things have been manageable and relatively pain-free in the last couple weeks, and i've tried to keep my dose of MOM to 1 tablespoon instead of 2. my BMs are really mushy as i've described before, never formed at all. i don't know if the fissure is healed yet, but i'm not taking any risks of re-tear witha normal poo as long as i'm not having pain now... i'm still super concerned about relying on MOM long-term. i want to try to stop taking it everyday in the next couple months. but, i feel like i'll need some kind of lubrication or something to make a normal poo easier to pass after so long. maybe that will minimize the pain of re-stretching my sphincter around a normal poo.
how many of you use or have ever used artificial lubrication before a BM? i remember reading posts about this, but i'm not sure what kind to use. just regular KY vaginal lube? also, any of you who have used MOM or miralax regularly, how did you manage to wean yourself off it and have normal poos w/o re-tearing? thanks for any advice!!

I have been using aloe vera gel to lubricate before a bowel movement. But, haveing been to the CRS today, he advised against any chemicals at all there and the aloe vera has just a few additives in it. So I would guess that KY is best. I think it does help yes, especially at this stage.
Definitaly not Vaseline as this can harbour bacteria.

I use KY jelly first and then a little A&D ointment as a protectorant. It helps to occlude the fissure. You can find it in the baby aisle. Make sure you get the regular formula and not the one with zinc oxide if you decided to try it.

Juney how are you doing?? I use A&D too, also I still use Nefedipine cream and that helps alot. I also use Nupercanial cream. My CRS said continue using my creams and they seem to help.
Patty

i'm doing ok patty, just hanging in there and keeping up with my MOM. i haven't used the prescribed creams since before my first surgery last May. I never had the spasming pain so the creams didn't seem to help anything. Besides, i threw the bottle away after my first surgery, thinking that was gonna be the miracle cure. sighh. i've never heard of A&D but i'll have a look around next time i'm at rite-aid. i've also never heard of nupercanial, is this something you put inside to help with spasms?
i'll probably try KY when i eventually decide to cut back on MOM. thanks for your advice guys!

Hi Juney,
Glad to hear that your pain is gone : )) ! Go off your regiment very slowly when you decide to do so because your derriиre is now used to ultra soft poo. If I were you I would cut MOM by half tea spoon every week to see results. I was too eager to go of MOM and mineral oil when my fissure healed first time around because I lost so much weight and was going 5x a day to the bathroom due to all those laxatives . Three weeks after, medium soft poop opened my fissure again : (. BUT, from the other side, I had spasming problem and it definitely contributed to reopening too.
Just go slowly - I would just HATE to hear that you are in pain again after all that you went through : ((. Don't forget to add extra natural fibers as you decrease MOM, so it will balance each other.

XOXO