Well I finally found a CRS I love. He didn't see a fissure but saw hemorrhoids. I had Botox in April and it didn't help and actually made me worse. The new dr scheduled me for an exam under anesthesia. I told him to do whatever he thought was needed while I was under. I'm suffering almost 8 months. This all started when I had clots removed from hemorrhoids in December. He said he had an instrument that can determine how tight I am and whether I need LIS. I'm petrified. Do I let him do LIS, remove hemorrhoids, and skin tag. Anyone had this done. Why kind of recovery am I in for. Ive been hoping to heal but I have to be realistic. He said we can schedule procedures for different day but I just want this over. I figure might as well while I'm asleep for exam. Any advice would be appreciated. I'm in pain now but feel like I'm ready to snap and can't handle more!

Hey, I just messaged you! Great that you found someone you trust. I am so happy for you. I am still not recovered. I don't know if I will wait, go back to CRS 2, or find CRS #3. Good luck to you!

It seems that you have VERY competent CRS since he has a definite plan and is also wiling to do all that it takes to make you feel better and solve your problem !!!! He also is one of VERY rare ones that knows about and uses manometry - KUDOS to him !!!!! He also knows that he can examine your anus under anesthesia MUCH MUCH better than he can EVER do while you are awake !!!! They administer special medication to anus that makes it relax 100 % and it can be done only while person is fully sedated. Anus relaxes so much that every single fold can be examined without a problem and/or extra stretching or "trauma" to the anus. Your CRS obviously will not spare your insurance from extra expense and extra procedures to make you comfortable and find the BEST approach for solving your problem ! I am VERY VERY impressed with your CRS and person who did my second LIS and fixed me forever (KTW, knock knock knock) was like that !!!
If I were you, I would let him do whatever he needs to do while you are already "under" . I had great result after my second LIS. I had great result after my first LIS also, but cut was not sufficient to give me long lasting results. My second CRS did exactly what your CRS is suggesting and I had a LIS, 3 centenial tags removed, fissurectomy and skin- tag removal. With all of those cuts my recovery was not as fast as after simple LIS but it was manageable - NOTHING hurts like butt spasms and fresh fissure
- at least it was the case with me
Best wishes for your full and fast recovery !!!

Thank you for the info. I feel better just having a good CRS. He's called me 5 times since my initial visit to see how I was doing on meds and ointment. We tried Valium for spasms and while it provided me with slight relief it wasn't substantial or long term. Every time he's called my mouth hangs open. He is an hour from me and worth the trip. My allergist who I trust completely recommended him. I'm seeing him right before the exam to ask questions. I think I'm most afraid of waking up with a laundry list of procedures that were done to me! I asked him to imagine his sister or mother or loved one on the table and make the same decisions for me that he would for them. He said he took my request very seriously and would treat me accordingly. I have not had a pain free moment in almost 8 months. The pain varies from a 2 to an 8. I'm fearful of post op pain but hopefully there's a light at the end of the fissure tunnel!

I'd defintiely listen to your CRS as it sounds like you found a good one.
I had three hemorroids banded back in March while under partial sedation following a colonoscopy. It was pretty painful, and I was out of action for about five days. Then I had the LIS a month ago yesterday. The pain was excruciating for the first couple of weeks post surgery, however I am now Day 29 post op and have had no pain since Day 15. With hindsight I think it would have been better to have just got it all over and done with in one go.
I saw my doctor on Thursday who declared me healed and he asked me if I wished I'd done the surgery sooner. I said absolutely I wish I'd done the surgery much sooner. It was a fear of surgery, a fear of the stats i was reading on the web about ending up with infections or being incontenent etc that stopped me going through with it sooner, but when I spoke to my surgeon and he quoted me his stats I realised those fears were totally unfounded.
I also wish I'd not been fobbed off by GPs for the last 12 years and been referred to a specialist a lot sooner too. The big lesson I learned from all this is that no one looks after my health and interests as well as I do and I need to be pro-active, do the research and above all find the right doctor for whatever ails me.
Having suffered from af for over 12 years, I have spent a lot of time checking out the forums and reading others stories (and it was only recently with my surgery looming that I jumped on and started posting away madly and it was such a relief to "talk" about it!!) and I think there's light at the end of the tunnel for most of us who go down the surgery path, particuarly those who get a good doctor and if your docotor's calling you then he's definitely a "keeper"!!

kat- how long did you wait to have surgery? I am trying to heal naturally but feel like i have ups and downs (6months). Do you honestly have NO pain now? not even during? no ache after? not even 5 minutes? I would love to feel that way

retoremybody
I reckon it's best to give your body a chance to heal itself naturally. It's a process of trial and error for all of us to see what works for each of us. I managed quite successfully with af for nearly 12 years following a good diet, drinking lots of water and using Rectogesic. Just occasionally I would have a re-tear such as after doing a long haul flight or if I took stronger pain killers that had codeine.
It was only a few weeks ago that I realised this just wasn't working any longer and that I got to the point of surgery, and that took me a while to make that decision.
I got this latest tear in August 2011 (following a skiing accident and too much codeine) and my GP finally referred me to a specialist about October 2011 (a Gastroenterologist as they are called in Australia) but it took months to even get in for my first appointment (as specialist healthcare is dire in Australia even for those of us with top level medical insurance) so it was about February before I had my first appointment with him.
I told him I'd think about the surgery (basically I was terrified and didn't want to do it) but as I also needed to have a colonoscopy he did that in March and while there banded three small haemorrhoids I didn't even realise I had. He then told me he could see one healed af and one open af, he sent me on my way and told me to keep using Rectogesic on the open af.
Then in April I went for my follow up to the haemorrhoid banding to make sure they'd all healed ok and he said the af was still there, he suggested the surgery again and I said I'd think about it again so off I went for a few more months of pain and agony and then in May I went back and said to him I need this surgery. At this point the af was causing me to take days of work, it had me crying in a heap on the floor after each bm, I was sick of the Rectogesic giving me headaches (mind you I still use the Rectogesic daily after every bm and will do for the next few months as I can live with the headaches so long as the af is healed) and I was just always in pain and cranky and my behaviour was putting a massive strain on my marriage and relationship with my daughter.
I've lost of count now of how many days I am post surgery, last Friday was four weeks as I had the surgery 22 June, but no I have had no pain since Day 15.
I have had a couple of Bms that have been a bit harder (due to me being a little slacker about my normally pretty clean diet) and I have held my breath waiting for the familiar tear / sting but so far it's all good. I am still on stool softeners though and will be for some time to come. The stool softeners cause some upset for my tummy but nothing significant or unmanageable and it passes quickly. So absolutely no regrets, it was the best thing I could've done at this point in time. Hopefully, and fingers crossed here, I can now move on with my life and focus on other areas of my body that need some work like the hip the that I hit the treee with when i was skiing last year which was when this started!
I think you will just know if/when it is the right time for you to have the surgery.

I give you credit. 12 years is like a prison sentence. I have not gotten this under control at all. It's been 8 months and I'm ready for surgery. Of course I just started feeling a little better but I've read here that can happen once that appointment is scheduled. I have not had a pain free moment. I'm nervous that bowel moments don't hurt me anymore than usual. I'm just in pain all day. The doctor said it could Levator spasms which he wouldn't treat. He said he would only do LIS if he sees a fissure. Im going in blind and won't know what happened until it's over. I'm scared too but a I'm miserable and can totally relate to you about it affecting relationships and work. I actually quit one of my jobs cause I couldn't tell them when I would be 100% and I could work normally. I'm hopeful though. I hope everyone here finds healing.

Thanks Kat, I will try and give it more time. Sometimes it is hard to come on here and see so many people heal so much faster than me. Even my CRS said he wouldn't reccomend surgery at this time- saying my sphincter isn't super tight- which also makes me concered about leakage later. I will give it 2 more months before heading back to CRS. So glad you are doing great!. I just got my period-which seems to aggravate it- only had minor ache during BM, and slight pain for about half hour afterward.

Badd- You will find healing! I beleivbe it. There is even help for levator ani if that is what it is- physical therapy and meds. WE will all get there. Takes time. (talking to myself especially).