Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Are you having, or have you had a Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy (LIS)? Please share your experiences here, or ask any questions.

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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby Anya324 » 04 Oct 2012, 22:55

cherylk wrote:Ryanman,
Your story is so INTERESTING! I would give you some advice--do not sit for 40 minutes on the toilet. That puts pressure on the rectum. Do not push and do not strain. You might try Miralax (even a small amount) to keep things soft for awhile. Try not to worry.

Totally agree with the advise given here! I shuddered when I read the 40 minutes on the toilet part!! Image DON'T DO THAT!!! You'll end up with hemorrhoids on top of everything else if you keep this up. Wait until you positively HAVE to go and only sit for 5-10min MAX!
Also, I take citrucel 2x daily and half a cap of mirilax once daily. Keeps things soft and moving. My surgery is scheduled for the 11th-one week away ;D I'm so excited to have it done and move on the the holidays, Lord Willing, pain free!!! Good luck and God Bless you and your Bum!!
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby ryanman0 » 04 Oct 2012, 23:01

cherylk wrote:Ryan,
I would try to relax a bit. Sounds like your diet is good. Some protein (fish, turkey, chicken, tuna) might help the healing process. Squash and sweet potatoes (lots of vitA) I think would be good also. Maybe even some cooked spinach if you like that and yogurt. My guess is that you live alone and are fairly young. Being young should help you heal quicker. Try not to fret. Having 2 fissures removed and an LIS is quite a big deal. I'm sure that you will do just fine. Good luck!! Image

Thanks again for the advice, Cheryl. I'm in my late 30s and married, lol. I'll take your advice and add the fish, spinach, and some canned squash. I have all those things here now.
Also, you are right that I had a lot of stuff done to me today. I just got myself too scared leading up to the surgery because the bad stories stand out and the healers leave. Even though I know this, reading all these stories (and meeting a guy at work that had serious issues) got me a bit freaked out. As you said, hopefully, I'll be fine and my story will be one of the good ones.
My wife suggested that I avoid any posting until off the pain meds, since I was sometimes rambling to her incoherently and acting strange. However, I figure that sharing the thoughts in the true state might provide more of a walkthrough of a real experience.
I'm not very young (its all relative), but I've been on a good diet, lost weight, and been exercising a lot. If the first doctors would have found the fissure and scheduled me for LIS last year, I was very overweight and ate mostly processed starches. I felt years older, weak, etc.
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby ryanman0 » 04 Oct 2012, 23:09

Anya324 wrote:Totally agree with the advise given here! I shuddered when I read the 40 minutes on the toilet part!! Image DON'T DO THAT!!! You'll end up with hemorrhoids on top of everything else if you keep this up. Wait until you positively HAVE to go and only sit for 5-10min MAX!
Also, I take citrucel 2x daily and half a cap of mirilax once daily. Keeps things soft and moving. My surgery is scheduled for the 11th-one week away ;D I'm so excited to have it done and move on the the holidays, Lord Willing, pain free!!! Good luck and God Bless you and your Bum!!

Thanks. I'll focus on waiting until I have to go, no straining, 5-10 minute goal. I surely don't want to cause more problems. Now that I had the first real bowel movements after the surgery and anesthesia, I'm hoping things may be easier.
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby ryanman0 » 05 Oct 2012, 02:44

3:00: passed gas several times. I had to bend over, spread a bit, and push a little bit to get the gas to come out (I guess due to the swelling of the area). Just a little comes out each time. Sometimes, I back off thinking it might not be gas. Then I try again later. After, I had to clean the area just a bit. As others have stated in other posts, it is hard for me to tell what is gas and what is not. After cleaning the area, I soak in the tub. Then when I get out, I feel like I have more gas to pass. Wow, what a waste of time this can be.
3:39:Ate a bit more (same type of stuff as above). I used the icebag a lot tonight. I probably should have used it more earlier in the day. So, even though they read me the discharge instructions, I must have been too drugged up to remember them. Upon re-reading them tonight (not sure why I waited so long), Discharge instructions suggested to change the bandage often and consider using folded triangles of toilet paper to catch the drainage. I actually am getting a little bit of drainage; however, its not much. The folded paper can create an annoying feeling. Since I am a bit excessive, I probably spend more time changing it and cleaning than I should. I have been changing this, wiping with wet ones, and soaking in the tub to clean. I am learning to perform this step at the same time as my gas passing to save time and baths. No more bowel movements tonight.
One more thing, we always keep our house sort of cold and I am fine with it. However, all day (probably related to the drugs they gave me), I shiver and have to cover up and raise the thermostat a bit. I am moving and walking even more slowly around the house than I was earlier as the hospital meds wear off more and more. Mostly, laying down a bit to my side with the ice pack on and off every 20 minutes, seems to make most of the pain go away. Standing seems to be the worse. Oh yeah, I avoid hard wooden chairs. Also, I never sit straight down. Instead, I always turn or lean to one side slightly. Again, its discomfort and pain. However, its manageable.
I'm going to try to go to sleep shortly after taking another does of pain meds. Hopefully, I can go to sleep. I would say so far I am doing good. I am hoping that tomorrow will be even better.
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby cherylk » 05 Oct 2012, 06:22

Anya,
I love Florida! (Fort Myers Beach) Image
Ryanman,
At least you have your wife to keep you company. Good luck!!
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby ryanman0 » 05 Oct 2012, 11:03

noon: (1 day after surgery)
- Finally got some sleep for about 6 hours
- woke up, passed gas, no bowel movement
- was in pain b/c it was about 7 hours since taking the pain medicine due to sleeping. I took 2 more pills as directed. Now it felling better
- had significant drainage onto the folded up toilet paper I am using as a bandage. Cleaned the area well.
- I ate light this morning. I picked easy to prepare foods, mainly due to laziness (protein powder, applesauce, berries), and drank some juice
- going to start drinking water again to avoid constipation. I had to cut back some on the water yesterday because of frequent urination.
- got followup call from surgery center. Told them I thought I was doing fine. My blood pressure a bit low, 104/61 (upon waking), 112/66, 106/75 . Normally, I am 118/78 or somewhere around there. Explained this to them. They said this was all the medication.
- I'm not getting cold as easy today (yesterday had to turn the A/C up or I would shiver. Took temp yesterday, somewhere around 96.5 (oral), cannot recall if I had a sip of ice water that might have skewed this or not.
- damn pain medicine! I dropped my phone (screen did not crack) and spilled my water.
- Costco sent me a letter stating that the peanut butter that I have been eating may have be contaminated with Salmonella and is recalled. Great! Hopefully, the odds will be in my favor with that as well.
- took a 2 hour nap and forgot the icepack on my butt.
- woke up and ate some canned oysters for protein (easy to make and I'm feeling lazy)
- going to try to sleep some more. Bye!
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby ryanman0 » 05 Oct 2012, 16:02

4:00 PM (Day after surgery)
- got plenty of rest on and off through the day
- still taking the pain medicine
- drank tons of water all day and ate a lot
- feeling pressure build up to use the bathroom
- I started passing gas while I was walking. I had no control over it
- sat on the toilet and more gas passed on its own
- I patted the area and I noticed a little discharge/blood
- I was very scared as I relaxed and let the pressure take the bowel movement out. I did no straining or pushing
- There was no pain. It was very soft. It felt well formed but not to large. Everything was going well.
- then the pressure ran out and the bowel movement stopped
- I felt a burning as I felt everything tightening up
- whatever waste had not made it to the toilet felt like it was sliding back up a bit. It felt like glass scraping me when this happened. A burning sensation started
- lots of pain. burning pain. As severe as the original fissure pain. Throbbing, burning.
- checked with tissue, there was a decent amount of bright red blood
- got in the lukewarm tub. Didn't seem to help. Pain is continuing as it feels tight.
- got out the tub. Not sure if I should try heat or cold or just lay still. Pain is not going away. This is horrible! I think I take my pain medicine again in a 1/2 hour.
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby jr2 » 05 Oct 2012, 16:09

Hi ryanman0,
Just wanted to send you the best of healing wishes and my hope that your recovery goes as easily as possible. I'm sorry to hear your post surgical pain is spiking, and i hope it eases soon. Each hour brings you closer to healing. We're all pulling for you.
Oh, and the shivers happen because of anesthesia. They will gradually get better, as will your blood pressure.
Thank you for posting your updates. These surgical experiences are always so helpful for others who are considering surgery.
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby ryanman0 » 05 Oct 2012, 17:09

Thanks Jr. I'm doing a bit better now. I took the pain medicine about 45 minutes ago and it has kicked in a bit. I think the heating pad has helped. I have it on a very low setting. The pain is still there and throbbing, but as long as I don't move at all, I seem to have found a position that makes it bearable. I'm about to try to go to the bathroom to urinate as I have been holding it in b/c I didn't want to move. As you said, I'm a bit closer to healing. Hopefully, each day will get better from here.
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Re: Just had 2 fissures removed and sphincterotomy today

Postby ryanman0 » 05 Oct 2012, 18:08

--CAN NOT URINATE--
6:31 pm (1 day after surgery) - New issue- can't urinate. I've been sucking down water today to avoid constipation. But this had, of course, made me have to urinate a lot. For the past hour or so, I feel like I have to urinate very badly. However, ever since that last BM and the pain that followed, everything feels tense and swollen and I cannot urinate.
This is made worse by the fact that I ever since I got my first fissure, my sensation of feeling like I have to urinate has always been greater. In other words, sometimes, I have just a little urine (few drops), but I felt like I had to go very bad. Its like the two are somehow connected in a strange way. Furthermore, there are times I am scared of tensing up due to fissure pain. That also makes me have trouble urinating. So, I'm not sure if the current reason that I cannot urinate is the swelling or my inability to relax (due to the pain and tightness from irritating everything) that is preventing me from urinating. I suspect its a combination of both. I'm going to lay here for a while and see if waiting a few more minutes helps.
As I mentioned in an earlier post, I heard a story of a guy at work who had a ton of post surgery complications. Well, one of them that he mentioned was having to be catheterized due to swelling preventing him from urinating. The discharge documents that I was given, also mention how important it is to not drink until you are able to urinate after surgery. I'm rambling again, but the point is, I think I really need to try to reduce the swelling by using the ice, relax, and succeed at urinating.
--HARD TO WALK NORMALLY DUE TO PAIN--
6:45 pm (1 day after surgery) - I really can't walk around very far or too much now because it causes pain. Well, I can. I just don't want to. This is because I am walking very slow and awkwardly. I kind of rotate my body with each step, bend my legs, and try not to move the area as I walk.
-- PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE PAIN MED OFFER--
I'm still in pain, but its bearable at this time. Nothing like the first 30 minutes after that Bowel movement. The surgical center had called me earlier to see if the pain medicine they had prescribed me was enough. I told them yes. However, this was before the last bowel movement (which was the first well formed one). This was because yesterday's bowel movements had been so soft they were almost as easy as passing liquid. I considered calling the doc after hours. But, I'll wait to see if it gets really bad. I think for now that I'll wait since I'm managing this now after taking the last dose of pain medicines, laying still a bit to my side, and using heat/ice as needed. I'm now going to be more afraid to have the next bowel movement. But I know that I have to simply be brave and avoid putting it off. If I don't go to the bathroom due to fear, then the BM could dry up and even worse issues could start.
I really think that the last post BM pain that I felt was worse than any previous fissure pain (at least for about 20 minutes after the BM). It actually brought tears to my eyes. I guess the worse was right after I got out of the tub and walked to the bed. When I got rective anal fissure medication, they had a picture of a toilet paper dispenser that dispensed a rolled up spool of barbed wire. That's the picture that went through my mind as the I finished my last BM.
-- AT THIS POINT, I WOULD STILL HAVE GOT THE SURGERY
If I have to go through that a few times and then I heal and get my life back, its a good trade off. As was mentioned before, I had 2 fissures and LIS. That's a lot of cuts down there. And today, yesterdays hospital drugs have worn off. But, it would have been nice to have some more pain medication on hand, just in case I need it. I guess I'll know more after my next bowel movement. For now, I think writing these updates in the forum helps to keep my mind off the pain.
6:50 PM (day after surgery) - It seems that the mild heat relaxes the muscles and reduces the tightness (just like before the surgery). I also read that it increases the blood flow which helps healing. However, the icepack helps with the swelling. When I first use the icepack, it feels like it makes the damaged sphincter start trying to contract and throb. But I am using it anyway right now in case my inability to urinate is being caused by swelling. The discharge instructions mention using ice and taking warm sitz baths. So, I guess both the heat and ice have their uses.
7:07 PM - I'll be trying again to urinate soon. Wish me luck!
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