Hello AF members!
I found this forum a week ago, and spent 7 hours reading as much as I could. I had my LIS/fissurotomy surgery on January 9, 2009. I also had a skin tag removed. (I have been dealing with my fissure for over 15 months). I wish I'd found this site sooner!
I have not had a very good recovery. I was told to eat lots of 'soft foods', mainly pasta, and to use metamucil. I did not have a BM for 8 days after surgery and when I did pass, I had the most ungodly spasms! I also re-tore the fissure. This turned into a pattern over the next 3 weeks of constipation, build up, then tearing/spasms/blood. The last serious episode was 2 weeks ago, and it felt like something deep inside was being torn out of me. (sorry to be so graphic!). I bled for two days, and had to wear a pad. I called my CRS, and was told that this is normal (WTF?) and to wait until my check up. I have not had problems with constipation until this surgery, and it took 2 weeks to get my system back on track. After reading through this forum, I completely changed my diet (fruits, veggies and fish/chicken only and no metamucil), and everything is back on track. I take 3 to 4 baths a day, and have a few questions for anyone that is able to answer them:
1. I have read other postings noting the use of vaseline as a barrier. I have been using Neosporin several times a day. Is this bad? It is the only thing I've found that helps soothe my fissure. I have also read that I'm supposed to keep the area dry, but if I don't use the Neosporin, then the area feels like a severe carpet burn. Is Neopsorin okay to use? Or should I bite the bullet and keep the area dry as possible (even if it hurts?).
2. I have severe tickling/itching over the past week. Is this normal? And I'm sorry to be so graphic, but it feels like I have worms! I don't, but I'm just wondering if this is a normal, healing sensation, or if I should be concerned?
3. I am about to be graphic once more, so I'll apologize now, but I have another problem that I haven't seen anyone else mention, and I'm not sure how to address it, but here goes: I think have pelvic floor spasms, too. I spasm when I urinate (ouch!!), and my entire pelvic region feels like it is on fire 24/7. This all started at the same time my fissure started, so it is my theory that the entire area is spasming. Has anyone else had this problem, and if so, is there anything I can do about it?
I know I have more questions, but I just feel overwhelmed by everything. Finding this forum has been wonderful - this type of affliction is not something you can share with co-workers at the watercooler, so it is a comfort to find others who are able to talk openly about what they are going through. Thank you to everyone for sharing!
Thanks,
Dowgirl

Dowgirl,
I cannot answer any of your many questions, but I am sure you will get many responses. This is a wonderful forum where you can discuss most anything, and I wanted to welcome you.
Cheryl

Hi and welcome Dowgirl :)
Sorry to hear about your rough recovery time....
Dowgirl - Did you drink pleny of fluids with the meta ??
The meta bulks out the stool making them larger in size to pass that and not enough water could well be a disaster !
Did you use any stool softener aswell ?
Neosporin is an antibiotic cream , I am sure this would be ok to use – I too have just had skin tag removal and have a slight infection on the wound, I was given similar cream to use but I found too much moisture just made the area itch , I am keeping the area as dry as possible - bathing then blowing my butt with the hairdryer (on cool setting !) !
Do you have any discharge from you tag wound or elsewhere ???
The itching can be considered normal – The healing itch !
But it can also be an indication of infection but there would be other symptoms such as yellow/green discharge, foul smelling, fever.
Your last question I don’t know – you say this started at the time of your fissure
Did you explain these symptoms to your CRS and what did he say ?
Since your LIS do you still have the anal spasms ?

Hi there and welcome,
wow, you're going through a lot, poor you! The LIS is supposed to stop the spasms and they should have stopped immediately after your surgery. I used to get the pelvic floor spasms before my surgery and I do still get them very occasionally, but absolutely nowhere near as badly as before LIS. I think you should maybe check things with your CRS.
The itching could possibly be a reaction to the cream - I became sensitive to Diltiazem and that caused an awful itch. Maybe try not using the cream for a day or so and see if things improve?

Hi and welcome Dowgirl!
The itching could be the cream; typically though, one month out, you should be getting the healing itch simply because the blood flow has now returned to your fissure site and the "healing itch" should appear...I have seen it many times on this board with post LISers. Even if your fissure has retorn, I still think you might get the itch.
Unless you feel you have an infection down there, I don't see the neosporin doing anything.
Are any of the spasms like anal spasms, the fissure-related kind? The LIS should have fixed that from day one, unless the cut wasn't sufficient.
I wonder if a CRS would be of help with pelvic floor spasms? Maybe a urologist or a GP needs to check that out?
Glad you are eating fruit and veggies now -- the "soft" foods here would refer to eating soft-cooked veggies, not pasta!
Hope that others here can steer you well!

Hi Dowgirl -
Welcome to the board! There is so much good information here.
Do you still have spasms post LIS? There is a syndrome where the whole pelvic region spasms and it is called levator ani syndrome. Please do a google search on it. It is sopposed to cause fissures. I know about this syndrome because originally my family doctor thought I had it, but 2 CRS said "No way - I don't have it". I believe there is someone on the board that was diagnosed with it also - erik, I think???
Have you had a follow up yet? What did the CRS say about your healing?
I ate whatever I wanted after surgery because my CRS told me it was important to go back to a normal diet. I stopped all supplements. That was a big mistake! I ended up retaring my fissure and the healing incision site at 2-3 weeks post op. I had my LIS five months ago. Things are 90% better. I do not have spasms now, but I do have occassional problems with scar tissue acting up. If you read some more threads, you will noticed that sometimes it can take up to a year for one to be fully healed after LIS, which my buddies on the board have to remind me all the time! :)
I hope you heal soon! Until then, please feel free to ask me any questions. Everyone's expirience is so different and unique, but you are not alone!
Jen

Isn't it weird how the CRSs tell us to just eat normally and take no supplements! Mine told me that too, and I kept retearing. Now I take the mag and eat a fissure diet it seems better.

Dowgirl to fissureheaven
As you see, a lot of good advice her...I am scheduled for LIS Feburary 23rd so I don't have a lot of post LIS advice yet...
Don't worry about being graphic here
Corsica

Thing is after LIS the fissure still has to heal :roll:
Makes sense to have a helping hand !

Hello everyone!
Thank you soooo much for the replies! It has been a hectic weekend, so I barely had time to read through them, and had to wait until this morning before I could answer.
Cherylk - Thank you for the welcome!!
Tabby- I started using the hair dryer last night (on cool setting - ha ha), and realized after reading your post that I need to increase my water intake. Thanks for the advice.
Val- What is a 'mag' supplement? I'm not taking any supplements, maybe I should?
Kim- Great idea to check with a urologist. I think the 'itch' is from healing, although I have cut way back on the Neosporin and the itch has calmed down considerably.
Jen - Yes, I am still having spams after my BM's, although they are pretty mild this week. I didn't have any noticeable spasms before LIS, so I'm a bit worried about having them now. I'm a bit pissed at my CRS, too, because he acted like this would be a quick and easy procedure, and that I'd be back at work in two days (more like 10 days, though). If it works, and I heal, then all this time recuperating will be worth it, though.
Also, Jen, thank you so much for the information on 'levator ani syndrome'! I have diagnosed myself with about 20 different things over the past year (the internet is a dangerous sword of information), but I have not heard of levator ani, so I will definitely look into it! And it is good to hear you are feeling 90% better after surgery!!
Thank you again to all that replied! I have my follow-up with the CRS this afternoon, so I'll learn more at that point. I think the fissure is healing, though. Fingers crossed!