Hey BB,

thought I'd give a new update. I'm back on the Lactulose now and still going 2-3 times per day. But this doesn't matter any more. It's always soft so not doing any damage.

I *think* things are still improving. Most of the discomfort is coming from inside my bum now - that's where most of the pain used to be - and I'm sure things are getting less uncomfortable. But it's hard to quantify physical sensations, especially a "then and now."

I'm sure my fissure must go literally all the way through from outside up to the Pectinate line. I realise I know very little about my own fissure! Before the surgery I'd not even had an anoscopy. My CRS could see it on the outside but we never did any internal exam. Maybe that was a mistake?

Update - 8 weeks since LIS

Glad to hear things seem to be improving for you Hopeful1. It's so hard to feel confident about healing though isn't it? You feel like any day you could just go back to square one so you don't want to tempt fate. I too am still on Lactulose (just 5ml) and a bunch of other fibre additives. Seems to move things along pretty smoothly so staying on them till I have no pain at all I think. I just have achey feelings after a BM for an hour or two and a pinchy, tweaky pain if I sit for longer than an hour. Sometimes I even forget any of his happened!

I too share a fuzzy lack of knowledge of exactly how big and where my fissure is, Hopeful1. I'm certainly not one of those people who are examining their back end with mirrors every day! Too squeamish to even think about it all most of the time! My CRS also saw my fissure from the outside and did no internal exam until I was under anaesthetic. I guess I might as more questions about it at my follow up appointment but I don't feel it's a problem.

Overall I'm feeling more forward-looking and positive. Actually planning a weekend away for the first time in almost six months. Excited and scared all at once!

Here's to bottom health for us all! BB x

Sounds like things are starting to look up for you brokenbottom!

I'm sure you're looking forward to a weekend getaway without having to stress about the fissure.

BB,

I'm very glad you're still on the upwards trend I have a question though:

How frequently are you taking the Lactulose?

I *was* taking 10ml at night and 5ml in the morning. TMI I'm sure but my 3 toilet visits per day get progressively more runny so I've abandoned the morning dose today to see if that calms things down.

I'm scared to reduce my night 10ml in case that makes things too hard, and feel once bitten twice shy with fibre supplements to counter any reduction!!

Hello Hopeful1!

I'm only taking a little Lactulose - like you I'm scared to stop entirely. I just take 5ml at bedtime and that seems to have the desired effect next morning. I generally go only once a day, thank goodness!

I also take fibre supplements (Fibogel and a pro-biotic thing) plus Dulcoease. Constantly dehydrated from all this though.

Hope things are going OK for you Hopeful1. I've generally been improving but today has been inexplicably painful. No idea why, just hoping tomorrow will be better.

BB x

BB,

Very happy you're still healing. A bit jealous!

There are good days and bad days aren't there? I actually retore my fissure slightly 3 days ago. I was so upset. Had to force a bit to go to the toilet (wasn't hard but only tiny amount and no internal pressure from inside? Was right there but wouldn't shift). That was a bad move, but I had no choice. Thankfully things are calming down a little now and hope each day will be better. No blood, just more uncomfortable again.

To cap it off I've now got a boil on my ass cheek...

So I'm not very happy right now! But I'm able to laugh at my misfortune. So that's a good sign!

Keep fighting

Xxx

PS - Now taking my Lactulose 10ml each morning instead and none at night. This seems to have calmed things down.

Hello H

Well I can identify with how you're feeling - been sore all day today thanks to an only very slightly tricky BM this morning. Sigh. Nothing like before the surgery but it feels like I'll never be done with this thing sometimes.

Hope you're feeling better soon, boil and all!

BB x

Just an update, the boil is slowly going! Been on penicillin to clear it and it's doing its job. Might be another week+ though.

In other news, I am ready to officially declare that I'm fully recovered from the operation. It's getting much easier to sit and drive, and that's great. However, the fissure is still very much present.

Some of my symptoms seem to be improving. It's now virtually painless to poo and occasional involuntary tensing of the muscles post-defection now results in an almost 'normal' sensation. Whatever that is. Who can remember?

Other symptoms remain with little noticeable improvement. Occasional sharp pain from deep inside (although it's hard to pinpoint) and frequent annoying prickly and sharp pains from within the anal canal.

I always had an unpleasant dull prickly, rubbing sensation from inside, at about the Pectinate line, that would make me want to tense up in defence. That was actually my most annoying symptom pre-treatment. When stool is ready to exit, I imagine it pressing against something there. This still remains, but has reduced in intensity. But this could be due to the regular soft movements. I'd love to know if anyone else had this symptom! This is what makes me think I might have an unnoticed internal fissure as well .
Either that or my fissure (1cm in length, according to notes) just extends far enough to be irritated by stool before defacation. I just don't know.

I'm going to declare the LIS a failure. I'm giving it until the 4 month mark before I go back to my CRS and seek further investigation. Tbh this is a relief, no more worrying about will it-won't it. Knowing I can seek further treatment if required at least gives me some hope

Here I am just over six months on from LIS. Generally things have been OK. I'm living a normal life and can sit for reasonably long periods of time. I only dared come of the stool softener about a month ago and things have generally worked fine since then.

I don't feel the same as before the op though. My urgency when I need to go is much greater and I'm still very reliant on wipes for cleaning up afterwards. Don't think I could just use normal dry paper. It I sit for too long I feel tweaky and a bit numb when I stand up.

I had hoped to post a totally positive post at this stage but over the past week or so I've had blood twice in my stools, followed by discomfort for the rest of the day. Obviously in the scheme of things this is nothing like I endured before but it's scary. Has anyone else has anything like that while they've been healing after LIS? I'd be really grateful to hear what others have experienced.

Happy bottom health to everyone!