The long version: I’ve lurked a bit on the forum for a while and first posted back in July or so, about my trouble finding a Dr. who would prescribe nitro. My fissure started back in May 2014, and would retear every few weeks, even though I was fastidious with my diet, drank tons of water, and was taking Colace. Things got a lot better when I finally got on nitro and Miralax in August. I stayed on the nitro until December, so nearly 4 months, and much of that was pain-free except the odd twinge/stab now and then. When I retore about 3 weeks after weaning off the nitro, I was pretty “bummed,” needless to say (har har). It was just incredibly disappointing to feel that old pain after I had been feeling like I had finally healed it up once and for all, especially so because I was still taking Miralax, Colace, and being careful with my diet!

I met with my (new) CRS three weeks ago (first guy retired, but this new one is so much more patient and really took his time talking with me) and scheduled surgery, with the option of cancelling if I felt like another course of the prescription cream was doing me good before that point. Up until today I was considering cancelling the LIS because the nitro had healed me up again and I was pretty much pain free—until it struck once again this morning. L While I’m lucky not have ever really had the all-day, debilitating spasms folks talk about on here, this problem just does seem to be able to go away for me permanently with the nitro alone at this point. I’m guessing that my first few days after LIS will be more painful than my fissure has been, but that after a few days it will become more equivalent and then eventually better, hopefully permanently…
I suppose I’m mostly writing this to get my own thoughts out, but I guess I do have a few questions. I know that recovery times vary, but given that I’m in my late 20s, and quite healthy and fit, would it be reasonable to try to go back to work after 10 days? I’m a grad student and my LIS is right before spring break, so luckily I have that many days of built-in time off, essentially. “Work” is a mix of sitting and standing (grad school, student and TA, etc.), so I’m hoping it will be doable after 10 days. And a related recovery-time question: I have a 5-week trip to the UK in July (


And another question (awkward, I’m sorry)—has anyone given themselves an enema with a fissure? I’m supposed to do one at home, to be completed within 30 minutes of coming in the hospital. I’m such a tight-ass (surprise) that even applying the nitro much at all past the surface can be difficult—how on earth are you supposed to ram that thing up there, by yourself, when you have an active fissure? Or is it really not that bad and I’m just overthinking it? Call me crazy but I’m almost more terrified of giving myself an enema than the surgery itself! (I know this is not rational, but still!!).
Thoughts and advice are welcome—and thank you so much for participating in this forum. It has meant a lot to me to have this place as a resource for this hard-to-discuss problem. <3