Hi thisfissure,
Thanks for your comments, I often wondered if my posts were of any use!
If you are regular enough with your BM's and eating enough fibre without suffering from constipation then I would not bother with supplements. Supplements just add further fibre to your diet so if you already eat more than enough they will just give you wind.
I would concentrate more on the softness and consistancy. What really helped me was fresh soup and mangoes (not at the same time of course!!)
Currently I feel great and thanks for asking - I am two days post LIS and the whole thing so far has been a breeze although I am still awaiting that dreaded first BM. I have never really had any pain post surgery just a mild discomfort which is only there if I sit on my backside. If I lay on my side I am pain free and completely relaxed.
If I was to go through it all again there is only one thing I would do differently and that is to not let the fissure rule my life (which I know is easier said than done). Both my doc and my CRS told me I was being way too strict with my diet and that I should still try and enjoy myself. So the occasional pizza was ok if I had extra stool softeners and that most foods in moderation were ok provided they were chewed well and eaten with lots of water. Also I know that I could drink two large glasses of red with no effect on my fissure but I never chose to do this - once a week on a weekend would have been fine and would have helped my state of mind immensely but I never chose to do this.
So my advice would be to try and live your life as normal as possible and not be ruled by your ass :D
Davo

Hi Davo:
You have absolutely no idea (NO IDEA!) how helpful your posts have been! I never, ever thought that I would be in a situation like this, but it has meant so much to have people like you who care enough to offer your advice and share your experiences here.
I am soooooooooo glad you are doing well! Even though you are clearly on the road to recovery (yeah!), I hope you will continue to offer your advice on this forum. It has given many of us who have felt hopeless at times a lot of hope. Sometimes just knowing that you are not alone is enough to get you through the day.
I really appreciate your advice on trying to live life an normally as possible despite the fissure. I know that I have let this fissure rule my life on way too many occasions for the past five months (just ask my wife and kids). What a waste of time!
At the risk of sounding really weird, I can't wait to hear about your first post-surgery bowel movement (now that's a sentence I never thought I'd type!). I think that is the thing that worries me most about the surgery, if I end up having to have it.
Thanks again.

Wow I am speechless, thank you for your very kind words - they really do mean a lot to me.
When i first joined this board i never used to post messages but i gained all sorts of useful information and tips. After doing lots of reasearch and gaining my own personal experiences i thought i should give something back and thats why i post now. If just one scrap of information i supply can make somebody elses journey slightly less painful then all my posting has been worthwhile.
Obviously everyone is different and thats why more and more people need to post their experiences on here. Sometimes i will see a new member post something and i think hey thats a great idea so if anyone is thinking of posting for the first time please do it.
As for me well i intend to stick around for a good while yet boring everybody with my progress :D
(Ohh and gettingmedown.... sorry if we hijacked your thread a little bit)
Davo

I totally agree - Davo - I find your posts so useful so a massive thank you for keeping us updated. At the moment it is very hard to not let it rule my life...I am obsessed with what I eat, how it will affect my BM, the scale of the pain and whether or not I can even make plans in case I happen to have spasms that last for hours...not fun!
I also feel a bit sad that you ended up going down the surgery route cos that plants a seed in my head that the only way to fully recover and life a normal, pain free life is to have LIS. I'll have to decide when I reach breaking point and then make a decision! Just out of interest, where did you have your surgery...your CRS sounds really good

Gettingmedown: I know EXACTLY how you feel. For the past 5 months, my life has revolved completely around my ass. However, this forum is a great place for you to be right now. There are so many great people here who have gone through or are going through the same thing as you are.
Most colorectal surgeons, in my experience, will tell you the basics: take a stool softener (like Miralax), get plenty of fiber (including supplements like Metamucil), drink lots and lots of water, have soft bowel movements (like the consistency of toothpaste), don't push or strain when you are having a bowel movement, take several hot baths a day (20 to 30 minutes per bath), use wet toilet paper when wiping, etc.
Of course, you have to use trial and error to find out what combination works for you, but I personally wouldn't be able to make it through the day without Miralax.
Unfortunately, their is no "magic bullet." Just lots of patience, crying (when necessary) and support (like this forum).
The good news? Over time, most fissures heal using these conservative treatments. However, your doctor can prescribe medication that can help reduce the spasms. I am currently on Nifedipine and when the spasms are really bad I take Valium. If this course of treatment doesn't work, there are other medications that may work. If none of this works, surgery is always an option.
Have you been to see a colorectal surgeon yet? If not, I would highly recommend it. The sooner you get under the care of a great colorectal surgeon, the better your chances of healing without surgery.

Gettingmedown,
We are all different and so are our fissures and healing abilities - It was unfortunate that i ended up having surgery but i have not lost any faith in GTN or topical creams and ointments. Even though it didn't work for me it made a huge difference to my life and relieved me of so much pain. Success with GTN is around 70% so that is proof in itself that it does work but like i have said before it takes lots of time & patience. If it wasn't for my wedding in the summer i probably would have stuck it out a bit longer however judging by what my CRS said it probably wouldn't have worked for me anyway.
I also understand what you are saying about not being able to plan your life. I found that my fissure caused me grief whenever i planned to do something, as if it knew when to ruin things which just shows that some of this is just in our heads!
With regards to foods i proved to myself that i can almost eat anything without causing my fissure problems. Once i had my LIS scheduled i went a bit off the rails and started to eat normally again only to find little difference in my BM's - i think the pain sometimes makes us over cautious with our eating habits.
My CRS is fantastic, i really cant speak highly enough of the guy. He is one of them guys who speaks to you as if he is your best friend, he never rushes things and always seems to know exactly what you are feeling before you even open your mouth!
He has a private clinic on Harley Street in London (which is reflected in his fees!) and regulary represents the UK in Worldwide Colorectal conferences.
These are his details:
http://www.thelondonclinic.co.uk/consultants/windsor,_mr_alastair_c_j.aspx
Thisfissure,
With regards to your statement, "Over time, most fissures heal using these conservative treatments. However, your doctor can prescribe medication that can help reduce the spasms"..... YOU ARE EXACTLY RIGHT!!!
And i also agree that people should see a CRS as soon as possible. Any good CRS should do everything in his power to help you heal without resorting to surgery. Unless you have a seriously bad fissure i could never imagine a CRS even talking about surgery during an initial consultation.
Davo

So true :( getting scared of eating something that might irritate this fissure :( but the best bet is to keep a journal of what you eat and how your body reacts..
Toothpaste consistency is what we aim for..

Good to see you again, Maria. Missed you in the games!
Hope all is well with you.