Dear Dawn - it is just maddening how EVERYBODY is different and how hard it is than to help others with advices and input since at the end, everybody have to try anything recommended and see for him/herself if it will work or not *sigh It applies to everything involved - from diet, softeners, fiber to the ultimate challenge - a LIS !
BUT, I can tell you that I was probably exception in many ways , so I am not a good "specimen" for fissure study group. I had no trouble healing but was as fast to re-tear over and over again : ((. AND I had problematic tag and my butt was super-tight (and still is ) after even making a cut *sigh
It is DEFINITELY not hopeless - MOST people heal fast and forever 98 % !!!!!!!!!!!!! So, odds are in your favor any way you turn it ; ))) !!!!
The fact that you have just a slight burning now and for such a short time is VERY encouraging and of course it means healing !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO DOUBT !!!!! You just have to continue with all of the nice regiments you have now in place and with time it will MOST probably heal
If not - than you have so many other options to try still : ))) !!! Did you ever try Botox : ) ????? I skipped it since I wanted "forever fix", but for somebody like you that have very good progress with conservative methods, that could be a solution also : ))) !
Having a butt problem is major challenge : (((- it drains person out physically and emotionally and it is normal to feel down sometimes ,but we just have to shake those emotions off and push forward : ))) until we heal , this or that way and there ALWAYS IS A WAY - try to keep that in mind any time you feel "hopeless" , OK : )))
You are doing great (KTW) so far and concentrate on that wonderful fact

Thank Phil and Fissy :)
I'm digging myself out of this fear and depression as much as I can. It's just been a bad day for me mentally. I kept researching and maybe 1 or 2 out of a hundred people haven't scared the Crap out of me with the surgery experience. I've had 3 kids natural with no drugs and I don't think it compared at all with the fear I have with this. Incontinence doesn't scare me too much or the surgery itself. It's reading about everyone's recovery. OMG!! Fissy, you must be a strong person to have had this twice!!
I'm trying to prepare mentally that I may have to have it too. I will have a lot of questions if it comes down to that.... I'm not really sure about botox or if my crs does it. He didn't even mention it.

Thought I would chime in about the whole decision to have surgery or not. I was terrified of surgery for years; hence I suffered for years – 4 to be exact. If I could go back I would have had the surgery after a year of trying to heal it conservatively. I am still not cured but I am way better off since I don’t get the massive spasms like I used to.
Waiting to long also means the fissure becomes chronic. With that you get more scar tissue forming, stenosis of the anal canal from the scar tissue, skin tags, etc. This meant for me that I got to add 2 fissurotomy’s to my surgery day. Also, I was told Botox isn’t very effective on chronic fissures with a lot of scar tissue. I had asked about Botox at one point.
But in the end you really need to feel good about the decision to have surgery. I felt relieved after I finally said yes. I had a list of questions for my CRS at the appointment I thought I would finally say yes. He was very confident and trusting in helping me debate the surgery with zero pressure. So having a good CRS is a must. Also, ironically the day of my surgery- the intake nurse and the IV nurse both had had a LIS. They both told me it was the best thing they ever did and it was a piece of cake for them to recover from. That really helped me with my nerves that day.

Hey Paul,
I agree a year would be enough time on healing. I just figured out all of the do's and dont's and have been on the diltiazem for 5 weeks- Monday, so I feel I need to give it my best shot, but I agree and don't want to build up scar tissue that will cause more problems either.
I really didn't like the crs that I seen last time and I am going to use another one in the same office. But I will have a lot of questions if I have to have the LIS.
I imagine it did help your nerves with the nurses already having it. I can't believe how common this is. I wish I knew someone personally that has had LIS who I could talk to if I have to have it. I think that would help. But for now I'm going to try and think positive about what I'm doing and pray that it works.... I realize there's a point that you need to make the decision to do something different if it's not working and a year seems pretty reasonable to me, maybe even sooner if it's not showing steady improvement.
Right now the ointment has helped the spasms tremendously! Knock on wood:)

Having had blood occationally over the past 3 month followed by 1 month of regular bleeding I have been 6 weeks without blood. However I still have a discomfort feeling sort of like a hair tickling me on my bottom. It's not intense itiching just slighty. Also i've noticed I have a tendancy to have more wind than normal ( No small and doesnt really feel like it's coming from my bowels - hard to explain but no smell and no noise) Anyways when I have increased wind I seem to have more itchiness.
So I suppose my question is how long after the bleeding stops before all symptoms go away. The ithcingness is definelty less intense than it was when I bleed but still irratating! I'm thinking of going back to the doctors to check its not anything else.
Thanks

That would be a good idea to check it with a CRS or a doctor (if they know what they are looking for!)
Fistulas can itch and irritate.

Oh wow, I just realized this is an old thread of mine before having LIS. Brought back memories. I was scared out of my freaken mind :oops:

Hello, i can advise you one thing and you can try it out and see the result ( i have tried it and worked wonders for me).
You will need to apply pure coconut oil to the accessible anal cavity area. I can assure you 100 % that there is no side effect at all, in fact some people who have never suffered any anal symptoms follow this routine. Coconut oil has anti bacterial, soothing properties, and also aids in healing fissures. The normal procedure would be apply 1 hour before BM and after having bath. You can try it out and see. Best of Luck.

thanks, I'll give it a try and post back once I find some.

I would read more posts on here before you jump in with coconut oil?? I only say this as I have never heard of this before. Would research some first. I have used diltiazem cream for 5/6 months and only just stopped cos of itching. My bleeding has stopped as I no longer have hard bm's thanks to miralax/movicol and using vaseline around the o just before a bm to help the transit out easier. There are more threads on here about this. Today, I read about virgin olive oil...great too!!