by NeuropathicGuy » 01 Dec 2010, 23:51
Alright let me start by saying that I think "sphinctersaurus" and "happyass" officially have competition in the best username race now :)
Anyhow I think the range of response you'll get will vary. There are definitely some who have healed completely, put the entire experience behind them (pun intended), and resumed an entirely normal existence just like the good ol' days before "anal fissure" ever entered their vocabulary. As you'd surmised, these blessed souls have largely moved on from this message board. There are also some for whom LIS didn't work, which is rare, but it happens, unfortunately.
Me, personally, am somewhere in between the two: eating nearly whatever I want, but still being careful to eat lots of fiber, and still taking stool softeners (Miralax) every day. I'm only 6 months out from LIS, though, so I can't say I really know what the long term holds for me butt-wise.
On the specific items you mentioned, I'd say the following for myself:
Modified diet with heavy fiber intake?
Yes. I still eat veggie soup for one meal nearly every day. Some days I skip it and am fine, but most days I have it.
Still taking stool softeners?
Yes, Miralax every day. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but always some daily.
Has all BM pain gone away?
Not 100%. But about 99% of it has. A difficult poop here and there will still come to haunt me, but absolutely nothing like the insane agony of acute fissure pain. More like a dull achy annoyance once in a blue moon.
Other poop issues?
Nope, none that come to mind.
Special cleaning regimen?
I do try to soak my butt in the tub after every poop (when possible of course). It feels nice. But this one is largely psychological. I got used to doing it after LIS, and now my butt doesn't feel as clean as it could be unless I do the soak. Certainly no other reason for it, as I can wipe my butt and everything just fine, even with el-cheapo toilet paper.
Any incontinence?
Nope. I did have mild incontinence to feces for the first few days after LIS, and had annoying drainage ("skid marks") for maybe 2-3 months afterward. That all eventually subsibed and no issues now. I think my f arts have gone through puberty and developed a deeper tone now, but that's about it.
I'd liken life after LIS to probably most other surgeries out there: you may or may not capture the full glory of your 18 year old butt/knees/neck/whatever, but you're certainly a lot better off than when you were hamstrung with the condition that necessitated the operation. Personally, I'm open to the possibility that a lot of what I'm doing these days is anxiety related. The fissure has left such a deep psychological scar that I don't even want to try stopping stool softeners or a high fiber diet, for fear of returning to square one. Some people do it, however, so it's certainly in the realm of realistic possibilities. Not that I can read much into you from just one post, but you seem a lot less neurotic than I am, so I'd figure your odds are probably a heck of a lot better than mine haha :)