callmecrazy wrote:Quick update - I talked to my doctor this morning and was basically informed that what I'm going through right now is completely expected. Because my first BM took so long, the second-half of the pain experience was somewhat delayed. That being said, the doc informed me that I should double-up on the percoset and stay on the vallium consistently for a little while. So, I did that today and have had some success with that.
I even had a relatively pain-free BM this afternoon. The aching afterward was a bit uncomfortable, but nothing I couldn't handle. I've also been using the sitz bath a lot, but I'm finding that it actually hurts more because of the stinging.
The good news though is that with each day I am gaining more and more control, have less discharge, and haven't had much blood at all today.
I am hoping that I am turning the corner towards recovery. I have my post-op appointment tomorrow and the doc is planning to keep me out of work until the 28th since sitting is still quite painful and sitting behind a desk is my job (I write/edit school text books). Here's to hoping everything will continue to get better.
Also, if anyone is interested in the pain pump that the surgeon used, it is a Marcaine Pain Pump. I would suggest discussing it with your doctor if you are considering an anoplasty. I truly believe it kept the edge off with the pain for the first few days.
Thank you again to everyone. I will update again in a few days if things continue to go well, which I am hopeful for.

I hope you are doing better today and that the worst is behind you....

good day callmecrazy,
you are such a trooper!
i am glad you are feeling much better and that you are doing well on your recovery.
thanks for wishing me well too!
i will keep you in prayer as well as everyone else.

big hugs,
happy

Another quick update - I had my post op appointment yesterday where the doctor removed the pain pump and checked my overall healing.
Going in to the appointment I was feeling much better. I was able to control the pain really well with pain meds, and my BMs were starting to get regular and they actually DIDN'T HURT! I was most surprised about that! I even feel as though I have complete control of myself even when coughing, and there is little to no discharge or bleeding!
At the appointment, when the doc took the pain pump tube out though, it caused me all sorts of discomfort and now I'm back to trying to figure out how to control the pain. I'm guessing since it came out of the wound, it probably opened it a bit too. I don't know.
Either way, the doc was really pleased with how remarkably I am healing with this procedure. So, for anyone considering having this done, read all my comments previously and mark that under "she did remarkable" category. LOL Good grief!
All-in-all though, I still feel like I'm turning a corner. BM still don't really hurt at all. The pressure leading into them and the afterwards are totally different stories, but the during is just fine. I guess everything else will fall into place in time.
I took some time last night to give a good feel to what I had going on down there and I really do have an amazing amount of stitches. It's crazy. I have two lines of stitches leading, from opposite ends, into my anus. The unfortunate part is that the healing of these stitches is accompanied by ITCHING. LOTS of itching. It's driving me nuts. It hurts to the touch, yet it itches! What sort of cruel world is this? LOL
Either way, I'm back to feeling optimistic that this will all work out. The doc gave me more toradol, so I'll replace the percocet today and hopefully more swelling will go down.
And as for people with fissures being smarter, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case. I got my fissure due to stress and suspected IBS. Working in publishing, writing school mathematics text books that have strict deadlines to be in the schools on time, I would have bouts of continuous diarrhea. The doc is fairly certain that's where I got mine. He also suggested a new job. LOL It just sucks because I LOVE the challenge of the one I have.
Anyway, thanks again for all the support. I am exactly one week from my surgery and I feel like it's been the longest week ever. And Good Luck Happy with your recovery! Sounds like you're doing great!!! :-) Keep it up!

that's great news callmecrazy!
keep up with what you are doing.
i know this is a silly question, but i am assuming your stitches are absorbable? will they disappear in time? seems like the stitches and itching go hand in hand.
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i'll keep you in my prayers for positive healing and moving forward.
i love knowing that you are in publishing with specialty in writing school mathematics text books!!!! i am a math major (well it's my second BA) going into secondary education to be a teacher. my real day job is working on two annual conventions which are deadline driven and one is for 20,000 participants and the other is for 2,500 participants. my smaller one is coming up in june and the larger one is in november so it seems like there is never time off as i am planning and working on some deadline. i can totally relate to you. however, i am so excited that you work on math textbooks!!!! fun.
i love my challenge too of meeting planning so i don't necessarily think it's the job - since we both love what we do. we just have to figure out a way to deal with deadlines better and make things work for us - no matter how big the workload is. i am constantly tweaking the process every year to make it much more efficient and flexible.
we'll go back to our jobs better than ever! i am sure having to deal with butt problems on top of the demands have taken so much energy from what we need to do, that when we return, we'll be much more better!
big big hugs 2 u!!!! i am happy to hear that you are doing very good!

happy!
ps. yes, i am doing very well too. i haven't had my first bm yet...so i am optimistic with some reservation but i have to believe it is all going to all be very good too.

Hey Happy! Hope your recovery is going well!!
Personally, I get a few steps forward and then take a small one back. I was told my stitches will dissolve/fall out over time, but the internal ones are starting to already and without sounding disgusting, they are sort of frayed, and sticking partially out of my anus causing the itching and such. Hopefully that will only last a little while.
Also, I got a little overzealous with my "feeling better" and spent a good portion of yesterday sitting. I also had 4 BMs yesterday. FOUR! Holy crap! Literally! The doc told me to stop taking the senekot once the "flood gates" opened up. He was right...
However, last night, I felt around down there to get a general a idea of how things were healing and I was shocked to feel a considerable amount of swelling where I had the skin tags removed. I'm not quite sure what to think of this, whether it's normal or not. But I'm back on the toradol, and laying around today. Hopefully the swelling will go down today.
Otherwise, I'm feeling MUCH better. The pain is not constant anymore, so I don't have to stay doped up on percocet to feel normal anymore.
Small victories. I'll take them. :-)
Thanks again to everyone for the well-wishes.
And Cheryl, if you read this - I hope you're enjoying our Florida sunshine!! It's really been a lovely week here for weather! :-)

Oh and Happy - I too have a degree in Math! I taught high school for 4 years before I transitioned into writing text books. I really love the challenge writing books presents, if only the deadlines weren't so ridiculous. I'm just going to have to figure out how to work stress-free, or else I'll have to find something else to do. I have an opportunity to go back to teaching, but I'd prefer to stay in books. Oh well. Enough of my whining. Hope you're healing well!

excellent news callmecrazy!!!!
i am so happy for you.
with regards to the swelling at your skin tag removal site, i have that too. actually i felt like two bigger skin tags surrounding the area where the other skin tag originally was - i am not freaking out as i believe it to be post-op swelling.
as a matter of fact, i have those types of swellings everywhere else that skin was excised so as you can image, and as i have shared, the contour/topography of my butt is unknown to me. it is quite a different feel with lots of puffiness.
the swelling has gone down but slowly yet at the same time, it is not painful. thank goodness.
so i think it is normal for the swelling you feel around the area where your skin tag was to be the way that it is. i have that too.
**
i would love to teach high school math. that is what i am trying to transition to. i have about four years to go. so i have to try to enjoy this meeting planning job i have until then and go to school at night. it's a lot on my plate. not only meeting planning deadlines but also school demands. ugh.
but i do love math! i just can't believe how everything now hinges on using a CAS calculator. that is one thing that i have not enjoyed coming back to school. i remember doing everything by hand 20 years ago! LOL!

I still have mild swelling at 3 months post-op down there. Nothing painful,but just noticeable.
Call, will you be taking a stool softener after you stop the laxative? Just curious if something you did before worked to keep the bm's soft.

Dawn - My CRS told me after the first few BMs to stop taking the laxative because I didn't want to 'open the flood gates.'. LOL
As for what I did from the beginning, until the first BM I was drinking Metamucil twice daily, taking stool softeners once daily, laxative (senekot) twice daily, and eating fresh fruits often along with lots of water. The BMs were very soft and manageable from that. Now, all I do is drink Metemucil twice a day, stool softeners once, lots of water, and fruit. Seems to work well. Although we'll see what happens when I go back to work...

Just thought I'd update - I am now just over 10 days post-surgery. The pain is MUCH less now and there is little to no bleeding. The only bleeding I have is slight and occurs after BMs, and even then, it's fairly rare at this point.
The healing has started which includes the stitches itching like nobody's business. It's horrible! I just called my CRS to ask what I can do about it because my first urge, taking wire brush to it, is obviously out of the question. The nurse just called me back and suggested is stuff cotton or gauss in my crack to keep the stitches from poking. She's also going to talk to the CRS and ask what I should do as far as topical ointment or oral prescription. I should find out later today.
I do still have a large lump of skin where the larger skin tag was removed. I'm not sure if it's swelling or permanent. The nurse said it could honestly be either. I'm a bit annoyed if it's permanent because it's larger than my skin tag!
I had a breakdown yesterday and am still thinking this whole thing wasn't worth it. I hope I can say in the coming weeks that I was wrong is regretting the surgery, but for now, I'm not overly happy about 30-40 minute bathroom breaks, more pain, more stitches, more itching, and more anxiety. Here's to hoping it gets better from here!