by ryanman0 » 18 Oct 2012, 16:29
As mentioned before, I see my CRS on Monday. The CRS doctors time is valuable and I always forget what to ask him and update him on, so I wanted to have a list ready. In addition to finding out how the healing appears to be progressing (faster or slower than normal) and how things look down there, I am generating a list of questions for the doctor. Below is what I have so far. Anyone have any additional recommendations for questions to add? Is this already too much? If so, what should I shorten?
• Do you recall any details about the 2 fissures (near each other, thickness, scar tissue, length)
• When you cut the 2 fissures, did you cut them both out at the same time in one big cut or individually? Was everything done on the left side (as it feels like it was)
• Was the LIS procedure open or closed? Blade or electrical?
• What areas have stitches? Do they dissolve or have to be removed?
• Any heat used? Any graphing of tissue over the area?
• Any experience with other people working out with weights or aerobics. Any recommendations about returning to those activities. Any comments on the exercising I have done. How long before I can go back to very hard and heavy weights?
• Was the sphincter extremely tight?
• Was the sphincter cut on the left side?
• You mentioned that I could start using the NIFEDIPINE again. When? In other words, do I wait until the sphincter starts to regain strength?
• Based on what you found in there, do you think surgery was the correct path? Were either of them healing?
Do you think I point him to this post in case he is interested in seeing how one patient progressed (and has tons of free time to read this)?
Here is the update I will provide him
• Recovery, so far, seemed to take about 2 weeks.
• The first 5 days were the worse
• I had a small BM the first day and a larger one later on
• The only major issue was inability to urinate caused by bloating constipation and major pain following one of the BM in the first couple of days post-op. I had to push to get things to come out.
• Post BM burning continued for 2 weeks, slowly fading in intensity. No real burning now except the thick BM I had. Runny BMs don’t bother me.
• Stayed very heavy (maximum prescribed dose) on the Pain Medicines for 1 full week
• I had a large thick stool about 2 weeks after that caused me some grief. Other than that, I think the BM were managed well.
• Drainage appears to have almost gone away after 2 weeks. I still don’t like to sit for over an hour and driving or riding in the car sucks.
• I ate lots of fruit, boiled veggies, healthy energy foods, vitamins, Colace, teas, protein, healthy fats, and TONs of water/fluids.
• I returned to work after 10 days, but only working from home. I could have returned to work if needed after 8-10 days; however, it would not have been easy or fun. Working from home 4 or 5 days after surgery would have really been problematic and difficult. This is due to long car ride to work, painful burning BM requiring tub soaking, heat, and various supplies/procedures.
• I started using very light upper body weight workouts almost right after the surgery and returned to fairly moderately strenuous basketball play after 2 weeks.
• Baby wipes (with no alchohol) burn like fire. Instead, I used balneol and cotton squares for cleanup and drainage.
He has probably done tons of surgeries since the 5 he has scheduled on my surgery day. So, I’m not sure if he will even recall these details from 2 weeks ago.