I'm alittle concerned about getting this because I still can't seem to get the front end of my BM's soft. They're not hard or large, but more clay like and pebble like. I'm worried that even with the LIS, I'm still going to have problems because of this. I actually feel like the front end of my BM's are relatively normal and were probably like this all my life, it's just my anus clinches too tight during BM's. Was this the case for anyone who got the surgery and where they ok afterward?
Also, I'm thinking about borrowing a massage table to lay on for the first week after the surgery, with a TV properly set up of course. :D I don't plan on being on it 24-7 but would this be a good thing to have the first week or so?
Any thoughts are greatly appreciated!

I haven't had an LIS but I have the same issue. I really do believe its the muscle that is involuntarily clintching due to the fissure. And of course the LIS addresses that very issue. All the best.
By the way, just curious cause I read your other post about the botox, any reason why you decided to go straight for the LIS instead of trying the botox. I'm in the same boat and I'm debating what to do.
Thanks

I think LIS would actually help with that. If you aren't as tight your bms might feel more effortless. I can't speak from experience so I will defer to the other boardies for this but there doesn't seem to be any advantage to staying in your condition.
If you are worried about what the effects might be, maybe botox could be an option so you could get an idea of how your muscles will feel after healing from surgery. Not trying to talkt you out of anything just address you concerns.
Your idea with the massage table sounds splendid! Will you put the tv under the table and watch through the head rest hole?

Lecia wrote:Your idea with the massage table sounds splendid! Will you put the tv under the table and watch through the head rest hole?

Exactly Lecia. Anything to stay off my but I guess and heal faster.
I saw a new CRS for the botox as the other two CRS' I see do not approve of botox. The "regulars" are older and more experienced in the practice, while the new CRS was much younger. The younger CRS insisted on a colonoscopy before the botox. Sensing his "inexperience," I decided that if I needed a colonoscopy I was going to have one of the more experienced CRS do it. So I saw the more experienced CRS, and he told me a colonscopy would be nothing but torture, given my current condition (reopened 3 weeks ago and I'm still getting blood with a BM). After I described my situation to a tee, he said it's time for LIS.
When I asked him about the botox, he felt that it doesn't provide the results often claimed, and at best it is temporary. He further said, given the minor nature of the LIR surgery and it's propensity for a complete healing, he doesn't administer botox. Additionally, he said it is often a mistake by some CRS to assume that a Fissurectomy is not needed, and by putting me under for the LIS, he can get a long, good look in there for any other problems and decide if a Fissurectomy would be needed for complete healing. I left the office convinced he was 100% right.
Personally, I want this to be over and LIS seems like the best step. I also read that if you need a fissurectomy as well as LIS, you tend to heal faster, but admittedly I haven't found alot of info on LIS and fissurectomy.

like your dr, mine said he much prefers LIS because of it's high probability of permanent healing. he said botox tends to wear off and doesn't necessary work the first, second or even third time around. he also said that even though i've had my fissure over a year he saw no notable scar tissue during the 1st surgery and no reason to do a fissurectomy, which is a much more difficult procedure and takes a lot longer to get back to "normal". your dr is right to "take a look" during your LIS and decide what needs to be done.
i'm just in the recovery phase after my 2nd surgery now...people say it can take up to 8 weeks for a fissure to heal even with the surgery. but i can tell you that the surgery itself and the recovery afterward are not as bad as you'd think!
it's only been 4 days and i'm sitting at my computer typing this! i try not to sit upright very much during the day though, i spend most of my awake time on my stomach or side on a padded bed in front of the tv.
i don't think you have anything to lose by going thru with the surgery. odds are, it'll help!! i think my 1st surgery not working was just a fluke, like 2% odds. most people seem to heal from LIS and i'm confident i will this time around!! :)

Juney,
Good luke...you know what they say....second time is the charm.

Juney...
I have a quick question. Are you able to go for walks...like say 1/2 mile in the park...after the surgery?
My CRS said with the exception of heavy lifting, there wasn't anything that could hurt the cut made during the surgery.

yes i've been walking a block or 2 down the street a few times a day for the last couple days, just to get things moving.
i was really weak the day of and the day after surgery (i'm also anemic so this might be why) but the 2nd day after surgery i felt like i needed to get the blood flowing again, also to prevent constipation. i haven't left the house at all, aside from the walking, though.

hey chris,
good luck on your surgery. do you have an actual date and time booked? we can start our prayers for your speedy recovery.
anyway, i was worried about the colonoscopy ruining things down there for me but on the contrary, it helped things feel much much better thereafter. who knows - maybe the CRS stretched me down a bit down there while looking around and it gave me some room to poo in peace afterwards.
just make sure that you sign appropriately the consent form when you get your LIS and what proper permissions you grant your CRS if he should find anything down there while performing your LIS.
i think for my LIS and fistulotomy that I was scheduled for, I was never told that I was going to get general anesthesia or even asked if i wanted a spinal block. everything was going to be done with twilight sedation for the colonoscopy, and then localize the area for the LIS and fistulotomy.
luckily, i healed better enough to have the CRS cancel the LIS and fistulotomy and just kept the colonoscopy, which i think really helped me more as i said.
good luck.

Thanks for the good thoughts HA. As a side note, during my AM walk, I passed a woman who had a pug puppy. I'm a big dog kind of guy, particularly labs, but I had never seen a dog so freakin cute in all my life.
I'm set and scheduled for 10/12, 8am. My CRS had the nerve to tell me that recover is usually just "a long weekend." Kim, Juney and others have certainly given me a more accurate expectation for the surgery. I have two weeks off, so hopefully I'll be good to go. My biggest issue is that I still have a strained abdominal that's killing me and that I have never ever been able to sit still for more then one day.
The CRS that wanted to give me the colonoscopy said the same thing you did, that the procedure typically starts a fresh healing cycle. The CRS that is conducting my surgery only meant that the bowel prep would be hurtful, as that is how I reopened the fissure this last time...too many bowel movements in one day.
The one thing I have experienced and would like to share with anyone in the same boat: With each reopen of my fissure, it was taking longer and longer to get it to close, and each time it would get more painful. The last time I was examined, I didn't have a skin tag and was told that my fissure wasn't too deep. I'm at that intersection were it's been too long, its starting to hurt too much, and I concerned that I may doing more damage by waiting so now it's time for surgery.