Hi everyone! If you're here, I'm sorry. :) I've checked this site out several times over the years. I'm a female, 45 years old, 3 adult fabulous sons, and have had fissure issues since my oldest (now nearly 25) was born. Usually they went away....but it's never been "cured". The most recent issue prior to my current situation occurred approximately 3 years ago. I was moving across country and had a major fissure issue after going through a colonoscopy and a couple of rough exams for digestive issues (colonoscopy came back ok - was worried since I have a family history of colon cancer and hems). I was prescribed Diltiazem, and was very worried as I was moving to be with my fiancé and had no job or insurance lined up. I made the move, and thankfully, the fissure resolved with the medication.
Fast forward 3 years to January 2018. Major bout of constipation (my diet went downhill and I always avoid going #2 during the workday...bad idea) brought back the fissure with a vengeance. I thought it was a hem and went to my GP (I since acquired a great job with amazing insurance benefits). She stated that I did in fact have a fissure, and I was again prescribed Diltiazem. I resisted seeing a specialist; I wanted to deal with this myself again and wish it away. The Diltiazem and baths did nothing. I finally saw a colorectal surgeon on Monday, who examined me for two minutes and immediately noted that I had not one but TWO fissures, one severe. She said I could try remedicating OR she could perform LIS surgery on me this week! She stated she has done 900 of them, and the surgery was a two minute procedure, and having dealt with these issues for years, I had read enough to realize I had a chronic fissure situation and I said YES. I immediately was scheduled for LIS surgery and two days later, was in the hospital for surgery.
WEDNESDAY (SURGERY DAY): My experience with that: work was great and had no trouble allowing me the time off. My dr. said I could have surgery Wed. and be back to work Mon. NO WAY - I took two weeks off. There was no bowel prep - I simply could not eat after midnight, and could not drink anything after 7 a.m. (surgery scheduled for 4 p.m.) I checked in to the hospital with my fiancé and was hooked up to IVs and monitors. Due to being scheduled late in the day and emergencies taking precendence, I was stuck in a bed waiting and dreading the surgery for FIVE HOURS, finally getting surgery 3 days ago, Wed p.m. at 8 p.m. I was wheeled to the OR by kind staff and was knocked totally out. I woke up shortly later with massive pain in my butt in the recovery room. I cried a bit, but I was ok. I think part of the issue was, I was lying flat on my back, not the ideal position for recovery from this type of surgery. I stayed that way for about an hour, was out of it, and was given a pain shot which immediately helped. I was given a Kotex to sit on and was informed gauze was packed in my behind and could be removed the next day. I was SO scared about a BM. I went home, and ate a little watermelon and soup and took a laxative, and fell into a deep sleep.
THURSDAY: Fiance picked up my Vicodin. I'm not a fan of painpills, but man, did I need it. The pain wasn't as terrible as I feared, but I was feeling it. I ate very carefully...spinach and blueberry smoothie, soup, Metamucil, fruit, stool softeners, and Milk of Magnesia at bedtime. No BM, which was my biggest fear! I took a couple of baths, and the gauze came out. I did black out at one point and my fiancé had to catch me as I walked down the stairs from my bath. Very dizzy. Wore Kotex but not much coming out.
FRIDAY: Improving. Fiance went back to work and I was left home with the dogs, one of who decided to poo and pee everywhere and I was in no condition to clean it up! I shut my bedroom door until fiancé came home at lunch to clean it lol. Pain pills continued. I tried to cut back to Advil, but found Vicodin most effective. Continued high fiber diet and LOTS I mean LOTS of water. BM happened TWICE! Painful yes, but less blood than prior to surgery, shockingly enough! Friends delivered flowers which improved my moods! Milk of Magnesia prior to bed. No need for Kotex.
SATURDAY: (Today) Woke up early for BM - used my new "squatty potty" - wow what a world of difference helping to fully go! I'm in love! Have taken pain pills today again. Managed to walk with fiancé to the mailbox - very slowly - felt itchy and in pain so that's it for today. Drinking lots of water. Put on soft "clothes" today vs. nightgown. Still getting dizzy and weak, so sticking to my bed relaxing and being a princess today. Fiance wants us to visit friends who are in town tomorrow night; I don't know if I will be up to it.
SO - my plan is to stick to my high fiber, no meat diet. I see now how horrible my diet was in relation to fissures. I had been on a "keto" diet full of processed meat and cheese, wow, horrible, I'm pretty healthy and fit overall and I DID lose a few pounds on that...but at what cost! My mother had Stage 3 breast cancer and RECOVERED by going vegan...so that's my plan for the most part, feeding my body HEALTHY stuff not crap! I have been eating plenty of healthy foods and I'm already down 7 pounds in a week. Fiance said he sees it in my midsection! I can't wait to be healed and get back to working out...I will be fit for my wedding next year in no time.
Long story short - it's too soon to see how this surgery will pan out. I'm very hopeful I will be "Fixed" and can return to normal life. I will check in and keep everyone posted. I just wanted to let you all know, if you are considering this surgery and your fear is holding you back - I'm a HUGE baby, and I did it, and I'm not fully 3 days post-op and can still say I'm doing FINE and it's not that bad~