Should I get LIS surgery?

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Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby sadies-day » 27 Mar 2012, 17:30

I've been dealing with a chronic fissure for a couple of years now. I have no pain during bowel movements. Occasionally a little blood on the TP if I wipe too much. My biggest complaint is the itching afterwords. If I have a hard BM that cleans up easily, no problem whatsoever. If I have a BM that takes some wiping, it can get very irritated (again itching, not pain). Doc said I have a chronic fissure with a sentinel pile and recommended LIS surgery. This was about a year ago. I've been debating ever since. Interested in what others think. I'm also concerned with the recovery time and how I explain to my coworkers what I had surgery for as it's just a bit embarrassing :)
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby workingonit » 27 Mar 2012, 19:10

Hi Sadies-day,
Odds are that half your co-workers have had a fissure at some point in their lives, whether they'd admit it or not Image
LIS seems kinda aggressive, but some docs are.
If you are unsure, why not get a second opinion?
LIS is minor surgery, but it is still surgery.
Have you read some of the posts here? There's a search engine in the top right corner and lots and lots of info.
My AF isn't too painful either, but I don't get the itching at all. But neither doctor I've seen thinks I need LIS. The one guy seems to think I should just live with it if it doesn't heal on it's own. That, of course, would suck. I don't know if it's a Canadian thing or what. Are Canadians supposed to be more stoic? I wouldn't have thought so...
-Tanya
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby sadies-day » 31 Mar 2012, 06:42

Thanks for the advice. I did make an appointment with my CRS to discuss it further. Unfortunately, he's booked until early May and there really aren't many other options in the area. My primary care gave me some Diltiazem which I've been using for about a week. I was surprised the CRS didn't suggest that when I first saw him a year ago. My primary care thought it was probably because he didn't think it would work. I've also been using Calmoseptine since this whole thing started which helps most of the time except when it's really irritated.
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby workingonit » 31 Mar 2012, 09:32

Not sure calmoseptine is good for prolonged usage. I read that Zinc oxide is a mild astringent, so it could be irritating after a while.
Glad you have the diltiazem now!
-Tanya
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby thisfissurecankissmybutt » 31 Mar 2012, 13:25

I agree with workingonit. My CRS took me off Calmoseptine and had me start to use Beaudreaux's Butt Creme and it made a huge difference. He also had me use Calmol 4 suppositories, which really helped, as well. You do have to alternate their usage, otherwise you may end up diluting the Diltiazam.
Last edited by thisfissurecankissmybutt on 29 Jul 2012, 14:14, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby rasmith3530 » 02 Apr 2012, 01:37

Sadies-day, I'm on my second fissure in a years time, the first not being too bad, and it healed with Nitro ointment. This last time was a whole different animal. Extreme pain before and during the bowel movement, then hours of agony with the spasms afterward. My CRS said LIS and I said yes. I was worried, but it was mostly a non issue. I am now exactly four weeks out, and I feel like I've been given my life back as far as my butt is concerned.
Personally, after a short bit, I didn't give a rat's behind about who knew I had the fissure. I hadn't done anything illegal or immoral to get it, so I figured why be so concerned. But that is me, YMMV.
I hope whatever route you go, you get help and it heals quickly. I just can't even imagine living with this condition day in and day out for a year or more.
Take care.
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby sadies-day » 03 May 2012, 16:42

I'm off to my CRS tomorrow. The Diltiazem has been no help whatsoever. Every BM lately is very irritating. Not during but most definitely afterwards. At this point my only option is LIS. 2.5 years is enough. My biggest concern is making it worse but almost everything I've read indicates it's the gold standard as far as chronic fissure treatment. Unfortunately, my work schedule won't allow me to get it for another long 2 months (assuming I'll be out of work for a week). Ugghhh...
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby workingonit » 03 May 2012, 18:10

Good luck at the Docs!
-Tanya
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Re: Should I get LIS surgery?

Postby sadies-day » 04 May 2012, 14:52

CRS visit went well. He went thru all the options and said that surgery was my best bet particularly since the fissure is chronic and because of the sentinel pile and built up scar tissue. So, I went ahead and scheduled it for 6/28. I wish I could get it done sooner but have several work commitments. He does the surgeries on Thursday's and said that most folks are back to work the following Mon. or Tues. at the latest.
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