PHEWWWWW!! Thanks Tabby and Dazzy!

Hi again,
I don't think an MRI would be helpful for me. I haven't had any anal surgeries. The reason I had the colonoscopy last May was just a responsible follow-up. Six years ago, in 2003 after 2 years of trying to get a doctor to look into the rectal bleeding I was having, I had a sigmoidoscopy and a polyp was removed barely inside my colon. (the blood was from where it was rubbing against the edge of my rectal opening.) They did a follow-up colonoscopy just to check but there wasn't anything there. Because I was only in my mid twenties, and my grandma had colon cancer at the time (in her mid 70's--she's fine and cancer free today!), the doctor insisted that I have another colonoscopy 5 years later. I did and it was clean so I don't know why this CRS would want to do another sigmoidoscopy. I really think that that polyp was probably a weird fluke. I have had no symptoms since. The doc at the time said it was large enough that it was probably there since I was a teenager. The doctor who did the colonoscopy last year said I could wait 10 years to come back. After the bad experience I had with last year's procedure, 10 years will hopefully be long enough for me to let go of my fear, but just one year later seems too soon.
About the botox, are there any bad side effects that would make it bad for me to have before I move? They mention all these scary things like causing an abscess or incontinence. I will also be returning to the U.S. from Canada, so do most insurance companies cover botox for AF? If not I should do it here before I go.
Thanks again,
Susie

Dear Susie ,
We can only tell you from our experiences what we think and advise you - it is always up to you to make the final decision. MRI can show fistulas and big polyps and such. Rectal polyps sometimes run in families and should never be taken lightly. They usually need some time to grow , though. Why don't you ask your CRS why he thinks you need one and what is he looking for , as Lecia suggested ?
Botox can have many side-effects , including death (as was written in the release form I had to sign before the procedure ,and I did not proceed with it for that reason) . But, for some people it was helpful , at least for a time being, and nobody here had extremely bad side-effects - soreness, and pain and some mild gas incontinence were the most common complaints.
Botox was covered by my insurance, but I guess it also depends of a type of the insurance one has
Best of luck !

Hi, I'm glad you're doing better. If you recently had a colonoscopy you don't need a sigmoidoscopy. I had mine last year and don't need another for 10 years. If your doctor insists have him use a pediatric scope. They are much smaller but I really wouldn't put myself through that. I'm having the same problem you are. I had LIS last october and it helped to heal my fissure. I still have mild spasming and the surgical site can become very sore and tender at times. I went back to the CRS and he said things looked really good there but the surgical site can remain tender for a very long time. On top of that I have a mild stenosis or narrowing of the rectum and when my stools aren't soft enough things have to stretch too much and that can cause spasms and pain. Just hearing it wasn't another fissure helped me a lot. I try very hard to keep things moving strain free and soft now. (miralax and benefiber daily). He knew when he tried to do a digital exam because it hurt me so much each time he tried. There is a surgery to help with stenosis if I need it some day. I personally wouldn't have a sigmoid again, I've had a few in the past but they only show a third of the colon and if you're going to do it might as well have the colonoscopy and see the whole thing plus they sedate you for it. I've had bad experiences when I wasn't sedated so my doctors have only gone a far as a digital without sedation on me now. I hope things keep going well for you. Have you tried a little bit of vaseline to lubricate before you have a bm? It helps me a lot. Good luck Suzy :)