Had surgery done on the 5th of this month.  LIS + Excision of Skin Tag and Anal Polyp

The procedure was done under spinal anesthesia. They injected something in the spine which numbed out my entire lower half for hours. I was fully conscious during the operation and didn't feel a thing. In just 20 minutes, the doctor came over and said the surgery is done. He said to expect pain for a week to ten days, avoid constipation, take sitz baths and stool softeners. I was put on a course of oral antibiotics (Ofloxacin + Ornidazole) and painkillers (Aceclofenac + Paracetamol) for 5 days. Prior to the surgery, I was on a 12 hour fast (not even liquids) and plenty of stool softeners.

The drive home was a nightmare. The anesthesia was wearing off during the journey. It took an hour through the evening traffic. I also thought I would pass out. Felt dizzy. You better take a close relative or friend with you. I was very lucky my parents were there for me.

This is day 9 after the procedure. Day 1 and 2 were quite painful. The pain on Day 1 especially after the anesthesia wore off was through the roof, even with pain killers. Had a BM on the same day in the late evening (surgery was in the morning). It was largely liquid and I couldn't feel pain. But mind you this is only because I couldn't feel my sphincter. It was the same the second day.

Stools started becoming well formed (as I started taking normal diet - with plenty of fiber of course) from Day 3. That's when BMs started really hurting. BMs were quite painful. The only way to beat the pain was to jump into a sitz bath immediately after the BM. A good 20 minutes in the hot water gave relief. I also tried using Lignocaine gel on the area.  After every BM, I clean the area with plenty of water using the hand shower and dabbing the area with cotton soaked in Betadine, in order to avoid infection.

Went to the post-op review a week ago. The doc looked at the wound and said it looked normal. He said I could discontinue the course of antibiotics and painkillers I was put on after surgery. I could consume fish now and then. But I must continue with the sitz baths and stool softeners. Diet should be high fibre with plenty of fluids.

Everything is OK except the fact that the pain is still there. It is subsiding a little every day but it is still bothersome. I cannot sit upright and spend most of the time lying prone on the bed. It is very different from the sharp localized pain of the fissure. It is more like a generalized soreness in the anal region. I guess I will have to live with this pain for another couple of weeks.

A word of caution for all those considering LIS: it is often written that you can go back to being normal in a few days after the surgery. My experience tells me that this expectation could be misplaced. But then mine was not only just LIS but also included excision of skin tag and anal polyp. Anyway, take your call.

Hope you are doing well, now that you are on day 10 after surgery?

to the Forum!

Well, the healing has been very slow. The Surgical wound has not yet closed. The pain has now become localized to the site of the fissure/skin tag excision. I can still see blood streaks in the stool. There is pain after BMs still. Generally followed by a light spasm for a second or two. But the good thing is that I am off pain killers for three days now. Not needing them.

I am hoping that the healing picks up pace but I have mentally prepared myself to give it atleast 3 weeks. It will be 3 weeks on the 26th of this month. That will be a good point for taking stock of the situation.

Thanks for asking. Means a lot :-)