LIS did nothing

LIS did not work, caused urgency

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LIS did nothing

Postby caf1988 » 13 May 2016, 16:15

Hello - did anyone else feel like LIS just didn't do anything for them? Other than urgency issues (possibly also caused by Miralax, prunes and flax seed/ fiber intake) I don't have incontinence. I felt like my fissure healed 1 week after the surgery but 3 weeks after it retore and 1 week after that (today) it retore again, both times from harder than normal stool (still not that bad). I noticed even if the BM is softer, they have all been massive since surgery, which is odd because I have been eating sparringly. Before surgery, if I kept things soft it would heal only to retear when I started ovulating and right before menstruating each month. I know there is a strong hormonal component to the fissure. My CRS thinks I"m insane and that my fissure is not retearing, but I know a retear. Of course, there is no spasm, so its not the same kind of pain, but it will sting and burn in the fissure area again after these movements. No blood. Is this a retear? Will I just never heal? It looks that way. I am in my upper 20s and have lost almost a year to this issue. I constantly want to die because I know I will never get better. I stopped going out and socializing. Even if the pain is better now, the fissure is clearly not healed, so LIS did not work. Now I just have 2 cuts in my anus instead of 1 and I have to rush to the bathroom or lose control of my bowels. I am literally in hell. Is there any way the can undo this? I want my sphincter back so I'm not "on the verge" of shitting myself if I can't find a toilet on time for those huge morning movements that force their way out of me. My life is almost like scary Cronenburg film and I've lost a lot of my will to go on. Please let me know if I can undo the surgery or if my sphincter will ever "bounce back". I travel for a living and can't even leave the house now.
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Re: LIS did nothing

Postby Hopeful1 » 19 May 2016, 06:22

Caf1988,

I'm sorry your recovery is proving so awful.

From what I've read elsewhere, your sphincter will *never* completely regain its previous strength. But after about a year, it will have regained some or most of its tone.

Your 'incontinence' issues, although problematic, may be being caused by the stool softeners that you're presumably still taking this soon after surgery. I had LIS on 17th March and I'm still on them. Getting the balance right is difficult. Until you return to a normal diet without softeners - which I wouldn't advise until you've *completely* healed - your urgency issues may very well continue.

Personally, I seem to have incontinence to gas, but not poo. Luckily I've not had to properly hold one in so I don't actually know how things would turn out in that situation...

I don't think you are "retearing" as such, but it's probably irritating your fissure that is still in the process of healing. I'm going through the same thing. I'm going for a shit 3 times a day and it's doing my head in. Before surgery I was a once-a-day man. Although my poo is soft each time, 3 times a day is too often and is irritating my fissure too much. This morning, for example, was annoying painful afterwards. It feels like one step forward two steps back some days. But overall, I know I'm healing. It's been just over 2 months.

These fissures take bloody ages to heal. And I'm like you. Some days it just feels like it's NEVER going to heal. But we have to remain positive and not dwell on the negative aspects and how long we'll be going through this. It's stressful and upsetting, but we will get through this.

Just remain hopeful that your urgency issues will go after you're off the softeners.

I hope I'm helping in some way.
Haemorrhoids: for about 8 years - lived with it
Rubber Band Ligation: Spring 2015
Anal Skin Tag Removal: Summer 2015 (missed sentinel pile)
Fissure diagnosed: Aug/Sep 2015
GTN unsuccessful
LIS: 17 March 2016
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Re: LIS did nothing

Postby Hopeful1 » 19 May 2016, 10:52

P.S - you may want to experiment with your diet. If you're producing massive stools then your diet may contain too much insoluable fibre. Just a thought. Try different things and see if you notice a difference.

I've found that I/we can't rely on softeners alone. Even with them, diet and water intake is also extremely important.

P.P.S - I'm no expert, but I'd recommend giving up the flaxseed. It's no substitute for proper fibre containing foods.

In my struggle to sort my diet in the days before surgery I found it an absolute nightmare trying to find a system that worked. In the end we shouldn't need high fibre supplements because our regular diet should really be enough.
Haemorrhoids: for about 8 years - lived with it
Rubber Band Ligation: Spring 2015
Anal Skin Tag Removal: Summer 2015 (missed sentinel pile)
Fissure diagnosed: Aug/Sep 2015
GTN unsuccessful
LIS: 17 March 2016
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Re: LIS did nothing

Postby caf1988 » 19 May 2016, 23:34

Hi Hopeful1 ~ thanks so much for the reply! people on this board have really helped me. I am amazed that such a tiny cut on my anus could literally disrupt my entire life (I teach abroad for a living and eating too much white rice in asia is how I got this thing I think) and drag me into a pit of despair.

I had my one month yesterday and have been having fissure and incision site pain on and off but he checked it and said fissure is GONE (?), incision site is healing nicely, and that the pain/ itching might be scar tissue. Idk, if i have a hard movement or work out too much it feels a bit like a retear still, but doesn't last long so I guess its ok. i'm just still so sore down there but I kind of just ignore it and get on with my life.

Also, I stopped Miralax and Citrucel. I am sure the Citrucel was pushing it fiber-wise, making things worse. The miralax lost effectiveness so I thought why not. while I was at it, I cut out my morning Weetabix - HUGE difference! Now I'm having softer, normal BMs. I think I might actually have a gluten intolerance. I was on some weird raw-food/ gluten free kick years ago and I felt pretty good on it, but never believed all the gluten-free propaganda. Now, on my diet of mostly steamed veggies, fruits, and GF grains, I might be a believer. Things are looking up for now! I hope they stay that way!
(my incontinence issue also is MUCH better and the CRS said my tone was still very tight so that's good in a way)

Another thing, I bought this travel bidet off amazon.com which I use with/ without wipes for on the go clean up. Such a life saver, so comfortable. I recommend this for everyone, I think "Brondell" makes it.
caf1988
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