Hi All -- as many of you know, I have been dealing with an AF for a little over a year now. The first 6-7 months were a nightmare...then i got considerably better. I used the various creams, heat, eating, water, potty positioning etc -- finally in Sept I went to a general surgeon with lots of experience in this area, he examined me thoroughly and pronounced me healed.

Though healed I always have felt some slight discomfort, some awareness...something not quite right...but not real pain. Since being declared healed I have had 2 minor setbacks where after a slightly harder bm i get some blood and feel not great down there for about 3-7 days. It feels sore, agitated...again, just not right.

Given my lack of pain etc I do not think i am a candidate for surgery....but wondering how long will this go on for. I would (like all of you) to finally be done with this and am always a bit scared that the next day i will have a bad bm and be catapulted back to square 1.

So I am asking my fellow AF sufferers....what would you do in my shoes. Live with it? Do you know anyone who actually spent as long as a year with this who finally emerged on the other side with zero issues? Is surgery absurd given my lack of pain...or is it smart in that it may prevent the eventual bad retear that may come....do those who get LIS have similar issues in that there is always an awareness of something....do others live with this for their lifetime and simply manage the set backs.....any and all input is welcome....and as always, thanks for reading.

Canadabum

Hey Canadabum

We are very much in the same boat. I'm just over 1.5 years of this he'll and I feel I'm 90 percent better but always get the not right feeling and like tokay, I had a bad bm this morning that was too hard and it's caused irritation but with no blood. I've had 1 round of Botox and one excision of scar tissue. The excision at scar tissue is the site of pain. I think all of us have become hyper aware of our symptoms and any twinge or pain we think we are heading back but we must remember the majority of the public have pain on bm as it is uncomfortable. But they don't notice it as thy have no reason to.

I really hope and pray you find full healing and it sounds your almost there but the nerves and muscles are trying to repair themselves.

Big hugs

Ff

FF - thanks for the feedback. It's great to get some feedback. Are you taking any stool softener and if so how long have you been on it?

From what you know or have heard...do you expect full recovery for yourself?

I wish I knew what I could do to get past the last 5-10% of healing or feeling better...supposedly I have healed but not sure I believe it given my general sensations down there.

I was even wondering if the estrogen idea would work for men...honestly, I would try anything.

Thanks a ton for your support...means a lot.

Best - Canadabum

It is so tricky because there are so many variables involved in the whole process. I think that scars can cause pain and irritation as well as the fact that, as FF said, we sort of prime ourselves to feel any sensation and prob most people get that and just ignore it. I used to get weird things before the fissure but just never read much into it. Personally I would not have surgery unless the fissure got really bad again but equally know the fear can send you a bit batty!! Mine is fine at the mo and I am convinced they just take ages to really heal.

Hi, if you have a fissure and it doesn't heal within 6-8 weeks it becomes chronic. Chronic fissures are much more difficult to heal and stay healed. I wish I knew this when I got my first one. Don't wait to see a doctor. The sooner you do something about the situation the sooner you can get back to your life. Suzy

Suzy...mine is clearly chronic. I've been to doctors and was even told I was healed...but still experience some minor symptoms and some blood (very little) infrequently. I am not certain what a doctor would do for me at this point. What are you thinking.

Felix - did you have surgery? Glad to hear yours is fine - do you have any sensations of something not quite right? Do you take miralax? Is your idea to live with it and simply deal with flare ups...last question for now...what is your sense of long time, do you know people who have healed completely after a year?

Thanks a ton for your feedback.
Canadabum

Mine wouldn't heal after LIS because of stenosis. I lived in pain for an additional 5 years before I went back to my CRS. I had bilateral sliding flap anoplasty (2 flaps) done. I still have stenosis but it's functional now. The doctor removed a lot of scar tissue but surgery also causes some but I'm able to have a bm now. My daily routine is dilation in the morning and a cup of tea with miralax in the evening. I eat a normal diet now. I'll never be able to pass a really large bm but I do good now. I get aches and pain sometimes from the surgical site but they told that would happen. I'm two year out of surgery I'm I glad I had it, just wish I would have done it sooner, I might have been able to get away with one flap if I did. Hope you find something that works for you. Suzy

Well I had it really badly in jan after stomach flu and it was awful until March when I started on rectogesic but then had a relapse I. May time. I went to Crs who said it was 75 percent healed so I just carried on with dilt and it sort of got better and better. I don't take miralax but do take magnesium, psyllium and flaxseed oil daily. It doesn't feel totally normal but I have stopped attaching such meaning to everything that happens in that area. I have noticed that the last few months the sentinel pile has almost totally gone and it all feels a lot better even with some harder bms at times. I don't know if it will be ok forever but it seems a lot better and I am just going to stay positive and believe all will be well!

The psyllium is a bulking fiber. It makes your stools softer but also larger. If you're trying to heal a fissure stretching too much might not be the best thing.

Suzy...any idea what caused the stenosis? Was it as a result of the fissure or some other issue?

Also -- was the flap surgery done as a result of the stenosis...or before you were diagnosed. Is flap surgery done generally after LIS has been done and not achieved the desired result?