Oh my gosh, I just wrote the longest post ever and by the time I hit "Post" it said I needed to log in again and then everything was lost. GAAAAH!
I don't have time to write my whole story out again right now, so I can write the details again later, and maybe just do a short summary and some questions. So please excuse the briskness.
28 year old woman. Fissure for 5.5 years. Minor (I don't have spasms). So its enough to get by in life, but I am in general miserable.
Started just adjusting my diet away from major triggers, mostly just coffee, and upping my fibre with Metamucil
Tried Dilatizem. Felt soo good while taking it. Got dermatitis and had to stop after 3 weeks... Fissure came back worse than before
Tried GTN. also felt amazing. Headaches were unmanagable and had to stop after 5 weeks. Fissure again came back.
Got sent to the CRS on Monday. He didn't recommend LIS because I was a young female, which he said increases the incontinence risk. So we decided Fissurectomy+Botox. Book for end of March.
My problem is, I live overseas and dad and mom are planning their first visit over to see me in April and May, respectively. I'm really excited to show them around, I have lots of great hiking near my home. And I'm so excited to see them, especially my mom which will be the first time in 16 months.
I think that 1-2 months after my surgery will be too soon to be doing all the travelling and visiting and hiking I want to do. Do you all think so? It sounds from reading this that it takes probably 3 months to start feeling normal and mobile again.
Also, after telling my family about the upcoming surgery, my step-mom says that she has also been suffering for 20 years (!!!). But that her CRS didn't want to do the surgery and so she instead had a strict diet and it has cured it. The problem is, she is still doing the diet (has been for many years). I would love to do something that would cure this mess, but I want to eat food I like, and drink coffee again! I don't mind having a diet untill I'm fixed, but I'm not quite ready to commit my life to missing my favourite foods.
So what I'm thinking, and I would love feedback, is that maybe I postpone the surgery until after my folks are gone, and maybe try this diet and maybe I will see improvement and not have to have the surgery at all? I really want to be over this and am about ready to do anything, but the surgery and recovery sounds scary. Especially when I have such important plans right after. I'm even willing to attempt to survive the torture of the GTN headaches again, knowing that there is a light at the end where I can stop and be free.
Also, I have been avoiding stool softener and just sticking to lots of fibre. I am worried cause I read about having a dependency on it, but after this forum, maybe a stool softener is something I need to try and give my butt the best chance it can to fix itself. Do you guys recommend that? Can I get it over the counter, or do I need to see my GP?
Really loving this forum. Its a great resource. I'm doing a lot of reading and searching. Trying to make the best decision I can.
Thanks for any help!
xx