Going into LIS surgery today at noon. Scared to death of recovery period and what it may entail. Of course yesterday and today I feel great, not much pain at all. Have had second thoughts, but am going to follow through.
The materials they gave me about post-operative issues scares the crap out of me (no pun intended).
I'm unclear as to when I'll be able to walk around normally, how many weeks before I can go to the gym. I know I'm thinking way too far ahead, but it's part of my escape, to wonder when things can get back to normal. Also have to ask doc about swimming, I have a salt system swimming pool as I live in AZ.
Thought it was unusual from what I've read on this board that the doc didn't have my do anything pre-op, except no intake after midnight last night.
I'll let everyone know how it goes. I'm going to try to limit my pain meds, to avoid constipation. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for informing me over the last few months. I can't believe things have gotten to this point...unbelievable...I'm only 38 years old....

Hey Safeller,
I had the surgery in Jan. and was able to walk around the next day. I had some incision pain but it really wasn't that bad for long. My parents have a saltwater pool and I love it. To me saltwater can only help.
Just make sure if you take the pain meds that you also take a stool softener/laxative those first few days. As far as the gym I would hold off at least a few weeks on anything too strenuous. You'll just have to judge for yourself with your own recovery.
Good luck and let us know how it went!

Safaller, what was in the post-op materials that was so scary?
For the first week or so, you really need to just lie around and let your butt heal. There is no sense in pushing the exercise as it entails too much risk for setbacks. Even after 2-3 weeks, you should still be taking it easy. Let that fissure heal! THEN life can resume!
Remember (by now since you have had the surgery by now) this is surgery, not some minor test or procedure
being done at the Dr.s office...take it seriously and allow yourself time to recover. That doesn't mean you won't be able to walk the day after surgery or you will be bed-ridden for days, but you need to lie down (not sit!) that first week and read, watch TV or whatever. That's what I did. I stayed in bed most of the time, took it easy the first week and a half and realized that once I got better, I could resume doing all the things I had ben doing before the fissure ruined my life.

I agree, take it easy! This is your time to rest and be glad this hell is almost over. I hope you are doing okay....I remember feeling scared reading my instructions too, but mostly just because I was scared someone was operating on my butt anyway!

Hi Safeller,
Hope the surgery went well.How are you recovering?Recovery is different for everyone.You should take it easy even if you feel well.Remember your fissure still has to heal.Dont exert yourself.I had a few setbacks initially and recovery was long.some here have recovered very quickly.dont think too much about it and follow everything youve been doing till now.fibre foods,lots of water and stool softeners.BMs have to be soft.continue Sitz baths and no heavy weights.
Good luck with the healing

hey everyone, i finally feel good enough to drop a note. well the day of the surgery i was very nervous about the whole concept of surgery. the procedure went very well, really no big deal. i was actually shocked how good i felt after the surgery, throughout the day, it was great.
then the next day arrived. i had tried to limit my pain medication (percocet) and i paid the next morning. decided there was no need to be a superhero...so i'm back on the prescribed schedule. i'm also on an anti-inflammatory and a stool softener.
i've had bowel movements each morning, i've also been as regular as can be. so far the pain is comparable to pre-op pain, no relief yet. seems like on these posts there are two groups - ones that feel almost instant relief in bowel movements and others that are slower relief.
i really haven't had any bleeding to speak of, one small bout of leakage.
the doctor said i had two fissures, one up high and one down low.
right now i'm solely focused on my bowel movements, hydration and hygiene.
i've watched a ton of movies, getting bored, but willing to be patient as i want all of this to be behind me.
i will write more this week, surgery was tuesday, i'm hopeful i see real improvement by sunday or so...
thanks for listening!!!

Yes, Safaller, don't be a superhero, but do keep in mind that overtime the pain meds can be constipating, their only real drawback...
Wow, it sounds like you are headed in the right direction! That is just super-duper! Do allow yourself the luxury of getting bored, because right now you need to give your butt a rest!
The expoerience most people have is as you describe, feeling pretty good the day of the surgery but then not so good the next day. And the next few days. You'll get there. Remember, all that has been done is a cut to your sphincter to loosen you up, now your AF needs to heal and it will take some time.

ok, i'm to the point now where i could use some good advice. i had my LIS on Tuesday, it's now friday.
i've had the same problem all along, pre-surgery and now. the textbook says to pump fiber and a stool softener. since the beginning this strategy has given me HUGE stools that tear me to shreads. since surgery tuesday the incision area has been perfect, only trace bleeding and only a little discomfort...but my fissures are screaming!
i've always been so regular, twice a day, both in the morning, no if's and's or but's...the addition of extra fruit and fiber though has always made my stool much larger and today it's caused me to go three times already and it's not even 10AM...it's killing me.
my question is does anyone have an effective stool softener? my stool are huge and medium density, not soft! the doc has me on Colace, i'm taking the maximum amount (3 pills daily).
i guess one of my other questions is, since i'm perfectly regular, is it really necessary for me to add fiber as i have? honestly, i don't run into a fruit or vegatable very often, but have always been perfectly regular.
today is ugly, the passage of three stools has me really sore...but again, it feels like fissure pain, not surgery pain...thanks.

You most certainly can over-do it on fiber. You only need the RDA for your weight, and I *think* 28 grams a day is about average. So cut back on the fiber.
Opinions vary, I but I personally think you only need about 4-6 glasses of water a day, because you get so much water from other sources in your diet.
Fruits and veggies are just the best natural source for fiber and really, any healthy diet must include *some* fruits and veggies, so that is why you hear them mentioned so much with the AF diet, but there are other sources, like whole grains or even fiber supplements like Metamucil or Benefiber.
You should continue to have "fissure pain" as the LIS only addresses loosening up of the sphincter. It will still take a few weeks for your fissure to heal, but it should feel better and better over the next few weeks
Hang in there!