by Chelle16 » 07 Feb 2013, 19:35
Hello,
So sorry that you're still dealing with this horrid thing! I wish you luck with your appointment with the CRS. I also put off seeing a surgeon for my AF, but after 3 months of hellish pain for 24 hours I was quickly spiralling into depression and my Mum (!!) actually dragged me to the doctors (more or less).
I had LIS 2 and 1/2 months ago - I was scared like you, but I had lost all hope of having a normal life, I couldn't even enjoy my brand new 6 week old baby! I have slowly started to improve, however only in the last 5 days can I now say that I am comfortable for the majority of the day.
One of the reaons an AF does not heal is because the internal anal sphincter is in spasm (from the pain of the AF). This spasm constricts the blood vessels supplying the anal skin where the AF is - and you need a healthy blood supply to help heal wounds, to bring nutirents, oxygen etc to the area. Over time, with continued spasm - there is lack of blood supply and the wound cannot heal. Sometime the tissue around the fissure even looks white, instead of a nice healthy pink colour.
This is why they make a small incision in the internal anal sphincter (LIS) - to help it to relax, to increase the blood supply to the anal skin and help relieve some pain. The incision in the sphincter heals because (usually) this muscle is healthy tissue with an adequate blood supply and scar tissue forms over the edges.
I was fortunate that I did not develop permanent faecal incontinance after the surgery. I did have trouble controlling gas and some stool if I was not right near a toilet - but this only lasted a couple of weeks.
Good luck!