Prologue: Developed fissure in Nov 2013, tried diltiazem and nitro to no avail. Had LIS in Aug 2014 after a grueling summer of pain. Here's the story until 2016: lis-worked-t9836.html
Update to 2021. No regrets getting the LIS surgery, no fissure pain since 14.
Caveat: I can get anxiety if my guts start moving in public. I need to be near bathroom or be in the woods with TP. Sitting down usually squelches the urge, or doubling over when standing. Only three accidents since that surgery, one was with diarrhea while driving, and two were from waiting too long.
Fast forward to October 25, 2021. Feel small swelling on outside at 12:00 near tailbone, pea sized gets bigger during the week. A little itchy. Early November, gets painful, eventually drains, smells funky, need pad in drawers. Went to my GP, he had retired, get young doc. Says it's hemorrhoid. Ask for referral to gastroenterologist who did my Colonoscopies. They don't do "hemorrhoids" lose a week. I suspected abscess to both GPs.
Nov 17, went to urgent care, young doc diagnoses hemorrhoid, prescribes Flagyl and oxycycline which clears up drainage after 10 days. Get referral to CRS that performed LIS in 2014, see him 12/7. Took one look says:"...you got a fistula buddy." He thought it was a very simple one, schedule surgery for today, 12/29.
I was very anxious about bowel control, he didn't think it will be an issue. Everything I've read says that fistulae don't resolve themselves. Mine started to drain some dreadful smelling stuff, for the last two weeks, needing padding in underpants.
I plan to keep a log, but may not update this every day. I'm taking off two weeks from work, which may morph into working from home.
This forum is a great resource and I want to share my experiences.
Tom E.
Day 1 BM at 800, shower and handheld showerhead to clean. Surgeon's office at 10:00, no prep other than no food or drink midnight prior. Into operating room at 10:33. Propofol iv with some narcotic, prone position for surgery. Into recovery room by 11:10. Local administered before surgery, gauze between cheeks after. Local wore off by 11:45 in car for 40 min ride home. Took two ibuprofen in the car. Little pain after ibuprofen kicked in. 3:30 pm, gauze getting soaked with exudate, rose colored. In recliner, not super painful. Dr prescribed hydrocodone/Tylenol 5/325, and Recticare lidocaine gel. Will try without, but have it for backup. Simple fistula, unroofed, sutured with dissolving stitches, no packing necessary. Dr said 4-6 wk recovery, follow up on Jan 11. Said no food restrictions, keep it clean. Sitz, showerhead. Took two more ibuprofen at 7:30 pm. Sitting in recliner all day with some breaks to walk. Feeling pretty good so far.