I had a fissure in July 2015 - very bad, when I was on holidays. It was a hard, large stool, probably due to dehydration.

I got home, saw my doctor and was put on diltiazem cream. I was also told to up water intake, start metamucil and use stool softeners, which I do.

The metamucil doesn't work much - I never had much of an issue with bulk or softness before the fissure. I am now only doing stool softeners and my stools are smaller/thinner than on metamucil (which is good), but I still get pain, irritation and some bleeding.

I saw a surgeon a few weeks ago who said there's some scar tissue, no internal hemorroids, and my options were to do nothing, do botox or do LIS.

I can't afford botox, it's not covered here. So LIS is the only option.

I'm TERRIFIED.

I don't have horrific pain or anything, just irritation, occasional blood and just not feeling right. Nothing I've done has helped, but I don't know if this is severe enough to warrant surgery. I've never had surgery in my life, I'm terrified of it. I was told I'd be out completely, there was a risk of incontinence (low), but I am so scared that will be the outcome.

I suffer from anxiety and depression already. If this surgery were to cause incontinence there is NO WAY I could handle it. But I also can't handle dealing with the possibility of a new or re-aggravated fissure every time I go to the bathroom.

I feel like I've lost my life. I don't know if I should just suck it up and deal or have the surgery. I don't know if I should try other things like coconut oil or some other cream - I just feel stuck and sad and alone right now.

Sorry for your suffering. It`s always good to ask for second opinion prior to doing the operation. Some fissures close by themselves by just applying ointments like Rectogesic or Diltiazem that loosen up the anal muscles to promote healing.
If you go for operation go for the best doctor you can possibly find - I had a couple of operations already with fissure reopening again and again and only the last one managed to close the wound it seems.

I had a very successful LIS surgery 13 months ago, but it took me many years to get to that point. If you have only had this issue since July of last year, it might be best to keep trying the less invasive measures, and postpone the surgery until you are at a point when you are in pain all of the time and the conservative measures have repeatedly failed. Good luck with your healing and your decision.

If you're saying "I don't have horrific pain or anything" then it seems to me that you'd be crazy to have LIS. Work on your diet, stress levels etc first and see how that goes. Good luck!

fraidycat wrote:I don't have horrific pain or anything, just irritation, occasional blood and just not feeling right. Nothing I've done has helped, but I don't know if this is severe enough to warrant surgery. I've never had surgery in my life, I'm terrified of it. I was told I'd be out completely, there was a risk of incontinence (low), but I am so scared that will be the outcome.

I suffer from anxiety and depression already. If this surgery were to cause incontinence there is NO WAY I could handle it. But I also can't handle dealing with the possibility of a new or re-aggravated fissure every time I go to the bathroom.

I feel like I've lost my life. I don't know if I should just suck it up and deal or have the surgery. I don't know if I should try other things like coconut oil or some other cream - I just feel stuck and sad and alone right now.

I also think the best plan might be to take the surgeon's first option and for the time being do nothing - and then maybe work on some of the negative feelings you mention in your post. It may feel as though you had lost your life, but you haven't - that's the fissure talking. My own belief is that a certain amount - maybe even a large amount - of the suffering in AF is psychological, perhaps because AF hits us in our most sensitive and unprotected place. Anyway, here's wishing you a speedy improvement. And as one who is also terrified of surgery, i can tell you that you are certainly not alone.