Hello All;
I have a few questions about surgery day and the first 24-48 hours following surgery.
1. Did you have to do a bowel prep and, if so, what was it?
2. How soon after surgery did you start miralax/softeners? Did anyone take before going home?
3. How soon after surgery did you eat anything?
4. How did you clean up after initial BM's? I mean considering the swelling, incision . . . soap/no soap, soaks, hand-held shower head . . . be as specific as you dare, please.
5. How soon after surgery were you able to soak and how often/long? I've seen where some were told not to soak until next day, I guess to do with whether stitches, etc.?
Some random questions too . . .
6. Is this something I can do alone if I prepare (meal shopping, scripts, etc. beforehand) well?
7. What is the difference between "open" and "closed" LIS?
I think that's it for now.

1. Did you have to do a bowel prep and, if so, what was it?

***No I didn't.
2. How soon after surgery did you start miralax/softeners? Did anyone take before going home?
***I stayed with my regimen I had pre-surgery. Took the night before and the night of surgery.
3. How soon after surgery did you eat anything?
***About 5 hours after.
4. How did you clean up after initial BM's? I mean considering the swelling, incision . . . soap/no soap, soaks, hand-held shower head . . . be as specific as you dare, please.
***Just baths first few days and cotton in warm water, then moved on to shower wand and baths. No soap( was an order from CRS)
5. How soon after surgery were you able to soak and how often/long? I've seen where some were told not to soak until next day, I guess to do with whether stitches, etc.?
***I soaked the morning after my surgery as I was advised by my CRS. I probably had 4- 5 soaks a day first two weeks post-op. I really didn't set a time on it after my surgery. I didn't have stitches.
Some random questions too . . .
6. Is this something I can do alone if I prepare (meal shopping, scripts, etc. beforehand) well?
***I would hope you could get help ahead so that you won't have to get up and down a lot the first few days but if you prepare ahead, it can be done. I would definitely set up a nice stock of water, miralax, pain meds right beside your bed and cook ahead.
7. What is the difference between "open" and "closed" LIS?
***I'm really not sure but it's in the surgery threads. I'll find the link and post here :)
I think that's it for now.

http://anal-fissure.org/t2215-open-or-closed-lis#48586
PS... This is something I did that may help you out also. I set a timer for every 4 hours the first night of my surgery so that I could stay ahead of the pain. It's pretty sore.

I think doctors use open LIS more when they have a hard time distinguishing between the internal and external sphincters. They want to put the incision in just the right place. Closed LIS is more 'blind'--they stick the scalpel in through a small puncture and blindly turn it to make the cut.
My doctor did open LIS, so I had stitches that took a long time to come out because it's an open incision instead of a small puncture. It still healed just fine.

I have a few questions about surgery day and the first 24-48 hours following surgery.
1. Did you have to do a bowel prep and, if so, what was it?
** 2 Fleet enemas...
2. How soon after surgery did you start miralax/softeners? Did anyone take before going home?
** never stopped my routine except the night before surgery, right back when I started eating after.
3. How soon after surgery did you eat anything?
** a few hours, mostly soft stuff the first few days, soups, pudding, pasta, anything soft really...
4. How did you clean up after initial BM's? I mean considering the swelling, incision . . . soap/no soap, soaks, hand-held shower head . . . be as specific as you dare, please.
** I actually just used toilet paper very gently and my wife bought some disposable cleaning clothes and she helped make sure I was fresh back there.
5. How soon after surgery were you able to soak and how often/long? I've seen where some were told not to soak until next day, I guess to do with whether stitches, etc.?
** I soaked next day 2 or 3 times... nothing else was said to me but...soak...
Some random questions too . . .
6. Is this something I can do alone if I prepare (meal shopping, scripts, etc. beforehand) well?
** yes..no problem... if you can drive
7. What is the difference between "open" and "closed" LIS?
** I dont know
I think that's it for now.[/quote]