Hey guys. I've been reading this forum since I was first diagnosed about two years ago and it has brought me much comfort during some very painful times. Here's a brief synopsis of my experience:
About two years back, I was on a binge of terrible eating (I am a weightlifter and was looking to enter a new weight class). I ended up eating too much and drinking too little, resulting in hard stool and ultimately a fissure. I didn't get it checked out for almost five months after that, at which point it became chronic.
Over the next two years, I was prescribed hydrocortisone, nitroglycerin, ditilizem, and lidocaine. Nothing did much. I also take Metamucil and Miralix daily. I try my best to eat appropriately, but I am infatuated with not losing any weight; I try to balance high fiber with high calorie. I sometimes slip up.
About five weeks ago, I took the plunge and had LIS (by a very good CRS). It went fine. I was in pretty substantial pain for about a week and a half, using as few pain meds as I could (I have a high pain tolerance, and I wanted to avoid constipation). I also took 3-5 sitz baths a day for about three weeks.
At around week three, I decided to go back into the gym. I was not sure if my pain had improved yet, as I spent most of my time sitting during recovery, and didn't expose myself the opportunity to feel much pain. In the gym, I did only upper body (repetition effort bench press, pull ups, seated shoulder press, tricep pushdowns). I noticed a twinge during bench press, but stupidly continued all the way to the pushdowns. The next day I headed into NYC to meet my girlfriend and was in considerable pain when walking.
Today marks the fifth week and I am still in essentially the same pain as I had been before. There is very little improvement. I also just saw my CRS, who said I was healing well and had no explanation as to why I would still be in pain.
I'm very depressed by this, I really don't know what else to do if this fails. The pain is very considerable, and prevents me from doing a ton of stuff. I can't walk for more than 10 minutes without being in severe pain.
My question to you: Has anyone undergone LIS and had similar results? Has anyone taken longer to heal than five weeks, bearing in mind the lack of change in my current pain? I just really want someone to tell me I didn't waste $4,000 and two weeks of my life for what is essentially no change to a life-sentence of chronic pain. It is very, very disappointing.
tl;dr: Had LIS five weeks ago, CRS says he isn't sure why I am still in pain--fissure seems to be healing nicely. I am in the same amount as I had been prior to the surgery. Devastated.