I want to briefly share my experience with LIS surgery. I had a chronic/recurring fissure for nearly 10 years. I saw 4 doctors and tried every remedy available. I changed my diet, used RX cream, took miralax daily. Sometimes I would feel okay for a week or two, but the fissure would always return. I found it hard to sit or drive and generally was upset with my condition.

I had enough. I found a highly credible colon and rectal surgeon with a solid track record and who I trusted and was easy to talk to. Finding the right doctor is important because the LIS surgery is scary. I was terrified. But, he was confident he could fix me.

I had read terrifying stories on this forum and others across the web and did not want to get the surgery. But LIS is one of the best decisions I have ever made. I wanted to share this because so many people with positive experiences don't share their experiences, and if you are on the fence, know that nearly 95% of people who get this surgery have a very positive experience with it.

I felt virtually no pain after the surgery at any point in time. I assumed that I would be in a substantial amount of pain at some point, perhaps after a bowel movement, but my pain never escalated beyond a 1.5. or 2. It basically felt like a slight bruise. The first few bowel movement will include blood, and you will experience drainage for about 2 weeks. I used gauze near the incision location for about 2 weeks, but never found that I had to adjust my activities.

I am 10 weeks post surgery and I feel perfect. It is as if it never even happened. This is, simply, quite shocking to me because I spent more than a decade either in pain or uncomfortable. Now, I don't use any stool softeners or ointments, and every time I go to the bathroom I feel 100% normal. It is kind of unbelievable, and I wish I would not have put off the surgery for so long.

Finding a good colon and rectal surgeon who you trust is key. Make sure they take time to answer your questions and treat your issues with concern. I went to the Kendrick Colon and Rectal Center in Indianapolis, and my doctor was Dipen Maun. This practice is one of the best in the midwest, and Dr. Maun is a really amazing surgeon. He was the first doctor who I visited who actually took the time to truly examine my condition and offer me a lot of explanations for why my condition was the way it was, and specifically how he could fix it, and why. He put me at ease, and I trusted his expertise. He fixed me and made my life better. If you are in the same boat I used to be in, I wanted to share my positive experience so that you might find the right doctor to help you consider LIS, especially if you have been suffering and trying hard for months or years to heal. The surgery is quick, minor, and highly effective.

Really pleased to hear of your fantastic recovery - you must be delighted after putting up with this horrific condition for so long!

As someone who has had a fissure for coming up to a year, and facing up to the prospect of an LIS, just want to for taking the time to write such an inspiring message.

Second the above - thank you so much for that!!! I'm bookmarking your message to reread - an outcome like that is just what I need right now! LIS in a month for me!!

Thanks so so much

-GG

GG & MF,

I'm really glad that my message reached you in a positive way. Dealing with this problem is terrible, embarrassing, and surprisingly debilitating . It is hard to explain to people just how painful and depressing it can be. But reading about LIS is scary; at least for me it was, I was terrified of the idea of surgery on a muscle in that region. And so, I continued to reject it as an option for over 3 years, and I suffered quite a bit. I developed a pretty good routine with miralax and water intake, and reduced the duration and pain of my fissure from time to time, but it inevitably ALWAYS reoccurred, and often without any clear reason. Some days the pain would be so intense I could barely do anything for about 6-8 hours, or sitting in a car would be unbearable. I would find myself driving as I lifted a portion of my body onto my side. Accepting LIS was difficult as well because I am a healthy, active 33 year old male. It was baffling how such a minor ailment could be so awful and persistent. But I just learned to live with the pain because I was too scared to accept that I needed LIS surgery.

The breaking point for me when I decided to get LIS is when I read a few very thorough and positive blogs where people described how successful the procedure was. After I read this, I felt more assured that I would likely benefit from LIS:

http://patient.info/forums/discuss/late ... om--520097

And I also think that it is really important to find a very credible colon and rectal surgeon who you trust and feel comfortable with. They should have good bedside manners and take the time to address ALL of your concerns. I saw two colon and rectal surgeons before I found one I trusted, and they were terrible people. Neither examined me for more than 2-3 seconds, they did not describe how surgery would work or be beneficial, what recovery would be like, other options. In general, they essentially conveyed to me that they did not care and wouldn't explain to me how they could help. When I finally found specialists at the Kendrick Colon and Rectal Center, my experience completely changed, and I knew there were good doctors out there who would take the time and have the patience to really explain all of the options and provide their patients with the confidence that the procedure is highly effective.

I really hope you find relief moving forward and that my experiences helps you find some comfort and confidence moving forward!

Thanks again to SimonsaysgetLIS.

A combination of this and other positive stories (plus having a really bad week!) has convinced me I need to do something about this. I've made an appointment to see a CRS a week on Friday as a result.