I am glad to read this! Obviously not that you are sore, but I too am having some considerable soreness today and shooting pains. Obviously I am only 5 days post-op so it is to be expected but its much more than when it was first done. It has been more painful after bm today, but I am thinking I have sat more. Was on the verge of going to the GP just to get it checked out. Just sticking out of my bottom is a small, cornflake shaped thing which looks like it is stuck on my skin. Its not yellow or anything and no pus so I'm guessing this is just like a scab or something?! Obviously with a bit more soreness I panicked a bit today. Am ok now but it makes you a bit nervous doesn't it?! Will monitor it and if it doesn't get too much better may just get it checked out. Have been very clean sitting in my bidet and keeping it dry. Wonder if its something to do with the rectogesic I am applying, as my CRS said to do this. Anyway hope you are feeling ok! :)

Hi ETO and SUE!
I hope all is well with my butt buddies!
I spoke with my CRS this afternoon and he said that recovery from fissure/fistula surgery is rarely a straight line. Some days are better than others. He said recovery is like a roller coaster - some days you are up, and some days you are down. He said the key is that you should be improving over time. He said to measure your healing in terms of a week at a time and not a day at a time, and not to be too concerned if you have an occasional bad day or two, as this is to be expected.
He said if you have an infection you will most likely know it. If you aren't sure if you have an infection, he said you probably don't have one. He said if you have an infection your butt will be red, swollen, you will likely have a fever AND (the key) each day things get progressively worse, not better.
So, it sounds like you are experiencing normal healing pains, which is a good thing since that means you are HEALING!!!
I hope this helps!
I'm looking forward to joining you guys on the other side. July 24th will be here before you know it!

Aw thank you thisfissure. I got up today, had a bm and the cornflake thingy was gone!!! It was quite sore today, and I took a trip out in the car (as a passenger). Only went a few miles and when I got out the car it was extremely sore. However I took an ibuprofen and things quickly improved. It got aggravated by an extra bm tonight, but not as bad as before, took some parcetamol and am more comfortable. Meant to be going back to work on Monday so hoping for a big improvement! Thank you so much for asking your CRS, how kind of you. I am coming to realise healing is not going to be plain sailing. Overall not too bad though, trying to stay positive. Been difficult these past few days with the return of my coccyx pain and dermatology issue flaring on my unmentionables but looking at the positive in that I managed to go out today and after 2 bms I'm not too bad. As from next week I am getting on to going to another dermatologist as am not waiting until christmas eve for my appointment (!) with someone who obviously doesn't know what else to do. It will be great when you are on the other side too, not long to wait now and then you will be on the road to healing. Thank you again for asking your CRS, really appreciate it

AW TFCKMB,
You really made my day! Thank you so much for asking your CRS. He sounds like a great CRS and offers a more realistic diagnosis than a lot of CRS'....I really appreciate you asking and it's reassured me again an awful lot and put the icing on the top of my day, which has been a really good one, both generally and bottom-wise!!!.........We look forward to seeing you get through this too and being here for all your post op worries and pains!!.......How did you get on with him?? Did he discuss the surgery with you or examine you today?
Sue, Sorry to hear about that soreness again but long-term, it will be so worth it and it's very normal still and yes, I found myself in the very same situations with that same pain too. aagh!
I know you say you are going back to work Monday but if you don't feel up to it, don't feel the pressure to do it and see if you can take a little more time off for healing or perhaps suggest just a few hours a day if you can as a sort of phased recovery?? You may of course be feeling great or the pain killers might help you through it. Do you have a sitting job (if so, a donut with a pillow on the top has been a real relief for me) ?
So Sorry to hear about your other two issues....As if you don't have enough to contend with at the moment!!! I guess it's deal with the greater of the evils first and then the others one by one but it will all be sorted!!...
No, it's not plain sailing is it??? but I do know I'm getting better by the week and so are you....and it's great we are both staying positive :D
It's great we can share all this stuff together. :D

No problem guys - after all, we have to look out for each other!
One thing I forgot to mention that might be relevant for you guys - I also have pelvic floor dysfunction (which caused my fissure in the first place). To help with the pelvic floor dysfunction I go to a physical theraist. She inserts her finger into my rectum and manually stretches my Levator ani muscle (I know - fun, right?). Anyways, my CRS told me I needed to take 6 weeks off of the physical therapy following surgery because he said it can take about 6 weeks for everything to heal properly.
Yes, I am very happy with my CRS. I went to 2 other CRS's that I didn't like before finding him. I am probably his most persistent patient. I go see him every couple of weeks and I always have a HUGE list of questions to ask him. Fortunately, he is always very patient with me and answers all of my questions. He's also VERY gentle when examines me, which I greatly appreciate! In fact, he examined me today and when he said, "Ok, all done!" I didn't even know he had started! After we discussed my surgery today, he even gave me his personal cell # in case I have any questions before or after the surgery. How cool is that? Of course, I'm probably making his boat payments for the next several months, so I guess it's the least he could do!
I hope you guys have a pain-free weekend!

Hi all,
Just an update at just over 4 weeks post fistulomy now (Gosh, time flies....!.)
Well, week 3 was a bit sore again but only after BM's for a while (probably an hour or two) but I've been taking Ibruprofen to counteract any post BM soreness and that's not all the time - just a few days a week. That really helps, leading me to believe the pain is not really that bad and just temporary after the movement....
Into week 4 and I still feel healing and I still have soreness but having a lot of good moments and fewer bad, which can only be good.
I had a 5 hr car trip yesterday, which was a bit uncomfortable until I took some painkillers and then I felt normal again. Infact, I think the worse sore moments for me (other than post BM) is physically getting in and out of the car!!! I seem to be OK doing most other things now. Coughing or sneezing post BM can be a little sore too but I just hold my bum cheeks together whilst doing that and that eliminates any additional pain!..
The surgery site looks great. I can barely see what was the "groove" post surgery when I take a good look and can't see any redness or anything....pretty much looks normal now.
The stitches all dissolved nicely in week 3 too.
I'm hoping I'm getting there....continuing with thorough cleaning after BM's and maintaining nice smooth BM's, which I feel, is absolutely essential at this stage and always will be for me from now on as I really don't want to have to face any anal issues again if I can help it!!!
I'm still getting soreness now & again and a few twinges also on & off but think it's still to be expected.... On the whole, doing fine and looking forward to the time when this is completely over, still a few weeks yet, I think.......
Truly hope anyone reading this, gets some reassurance from post op fistula surgery and I will continue to update until I reach a point where I hope I am able to confirm full healing with no more soreness/ pain at all.
Healing hugs to all :)

Hi ETO:
Thanks for the update! I'm so glad you're recovery is going well!
My CRS had mentioned 6 weeks for full healing, so it seems like that is timeframe you are experiencing.
I'm surprised it took 3 weeks for the stitches to dissolve. Do you think the stitches were giving you any discomfort?

Hi TFCKMB,
How are you? Just a few days now 'till your op!...How are you feeling about it?
Yes, took 3 weeks. I think my CRS advised 2 weeks but my GP said it's more 3 weeks, so they were both close!
TBH, the stitches really didn't bother me at all. I think probably if anything, the closer it got to them going, the "tighter" it all seemed to feel down there and from what I recall after being stitched up from a 3rd degree tear following childbirth, it was pretty much the same scenario. Nothing major at all and nothing to worry about.
It's kind of weird they've gone!!
PLs keep me updated on your progress too....hope you are OK and not too anxious about your forthcoming surgery :)

Hi ETO:
Yes, my operation (superficial fistula surgery + LIS) is less than 2 days away (Tuesday morning). Thanks for remembering!
I'm really not nervous (yet), but I'm sure I will be Tuesday morning. To be honest, I'm just ready to get this chapter of my life behind me. Reading your posts (as well as posts by Sue27uk) have REALLY been helpful in getting me prepared for what I should expect post-surgery.
Hopefully I can help someone else the way you guys have helped me.
In any case, I'll let you guys know how things go!

I just had a question, how does the diagnose usually go? You go in, they visually examine and then they reschedule you for a EUA? At that point you won't have the surgery until probably the 3rd visit?