to see my surgeon.
This morning after my bath I started having a tightness again in the rectum with a little irration outside. I have been so good about taking care of myself..healthy eating, fiber, water!!, colace, stool softeners, sitz baths, wiping with warmcloths, applying med cream etc.. No junk food and I still have set backs. Nothing compared to the first few months. But all I think about is this fissure 24/7. I feel more mentally tortured now than ever. How can I feel so good and then wham it's back!?
I'm going to tell him I'm ready for the surgery. I'm seeing him next wednesday. Knees knocking.
I want to understand more, I think I may be a bit confused. Even after LIS I will still have my fissure. So does that mean I will still have the burning, tender feeling I get off and on now?
When they go in to cut the Sphincter sp? doesn't that rip the fissure even more? I'm worried about that and that he cuts the wrong one!!!!!!!!
My muscle spasms are very miminal to almost gone BUT I am left with a feeling of a RUBBER BAND that is STRETCHED to its LIMITS on bad days.
And sore and feels like I have something in their that is swollen.
Will this feeling be gone after LIS?
Also sense I have never had blood during the last five months with my fissure.... will I bleed... I mean from the fissure or from the surgery or both?
Does your blood before surgery come from inside, like from the fissure or the Sphinchter? Is the fissure on the sphincter?
I know this is loaded with questions. I just want to know what I should be asking the surgeon next wednesday and what I need to know for myself.
What is also pushing me to get LIS is that my oldest daughter is going to be a Senior and last school year I missed sooooooooo much because I couldn't sit on a chair. It makes me feel so sad and guilty.
I hope next Wednesday comes soon.
((Thinking of you all)) Marie

Is the fissure on the sphincter?

I haven't had the surgery, but I can answer this one. the sphincter is the muscle under the skin. Unless you have a really deep fissure that has torn into the muscle, the fissure is not on the sphincter. Often times though, deep fissure will reveal the white-looking fibers of the sphincter muscle. Usually surgeons do not cut the sphincter below the fissure but on the opposite side of the anal canal. They can either go in from the inside or from the outside of your anal canal.

My muscle spasms are very miminal to almost gone BUT I am left with a feeling of a RUBBER BAND that is STRETCHED to its LIMITS on bad days.
And sore and feels like I have something in their that is swollen.
Will this feeling be gone after LIS?
I don't know about the rubber-band sensation. I never really had that, just the spasms, which were immediately halted with the surgery. I suspect it will also help with that, too, as much of the tightness you are now having will be gone once you have the LIS.
Also sense I have never had blood during the last five months with my fissure.... will I bleed... I mean from the fissure or from the surgery or both? I don't think the surgery will cause additional bleeding, but you may have some bleeding after the surgery, and it may be the fissure. There is no way to tell. But if you have a small amount of bleeding, it is genrally harmless and you should not get too alarmed about it.
Does your blood before surgery come from inside, like from the fissure or the Sphinchter? Is the fissure on the sphincter?
Before surgery it is usually the fissure that is bleeding...the sphincter is the canal just above where the fissure is located. The fissure is much closer to your anus.

I know this is loaded with questions. I just want to know what I should be asking the surgeon next wednesday and what I need to know for myself. Ask about whether it's an overnight stay, diet, pain-medication after surgery, what the recovery period is, what to expect from your first BM after surgery (it should be relatively easy) and can you call the office with questions or for help after you are sent home...that is important!

I haven't had surgery, but I would recommend that you ask your CRS how many times he/she has performed LIS... And what sort of results he's had with patients after the surgery -- maybe even how many of his patients developed complications. You just want to make sure he/she has a lot of experience. That may help reduce some of your worries. If your CRS has a lot of experience, you certainly don't have to worry about him/her cutting the wrong thing.
I know how you feel about thinking about the fissure 24-7...I do too. It's crazy how this "minor" medical problem can have such MAJOR psychological effects.
Hope you feel better!!!!
steve

Thanks everyone for helping out. I just went to the site Kim posted and read about recovering without surgery stories.
Gosh my head is spinning. I wonder if I'm not giving myself enough time to fully heal.
At this point I think my suffering is in my head than my butt.
I'm still going to read more, pray and go from there. Marie
So far today I feel good, two hours after bm.

Hey Marie,
I just wanted to chime in here and say although I haven't had the surgery I have had rectal surgery, a nephrectomy and many other procedures so I understand the fear. But when I got the point that I could not live a normal live anymore I knew that what I was trading in my present life of fear and discomfort for the unknown was going to be better. I am not saying to necessarily have the surgery but you will do better than you think. I am a real worrier by nature. It takes a lot of prayer and leaning on God to try to keep that from making necessary choices in my life so I know where you are coming from.
The actual surgery for most people turns out to be less of a big deal than the anticipation of it. I think you need to give yourself credit that you are capable of making good decision and can handle more than you think. You bore three children and are raising them and that comes with a lot of pain, difficulty in making decisions and not knowing if you are always doing the right thing yet you do that every day. I think whatever you decide to do that you can handle it. Keep praying and I will pray for you too that God will guide you and give you peace.
Lecia

Lecia,
Thank you so much for such kind words of widom and hope. I am very nervous by nature also.
I had diarhia this a.m., it's the first time I've had it in months,,I think its nerves. Marie

You are welcome!