Hi guys
I had surgery 4 days ago (see my other posts for info) and despite the expected post-surgery pain, I felt very 'relaxed' down there. This may be TMI but I had my first 'normal' looking bm in well over a year- happy day! But now when I go to the loo I feel like I'm spasming and the BMs come out much thinner or aren't as formed. I didn't have a fissurectomy or anything like that so I can't put it down to that. My crs was extremely conservative with what he did, he hasn't even fully removed my largest tag. It's like the surgery hasn't worked at all...If anything I just feel like my fissure has retorn.
I've stopped taking movicol as I was advised to try and make my bms bulkier, so I'm now taking a sachet of fybogel in the morning and evening. Could it be that do you think? Any advice would be much appreciated I feel like I'm going out of my mind!

Hi Layla,
I think any change in diet will change the look and texture of your BM.
You had dilation?
I have heard that like botox, this sometimes needs to be done again.
Have you tried using a stool to get your feet up higher in more of a squatting position?
I have found this really helpful to me. You can search on this website for more info about 'squat'. lol
Why not call your surgeon and ask him?
I think you need to do something to distract yourself from constantly dwelling on it. 4 days isn't a lot of time.
-Tanya

Sorry to hear ur on pain sweetie.. Are u doing the food n water n fiber regime? Pls ck with ur doc n make sure u follow the plenty liquids n fiber regime

Thank you for your replies guys
Yes, I am definitely dwelling on this far too much! I'm doing a bit of work from home this week so that should hopefully help keep my mind off it. I think it probably is the change in diet (I'm eating a huge amount of fibre and drinking water all the time). I'm desperate for the surgery to have worked but you're right 4 days is far too soon to tell.

Hows things going now Layla? :)

Hey Sue! Hope you're well
In some ways I'm much better, in some ways much the same.
I'm off movicol and just taking fybogel twice a day which I'm really pleased about. I had a real complex about taking movicol for such a long time as it feels far more like a 'medicine' than fybogel and I was seriously worried about constipation without it. It has been fine for the most part though, only a few instances where I've been constipated and I think that was more down to dehydration than anything else. Fybogel has made my BM's more bulky which I think is important- they look more normal- and I have much less pain when I go now. And taking that rather than movicol just makes me feel less like my body is sick so I feel happier and more normal. I hope I get to keep taking this but have no plans to wean myself off it just yet.
I still have some pain and discomfort during and after going to the loo though and some itching sometimes too. And there are little bumps where the tags used to be/still very much are. And I have definitely retorn a few times as there's been blood once or twice. But it seems to heal v quickly.
Overall things are ok but definitely not totally better. I'm concerned that this might be as good as it gets without more invasive surgery. But right now am happy to keep things as they are. I'm watching my diet as much as poss and drinking a lot of water. And keeping my fingers tightly crossed!
Hows things with you??
:)

Hey Layla, good to hear things are better with you. I really hope what you've had done works! I'm sort of ok, mixture of good and bad days really. Had a few good weeks, but just had a bad week. Not as bad as it used to be but enough to niggle me. I went to my GP 2 weeks ago and asked for a referral letter to a private CRS. I just got the letter so rang up and the CRS is on holidays (how lovely for him!) so the earliest appointment is 26th April. Well my NHS appoinbtment is the 8th of May so I see no point in paying Ј400 for a consultation to see him when it's only 2 weeks earlier. So I am focusing on 8th May and if I get no joy then can go private straight away. The guy on the phone made me laugh, he tried to persuade me that at least it would be 2 weeks earlier than the NHS but I pointed out that after waiting 6 months, 2 more weeks isn't really worth Ј400!!! But I am trying to stay positive. I sobbed tonight, not in a depressed way though, was just terribly disappointed. Made worse I think by finding out our teacher day on 16th April is outdoor learning so I have to sit and watch all the others do orienteering and rock climbing which is a bit crap. Normally I would love to do all that stuff!
Anyway on the positive side of things I went to see the dermatologist about my other problem a couple of weeks ago. She was great and has concluded dermatitis. So I have some steroid cream, and some other cream to use as a moisturiser and a soap substitute. It seems to have helped loads, have a follow up in June. Thank you so much for your advice about that. Hope you continue to improve and feel better :)

Hi Layla, don't worry so much, 4 days is WAAAYYY to early to form an opinion weather the surgery worked or not.
Trust me, during my recovery I was countless times doubting weather my surgery has worked, for a countless number of reasons. In the end LIS usually does work for over 95% of people so take comfort in that :)!
Ps. During my 4 weeks appointment I believed my CRS will tell me LIS didn't work or very slow progress. Instead he told me I am doing great. The next appointment I was fissure free :)
Try to relax, it will work :)!

Tomorrow will be my 5th week post-op, and I'm feeling pretty good. I do remember being very concern in those early days about whether or not I was healing. Changes in diet will affect you, especially early on. The same goes for changing meds.
Take care and give it some time.

Sue I'm so sorry I haven't been on here a while so missed your message! I've had some family stuff going on and went to stay at my mum's, so out of action for a few weeks. So sorry to hear you've been feeling down and I hope you read this from a better place.
I can relate so much for feeling depressed with NHS stuff, this whole experience has been a real eye-opener into their general awfulness. Also yes how often do CRS's go on flipping holiday? I met mine in September and between then and January, he was away on two!!
Hang in there, I think you definitely made the right decision not to pay for an appointment if you have one so soon after. I can also relate to the horribleness of the 'niggle', in some ways I've found it worse because at least with actual pain the doctors will believe something's not right. I hate feeling like I'm lying just because I'm not writhing on the floor in agony!(Exactly how I felt today at my follow up appointment despite explaining that things still felt very much not right. He literally laughed me out of the room and to just stop worrying. I swear to God this is going to drive me crazy in the end)
I'm so glad you've had some luck at the dermatologist though! They just need to get to the bottom of what it is then they can help you. As soon as I realised my problem was lichen simplex, not thrush I got the right meds and felt better and I'm sure you will too.
Hows things at the moment? Are you ok to work? It's not too far away from your consultation so stay positive and strong. I know it will get better for us all in the end.
Bestest wishes