference in the type of pain right away, and I guess it took about a week to really notice the burn had become less.

Good luck to you, and happy holidays!

JHH
- Fissure developed in Jan '13
- Started rectogesic in Feb '13 and diltiazem Apr '13.
- Got botox Jun '13
- Healed by Okt '13, although I still had some irritation for about a year.
- New fissure April '22, healed June 2022
- New fissure 24. December 2023
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby ring of fire2 » 24 Dec 2013, 11:40

Thank you so much. I will keep keeping on and waiting for the botox to do its thing!
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby owmybum » 25 Dec 2013, 04:50

It took about 2 weeks for the Botox to fully kick in for me.
Hang on in there.... It will happen soon. In the mean time, keep up the water and stool softener, and take it really easy.

OMB x
fissure after hem banding and tag removal feb 11
Pelvic floor therapy
Diltiazem
Botox June 13
Nitro
Internal flap July 14
EUA and polyps removed Nov 14
Diagnosed with neuropathy Jan 15
Diagnosed with HS EDS type 3 (causes poor wound healing )
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby Savaici » 25 Dec 2013, 12:04

:smilyhug: Hope things are going better for you, ROF!
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby ring of fire2 » 27 Dec 2013, 19:30

Thank you so much for the support guys!!

Day 7:
Needed much less pain meds the last few days. Pain still persists after going to the potty for several hours. Still blood streaked poo but no extra blood in the bowl. A few times, no blood at all. Outside area looks normal now and the skin tag area appears nearly healed. Some itching. Calmoseptine cream really helps with that. Continuing Miralax etc. I have noticed the last 2 days that I have accidentally passed gas when sneezing!!!! Not cool but it could be worse! ;) Botox does not seem to have fully kicked in just yet. Areas where injections were given where not even noticeable for anyone wondering about pain with the injections. All the pain has been focused on the fissure where she "cleaned it up" and burned it.
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby ring of fire2 » 04 Jan 2014, 18:57

2 weeks since botox. Does not seem to have really kicked in any more than a week ago. Still hoping it does but I think it just might not work for me. Tag removal area is very, very sore. Hubby said it looks white and irritated. Started applying neosporin today in case there is an infection. Will give it over the weekend and then call the doc on Monday if this continues. Still having mild to moderate pain for 4-8 hours a day. UGH!!!
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby vdb324 » 25 Jan 2014, 22:00

Hey! I just saw your post on my diary. I also had Botox with a tag removal my first time around. It was followed up by cauterization at my 6 week appointment due to me still bleeding. When I went in at eight weeks for the second round, he said I was actually doing much better. The second round has been much more successful (no pain for awhile and no bleeding for a number of weeks), I feel, and I think it's because a) I didn't have a tag removal site also healing, b) personally, my fissure was acting up from raw veggies, and c) I had some time to rest between December and January when I was home for the holidays. I would recommend a second round, even if you don't feel the first was successful. The second round was much more of a breeze without a tag removal! I was back to work the next day!

Don't give up hope! The tag removal was really the worst part (long term; the cauterization was the worst short term, as they didn't knock me out for it!).

Hope you start feeling better soon!
Feb. 2013 - Developed AF
July 2013 - Diagnosed AF;nifidepine lidocaine treatment
Oct. 2013 - 1st round of Botox & skin tag removal
Dec. 2013 - 2nd Botox
March 2014 - Spinchterotomy
June 2015 - Diagnosed with Pelvic Floor Dysfunction/Vulvodynia
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby ring of fire2 » 12 Feb 2014, 17:07

I had the botox and tag removal Dec 20 and today is Feb 12. I went back to CRS for a 2nd followup. I went in with very little pain. I had been feeling a lot better although still not healed. The CRS said let's try silver nitrate. I was like "wait! what?". She said it'll just burn for five minutes and it should help you heal. She did 3 shots of lidocaine. OMG that hurt. Then the nitrate. Within a minute the burning started. I was there for a while longer and told her it felt like a curling iron had been shoved up there. 5 hours later, bleeding and still burning. Pain killer is helping. So worried about the next 24 hours!

Botox has not been a cure for me. I think it's definitely helped and I know it did finally kick in because I have had a few instances of passing gas without wanting or meaning to!!! But alas, here I am burning and bleeding. Please God, let this last step today heal me.
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Re: Botox, Tag removal, Cauterization diary

Postby ring of fire2 » 12 Feb 2014, 17:09

Forgot to mention. My CRS said she won't do a second round of Botox. Don't know why. She wouldn't really answer that.
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