Hello,
I had a sphincterotomy on November 17 (3 weeks and 3 days ago) to treat a chronic anal fissure that I had been dealing with for over a year. I did not have stitches put in post op. For the first couple of days of my recovery, I had pain and some bleeding from the incision site during and after a bowel movement. However, this subsided after sticking to a high-fiber diet and drinking a lot of liquids.
The issue that I am currently dealing with is an intense, prickly itching at the fissure site, and also at the incision site (fissure is top left of anus, incision site is mid-right of anus). It feels as if I am constantly being pricked in my anus by tiny needles. At times it feels like it is not just the fissure/incision cite, but in and around my anus in general. This prickly itching worsens when I sit down, and immediately after a bowel movement. I saw my CRS at the 11 day mark after surgery, and he said that it was a "healing itch." He prescribed me hydrocortisone 2.5%, which I use sparingly (it helps, although it treats the symptom and not the cause). Back in August (prior to my surgery), I had intense itching in the area. At that time my CRS diagnosed me with an anal yeast infection and prescribed Nystatin cream, which cleared it up. I don't know if this current itching is related, but my CRS examined me at the 11-day post op appointment and stated that it did not look like I had an infection of any sort, so I tend to rule that out. Nonetheless, I have just recently started using the Nystatin cream sparingly just in case.
I am still dealing with this issue 24 days post-op with little improvement. Since surgery I have kept up with sitz baths and cleaning the area with water only. I wet toilet paper and dab after a BM, and I do not touch the area with soap or other chemicals (besides the creams noted above- which I have only very recently begun using).
Has anyone else dealt with prickly/itchy/tingly sensations after LIS? How long did it last for you? Will it ever completely go away? Please let me know if you require any additional info. I have no other complications from the surgery that I know of, and I am an otherwise healthy 27 year old male. Thank you in advance for your time.
I almost forgot: this problem is driving me freaking crazy. Thanks.
Recoveringfiss