First of all thanks for creating this forum. It has been great help.

I first experienced AF at the age of 29 (Male) in 2008 and I saw a specialist who gave me some cream which resolved the issue until it came back again in 2009. Again I saw a specialist and he game me some medicine and cream which provided relief.

My another AF episode came back in 2011 it lasted for weeks and it was not going away. Doctor suggested me laser fissurectomy. I just wanted it to end so I opted for it. Fissurectomy was done in 2011 in USA (Phoenix, Arizona) and I felt relief immediately after that. I was again fine for a year or so before AF episode started again towards the end of 2012. It used to appear once in few months and used to last for a week or so. I was somehow managing it.

I had a very bad episode of AF in 2013. I was in south Asia during that time. I went to specialist again and he offered some procedure under local anesthesia to provide me relief on the spot and I was in so much of pain that time I accepted it without thinking. It was such a painful procedure even under local anesthesia. All I remember is he putting some large dilido type object in my anus and moving it. May be doing some kind of anal stretching. While returning home after the procedure I fainted and vomited too. But the procedure provided relief for an another year or so. Before it started appearing again once in a while but I was able to manage it with diet or lifestyle change. I managed it until 2022. During that time I thought I have exhausted all my options and I will have to live my rest of life like that. Those who experienced AF knows that it is one of the worst pain you can have. Idiom "Pain in the Ass" did come from AF only.

My worst and longest episode of AF came in during march 2022 and it never went away. Since then I only had bad day or good day but AF was always there. I had a international vacation for a month during that time but my vacations became hell for me thanks to AF. Due to AF I was unable to focus on work at all half of the day until the pain becomes bearable. I heard about LIS by the time. By September my pain level every day become 10. Life was so focused around BM. I hated BM so much I wish I could live my life without BM. I reached to a breaking point and then I decided to have LIS. I researched for a CRS and found a young but experienced CRS in Houston. He immediately said LIS is the only option now. When I asked him about the chances of incontinence then he said its 0. I booked the slot for LIS next week. Surprisingly they did not ask any bowel preparation even after asking about it. I was only able to empty my bowel 70% before procedure. Surgery was smooth under general anesthesia. I saw so many people getting rectal surgery that day in the hospital. Not sure if they were all having LIS. Surgery experience was not as bad as I thought. In fact I would rate my experience good only.

Today its 5th day after surgery and I am doing good and recovering well. There is some soreness and little pain from incision but there is no horrible fissure pain. I had slight incontinence after surgery but its getting reduced day by day. I am observing around 5% improvement everyday. I am keeping my fingers crossed and hoping for speedy recovery. I just want to leave my fissure episode behind and reclaim my life back. So far everything is good. Few things I observed during my journey with AF.

1. Once you have fissure its highly likely you will keep experiencing over and again until you have any permanent solution which is most likely a surgery.

2. LIS surgery incision is outside your rectum not inside. So its does not give problem in BM as you might think.

3. LIS Surgery is not as bad as some of you are afraid of. Its like a minimal procedure of 10 min.

Let me know if you have nay question.

Today its 15 days after the LIS surgery. I have not faced any fissure pain after the surgery. Pain from incision also very minimal however incision site has not healed yet. BM's are painless right from day 1, however I am having slight leakage 3-4 times a day. Not sure if its coming from inside or from incision site. Since I stay at home therefore I am able to manage it. Hopefully leakage will improve in future. I would any day accept my current condition over fissure spasm pain. Fissure spasm pain is one of the worst pain you can face. I would highly recommend getting LIS if you have chronic fissure.