hi nancy,
i hope you find some peace with all this. what may seem impossible, sometimes has a way of becoming possible - such as your stress level.
i can't imagine having to deal with your children, husband, work, your regular stuff all on top of having to deal with this nagging and very crippling (mentally, emotionally, physically, socially) condition.
i guess what i am trying to get at is if you can allow/give yourself some peace during the day it will go a long way.
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i would definitely think the colonoscopy would be a great thing to get done. i have never had a manomotry. perhaps these two things would be the next logical step rather than having another LIS done - wait and see what these exams tell you.
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for what it is worth, i used macrobiotics and in a month's time, my LIS and fistulotomy were cancelled and i just got a colonoscopy. everything was fine.
it's been a bit over a year now and all is well.
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what helped me too was:
1. squatting over the toilet when having a BM
2. blowdrying the butt after a shower and then adding palmers cocoa butter for moisturizer and protection
3. using baby wipes - my fav is charmin's freshmates
4. avoid soap and witch hazel on your anus
good luck.

Hello Happyass-
Nice to meet you. Thanks for all of the tips. What is your thought on my getting a colonoscopy, especially now that this fissure is re-torn. I'm freaked out! Can't imagine being up all nigt prepping for it. Did you have a recurring fissure, or was yours a one time deal? I was saying yesterday that I get a little discouraged and upset reading about everybody's experiences. Alot are very disheartening...horror stories...scares me...then I feel sick!

well nancy,
everyone's story has been truly unique here on the board but we can all relate to the pain and suffering that the fissure provides to each of us.
i think over a period of close to four years, i am sure i had my fissure heal only to be retorn again and then things got worse when it was just a constant horror every day of going to the toilet or even wanting to go see a movie at the theater. i don't even know how i went to work honestly. my fissure was always in the same spot.
and then to make matters worse, a fistula was seen nearby. but that is a story for another day.
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i think the colonoscopy would be a good way to rule out other possibilities and it will also give the doc a good look beyond the anal muscle.
i had the colonoscopy done because i was getting to scared and worked over that maybe this fissure thing was a sign of cancer because i was bleeding more than i wanted to. i am more of a worry-wart so once i get something in my mind, it's hard to let it go.
there are many types of preps out there so you can definitely ask your doc about them. i would suggest to use vaseline on the day of your prep to help protect your fissure once you start going to the toilet.
my prep was actually the easiest thing. i was more scared of getting on that table in the OR.
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i know it's hard to read these stories and some how not internalize them into what you are going through right now.
it's just good to sometimes read and see what tips you can pick up and just leave the rest behind.