I'm sorry guys, I just have to vent for a moment!
I had my two week followup today, my Dr. wanted to see if my fissure had improved, if not we were going to schedule surgery. It took every ounce of courage to get myself there today know that I would be setting a date for the very first surgery of my life. Once I finally saw my Dr. he seemed to not know much about me, even though I just saw him a few weeks ago! Anyway, I tell him I want to have LIS, and he tells me he won't know what he needs to do to me until I'm out in the OR so he wants consent for anal dilation, LIS, and a skin flap procedure (can't remember what he called that) just in case. Whatever, just freaking fix me already! So the lady comes in to get my consent and schedule my appointment. I tell her that I need a month notice to be able to get the time off work, and I live almost 2 hours away so I can't be there first thing in the morning. Especially since the prep said I needed to do 2 Fleet enemas 2 hours before surgery. She informs me that I have to be there at the time they tell me. I asked what if I can't make it here at that time? She said they wouldn't be able to do my surgery that day then. WTF?!? Then she said well I can tentatively put you down for 11 or 12 but I can't guarantee that we won't need you to come in earlier.
So according to them if they say my surgery is at 8 am, I have to get up around 2 am and do my enemas, leave my house at 4 am to give me the necessary 2 hours to get to the hospital to arrive at 6 am since I have to be there 1 1/2 to 2 hours before my surgery time. Sounds fun right? Plus this scheduling idiocy is explained to me in the rudest tone possible. Finally I get upset at being talked down to and being told "that's just the way it is" that I left the room, requested my records and asked to speak to someone about my complaints. They get the office manager, who makes me wait 20 mins while she gets the secretary's side of the story! WTF? Are you kidding me? Once I finally get to speak with her she talks down to me the way the first lady did. She asked me why I just didn't see a doctor in my town (umm there are no CRS in my town or I would be there!) and why didn't I find someone to stay with the night before my surgery? I was so pissed I just left. No one ever apologized or even acted regretful that I wasn't getting help. I will never be back there.
If you read that whole thing, bless your heart! I'm so sick of my AF and stupid "medical professionals" that offer no help whatsoever.

sigh... i sympathise with u totally... i'm angry hearing your story too. i'll probably find another CRS if i'm you... back here in singapore, i believe we could fix the date of surgery...

Hey Finnsmom, sorry you are having to deal with this, along with all the stress that goes with having AF's!!! Sounds like you are doing the right thing though. I would do the same and find another CRS. I too am 2 hours away from my CRS and my first appt is 12/1/11. I too am totally freaking about it, although I have had surgery before. Where do you live?? I actually got a call from the CRS's office the other day to see how I was feeling and that they had a cancellation and could see me that day if i wanted. I was shocked. I have never been there before and they were calling to see how I was feeling!!! The receptionist was so pleasant. Hoping this will be a good releationship...LOL. I really think it is very important to feel comfortable with the Dr and the office, sounds like they are very rude and uncompassionate...Keep looking!!

So sorry for you! It took forever for my CRS office to call me with the surgery schedule--I know they're often booked solid and it's hard for them to schedule far in advance. Sometimes the surgeon just has a block of time reserved for him and there isn't a ton of flexibility in the schedule, BUT they should explain that nicely to you, you should never be condescended to! We've had enough a**hole problems all on our own, thanks.
I think you did the right thing in leaving. I can't believe they would question you about seeing a surgeon in your own hometown, duh! CRS's are few and far between, there were maybe 5 or 6 of them within 150 mile radius of me that were in my network (and that is actually a lot, probably!). I had to drive over an hour to see a CRS too. Anyway, you should be able to find another one who will treat you like a human being. Try to check for online reviews, I was able to see reviews for my surgeon ahead of time and I knew he'd be great. He was.
I also did not have to bother with enemas before the surgery. Just had to drink a bottle of mag citrate the night before, which believe me isn't pleasant either--nonstop diarrhea all night, no sleep before the surgery!
But the #1 thing about this that bothers me the most....your surgeon SHOULD be able to tell you what procedure he's going to do before he knocks you out. Dialation is considered an outdated method that often does more harm than good. And flaps are used pretty rarely, usually they are used when you have a fissure but you don't have a tight sphincter. He should be able to tell if your sphincter is tight. Did you think to ask him about his rate of complications? Like cases of incontinence, or infections after the surgery? That will tell you a lot about your surgeon as well. Infections are unavoidable sometimes but the answer should always be ZERO cases of incontinence.
Best wishes, keep trying! It will be so worth it.

So sorry for you! It took forever for my CRS office to call me with the surgery schedule--I know they're often booked solid and it's hard for them to schedule far in advance. Sometimes the surgeon just has a block of time reserved for him and there isn't a ton of flexibility in the schedule, BUT they should explain that nicely to you, you should never be condescended to! We've had enough a**hole problems all on our own, thanks.
I think you did the right thing in leaving. I can't believe they would question you about seeing a surgeon in your own hometown, duh! CRS's are few and far between, there were maybe 5 or 6 of them within 150 mile radius of me that were in my network (and that is actually a lot, probably!). I had to drive over an hour to see a CRS too. Anyway, you should be able to find another one who will treat you like a human being. Try to check for online reviews, I was able to see reviews for my surgeon ahead of time and I knew he'd be great. He was.
I also did not have to bother with enemas before the surgery. Just had to drink a bottle of mag citrate the night before, which believe me isn't pleasant either--nonstop diarrhea all night, no sleep before the surgery!
But the #1 thing about this that bothers me the most....your surgeon SHOULD be able to tell you what procedure he's going to do before he knocks you out. Dialation is considered an outdated method that often does more harm than good. And flaps are used pretty rarely, usually they are used when you have a fissure but you don't have a tight sphincter. He should be able to tell if your sphincter is tight. Did you think to ask him about his rate of complications? Like cases of incontinence, or infections after the surgery? That will tell you a lot about your surgeon as well. Infections are unavoidable sometimes but the answer should always be ZERO cases of incontinence.
Best wishes, keep trying! It will be so worth it.

i cant believe the way some of these medical offices treat there patients, very very uncaring. i know how you feel, i have waited a month to get into my dermatologist doctor and when i called them today again to find out what the hold up is she lied to me once again and told me they tried to call me yesterday but my answering machine was not working. bunch of bs. my machine works, i am not even going to go there anymore, sick of the medical staff from hell that dont care! hope you find another crs.