I'm very seriously considering trying to get an LIS in the coming year, having lived with anal/rectal problems for nearly 20 years (I'm 55 now). I've just had a reoccurrence of a fissure and I'm feeling pretty desperate. I should add I have a very tight sphincter - resting pressure 120 when last measured a couple of years ago. Tried biofeedback breathing technique as well. It helps a bit, but doesn't really alter the sphincter pressure.

If anyone could answer a few questions on this I'd be most grateful.

Q1. I've cut so many foods that I love out of diet for real or perceived problem with them. Will this help me to reintroduce things like cakes, eggs and basically anything tasty? I live off chicken, rice and potato (and have cut out the first two as well since the reoccurrence).

Q2. Can I start to cut down on the Movicol/Miralax once it's healed? I hate living off the stuff and I'm fairly sure it gives me an unnatural number of bowel motions every day (at least 3, sometimes 5). Having all these motions creates soreness and so I resort to creams and ointment, which I'm sure have thinned the skin over the years.

Q3. I haven't been on holiday with my family for at least 8 years, as I'm frightened of the different food, getting sore etc. I would love to take my daughter to Disneyland before she's too old :-( Not really a question, I know, just wondering if it improves your quality of life.

Q4. Do all LIS ops eventually heal up? I'm worried about this as I wonder about ending up with a worse problem than when I started.

Basically, I want my life back and an end to my focus on the bathroom and varying levels of anxiety I've lived with for all this time.

Hi banjo,
I guess this is different for everyone but if like me your IBS is mainly diarrhoea then my CRS said no I'm not allowed to ever have dairy or alcohol again and he advised me to stay away from uncertain foods for at least a year.
I guess if it's constipation it's much easier as LIS makes it easier to pass larger stools as well as reducing spasms.
I think my surgeon said 97% heal especially if there are no other issues involved.
I would still go away even now, but that's probably because I have lived for years with bowel issues and I would never have had a life if I hadn't lived my life as best I could regardless.
I'm sure LIS will help...and I'm sure others who have BMs like yourself will come on and give you much better advice than I can as I have totally different issues.
Really good luck