Surgery on 6/10

Really scared, but out of options

Are you having, or have you had a Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy (LIS)? Please share your experiences here, or ask any questions.

Return to LIS - Considering surgery or already had it?




Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby Paigey » 26 Jun 2020, 19:08

Hey.. post surgery should u keep soft and unformed stools? Since having my fissure and tight muscle anything formed no matter how soft has required straining and a retear. I had LIS yesterday afternoon and so far so good. First bm wasn't formed.
Paigey
Fibre Addict
 
Posts: 6
Topics: 3
Joined: 25 May 2020, 19:13
Has thanked: 2 times
Been thanked: 0 time
Gender: None specified

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby chachacha » 26 Jun 2020, 19:11

I know that it's hard to be patient.

I would think that with that level of experience, your CRS would know exactly how much to cut. It is rare to have to go through the surgery more than once. I think that because of your skin issue, it just might take a little longer for you than for others. Fingers crossed for a speedy healing going forward and I hope that the light reaches you soon.
Fissure since about 2007
Fissure diagnosed in 2011
Diltiazem for two years - didn't work well
LIS January, 2015
Hemorrhoidectomy December, 2017
chachacha
Moderator
 
Posts: 1111
Topics: 19
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 16:00
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 207 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby StarrySky » 08 Jul 2020, 13:49

Update:

Still not doing well. I wish I had better news to post, but I'm still having pain. I'm wondering if the LIS was a failure at this point. Everyone else seems to heal so quickly and I'm stuck here with barely any progress and possible retears even though I'm doing everything right.

I'm starting to lose hope. I have been really depressed and verging on being suicidal. This has been worse than going through breast cancer treatments, which is probably what got me here to begin with. I don't understand why my skin is so thin and why I don't seem to heal. My skin was healthy and fine before all the cancer treatment (I had an exam under anesthesia shortly before that due to thinking I had a fissure, but I did not).

I started Lupron injections and Tamoxifen at about the same time this all started, so I'm wondering if the lack of estrogen and being pretty much menopausal at this point might be causing my thin skin. I have no clue. I guess I need to discuss this with my CRS and oncologist. If that is indeed the cause, I would quit those in a heartbeat, even if it meant a risk of the cancer coming back. I just cannot live like this anymore. I have no quality of life.

I just don't know what else to do.

Sorry for the depressing post.
StarrySky
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 50
Topics: 1
Joined: 02 Jun 2020, 17:35
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 2 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby chachacha » 08 Jul 2020, 15:17

I'm sorry that things aren't going better for you. I would definitely consult your CRS, and maybe your GP too, who may have a better overall picture of your current health situation. I hope that you can turn a corner soon.
Fissure since about 2007
Fissure diagnosed in 2011
Diltiazem for two years - didn't work well
LIS January, 2015
Hemorrhoidectomy December, 2017
chachacha
Moderator
 
Posts: 1111
Topics: 19
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 16:00
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 207 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby StarrySky » 08 Jul 2020, 15:44

Thank you, chachacha, I'm going to make an appointment with my CRS since I can't wait until August.

Unfortunately, my GP is worthless when it comes to these issues and my overall health (I've always wanted to change GPs, but never had due to insurance reasons). My oncologist is probably better since she's followed my health the closest these past two years.

I really hope I turn a corner soon, too. This just cannot go on. I can't do this anymore.
StarrySky
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 50
Topics: 1
Joined: 02 Jun 2020, 17:35
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 2 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby StarrySky » 11 Jul 2020, 13:54

Just a quick update:

I saw my CRS yesterday and he told me it will just take longer for me to fully heal due to the thin skin in the area. He told me he was shocked when he saw how damaged and thin my skin was when he used the scope during my LIS. He said I had the skin down there of a 90-year-old woman. : ( That made me want to cry and made me feel completely hopeless.

He told me it will get better in time as my body recovers from the chemo last year. It seems like that isn't really the culprit, though, since I healed just fine from my fissures right after chemo was over (within about a month or two). I told him I was on Lupron (stops production of estrogen in the body) and right away he told me to get off of it, at least temporarily until I fully heal. Apparently not having any estrogen in my body can cause thin skin in the area and make it very hard to heal. He said we need estrogen for good, healthy skin and healing.

Unfortunately, I had a 3-month shot a month and a half ago (due to Covid and not wanting to come into the cancer center so often, plus I didn't want to deal with it during surgery recovery), so I have to wait it out for another month and a half until I see my oncologist to talk about this. : ( I guess I will just do what I can in the meantime and research this a bit more. Perhaps there's other medications I'm taking that might be contributing to it.

He did say the area looked better and that the surgery incision was almost completely healed, so that is some good news.

He gave me some Calmoseptine ointment, which is safe to use for the area and will at least help the pain somewhat. It's also good for protecting the skin.

So, that's where I'm at right now. I hope and pray I can heal by the time I see my oncologist in September, but if not, I will definitely be stopping the Lupron injections. I will probably stop them anyway since I want my body to have the best chance to recover from this. I told my CRS that I CANNOT live like this anymore. I am DONE.
StarrySky
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 50
Topics: 1
Joined: 02 Jun 2020, 17:35
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 2 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby chachacha » 11 Jul 2020, 19:11

Thanks for the update. Your CRS sounds like an amazing, and highly educated man! I was just talking to my husband this evening about another health issue of mine, and lamenting the fact that the specialists so often ONLY know about their own field, so can't put all of your medical pieces together, and while that's really the job of your GP, they just don't know enough of the details of each medical area to be really effective. I'm so happy to hear that you seem to now understand what's happening, and it sounds like you'll be on your way to recovery soon (once you stop the Lupron).
Fissure since about 2007
Fissure diagnosed in 2011
Diltiazem for two years - didn't work well
LIS January, 2015
Hemorrhoidectomy December, 2017
chachacha
Moderator
 
Posts: 1111
Topics: 19
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 16:00
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 207 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby StarrySky » 12 Jul 2020, 13:43

chachacha - Yes, I love my CRS. He really knows what he's doing and he has a great bedside manner. I'm so grateful for him and that my insurance actually covers him. He really listens to me, which is so important when having a doctor. I've had a terrible experience with another CRS who treated me like dirt and basically just told me to suck it up and eat more fiber. It was awful. Thank God I found someone else.

I wish my GP was better, but unfortunately, she's not at all helpful and is a very cold person. My last GP retired a few years ago and I was with him for my entire life (I'm 36 now). I trusted him since he knew me from when I was a baby and he had a great bedside manner. I was really sad to see him retire. I definitely need to find a new GP since I really dislike my current one. My oncologist has basically been in charge of everything since I was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2018, so I go to her instead of my GP because she's much more professional and friendly.

Thank you for the kind words. I really regret getting that 3-month Lupron shot. : ( But what's done is done, so I just have to wait it out for another month and a half and get it out of my system. I just don't think my body can handle the lack of estrogen. That may have been part of the problem I had with chemo when I got horrible fissures (since chemo can stop your menstrual cycle).

Thanks again for the reply and good wishes. : )
StarrySky
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 50
Topics: 1
Joined: 02 Jun 2020, 17:35
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 2 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby StarrySky » 30 Jul 2020, 19:32

I thought I would update, although my news is not good. My fissures are still not healed. I haven't seen my CRS yet to confirm, but I am still getting pain every day. I feel hopeless and scared. I see my CRS on the 10th of August.

My oncologist called me and claims the Lupron wouldn't exacerbate my fissure issues, but my colon and rectal surgeon seemed to think otherwise. I still have to wait another month or more for this medication to get out of my system. My oncologist doesn't understand how much pain this problem is causing me. She just wants me to see psychologist. That's not my problem! I just want this issue healed and gone.

My oncologist referred me to a colon and rectal surgeon in the city (San Francisco) at UCSF. I don't know how much good that will do me. I have searched everywhere and cannot figure out the cause of my issue. I don't understand why my skin is so thin and fragile down there when I didn't do anything to cause it. All I can think of is the lack of estrogen causes problems, but I have no idea.

Hopefully I have better news in the future. But right now, I am just trying to cope and it's really difficult.
StarrySky
Salt Bather
 
Posts: 50
Topics: 1
Joined: 02 Jun 2020, 17:35
Has thanked: 19 times
Been thanked: 2 times
Gender: Female

Re: Surgery on 6/10

Postby chachacha » 30 Jul 2020, 20:04

I've found that medical issues can be extremely frustrating and on many occasions, have not been able to find practitioners who can diagnose and/or treat my conditions.

So while I can't help you with this, I really do understand how you feel.

One suggestion though, is to see the specialist at UCSF. I've often found that just the sheer number of doctors I see, sometimes leads me to a new discovery. Each doctor pulls a little something different from your account and history, and based on their own experience and that of their patients, will sometimes have something that you might find useful.
Fissure since about 2007
Fissure diagnosed in 2011
Diltiazem for two years - didn't work well
LIS January, 2015
Hemorrhoidectomy December, 2017
chachacha
Moderator
 
Posts: 1111
Topics: 19
Joined: 16 Jun 2013, 16:00
Location: Canada
Has thanked: 28 times
Been thanked: 207 times
Gender: Female


  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post

Return to LIS - Considering surgery or already had it?



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 31 guests