Since I have two surgery "veterans" on this thread, I thought I would as you all a question. I have my surgery next Friday for a fistula and fissure (and maybe taking off a skin tag). I have been in a lot of pain the last two days (mostly laying on the sofa and taking hot baths). Which got me to thinking, how bad is the surgery pain in comparison to having say a thrombosed hemorroid, badly inflamed skin tag, irritated fissure, or abcessed fistula? Is it about the same as those things at their worst or is it a lot more painful?

Summer,
I had a skin tag removed, LIS and the fissure cauterized and my pain level was nothing compared to a bad fissure day. That's the Gods honest truth of my experience. Not to mention, you get pain meds. It was sore not excruciating pain. Much different than I had w/ the fissure and skin tag.

Yes Dawn is right. I don't know which is worse, fistula or fissure surgery, hopetoheal could confirm that. But as for thr fistula surgery, yes, before getting the freeze needles, your bum may be a bit sensitive and tender and when the crs checks it out that may hurt. The needles don't hurt as much. But if you're getting fissure surgery at the same time they'll probably put you to sleep so no worries.
The pain right after the fistula surgery is better than the pain on a GOOD abcessed fistula day. There is just blood sometimes and you have to cater to it. But to me, having my abcessed fistula operated on within a few weeks of when it started, I've felt painless since. And the first bm was the best one I had since it started, and everyone after that just gets better.
HOPETOHEAL: THAT'S INCREDIBLE!!! YOU'RE ALMOST HEALED!! I'm jealous lol you have some super-human healing powers :) I thought your appointment was on Friday, but I forgot and was going to ask since you weren't talking about it. I'm also really glad you have another follow-up, we can never be too careful.
Yes the wake up was pretty harsh as I didn't fall sleep until around 1 am. I was really expecting a bm, and wasn't going to leave until I had one. It did at least happen but it wasn't that smooth, maybe I was forcing it a bit as I was being impatient. It was a very little amount though. The rest of the day was bm free.
Hope, do you still get a bit of blood with your bm's?
And here's something a bit off topic but a bit funny. Last night I dreamt a few of my friends and I went to am indoor pool, and as we were about to get in, I finally remember that I had surgery and shouldn't be doing this. Also, they both had swimming shorts but I forgot mine and just wore my white underwear. So I was hesitant to get in, but I was too good of a swimmer to not show off so I jumped in and did a few laps. The water was so nice. I thought we were alone at the pool until I seen so many people around the wall just sitting down chilling out. I seen some old friends and I went and talked to them for a bit. But a few minutes later, my friend yelled from across the pool, "you have a blood spot on your underwear" and it was such a nightmare that I woke up lol

Hey Summer! I agree with Dawn and Adam - the post-surgery pain is nothing like the fissure and fistula pain! I had an LIS and skin tag removal on May 10th and then a fistulotomy on June 27th. The recovery for both surgeries was a bit rough the first week, but still not as painful as the pre-op fissure. You are having the two or three proceedures at once, so it is possible that your pain level might be a bit more than what I experienced; but you know, I doubt it will be much more, because, really the most painful thing I endured was the fissure pre-surgery. I did have some post-surgery pain, but nothing close to the pre-surgery fissure pain! Also, the painkillers really helped a lot, and you can take those as long as you take stool softeners, no problem. Are you already using something like Miralax? You might want to consider starting that before the surgery so that it has time to work and so that you know how you will react to it. You will be happy you had the surgery! Less than a week now.
Adam - I am very happy my follow up went well I usually heal pretty fast, but the butt is different, so I was definitely relieved. I'm very sure you're going to get the same good news at your follow-up. You sound like you're healing very well. I do still get a little bit of blood after a BM, and still a little bit of pus when I stretch the wound too, but not much. My doc wasn't too concerned about that and just said I was healing well, so I'd say that's normal at this point.
I imagine the early wake-up was a bit rough! I think it will be a while before I'm able to adapt to changing sleep and BM schedules. I definitely can't be rushed through a BM now or it doesn't go well.
It's funny that you mention your dream. I've had some strange butt and butt related dreams too! The other night I had a dream that I went to work with no pants or underwear! I want to keep the butt dry, so at home I don't wear pants or underwear, so maybe my brain is telling me it's almost time to start wearing clothes more often! :D

LOL@ Your dreams Adam and Hope! God, we have too much butt on the brain. lol I had a friend, that told me she is going to be so glad when I have the surgery, so she doesn't have to hear about my butt pains everyday (little does she know, I will talk about it even more probably after surgery...at least until I heal lol).
Thank you all for sharing your ideas about the pain levels. That does make me feel better, since I have been back in considerable pain the last 3 to 4 days. I have so many issues (fissure, fistula, and inflamed skin tag), I am not sure what issue is hurting the most down there anymore. It's just a jumble of pain and soreness! UGH!
I haven't tried the miralax yet, but I will get some. I am usually the opposite of constipated, but it still happens here and there.
I have my colonoscopy Tuesday, so I hope the results are good, for whatever he needs to do with surgery. I had a manometry test last week, but he said my muscle strength wasn't quite as good as he would have wanted, but said it might have something to do with my resting muscle strength being kind of high (which he said might be due to the pain I am in). I will ask him Tuesday what types of procedures he is going to go with. I know there are different options for the fistula.
How long until you think I can go back to work? The doctor said he thought two weeks, but not sure if they say that not to scare you!
Thanks again for all the advice. I would be lost without you guys. I hope you all continue to heal well. You have become my butt role models. hehe

Hey Summer - I'm so sorry you're in pain. As far as going back to work is concerned, I think a lot depends on what kinds of procedures you have done. You mentioned that you will be talking to your CRS about different options for the fistula - if it's a simple fistulotomy you get for a low fistula, then I'd say you probably could go back in two weeks, but you will likely find three weeks more reasonable. I'm going into my fourth week and I am almost back to normal (KOW!). Also, the LIS only relaxes the sphincter muscle and creates the conditions for the fissure to heal. The fissure itself will take about 6 to 8 weeks to heal, and maybe longer. The pain during and after BMs will go away, but you will still have to take good care of the butt until the fissure heals. So, again, two weeks may be possible, but three weeks would be better. Finally, skin tags can take quite a while to heal. The area might be prone to getting irritated easily for a few weeks. All of this suggests that three weeks off work would be much better than two, if you can manage it. The pain will get better after the surgery, but the post-op care is very important so that you don't have any complications. Anyway, that's just my opinion on all this. :D
I am also prone to loose stools and didn't have problems with constipation. The Miralax/Restoralax still helped a lot while I was on painkillers, though. After I stopped the painkillers, I tapered off the Miralax.
I really hope your colonoscopy goes well and that the results are good!
Adam - how're things with you? Have the BMs gotten better? I hope you're having a great day and not working too hard!

Hope,
Thanks for the info . I think I am leaning towards three weeks for sure now. I am a teacher, and have a lot of sick days stockpiled, so as long as I have a doctor's note, I can take off as long as I need. I just hate to be gone too long, but it's not a really good work environment to be able to go to the bathroom when you need and take care of business, so I think I will try and take a longer time off and make sure I am doing okay.
I bought some Miralax today, after hearing the suggestions on here. I am stock piling my goodies now. LOL
I can't believe you are almost 4 weeks out of surgery now! I still remember stumbling across the board shell shocked from finding out I had so many issues, and you were just going in for surgery. I am glad you are on this end of it now!
I had a good day today, due to me not having a BM, so I only had so so pain. I got a lot of things done, and got out of the apartment for the first time in a few days, so that was good for my mental happiness! lol
So now that you are almost 4 weeks out, when would you say you have pain now? All the time or just sometimes? What would you rate it on a scale of 1-10 now?
You know, wouldn't it be nice if they could just put you to sleep for a month, and take care of it all for you, and you wake up when you are all healed? LOL

Day: 19 post op fistula surgery
Well yesterday I got fed up. I've been making pizza with whole wheat dough, sauce, and veggies only. I use the other half of the whole wheat dough to make REAL pizza with all the goodies- lots of cheese, sauce, and pepperoni - for the rest of my family. It came out soo good this time that I actually ate a few slices. That was yesterday afternoon. I had a beautiful bm yesterday right after the pizza. Then at midnight last night I was so hungry going home that I went to have a turkey pita. And tonight I had my bm. It was beautiful again!
I think I have my system down. As long as I have my high fibre big bowl of cereal in the morning, have a high fibre cereal bar or two throughout the day, cooked veggies, and fruit, I should be able to fit in a pizza, maybe even... WENDYS? HARVEYS? BURGER KING? MC PUKES? TACO BELL?
My follow up is soon, so I will ask if that's okay before I try the fast food yet. But at least I know I can make whole wheat pizza with meat and cheese! :D :D and I can go to Subway or Pita restaurants! :D
I've also been working out as normal, not 110% like I used to, but at least at 85%.
My fistula hole seems to be a lot less deep and the hole is about half the size as it used to be.
So happy
Summergal, it's great you have sick days piled up, you knew saving them for a rainy day would come in handy! I bet your students will miss you a lot and when you go back they'll be all over you lol.
Hopetoheal, you are a great person for anyone to turn to, you have experienced so much, dealt with so much pain and suffering, and you're here helping out others a lot. You must have great genes. And hopefully you'll have "jeans" in your next dream!! Lol I've never had a dream like that before but I'd like to! I'd love to dream that and think "how the heck did this happen" lolol that's soo funnyyy

WOW ADAM!! Good for you! I am so jealous you are eating pizza! The pizza you make sounds so yummy. Now I’m hungry! I think you’re right that as long as you take your fiber, you can eat more of what you like now. That’s really great. But are you really sure you want to go back to “McPukes”? (LOL). I’m dreaming of Swiss Chalet – I love that sauce! Thank you for the kind words about my “genes”
I’m so impressed that you are working out and pretty much getting your life back. It sounds like you are healing very well. My fistula hole doesn’t really look like a fistula hole anymore. What I see now is a kind of “ditch”-like wound. It’s much shallower than it was, and there wasn’t any pus coming out when I stretched it yesterday or today. It bleeds a very little bit when I stretch it and when I have a BM, but it does look like it’s healing. It’s quite amazing that such a deep wound can heal like that! I think you are going to be back to your life completely very soon.
Summer – I’m so happy you can take three weeks off. I think that will make a big difference, especially since post-BM clean-up would be challenging. Also, you will be able to go back to work much more refreshed and energetic. I have got a stockpile of Miralax too! If anybody in my town gets constipated, they may have to travel pretty far away to find relief, since I’m sure I’ve cleaned out every store lol.
It’s hard to believe that I’m exactly four weeks post-surgery. I don’t have any pain, just sometimes a little raw feeling, so I’d say the pain is 0.5 out of 10, maybe 1/10 during a BM. But I’ve had formed and bulky BMs for two days now and there has been no real pain. I’m a bit tender, but that’s all. I still have some blood on the TP and occasionally on the stool, but that’s not a big deal. Actually, things started getting a lot better during my third week of recovery. (I don’t want to speak too soon, since the Evil Ass Demon is out there waiting to make a liar out of me!) I would love to be able to just wake up after a month and be healed – but, actually, I used to fantasize that Dr. Crusher from the Starship Enterprise would beam down and fix my as in 10 seconds with her dermal regenerator!
So, am I right that we are on count-down now to your surgery this Friday? I know that this all must have hit you like a ton of bricks, and you are very brave and dealing with all this so well. It’s really great that you are getting all your issues fixed at once. You will feel so much better when you start to heal instead of just coping with pain every day.

LOL@your miralax comment Hope! That made me giggle.
Adam, you are making me hungryyyyyyyyyy! I had had nothing but clear liquids since 3:00 pm yesterday, so I am starving. Sounds like you are doing well though!!
I did my TriLyte drink this morning for the colonoscopy. I had forgotten how gross it was. I did pretty well, and made it to the last 10 ounces or so, and then threw it up! I was like a scene out of The Exorcist! LOL It just didn't want to stay in me. I called the doc and he said it should be okay. I go in today at 1:00. I hope it goes well and that he doesn't find anything bad or complicated.
Yes, Hope, my surgery is Friday. UGH! I am not looking forward to this, but I have been pretty miserable the last week or so, so it's now or never! What do you all recommend to eat after surgery? I want some fiber to have a healthy or soft BM, but I don't want to go too much! I bought some instant oatmeal, and some Fiber One bars, but what are some others things you all found good, especially the first week.