Is a fissurectomy what you are having next? That was the surgery I had as opposed to the LIS. I read a recent medical paper on line (didn't keep the citation) that demonstrated fissurectomies were just as effective as LIS in many cases and some docs are starting to use them more, plus you don't have the potential for incontenence (spelling?). In my case the fissure wouldn't heal due to a hemmy in a bad spot so he took out the fissure and the hemmy. I hear this is a more painful route, but the spasms are gone.
I really hope you end up feeling better. It would be rough to have multiple surgeries, but it will all be over sooner than you think. Just hang in there.

Hi all,
Things still have not healed here. I had a second LIS (still not even sure the first general surgeon actually did an LIS - operative report only mentions a fissurectomy but in my post-op office visits he mentions cutting some muscle) and it seemed to help a little at first but now things are back to where they were. I had botox injected in three spots 2 weeks ago. I am also using diltiazem cream to try to make things even looser. I can tell when I apply it that my sphincter is a lot more relaxed and I can also feel my fissures when I apply it. I've never been able to feel them before. I know 2 weeks isn't much time in the scheme of things but do you think this is a good sign? I've been told to use MOM to keep things mushy if not runny but it burns now after every bm which worries me. If only people knew what it was like to live with this...

Hi, I had Lis over a year ago and still had some problems after. At first I felt the muscle was more relaxed but I never got the instant relief they say you get once the muscle is cut. I kept going back to the CRS and he kept saying I still had some mild spasms and I was still a bit tight. The rectal exams were awful. I still tensed up something awful. My doc wanted to do an anoplasty to widen the opening because he said the scar tissue was causing it not to be able to stretch. I thought about it for quite a while and finally went back to my gastro for a second opinion and to talk frankly about the situation. I decided for now not to have surgery. What I'm doing is taking miralax and benefiber daily, drinking plenty of liquid and eating a higher fiber diet. I use nitro or nifedipine when I have any spasming and I use a hand held shower bidet to clean after a bm. I decided this is my life and I have to learn to deal the hand that was dealt me (not always easy though). My gastro doc told me that repeated surgeries aren't always a good idea because of the scar tissue and that I should only do it if it's absolutely necessary and I agree. I would have thought my CRS would suggest another LIS, so many here have had this done more than once and had good results but he didn't. An anoplasty is a pretty painful procedure and I decided I don't want to go down that road right now. The LIS I had did help me some and for that I'm greatful but I think the cut may have been too conservative and that's why it didn't work all the way. I can understand how you feel. It's very frustrating. If the nitro or nifedipine helps you use it. Sitz baths or sitting on a warm heating pad help too. Keep your bms soft and don't strain when going. Give it time. For me when the spasms got too bad I used ibuprofen and valium to break the cycle of spasms and it helped. I never used it very much but if you're spasming for hours it does help. Good luck Suzy

I am so sorry Michell : (((. I do not even know what to say... First - how come you do not know what your surgeon did or did not do : ((( ??? You have to ask him that !!! Also - I would ask for second opinion in your place :roll: ! Why did you go back to the surgeon who did not help you first time around ?
My only suggestion is that you wait for 8-12 weeks to give your bum time to heal (at least most of it ...) and than if you still have problems to go to another CRS !!!! I changed 1 GS, 1 GA, and 5 CRSs untill I found the guy who was fantastic and knew what he was doing and fixed me forever !!!!
I wish you the best of luck !

I had the first surgery done with a general surgeon and at my post-op appointments he said that he did a fissurectomy and an LIS. I asked a million questions and he always said "well you should heal because I cut some muscle." We then moved out of state so I obtained my medical records from him and it didn't say anything in the operative report about an LIS. I called his office to get more information and they said that's all I have. My second surgeon was a CRS. He said he saw some scar tissue but wasn't sure if it was from LIS or a fissure.

Some doctors are useless idiots - what can I say !
I am so sorry - you will have to give it a time and if you do not heal nicely than go to a new CRS if the present one does not offer anything more for you.
Regarding MOM - do not keep your stools too soft - they should be soft as a play dough, not mushy !!!! Mushy will be full of the acid and burn your poor bum :( and also - your sphincter should have some mild exercise (work) and not get used to mushy stools .
I hope you are having warm baths as often as you can and are keeping that area clean and dry : ))) !
I wish you fast and forever healing