Hey Everyone,
First off, Savaici I hope you still read this thread and am so curious as to whether or not the Cleavland Clinic helped you or not. I've done some research and I'm looking into going there, but don't want to waste my money either as I'm Canadian so it would be completely out of pocket for me. Please let us know!!!
For me, MM I've had 2 sphincterectomies. Now I have permanent minor bowel leakage post bms. Not pleasant whatsoever. Its just a bit, but scared it will get worse as I age. There are several others on this board that have the same problem too :(The crs swore he'd cure my pressure/pain problems. NOT! I had my last appt with him 2 weeks ago and he told me I'd have to live like this. I'm pretty pissed at him and if I could've kicked him in the ass I would have. Instead I left his office sobbing. I'm a fighter and not giving up. Even though bm's are soft, they are still quite painful. I do not have a fissure anymore, but still feel like I do.
I've had over 70 sessions of pfd massage/electro galvanic stim and it has only helped about 25%. As soon as I stop going it returns full fledged. I give up on that....
After waiting 1.5 years, I finally got into a pain clinic. They prescribed gabapentin (300 mg nightly) and lorazepam .5 X twice daily. I'm also using anusol with HC 2X daily. Not overly effective, but do feel somewhat less tension.
I'm waiting to get into a pelvic pain clinic in Toronto (Mt. Sanai) in 3 weeks. Hopefully I'll get the funding to go. I'm waiting on this, and the suspense is getting to me. My appointment is with Dr. A Gordon, neurologist. I'm going to ask if I could possibly have pudendal neuralgia.
Recently, I have done a lot more reseach on this, particularly levator ani syndrome, which according to the CRS I have. Other things that may be effective are: trigger point injections with trichlorine (sp.) and lidocaine mix, steroid injections, botox A, nerve blocks and if pn, possibly a pn surgery. One of the papers I read on line was from the Cleavland Clinic so I am very curious if they helped Savaici.
I believe my problem stemmed from my pubic symphysis becoming misaligned after birth and developping osteitis pubis. Shortly after my injury, like mm, I developped hemms and fissures. The puberectalis (sp) muscle which is part of the levator ani group connects to the pubic symphysis. I have yet to get one of my "wonderful" doctors appreciate this. I still suffer from op, recently diagnosed with endometriosis and have constant tension/pressure up the arse. Clearly everything is feeding off each other. I know I'll get better one day.... I'm just exhausted though with the crappy Canadian system and having to fight for referrals and then getting nowhere.
To answer your question mm, I don't know if fissure surgery is your answer. Have you tried botox? I would definently try botox first as it isn't permanent. I had asked for that from my jackass CRS and he told me he didn't believe in it. I should have ran, but I didn't. I had waited almost a year to see him, and didn't want to wait another year to get into another one. Now I have to pay that consequence for the rest of my life. In fact, I believe botox would help me, but I doubt I'll be able to get it now due to the leakage issue. I'm pretty upset about this if you can't tell. I'm really hoping I can get the lidocaine and trich (sp) mix instead now. I pray everyone has found relief or does so soon. One of the theories of Levator Ani is inflammation, which is why the medicated trigger points may work. I get non-medicated trigger points in the adductors for my pubic symphysis pain and it brings great relief, so I am quite optimistic that this may be my answer. Now to find someone to do that for me is another story. MM have you tried horticortisone? I'm really hoping there will be several replies here!!!! Sorry if there is lots of typeouts, I'm in a hurry right now....

I have always suspected that my two fissurectomies and LIS last September have led to my current pelvic floor issues and coccyxdynia. I have seen numerous consultants, doctors and complimentary medics but have only just after 6 months been diagnosed with a "lump" of muscle spasm in the levator ani muscle. I begin trigger point release therapy this week which I know will be painful. I really need to hear some positive feedback of success stories with this method. My symptoms are mostly constant burning rectal pain, on one side and problems sitting down due to pain in buttocks. Surely I can't be alone with this although that is how I have felt for so many months.