Well I am so stressed about deciding whether or not to go for this. I started bleeding again 2 days ago (haven't for months) but am actually not in that much pain. Skin tag is quite swollen though. I think this flare up was caused by the Doc spreading things to look as I was doing better before. But why am I not in that much pain then? Does this mean my internal sphincter isn't too tight then and I shouldn't cut it?

I was also wondering if those of you who have had LIS find their skin is more loose down there, like more skin tags or hemmies show up after. I had loose skin from botox and it kind of chaffed when walking around. And that was a small amount of botox.

Does LIS weaken the whole sphincter or mainly just that lower end?

How long does it take to get tone back in the muscle after it being cut?

How long does it take before you know what is air, liquid and solid?

I didn't have much pain after my second round of Botox. It helped a lot with pain relief. It was done in December, and then I did the LIS in March, and I didn't have any problems with being too loose at that point.

I did have a skin tag and had it removed, though, I wouldn't do it at the same time as another procedure, as it was painful and I think delayed the healing from the Botox.

I'm not sure about the spinchter muscle and whether it's the whole thing or not.

In terms of chaffing, I had a TON of problems with rashes around surgeries. I think my skin was just super sensitive to any discharge. Even after LIS for awhile, I'd get some irritation, but over time, it has gone away.

Msimon,

Sorry I can't offer you any advice but wanted to wish you good luck in whatever decision you decide to make; I pray that god guides you with this decision..

I had no loose skin after LIS. Things were just easier to pass. I never lost the ability to distinguish solid from anything else. Gas and liquid were confusing for a couple of days but I don't think I had any accidents, I just remember gas escaping like an exhale for a day or two. Didn't last long. Tone felt normal after a few days, never really felt that abnormal honestly. Things are so tightened up from the fissure that it felt more like things were closer to normal versus loose. However I think tone gradually returns to full strength over a few months, since I re-tore at three months I think that's when things had gone pretty much back to normal. But I never felt "loose" in terms of not being able to hold it in even the day after surgery. Hope that helps!

Hi MS...

I hope you can make the decision on the LIS. I had no problems with holding BM in and I have IBS. It was hard to tell what was gas for a few days after and I did have a bit of stool leakage which I needed to clean up. Only a tiny bit though. This has stopped now.... My main issue is the incision, which is slowly healing, but I have no pain on BM now. It does feel looser but not to the point of too loose if you know what I mean! Good luck. Xxxx

Jbl22424 wrote:I just remember gas escaping like an exhale for a day or two. Didn't last long. Tone felt normal after a few days, never really felt that abnormal honestly. Things are so tightened up from the fissure that it felt more like things were closer to normal versus loose.

JBL described it perfectly. I think it was on day 3 that I was in a bit of pain and wondered if I'd made a mistake. Since then, I haven't regretted it at all. I was most worried about passing gas in public and getting an abscess. Neither has been an issue. They gave me IV antibiotics in surgery and oral antibiotics afterwards. I hope those and the sitz baths have kept infection at bay. Best of luck to you with this tough decision!

Thanks everyone. Your reassuring words are so helpful to me now. My only problem is that I have a very weak pelvic floor and also probably a weak external sphincter and this makes me worry that things will feel too loose. The problem is though I have had a retear that seems almost as bad as it was when this all started nearly a year ago and I just don't know what else I could do. I just cannot live this way anymore. My biggest fear actually isn't the incontinence but rather this constant urge to go that I get when things are too loose. I don't know if that is due to me keeping things so soft so I can pass them or not but I will only know if I can make things open up more to pass something nonliquid in the first place, right? Maybe it's just my IBS...I am just so scared of making a mistake with a permanent decision!

Wanted to wish you the best of luck with whatever decision you make.