Hi Sailorgal,
I was advised by my CRS to have _no_ caffeine and _no_ alcohol, because they are dehydrating and the colon needs to stay well-hydrated in order to heal.
That said, I tried, I mean I _really_ tried to follow this strictly. Avoiding alcohol wasn't a problem, but after stopping the coffee (I had previously been a heavy coffee drinker), I developed a caffeine withdrawal headache that just wouldn't stop. For 5 days, nothing would touch it, including the strong pain meds given earlier for the fissure. From what I read about caffeine withdrawal headaches, they can go on for a week or two, and that was more than I could tolerate.
I finally had one cup of coffee, and within 1.5 hours, the monster headache was gone. I called the doc's office and explained my situation to the nurse. She said that while complete avoidance was preferable, one cup a day was acceptable under the circumstances. I may be able to gradually go off it altogether, but the single cup doesn't seem to be doing anything to my fissure, and it sure keeps me happy.
That's anecdotal, I know, but it's my experience, FWIW.
May the healing be with you.
