Hello all,
Thank God for this place and thank you in advance for your advice. I am 10.5 weeks post op (anal abcess repair, also a 2 inch long and 1/4 inch wide fissure repair as well as a thrombosed hemorrhoid surgery). I have lost 40 pounds but am staying steady (had it to lose) now. I don't eat any dairy (other than a little lowfat butter on veggies), meats other than minimal fish, chicken and tuna, no spicy or sharp foods. I eat oatmeal, cooked veggies and fruit (nothing heavily acidic). I eat mashed potatoes (homemade with a little butter), brown rice and wild rice and high fiber breads with peanut butter for fat and protein. I take Metamucil in the morning and at night. I drink lots of water everyday.
Here is my problem.... I still hurt having bowel movements nearly 10.5 weeks later.
My bowel movements are generally soft but still very painful. I am not taking valium although my surgeon wants me to. I am back at work but it hurts so much to sit there despite the donuts and pillows. I don't take the valium for fear of constipation which I have had and don't even want to go there again. I could if I took the Senekot again but then wouldn't be able to comfortably work, not to mention the too frequent bowel movements. My next surgeon appt. is in January. Last time she looked I was healing from the outside okay but she can't look inside until I heal some more (January).
No blood or if so minimal only occasionally. I am scared to death mainly due to the sitting problems and pain while having a bowel movement this late in the game. If I hear patience from the surgeon one more time, I think I will scream. I understood hearing that for awhile but now I just feel hopeless and like it will always be this way.
Also, it hurts into my vagina after a bowel movement. The whole area down below (back and front) just aches. I am trying everything I can think of but by the time Friday gets here, I am absolutely drained. Sitz baths help and I take them as often as I can.Any thoughts? Should it still hurt this much later to poop and sit????
your surgeon could be right, more patience is required, 10.5 weeks is very early on to be honest, I would be aiming at 6-8 months possibly.
so much for your comments and no Steve... won't scream at you. :D I know you are both right. When there is pain day after day after day, you just get down and feel like it will never end. 6 - 8 months....Wow! I have a feeling you may be right though Steve. There is nothing quick about this no matter how "good" you are. Dawn, valium constipates me. Maybe not anyone else. Can you believe it! At least I could use it to calm down, if nothing else. Ha! I use Metamucil twice a day. Isn't Metamucil a stool softener? What would you suggest for a milder stool softener that one can still take with Metamucil? I like the results of Metamucil and it is one thing has stood the test of time for me. If I could find something gentler than Senekot maybe I could take some valium for the spasms. Yes, sweet Dawn... I am wore out mentally and physically. One good thing is that I am learning that healthy food, a beneficial walk and a good digestive system is definitely worth it... Again, you guys rock and thank you! 
Steve and Dawn are right (they are so wise!). You reallly had a lot done, so it's not really surprising that you are still in pain. Even so, that really sucks! It sounds like you are doing everything right. Have you tried Miralax? That seems to be the favorite stool softener among the boardies here, and it seems to go well with Metamucil too (although lots of us found Metamucil a bit rough on the system, and it can make the stool a bit too bulky for some of us too). Miralax gave me the perfect poos. They were so lovely, I wanted to brag about them to my friends and neighbours. :D Another thing that helped me a lot was Robaxacet. It's a muscle relaxant and a painkiller. It really helped take the edge off the pain form me, and I haven't read anything about it being constipating. 