Hello all fellow sufferers/ ex sufferers.

Basically I have had bottom trouble for as long as i remember, and it is cyclic......extreme pain and blood with bowel movements for a few days followed by a couple of weeks feeling okay and "cured". And then it all happens again. I eat healthily and all that jazz. I am extremely careful when having a BM using vaseline prior to the bm. The think is, after having a BM I am only sore for a few minutes, up to 1/2 hour and then I can forget about my bot till the next time I need a BM, normally once per day. It is getting worse (the pain, the whole pooing process). But I know other sufferers can't even sit down normally for hours afterwards. Is mine just one I should live with?


It IS getting me down now

How bad is bad enough to ask the GP for intervention?


Thanks!

From what I've read on this forum and elsewhere, it really is up to you when to have the surgery. It's a quality of life issue. Some people are in almost constant pain and opt for the LIS to fix the issue (hopefully) once and for all. Other people (like myself and yourself from what you've said) have lots of ups and downs and it gets to the point where you get REALLY, REALLY tired of it all. I've had my chronic fissure for over two years now and I'm at the point where I'm strongly considering surgery. I'm just too tight down there and it needs to be corrected eventually with surgery. My issue is that I don't have health insurance right now and am waiting on getting some so I will be able to afford it. I'm also in the process of searching for another CRS and getting a second opinion (my CRS said he will do LIS and fissurectomy to fix the issue and I'm not so keen on the fissurectomy part, unless absolutely necessary... it can add a lot of pain and time to recovery). It's always best to get a second opinion (or a third) before any surgery, anyway, no matter how "minor" it might be.

If it is really getting to the point where it seems to be getting worse and you're getting tired of the constant cycle of pain/no pain, then I would definitely see a CRS. Most GP's don't know how to deal with butt issues (my GP diagnosed me with proctitis at first, gave me hydrocortisone suppositories, and send me on my way... obviously the issue was NOT proctitis, since I saw a CRS a week later who said I definitely had a fissure and gave me some ointment that would actually help it). So, definitely see a board-certified CRS and talk about your options first.

Hopefully others can chime in here with their experiences with LIS/surgery and how they came to decide to have it done.

Thanks so much for your lovely and helpful reply Luka, thank you.

I have only had my fissure for 10 weeks, but have not really had any pain free days during that time. I am getting LIS next week.

For me the combination of intensifying pain and the mental anxiety of it all caused me to decide on surgery. I gave meds their shot now I am ready to be done once and for all. If I was in pain on a regular basis even if it was not debilitating I would have had surgery because I can't handle the mental anguish/anxiety.

I think whenever you get to the point that any small risks that come with the surgery seem worth the likey benefits is when it's right for you.

Broncogirl, sounds like you have been in constant pain? Or only part of the day/night? I am going to the doctor next week and tell her all about my problem.

It has varied. I haven't had a day without pain with a BM. I had about 4 weeks when I had pain with a BM and then for a few minutes afterward. Now the pain lasts hours. I was going to get it even before it got to this point though because being in pain at all during a regular and normal body function was not okay with me.

I hope your doc visit goes well and you can come up with a treatment plan!

Hi saturnuranus. I'm sorry that you are suffering. I will say that my situation was almost exactly like yours. I didn't have lingering pain all day for the most part, and I had periods where I seemed to be healed up, but it would keep retearing eventually (over the course of 10 months) even after using nitro cream (which I used for about 4 months). I just had my 2-week anniversary of my LIS yesterday, and I already feel great about my decision to have it done; half a year ago, however, I was not ready at all. So, I guess I think that when you've had enough (I totally agree with broncosgirl about mental anxiety being a factor in this--every time I had a retear I was just so devasted), and if it's interfering with your life (for me, single, I was really uncomfortable dating with this issue, and I couldn't run without aggravating it, which is ironically how I usually de-stress myself), then it's "bad enough" to talk to a CRS about. At the very least, that would let you explore and research your options further, and you wouldn't have to commit to the procedure yet if you don't feel ready after talking with a CRS.

Thanks your your replies Bronco and tiger. :)

Tiger, yes, sounds similar to me, the constant tear and re-heal, but for me I have so say its been more like 10-15 yrs of it! It got worse after 3 babies.