Had my LIS on 2/5 did great with it was healing well and almost in no pain. BMs under control. That was up until the day after my post op. I got sick with Covid on 2/17 and the coughing seemingly reopened the fissure that was healing. I think my incision is fine. I need some reassurance here because I’m not in a good head space. Has anyone had anything like this happen right after surgery? Is it likely this will still heal? I cannot fathom dealing with fissure pain again. It’s not as bad as before LIS but sharp transient pain.

Hi KSG, so sorry to hear that the awful 'Rona got you at such a time. Sadly I can't offer any real insight as I'm in the "debating LIS" phase myself, but I just wanted to send you some positivity. From my understanding the goal of the procedure is decreasing the chronic resting tone which allows the current (and any potential future) fissure to actually heal, meaning this should still be able to improve...but I'm no authority. Here's hoping you're doing at least a bit better by the time this reaches you

Thank you so much. In my frenzy my surgeon agreed to see me tonight - regarding the fissure and my hurting LIS site. Guess what? I feel no fissure pain anymore (you are right - the lower pressure helped the slight tear clear right up) and the pain at the incision is normal. I’m back to a very happy state. Cannot wait to get over Covid and heal my rump. I so appreciate your reply. Let me know if you have any questions about the surgery. TBH I was on a great recovery path until I got sick. I am 100% happy that I had the surgery. No doubt, whatsoever.

Glad you're feeling better and were able to be seen, but how you managed that with an active case of covid is beyond me, haha.
I have couple of appointments with gastroenterologists this next week (cause that seems to be the first point of contact in this medical system?) which will hopefully shed light on wether Botox or LIS are more advised. Things in the last two days have become nearly unbearable; intense, constant burning pain in every position save for on my back with knees to chest for 8+ hours. Starting to wonder whether something else is wrong in addition...

This is what I felt. The pain would last upward 12hrs some days as I have IBSD and would go up to 4x a day. My GI referred me to a surgeon same day that I went in about 9 weeks into the chronic fissure. I went directly to the surgeons office and he said he doesn’t mess with Botox because of recurrence rate and assured me LIS was the way to go. Despite getting sick and the minor setback. It was one of the best medical decisions I’ve ever made. I wish you pain free days ahead <3

Hey KSG, same user but new account here. Thanks for the update and info. I saw an unhelpful GI last week who is convinced suppositories will cure me (despite my telling him there's no way I can insert one) so he gave me oral diltiazem, said he could do botox if no go and that surgery is elsewhere in the hosptial...but no more details there. In Canada the healthcare may be "free" but you pay in waiting and indirectness. Have a phone consul with another hopefully better one in a major city tomorrow, so we shall see how that goes. Fingers crossed...

How are you holding up?

Wow Keystonegal - talk about bad timing! At least you had the LIS and you can feel the improvement. Changed my life too.

Hey Yishai. Have you seen any colorectal surgeons? GI doctors don't typically do LIS procedures and while they can suggest treatments for fissures it's not their specialty and they are not the experts on all things rectal. My GI doctor referred to me a surgeon for further evaluation. Keep in mind this doesn't mean you have to get a surgery. I was using a lot of prep H suppositories and hydrocortisone suppositories. Even with the pain a solid 8 or 9 I had to get them in and I did. Sorry you are still suffering.

Rich - not yet. Wasn't referred initially by my GP (which is the only way to see one), and the first GI was convinced he could solve it all. Appt with the second went decently, though she wants to start with a flex sigmoidoscopy to start before a potential referral...which despite her putting me down for urgent follow-up won't be able to see me until the last day of this month. So god knows how long until I can actually get the help I need, whatever it is? The dilt. tablets seemed to be lessening the pain this week, but I haven't had a movement today, which NEVER happens, so I suspect they may slowing down motility and naturally I am terrified. Augh. Curious; so many here and elsewhere had a bad time with hydrocortisone, and it's a vasoconstrictor so it seems counter-intuitive to be using it alongside vasodilators unless there's itching...did it help you at all?

Keystonegal, I sure hope the silence is due to positive reasons! An update either way would be great : )

Hey all I’m holding up okay turns out I have a sever case of covid and have pneumonia and ground glass opacities in both lungs. One thing I have NOT had to deal wish thank the heavens is FISSURE PAIN!!!! It went away after the first few bad days of having covid cough. I cannot tell you. There is not godly way I would be able to deal with both simultaneously. Not sure if I got covid from the surgeon or not.

Get yourself to a surgeon. The GI isn’t gonna do what you need at this point and I’m surprised he/she hasn’t referred you yet.

Yishai - I used the HC suppositories when the pain was unbearable. They definitely would help the pain but I never took into account if they prolonged the overall problem. Everything you are mentioning brings back the nightmare of living all those years with the problem. Thanks to the LIS this is all ancient history at this point. Like my CRS said - "Get the surgery and get on with your life." Hope you can figure it out soon.

Keystonegal - Wow you had Covid? That sucks. Hope you are doing better with that. I am getting my first vaccine shot tomorrow.