Hello everyone this is what i posted in the LSI topics first but later learned i had a Fistula surgery so I am actually talking about the Fistula surgery here instead of the LSI. I just wanted to move it to a more appropriate area.

I had my first Fistula surgery yesterday after battling with fissures for about 4 years. I am scared to death of about everything that has to deal with me health along with needles and etc. The prep for the surgery with the IV went great as i am usually a mess but I stayed calm and all went well. I think there was a cyst or something as well that he took care of while he was doing the fissure I think is what the wife told me. I am waiting on the nurse to call back as I had a few questions. I was pretty constipated before the surgery and the two enemas i took 2hrs prior to the surgery did not do much and I am post surgery now and waiting on my first bowel movement. I know it has only been two days since my last BM but I am wondering how I can hurry up this process. I started taking mirilax one time last night and one time so far today. Nothing is happening yet. I have been doing the sitz bath with one that goes over the toilet and have done a couple in the bath tub. I would prefer to do it in the bath tub but I figure it may increase the chance of infection doing it in the tub vs the stiz bath over toilet. I cleaned and bleached the tub but that is a bit of a chore every time. Here is a couple questions for you all.

Would you prefer bath tub over sitz bath on toilet?
How ofter should i be taking Mirilax?
I don't use the pain meds that often just because I am afraid of it messing with my stomach more. I was just diagnose with silent reflux so i have been on nexium for about a week and thinking that medication is causing my constipation it seems.

Anyway i am a worry wart and just trying to keep a positive attitude on all this. It has gone good so far and I just need to quite worrying about the small stuff.

Well I guess I was in the dark on this one. I called the surgeons office and asked them about the procedure and the nurse says that all he done was a Fistulotomy because of a Fistula. I was supposed to be having the LIS but she only thinks that he done the Fistulotomy but wont know until the full report comes in on Friday. This is kind of irritating but i guess i should of had the wife take notes so she would have remembered what they said but she is not good at listening to these type of things because it makes her a little woozy. So I guess i don't know what i am trying to recover from.

Hi Mikeymike,
I can't be much help as I never had surgery, but I wanted to say hi and welcome, and I hope your recovery goes well and quickly!

I did remove those posts you wanted removed (duplicates of your posts above).

Wouldn't it be great if the doctors wrote down everything you need to know, so that you or your wife don't have to remember and try to understand when you are woozy or under stress. It won't be long before you get the full report though, so try to relax.

About your BMs, if you did a cleanse before the operation, you won't have any BMs for a day or two - your guts are basically empty, so don't worry too much. They will come! As for miralax, it's a bit of trial and error. It may take a few days to get the right dose. Drink plenty of water in the meantime.

I don't know about sitz vs full bath. I hated both, but sitz would be less clean up. It's probably just a matter of preference.

Anyway, good luck with it all, and I hope you feel better.

Take the Miralax according to the package instructions. It is not an overnight fix, it takes a few days before it starts working. Drink lots lots of water while taking it.

I take 1 long full bath a day and 2 sitz baths on the toilet, I read during sitz bath, lol, and all the best

I prefer a full bath. Don't own a sitz bath but I think it would put pressure on the area for me and be uncomfortable and maybe even harmful.

I split my stool softener up and take some with each meal. Everyone is different but I personally think that the morning dose is the most important in order to soften everything that will follow.

Sorry to hear about the confusion you have been put through. I hope you find some answers soon. Are you in a lot of pain?

The pain is not real bad as I haven't been taking any pain meds because I don't want to get anymore constipated. I was constipated before the surgery and didn't get anything out when I did the enemas. I am going to try and go to work today but I sit at a desk all day so I don't know if I can make it all day sitting in the chair. I really think that the nexium that the other doctor started me on is causing constipation. Anyway you all have a good day

I was worried about sitting in the tub too, but then it occurred to me that the sitz bath would be even less hygienic, because you'd be sitting in a smaller amount of water, and any poop that was floating around (that came off your bottom) would be more concentrated and would stay right near your bum hole. At least any remains from your movements would mostly float further away in a full tub. I also didn't like the sitz position at all, and even though a full bath was a lot more work, fully undressing and dressing again afterward, I had the full four per day that were recommended by my CRS and healed very well after my LIS.

And could the person you spoke with on the phone be wrong about your surgery? Maybe you had the LIS after all? It will be interesting to find out for sure when you see the surgeon for your follow up.

On my release paper says to call for an appointment for 3 weeks only if needed. I will call them tomorrow when they have the full report. Anyway I have great news! I had my first BM about a hour ago. Yeah! It went very smooth. I am at work today sitting on this bum as i am a engineer i sit here all day and am wondering since i am not at home I cant do the sitz bath after the bowel movement and worry about getting infection. Can it wait until i get home? I did use baby wipes and was very gentle.

Oh that is great. A smooth BM after surgery - hooray! Congratulations!

I can tell you I should have stayed home one more day instead of going to work yesterday. It was a rough after about 3 hrs of sitting there. I still cant get any info on what they actually did to me. All the nurse says is that they did the Fistula surgery and he didnt write anything down about he LIS. She couldnt tell me anything about the surgery on how big or bad it was. It is a little frustrating! I understand that they have a lot of paper work that they have to fill out is what my sister says. She used to be a nanny for one of the top colon/rectal surgeons in Dallas and says the amount of paper work they have to fill out is rediculous. I would just like to know what I am trying to heal down there. I cant really see it myself and i dont want to ask the wife to look. The wife told me that when he came out to tell her that they were done with the surgery he said he cut open the Fistula and drained it. I will just wait and see.

Should I be taking a stool softener pill or just miralax? And how often?