Hello all,
I am a 21 year old male who has been suffering from an anal fissure for the past 9 months. A little background about myself:
I developed this fissure one morning after a hard/large stool and I won't ever forget the feeling of tearing/burning as I was passing it in the process. It was horrible. I had to jump in the shower right away to relieve the discomfort/pain. Thinking it was hemorrhoids because I've had them before, I thought nothing of it and waited a month and a half before even thinking about going to the doctor. A month and a half later, I decided that I needed to get checked out because I noticed 2 tiny skin tags near the opening by my tailbone so I went to my GP. During this time, I had mucus discharge and it was very worrying. She performed a digital rectal exam and everything looked okay to her...I didn't buy it though because I had constant pain/discomfort with mucus discharge so I did some research and scheduled an appointment with a local CRS. Long story short, my experience was horrible with him. I went to him 2 times and was prescribed Diltiazem 2% ointment. After 3 months of creams, high fiber diet, and drinking lots of water each day, nothing has helped. I have felt A LOT better in the past 3 or 4 months since this all started, but I have one problem that keeps occuring: It is hard for me to keep clean after a bowel movement. I have to use moistened toilet paper with warm water and have to use half a roll, if not more, toilet paper after each movement. I am for the most part regular and keep my stools relatively soft, but keeping clean has been an issue for me. I would have to go in the shower afterwards to finally get everything clean down there. I have not been in excruciating pain for the past 3 or 4 months. What troubles me the most is the fact that I cannot clean up fast after a bowel movement. I recently switched to a different CRS who is very reputable in the area and have recieved a second opinion from a Chief Colo-rectal surgeon based out of Great Neck, NY. Turns out, I do in fact need a fissurectomy and POSSIBLE sphincterotomy, along with an internal hemorrhoid to be zapped out. I am EXTREMELY nervous about this procedure being done because of all of the horror stories that I have read on the internet. Sorry to keep this post long, but has ANYONE out there had a similar experience that I have had? From what I know, the built up scar tissue is the main problem why it's taking me "a longer than normal" time to clean up after a bowel movement. Some fecal matter is getting trapped from what I understand which causes slight leakage. I am just nervous that by having this surgery, it'll make matter worse. The fecal discharge isn't THAT bad but it's enough to make me feel uncomfortable. I haven't used a public bathroom in months because of the fact that I need warm water/sometimes a shower after a bowel movement.
I am scheduled for surgery for next Friday and could really use some peace of mind. Being a 21 year old full time college student who works too, it is very troubling for me. I am scared, nervous, and anxious about the whole procedure. If someone could talk to me, it would be greatly appreciated. I will update you all during my surgery and let you know how I am doing when I am recovering.
Thanks so much in advance,
a very scared 21 year old