Hello everyone! I ran across this site today, just two days before surgery, and have decided to cancel the surgery.
Six months ago I was dignossed with an anal fissure, but I have been dealing with the effects of having one for almost two years. Painful BM, bleeding, itching.
I was scheduled to have a fissurectomy and a sphincterotomy this week, but then I ran across this forum. After reading many people's stories about their post-surgery situations, I decided to cancel the surgery for now.
For me, I do not have any problems sitting down, working out, or doing anything in my day to day life. The only time I am in pain is when I make a BM, and then for a few minutes afterwards depending on how hard the BM was. Yes, there are times when I almost cry on the toilet from the pain, but those times are few and far between. For the most part my BMs are not too severe because I have soft stool and go to the bathroom 1-2 times a day.
Once I saw how long the recovery time can be for most people after surgery, and how many of you still deal with fissure related complications after surgery, I decided it may not be the right choice for me. Since my day to day life is normal (except on the toilet), why should I take the chance of making things worse?
Does anyone think I made the right choice to cancel the surgery? I am a 26 year old male. The muscles in my rectum are extremely tight (probably from how the fissure tried to heal together) causing my stool to come out skinny and it is also hard to pass gas at times because of the tightness. I do bleed when making a BM several times a week. But like I said, for the most part it is only making a BM that causes pain. I live a normal life and very rarely think about my fissure.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Hi Runner,
I'm a 29 yr old male, and my fissure/fistula were pretty bad. I couldn't go to work for 3 weeks. I couldn't even get out of bed for a couple days because the spasms were lasting for like 5-6 hours after each BM. It was HELL. There was NO WAY I could've backed out of the sugery. I was scared too man. I almost considered cancelling the day before. I thought "maybe I can heal naturally." But as luck would have it, the day before surgery was BAD so I thought "No way, I'm doing this."
I had my surgery last Thursday (5 days ago). And guess what? NO MORE PAIN, not AT ALL dude. I'm 100% pain free. I'm a little "sore" but that's NOT pain, it's just like being sore from working out. It'll be gone in no time.
So moral of the story: don't be scared. If you can tough it out, more power to you. But I couldn't!

Searching,
Good for you man. You were much more brave than me. But also, you had it A LOT worse than me. Like I said, my day to day life has not changed. I realize my fissure is not likely to ever heal on it's own (it's already been almost two years now), but if the only problem is going to be painful and sharp BMs and occasional itching and irritation, I'm not so sure I am willing to have surgery at this point.

Runner, what measures have you taken to treat your AF?
My AF progressed from no pain and just bleeding, to occasional spasms, to horrible spasms and some days burning almost all day. But everyone is different. I myself simply could not hold out any longer, but I had tried other more conservative measures first, i.e. nefedipine.
One consideration is if you ever do get severe diarrhea or constipation, the fissure may tear wider and become a living nightmare (that is what happened to me) .
It is true, surgery is scary (though not nearly as bad as one might imagine) and we have had a few here who did not do very well after surgery though most, (like Jason and myself) do very well. In the end, only you can decide and if you feel you can live with things like they are, then it is your decision. Do keep in mind, though, that the longer your have the fissure, the more scar tissue is likely to build up around its edges and the less likely it will heal on it's own. So do be taking some conservative measures to heal!

Kim wrote:Runner, what measures have you taken to treat your AF?
My AF progressed from no pain and just bleeding, to occasional spasms, to horrible spasms and some days burning almost all day. But everyone is different. I myself simply could not hold out any longer, but I had tried other more conservative measures first, i.e. nefedipine.
It is true, surgery is scary (though not nearly as bad as one might imagine) and we have had a few here who did not do very well after surgery though most, (like Jason and myself) do very well. In the end, only you can decide and if you feel you can live with things like they are, then it is your decision. Do keep in mind, though, that the longer your have the fissure, the more scar tissue is likely to build up around its edges and the less likely it will heal on it's own. So do be taking some conservative measures to heal!

Thanks for your response, Kim.
I really have not done anything to try and heal the AF. About 6 months ago when it was at its worst I began using Preperation H supositories and creams, which helped calm down the inflamation over time and made BMs come out with less pain.
Since I have had the AF for almost two years now, I realize it is chronic and will most likely not be going away. However, I am surprised the two doctors I have seen (both who agreed I have an AF and should have surgery) did not reccomend any other non-surgical things I could do to help with it first.
I eat extremley healthy during the week, and usually splurge on the weekends eating junk and drinking alcohol, and I have not noticed it changing how hard my BMs are. I guess I am lucky. At this point since I have decided to delay surgery, I would like to know what type of creams, whipes, or stool softeners I should/should not be taking to try and calm it down the best I can.
Let me say once again, the only time I deal with pain from my fissure is during and right after BMs. Once a month it is extremely painful when I have a hard BM, and when it reopens the fissure it then leads to a whole week of painful BMs. However, I do not get spasms or have trouble running, walking, sitting down, etc. That is why I delayed surgery.
My question now is, what should I be doing to keep the fissure at its current state and avoid erruptions.

My question now is, what should I be doing to keep the fissure at its current state and avoid erruptions.

Oh, that is the $100,000.00 question around here, Runner!
This forum is a great place to start, I would read through the threads and if you have specific questions, ask them. I recently started a sticky with some very basic info:
http://anal-fissure.org/general-anal-fissure-discussion-f2/i-have-an-af-what-should-i-know-t1849.htm?sid=a4b8166047540c4ce1cf3b67bda838f6

try miralax and benefiber. a bunch of us use that combo and it at least makes things less painful in the bathroom. if that's your only problem, it should help!
also, ditch the booze. that only made things worse for me during the 1st 2 years...it's extremely constipating and, for me, caused hard BMs for days after a weekend binge.
not that i'm healed now, but since i stopped drinking last july i at least have fewer set backs. that could be a reason you retear once a month or so, if you're drinking a lot....

runner, i sorta was like you as it took me four years to finally take the plunge and do the surgery. i did three marathons while dealing with my fissure. yet over the years, it was more emotionally and mentally exhausting and just plain torture going to the toilet. i decided this was no way to live even though i had been for years. i just couldn't see it going on like that any further.
when i got diagnosed with a fistula too (not sure though if that was an accurate diagnosis tho), it sent me into high-anxiety as i then was recommended to get LIS and fistulotomy during my colonoscopy (the colonoscopy first, then the LIS and fistulotomy last).
after getting sick from eating a spinach salad, i jumped into macrobiotics and over a month's time, there was a remarkable improvement in my anus that the fistulotomy and LIS were cancelled by the CRS. i kept the colonoscopy.
**
i didn't benefit much from the miralax and benefiber.
although i was a bran buds fanatic. however, i recommend having this more as a hot cereal rather than cold. other options for fiber breakfast include hot oatmeal, fruits, or other high fiber cereals. i also recommend eating vegetable soups and miso soup with tofu and seaweed for breakfast.
as far as creams and ointments, i only used palmers cocoa butter with vitamin e. i did dabble in tinactin (and other fungal creams as some of us did on the board). and on of my favorites after getting past the fear of what it would feel like, was VICKS vapor rub. this was mostly for my hemmy and it really helped soothe and cool down there.
i like using charmin's flushables for wiping the butt.
i also used squatting during my initial two-three months of post-LIS & fistulotomy news. i think squatting helped me give my butt a break.
i can tell you when farting, it was painful for me. i have learned that you don't force anything out, even if it is gas that is just trapped inside waiting for you to release it prematurely.
my fissure is gone - although i never thought i would get rid of it. it certainly wasn't in my odds.
now i just have laverne and shirley, my hemmy. who i try to make peace with. she's not all bad but i know that on some days, i just wish i could cut it up and get rid of it!

Runner -
I don't think you have much to loose by getting surgery. You can try healing yourself with creams, and it may just work - Happy healed without LIS after 4 years.
I had LIS (after 1 and a half years of suffering) and my recovery was not a walk in the park by any means. BUT - it was no worse than a fissure itself - I swear! It still took me months to heal after LIS, but now I am so thankful I got the surgery.
I second what Juney says and I think you should buy miralax and or benefiber. I use benefiber daily and will do so for the rest of my life. It is non habit forming and makes the poo soft. I use miralax rarely and only when I drink or eat something really constipating. This is what works for me - everyone has their own routine.
Jen