Sorry, Jen, this thread took off and I missed your question to me.
I took neurontin for a year and while it helped with pain I could not telll when I had to go to the bathroom so I would strain and strain which made my hemorrhoids worse.

I take MOM every night. A full capfull usually, but I have some nerve damage which makes it difficult for me to know for sure if I need to go and when I am done and this helps with that.

Lecia -baby - you do not need referral for Mayo - just call them and they will send you questionary by e-mail. Than they will call you back to schedule app.. It is really very easy and fast. My hubby called Mayo in Arizona 3 weeks ago, they called last week to make app. but I already saw this laser-guy and have those app. for colonoscopy and "butt exploration with make over " so I decided to give local guys one more chance. If he does not help me I will go to Mayo than since I really exhausted CRS pool here : ( !
Best of luck buddy - I hope you feel better today - don't say anything to jinx stuff OK !!!
XOXOOOOoooo..

Thanks for the info, Fiss. Do you know if insurance covers their services? I think we are going to have to take out a loan soon! I am assuming that if I go there that I would have to stay until they figure it out. I can't keep flying for appointments.

Hi Lecia,
Our insurance covered the costs at Mayo like they did everywhere else. Fortunately we have good insurance. I made my appt with mayo by going to their web site and replied that I wanted someone to contact me. They did call me but since I already had surgery they wanted my records sent to them so they could review my files and approve me as a patient with a cr surgeon.
My husband and son also went to mayo, but their drs referred them there and set up appts for them.
They usually have you stay several days to do testing and also consult with dr before and after. When we went for my son they said to plan on staying 3 to 5 days.
Jo

Lecia -
I think the Mayo sounds like a wonderful idea for you! Have you ever looked into it or thought about it before???
Does anyone know if you need to drink a laxative or have an enema prior to LIS?? Whats the prep like??? My surgery is at 2:00 and I was hoping I could go to my morning class until around 11:00.

Lecia,
What about Duke for you? Could you drive there???

Lecia-baby - they took my insurance - I have United Healthcare. The fact that I would have to stay there for extended period of time was also a drawback : (, I would hate to leave my kids alone here for a week : (. I also was wondering how would I fly back after the surgery and about taking sitz-baths in dirty tubs - no way : ((( . But, desperate times ask for desperate measures, and if that proves to be necessary I will do that .
I hope you are doing much better today - I did not have chance to go through all posts today - I hope everybody is doing better today !!!
Jen- I was asked to fast from 7 pm day before the surgery and take enema 2 hours before the surgery . Surgery was around 2 pm. I thought I would collapse of hunger and dehydration - yes - there was water restriction too, I forgot how it went though :roll:. I was so dehydrated that they had trouble finding small vanes for drip
I would not go to school that day LOL ! Best of luck with consult. !!!

Hi everyone -
I just wanted to write and tell you about my surgery consult today.
I told the doctor that I was healed right now and feeling much better. He said that we could cancel the LIS and do it when my fissure acts up again or we could just go ahead and do the LIS because my fissure is chronic. He said it is such a grey area because it is not like gallbladder surgery - where you absolutly need it. My on-again off-again fissure is not life threatening and it is up to me to decided when this surgery happens.
He did a quick exam and still felt my fissure. Surprisingly the exam was uncomfortable, which shocked me because I have not have painful BM's lately. I think he always knows just where to touch my fissure where it hurts the most. I asked why I have not had any blood the last few times it opened (I have only had pain). He said it is because of the scar tissue is there so no blood is appearing on the TP. I asked what he would do if he were in my situation, and he said he would have had the surgery 8 months ago. So despite me being pretty much pain free, I will have my LIS next week. Unlike you guys, who had instant relief, mine will not be as noticeable because my fissure is not "inflammed" right now as my docotr said. He says I will just notice easier bowel movements and the fissure should not reoccur. He did notice my spasms again. It hurt when he did the exam, but I still have no idea what he was talking about my spasms. He said the surgery should work on me only because I have spasms. Maybe the pain I have when he does my exams is from spasms??? Oh well, he is the doc, so if he feels them I am sure they are there. He is a great guy in my opinion.
I told him I am dyng to get pregnant and he said that is just one more reason to get LIS. He aggreed that a fissure + pregnancy is too much.
I asked about him measuring my anal pressure and he said that is totally unessesary for me. He said he can tell just by an exam that I am a tight ass and he is sure I will not go incontinent...if anything he will have to repeat the LIS.
SO GAME ON FOR MY LIS!!!
Jen

I think you are doing the right thing Jen. Get your life back completely and then get preggers!!
Do you have a daughter? If not, it's time, tight-ass!!!

Jen :)
I have experienced the same as you, having almost no pain or blood during BM, but the exam being painful. That was when my fissure was 1 cm. long. No wonder it hurt like hell when it was 3 cm. long.
This is interesting: "I asked what he would do if he were in my situation, and he said he would have had the surgery 8 months ago". He seems to know what he is talking about...when is your LIS?
Being such a tightass, I am going for LIS I think.
!! Anybody who knows if one can do LIS right after having Botox? Is 3 weeks since I had Botox (and my ass still isn't wrinklefree :( )
CU soon, Corsica