hello all..just found this forum and wanted to share and hopefully get some support..im just a little nervous about the surgery but definately anxious to finally rid myself of this nagging never-ending pain in the a** ! i've had my af for 4 months now and have been determined to heal it on my own. did everything by the book when it comes to food, sitz and supplements, and just when i would think this thing was healing...the pain came back with a vengence! last thursday was the day i said no more..i couldn't live in this misery anymore and just wanted my life back..for my sake as well as my daughter and husband...they certainly felt my pain and helpless on top of it. so surgery is scheduled for this friday, lis and tag removal..am extremely fearful of the bm pain the first few days afterward..even the doc pre-warned me that i'll probably reconsider having a second one after the first...ugh...thanks for the warning doc! but all in all i looking forward to having a life again...i've read some positive outcomes on this forum and they truly give me hope! will update soon possible post surgery. best wishes to all!

Alegna,
That's great that you are getting some closure!
If you've read the other LIS posts, then you know the first few BMs won't be as bad as the AF ones.
Just remember to keep up the fibre, water and whatever else is helping you keep a constant soft BM. Whatever you have to do to not strain.
Best wishes to you too!
-Tanya

Alegna, Tanya is absolutely right! At this point i understand ur anxiety but i'm pretty sure that after surgery you'll realize there really wasnt anything to be afraid of. I didnt have fissure pain before having LIS and fistulectomy but i can honestly say that BM's were never a serious concern after surgery. The thought of the 1st BM is scary but more than likely you'll be surprised by how little discomfort you feel. As hopetoheal has advised n a few others, take deep breaths during BM, relax and let the poop happen naturally. On the worst days (usually within the first week) the worst pain was at most a 2 on a 10 scale. Plz do not be afraid; its highly likely that recovery will be smooth with no or very little pain. Usally, painkillers wont even be necessary beyond the first couple of days and i never had to take any post surgery. I say all this with confidence cuz i do not have a high pain threshold and even i did not have a single day where i felt the pain was truly miserable. Take the first week very easy, dont move around too much even tho you'll probably be able to move around without much pain after the first couple of days. The first 2 weeks are crucial so that there are no complications! Feel free to ask ANYTHING at all if u need to know something....

i appreciate the insight and advice ...i'm actually surprised at myself for having such anxiety about the bm considering the pain i've endured these past 4 months, but i may have been fortunate when it came to bathroom time...during this fissure experience i've never had pain while "going", at all, it always came on about 2 hours after and just kept on most of the day...that's one of the reasons i guess i'm nervous about that part of the post op, actually my crs informed me that the tag removal will cause me more distress than the actual lis, and honestly i'm glad she was straight forward with me, i definitely want to be prepared for the worst, so at least i won't think somethings wrong, i will make sure i do the breathing and relax through it, sounds like a smart plan. i also plan on continuing with the high fibre regiment, i'm so used to it now and got it down to a science when it comes to how much i need to make things come out smoothly. Wow..really i'm so glad to be here telling people about my problem who get it and understand...this is somewhat therapeutic and much appreciated. i will keep in touch and hope to be a source of support to others after my surgery. Thanks and best wishes!

Good luck Alegna. I'm scheduled for the 27th. I will be excited to hear your progress reports. My doctor has assured me that the after effects of the surgery should be extremely far less than what I have been going through with the AF itself.
It sounds like you've been lucky in not experiencing pain before and during your BM. I have gotten pain during like someone was hammering a railroad spike up my hind end, with much blood to boot. Also, oftentimes my spasms would start within 15 minutes of evacuation and last for more than four hours.
Wishing you the best of luck.