Ugh, Sphinct...I have to admit I am still rather shy even after my butt's had quite an audience these days...working on my pooping technique with a therapist does not sound like a fun time...but you are definitely doing the best thing for you! A misdiagnosed condition, huh? Wow--who knew? I sure hope the new drug helps out.
Bumbutt, I think a Movicol Margarita sounds like genius. That should go into the AF-friendly cookbook under the 'drinks' section. And yeah, I can totally understand why all the old regulars are leaving, once they get healed up. I'm just not there yet. But you're absolutely right, lots of things in your life get neglected when all you can think about is your butt.
Well I woke up in a lot of pain today, but that's because I managed to sleep through the night and all the painkillers had worn off. Unfortunately I've had to get up and help see the older two kids off to school each morning, but my husband has been helping get them ready and he drives them there and picks them up, at least. We need a nanny right now but that isn't going to happen. Never having experienced it himself, I'm sure my husband is thinking, how bad could butt pain really be?
I'm not stupid enough to run the vacuum myself, but seeing messy floors makes me crazy!!!!! Oh well, I'll cuddle my adorable kitten and ignore the floors. At least tomorrow is Saturday, and I have a tray of frozen homemade cinnamon rolls already prepared for breakfast...I hope to lay in bed most if not all of the day. I still haven't had a BM and hope I never do!

Hey Alp!
I'm so glad to hear you had your surgery and it went well. Try not to worry and stress too much. Believe me, I am Queen of the Worriers and from 5 weeks post op yesterday, I can see that Dawn and others were so right to look at a week at a time. I am doing really well (and I am the kind of worrier who is afraid to even say that out loud!) I have occasional irritation at the skin tag site (I can't remember if you had that as well- if not, things should go much easier.) That has been the longest lasting issue for me and I think it is because there is this fragile new tissue there and it gets easily irritated. Still- in the past two days when I have been extremely stressed, some of the last of the irritation, etc have faded some. I occasionally have a twinge that is momentary at the incision site. Almost like a muscle cramp (nothing at all severe, just an awareness of something). I am down to taking 3/4 teaspoon of Miralax as of last night and had a soft, yet fairly formed BM this morning that did not hurt at all! What a joy that is! I, like many others have said before me, wish I had had the LIS many months ago rather than trying so hard to avoid it. And like you, if I had to repeat it I still would. It is not fun, but nothing was unbearable. And like you, I was having more good days than bad pre-surgery and was at that chronic stage where I could have almost let myself just go on that way. Keep up your spirits and I just wish you were older and retired like me so you could have more time to just baby yourself. Do your best to ignore those floors! No one ever died over a few dust bunnies you know! The hard part about this, too, is that with other surgeries you might have friends and neighbors rallying around with casseroles and the like. It is not exactly the type of surgery you announce to the world. Is your Aunt still there and could she come back for a few days? Try to just pamper yourself when the kids are at school and stay off your butt as much as you can. I will be thinking and praying for you.
Bambi
P.S. I miss the oldies on here too- Dawn, Happy, NG and others all helped me so much. I hope they are doing well and are just out having fun.

Bambi, thank you!
I often wish I was older too, or at least that the kids were so they'd be more self-sufficient. Since about age 24 I have just been in pretty poor health, so I feel older than I am. I have a young family to care for and it's just really difficult at times. It's been a blessing that I could be a stay at home mom though. In the next couple of years I'll probably start working part time at least, but I hope that my health will be better so that isn't such a hardship.
You're right, no one is really rallying around you with this surgery, because you don't tell many people about it! At least with my sinus issues, people knew why I felt run down and horrible, although like the butt issues, only another sufferer can really grasp the severity of it. The fatigue and brain fog were extreme with the chronic sinus infections. I'm so glad to be past all that, I have way more energy now and I'm healthier, butt problems notwithstanding. My twenties were wasted on dumb health problems, and I don't intend to blow my thirties too.
I have to admit I'm looking at the toys and cat hair on the area rug and fighting the urge to bust out the vacuum...but I'm not gonna do it! I'll have the big girls do it tonight before we watch our movie.
I do have to drive the car today, to get my five year old from preschool. At her school they bring the kids out to your car for you though, so I won't have to get out, just drive through. I quit taking the narcotics because I didn't like the nausea and constipation worries, so I should be okay to drive. Although my butt isn't going to like it.
This weekend I'm not doing anything more than I have to!

How was your weekend? How is your butt?
Hope you are resting and healing.
Personally, it is morning, and I need some coffee (except that I haven't been drinking it - I've had only one cup in the past 5 months, and it nearly sent me spinning through the roof!).

Thanks for asking BB...it was a good weekend, got plenty of rest, didn't have to leave the house for anything which I always appreciate.
Funny you mention coffee, I had to give it up a long, long time ago because it's so hard on my stomach. I think it's really bad if you have IBS type issues. So I get maybe 1 or 2 cups a year at odd times, like when we're camping and other people make it for me.
But since the surgery, I've had a couple of cups, figuring I deserved the indulgence. I was actually just sitting down with one when I read your post. And yeah it fires me up too!
Usually I just drink tea.
For those that want the poop report...it hasn't been too bad! Really! A lot of that I suppose I can credit to Miralax. I have more incision pain when I'm not pooping than during a BM. I have to watch my level of activity. I couldn't quite stop myself from vacuuming, I know it's OCD but I kind of enjoy vacuuming. Anyway I've been paying for that a bit and had to take some more narcotics. I don't make a good invalid. I get bored in bed and have to get up. I just need some new books I guess; I'm stuck reading Tolkien which I love but I've read a zillion times before. Thanks to catching the flu before surgery I never got to the library to check out a pile of books for my recovery.
I'm also annoyed that I'm not allowed to freely indulge in baths yet. Sure I can sit in a warm bath for 20 minutes. But I want a boiling hot bath for 2 hours. They told me I can't sit too long in hot water because I might dissolve my stitches and open my wound before it's ready. I guess that sounds reasonable but I still want a hot bath.
Well I have to make my follow up appointment soon. I'm supposed to go back in 1-2 weeks after surgery...I thought that seemed really soon! I was hoping they wouldn't want to see me for a good month, but I guess sooner might be better since everyone always has lots of questions about normal recovery at this stage.
I hope everyone else is doing well. Still feeling better, Bumbutt?

So you are only a little over a week out, Alpine! Sorry I had forgotten. It was easier for me post-op because I love TV- it does get boring though. I never could master typing on the lap top while half lying down either. I think the less you do now is the best if you can try it. Do you have "on demand" on your TV or something that streams movies from Netflix or anything. I ended up watching silly 70s disaster movies over a couple of days. I also watched Titanic on a cable channel over the course of a couple of days after I had it on the DVR. I don't know if it was the anesthesia or what, but I had a harder time reading over the first week or two. Too bad you couldn't get to the library- I forgot you had the flu. No wonder you are getting bored!
I think it is good to go back to the Dr after about 2 weeks. I had several questions and the day I went I was really worried about the skin tag area and it all turned out to be fine. It felt good (never thought I'd say this!) to know he was going to be looking at things and checking it out. Made me feel better.
Bambi
Have you read The Help? It's a good book about the south- maids and their employers. It weaves a very good story. Could your husband go pick it up for you? Wish I lived nearby- I could do a run for you!

No wonder you're restless if you are drinking coffee!
I had a cup back in February after a 4 month abstinence and you would have thought I had taken some sort of speed! I was totally high on coffee...
Yup, I am still doing well, thanks! I just need to keep up that careful balance of good diet, water and movicol. And try not to be stressed...
Hope you can continue to take it easy, and not vacuum too much!

I'm glad the Movicol is still working for you Bumbutt. Honestly I think that stuff might have saved me from surgery if I'd had it five years ago, although now I'd like to get off of it (eventually). I don't think it was available over the counter back when I first got my fissure, so I took Colace instead. Colace just sort of works when it wants to.
Bambi, I haven't read The Help, but thanks for the suggestion! I'll have to look for it when I finally get back out to the library. I do have Netflix and I like the TV too, just not all day. Pawn Stars, American Pickers, and 30 Rock are my favorites.
It's back to tea today! I was restless yesterday and I think I really overdid it. I was hurting when I went to bed so I took another dose of narcotic, and this morning I feel pretty good. I think the incision site is starting to itch, which is usually a good sign of healing.
I got my followup scheduled for April 12th; I had two choices--go up there today, less than a week out of surgery, or take the appt. on the 12th. The surgeon is going on vacation so there was nothing in between. Today seemed too soon...I'm not ready for 2 hours sitting in the car yet.
I started taking Citrucel yesterday and so far I think it's going to work out better than the Metamucil did. It's definitely got me 'going' again; my system has been slow from all the painkillers and Benefiber doesn't really help that issue. Also I think I read somewhere that Citrucel holds more water than Metamucil, which makes a softer stool...so maybe that could help me wean off the Miralax.
I had a little blood on the tp this morning after the BM which I think was just from the incision site, and I haven't had any real pain since, so I'm happy with that. Now, if only I could sit in the bath for an hour or two...

I am so glad u r feeling good! I have a month to go still but we have cleared two major hurdles! My SIL had a beautiful baby girl, Katie, on Friday and yesterday my MIL had her mastectomy today she is doing well up and walking around, she has a VERY high pain tolerance, good German stock, she is such a strong woman! Now we r just waiting to hear the results from the lymph node... Now only my bum is next. I got my hands on some Valium on Sunday and have been taking 1/2 dose in morning, it's really helping with the morning pain. This makes the afternoon more bearable...
Going to see GP this Friday to ask for a scrip for that. My hubby is coming home from Belize on Thursday and is also bringing me a tube of sufrexal so maybe I can b pain free sometime in the coming weeks.
The miralax has definately helped with softness and no more bleeding but unfortunately hasn't eliminated my pain.
Your story and the recoveries of others r very encouraging, the fear of excruciating after pain has lessened as well.
U ppl give me courage I didn't think I had!

Elphie, congratulations to your SIL!
And I'm glad to hear your MIL is through with her surgery, I'm sure it was a hard decision to give up her breasts but this will give her the best chance of never having a recurrence. She must be seriously tough if she's walking around! I've got a German background too, and supposedly we are tough, able to survive on braunschweiger and beer. Hope that she heals really fast!
The sufrexal is interesting. I wonder why the heck it isn't available in North America? And Europe? I hope you have good luck with it, it's good to try and heal as much as possible before the surgery so you have less healing to do afterwards.
I've never had any Valium, I wished I did for those first few BM's when I was really tense. But taking extra Miralax got me through those.
And yes, this site has given me all my courage...it helps you feel normal and less like a freak to see that others are experiencing exactly the same thing that you are. I probably mentioned this before, but when I was coming out of anesthesia, one of the nurses said that my surgeon does a booming business from women like me who've gotten AF's from giving birth. I've never known another one, personally, but that doesn't mean that someone I know hasn't had it happen...it just isn't talked about much.
Hang in there, I wish your surgery was sooner, you'll be so relieved when it's over. It wasn't even a big deal, really. I had a harder time just finding a doctor I wanted to see than I did going through with the surgery.