Hi, I haven't been here in a while but I've been catching up with everyone's posts. It's good to see that some of you are better and for those just starting this journey please never give up hope.
I had double advancement flaps called bilateral sliding flap anoplasty. The donor sites were left open. The flaps took well and by leaving the donor sites open it causes less tension (there still is a little tension and I can feel the scar with my finger but it's relatively small compared to what it could have been) and scarring. That being said whenever you have as much surgery as I have there you can always get easily irritated in the area. I'm able to go to bathroom like a normal person now. The new skin where the flaps were taken can still be sensitive at times but that's normal. I still get some burning from time to time too but my butt is not tight anymore. I still get panicky sometimes because I remember all the pain from before (8 years worth) but I have a good support system and I just take a deep breath. I still have IBS but my routine is a teaspoon of miralax in the evening and dilation once every other day. The one thing I can't do is use toilet paper all the time. I still use the hand held bidet because rubbing is not my friend. To anyone who's just starting this journey my own personal advice would be to see a CRS before you do anything else and listen to him or her. If they say you need surgery and you're comfortable with him do it. The sooner the better, waiting doesn't do anything for the fissure or you. There are so many nerves in that area that are affected when you get a fissure. You're whole pelvic floor can go into spasms, that why some of us had a tough time urinating. Read the posts here too, they can guide you on what works and what doesn't and if a solution sounds too good to be true it usually is. Just don't give up hope. Hello to everyone and wishing you all the very best. Suzy