I just have a few questions. Many months ago (like July or August) when I was super frustrated with my fissures, I decided to book a date for surgery. I got a call recently saying they have an opening on February 25th I think, but I had totally forgot about the surgery. I still do have pain and discomfort on occasion and I know my fissures are still there. I think it's because I got to a point where I stopped applying any medication, even though I would still maintain smooth BMs. I didn't actively try to heal the fissures and lately I've been using aloe vera, which has reduced the pain severely, but only if I continually apply it.
I'm very confused about whether I should just go all the way and get surgery done or wait it out (I've been waiting for so long already, it's been over a year since I first got my fissures, but whatever). I have a few Q's and would be VERY grateful if anyone could share their experiences
1) Does surgery impact, in any way, the reoccurence of a fissure? e.g. does it reduce the chances that a fissure will pop up again? Because I'm assuming that it's very likely for a fissure to return if it healed naturally?
2) Doesn't surgery imply a permanent change to the body which could make the anal tissue very weak? My grandmother had surgery before for her fissure and she also had another surgery in the area for something else. Her anal skin has gotten so weak now that she suffers from chronic constipation and the muscles always give her the feeling of "having to go", but she rarely can, without serious medication. I'm just wondering if part of her difficulty could've been through the fact that the skin was weaker?
3) Has anyone really experienced incontinence, not sure if you'd want to share that... But I just don't want to deal with my skin loosening so much that I'd be unable to hold myself
4)
5) :david:
I feel like I'm in such an akward position! I'm just not sure if it's worth it to carry on. Well, if any one has any opinions on any of this, I'd love to hear about it. Take care and keep smiling.
:smileflow:

No, Sunshine, the LIS will not make the anal membranes weaker, because the only thing that happens is the sphincter muscle is cut in a way that relaxes it and stops the spasming.
It also should not be a cause of fissures returning, that would be a result of hard BMs or some other trauma to the area.
You have to ask yourself, can you go on living with things are they currently are. To me, it sounds like you could. But only you know how bad your pain is.
One thing you could do is be examined again and find out if the GP or CRS feels the surgery is called for.
Hope that helps

I would go back to the CRS asap and see what he thinks. Sounds like you've been doing well for a long time now and perhaps you don't need the surgery after all. Fissures can heal w/o surgery.
I'm in a similar boat b/c I don't know whether or not I want to do the surgery. I feel as though I could get better w/o it but I don't know if that is good enough for me. I've dealt w/pain for so long that I'm terrified of it going away and then coming back out of nowhere even though I'm doing everything under the sun right. In my case I believe that surgery is my last option. But I've tried everything. Have you? Every surgery has risks. I am no longer worried about incontinence. I haven't met, heard, talked to or read about anyone suffering from it and honestly if all it means is a little soilage on the undies every now and then I'd take that over sharp shooting razors dipped in acid (that's what my fissure often feals like) anyday! Hope that helps. Let us all know what you decide to do.

I know you this must be a difficult decision. I haven't had this surgery so I can't really advise on this particularly, but I know having had a different surgery I got to the point that I was so sick and tired of having problems that I figured anything would be better than what I have now. I got fed up and there was an internal shift that allowed me to purse the surgery confidently. I would also talk to you doctor and have him give his opinion of how beneficial it would be for you. I know it helped me to talk to my CRS and she finally told me that I had done all there is to do and if I wanted to progress I needed to really consider the surgery.

See what the doctor says and that should give you some direction.

I don't know if this is true but I would imagine that once you have the surgery you are less likely to develop a chronic fissure again because the resting pressure is lower in the anal canal. And fortunately, I don't think we have anyone on here that regrets having it.

I was so totally against having surgery(only because I was too scared!) but then I got a fistula which meant I HAD to have it, and its been the best thing I have ever done. 4 days after it, I felt better than I had in 8 months and the relief was incredible. I think it depends on the surgeon operating whether it is totally successful. I haven't had any issue at all with incontinence, and I was soooo worried about that too, before the op!

sunshine - what is your pain like now? what is your daily BM experience like? how do you know the fissures are still there?
from my own experience, LIS did not help decrease my pain or heal my fissure at all. i'm not sure why this may be, but sometimes i think it's because i wasn't having spasms and that is what LIS is supposed to stop in the first place. so 9 months after my first surgery (and 5 months after my second surgery) i still deal with it everyday and am still trying to heal it on my own.
if you're debating on having surgery, you should probably just go for it in my opinion. at your age, you have nothing to lose! i've never had incontinence issues or any other problems as a result (except that it didn't work!!!). i think older people, like your grandmother, have more to be concerned about with a surgery like this. only you can decide if your quality of life is bad enough now to warrant having the surgery.

Hi Sunshine,
It looks that you have been dealing with your fissures pretty well so far so I am reluctant to advise you to "go ahead". I was literary "bed ridden" due to constant spasms and excruciating pain for 5 months, I lost 20 pounds and my fibro started to act up after 10 years of remission which scared me to death. So, after my fissure reopened after being completely closed fro 3 weeks - I knew that I just have to do it, risk or no risk , I would have end up either crazy or die of malnutrition. So, it was VERY easy decision for me !
After surgery I did not have any episode of incontinence,. not even transitory which is very common. I can control gas and diarrhea without any problems. Are there any changes - in my case yes. I developed two skin tags of which one was very bothersome for quite some time. Now it "mellowed down" but is quick to act up if something irritates it . My whole anus is now little bit "pushed in" . It does not cause any problem or hurts or anything , but it is a "change". Also, when I go to the bathroom BM goes out fast and all in one "move", where before it would come in 2 to 3 waves. So, yes, there is a difference in how muscle works. As my friend doctor told me " anal area is tuned like a Swish clock " and it is better not to mess with it.
If I were you, I would have consultations with at least one more CRS. It also worries me that you have "fissures", not a single one.
Maybe there is some underlying condition that is causing them.
Does LIS makes recurrences less likely - yes, according to literature. That was also reason I decided to have LIS.
Hope my info was of some help. I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do !!!

Hi Sunshine
After 2 years of putting up with fissures, hemmies & skin tags, I had surgery. That was 4 weeks ago. No regrets at all. I guess you have to weigh it all up & decide for yourself. For me the decision was simple. Do I continue only having 2 hours of sleep every night because of the pain & then work 12 hours a day, or do I have surgery which has a high chance ( my surgeon has a 97% success rate) of taking the pain away?
Best wishes for you, no matter what you decide.

Cute wedding photo! Your wife is beautiful-I am sure you know that already!!!

Sunshine,

I agree go to your CRS and see what he says. I have had this AF for almost a year. I have had 2 shots of Botox and I feel so much better. So talk to the CRS and see what he reccommedns. Good Luck...

Patty