Hey gals and pals!
Well, its day...6 after my surgery, and I am finally off of my pain meds for good! I am glad that this is almost over. I still have to keep taking stool softeners, metamucal and milk of magnesia (yuck!) but i'd rather be doing that. I just have a few concerns.
number 1: I got a small, very brief spasm....is that a sign of things to come?
number 2: I looked for the first time today...you know...looked :roll: and umm....I still have a skin tag down there. Why wouldnt he have gotten rid of it?! To be honest with you, im pretty disappointed. We already talked about how embarassing those things can be. Not that many people see my back door very much...and I for one, certainly dont dabble in bedroom activity that includes that area (can you imagine the pain?!) but....none the less it does get seen in the bedroom, and thats embarassing!!!! :IMO:
number 3: I did go through a short period of being afraid of getting better. Has anyone experienced that? I know it sounds weird, but I am still kind of afraid that I will have gone through this, and then I'll mess it up or something and the fissure will come back. This time I WONT have insurance to cover me. I am just scared...I dont know why. I feel like I am going to let myself down. I know its totally within my control but...having to eat this diet does sometimes limit my choices in life...where I can go on the weekends, etc...
Anyways...6 days, and I am almost 100%. If it stays the way it is, and there is no pain, then the surgery will have been worth it. I am still disappointed about no skin tag removal though. He said he was going to get rid of it. What gives?! I'll have to ask him when I see him on my follow up day, march 2.
Stay well everyone

kate

Hi Kate,
I'm so happy for you. As for the skin tag, yes, that is something you'll have to take up with your surgeon. Fortunately for me, I never got one.
I would be miffed about it, too. But it souonds like something he could remove without GA.
About your brief, small spasm. What was it like? Was it after a BM? I had some throbbing in the anal area one night not too long after my surgery, but I could tell it was not quite the same as a sphincter spasm. Right now I'd be willing to bet it's something else...you're still healing and will be for a while, regardless of how good you feel.
And, as for your fears for the future...keep in mind that your sphincter has been cut now. It's not going to "repair" itself to its original condition, pre-surgery. The worst-case scenario (as I see it)....You get a re-tear.
But guess what....you DON'T get the pain like before, because of the LIS...the cut is permanent. Therefore the new fissure will heal in about six weeks, but you probably won't know it's there except for some small amount of blood on the toilet paper and a bit of weird, discomfort (but not pain) (maybe some burning if your stools get loose/watery) It won't disrupt your life at all!!
The important thing here is that you eat fruits and vegetables everyday the rest of your life. It's what healthy people do, anyway. Get plenty of water. Take vitamins if you like. Make sure that your skin, membranes, and other bodily tissues get the nutrients they need to be strong/elastic/whatever.
And you'll be OK.
Hugh

That is awesome how well you are feeling! I am glad you are recovering so quickly.
I think about your worrying now and I wonder if your mind has been worried about your bottom for so long that it doesn't know how to think a different way now. You have to keep reassuring yourself that you got through the hard part. It's not going to get any worse than what you just went through.
I know how you feel about the skintag thingy. I am not so much embarrassed since my husband has seen me give birth twice and he still is attracted to me but it is a nuisance to have. It hurts me and gets irritated by clothing and wiping etc. I am supposed to get it taken off March 8th. When you see your doctor ask about getting it removed. My CRS said it was nothing compared to what I had been through with hemorrhoid surgery and this prolonged AF recuperation and that she could do it with a local pretty quickly in the office.
Again congrats on feeling well-give yourself permission to feel well and don't let any negative thoughts sabotage it-you deserve it!
Lecia
I would love to be able to get your avatar sometime to include in my emails to friends and family-it so captures the moment, doesn't it!

damn it!
embrace your skin tag!!!!!!
i'll have to make "love my skin tag" bumper stickers
in all honesty, it's probably best to have your skin tag than not. taking it away will decrease the flexibility of the skin the anus needs to open up when letting your BM out.
cutting it out, will probably cause a tighter, non-flexible, anus and then increase your chance for re-tear.
using some Palmers Cocoa Butter with Vitamin E post shower and after wiping with baby wipes, will help your skin tag assimilate back into your butt as if it was not there....in time.
congrats on the great news!!!!!!

Yeah, really take what Gareth says to heart...if there is hope that it will "reassimilate" itself (sounds like the Borg!) then by all means make that your goal! His take is much better than surgery and makes the most sense.
In the meantime, why not just find ways to avoid it being seen by your partner -- until it is ASS-IMILATED
Hugh :bball:

Hahahah you guys are the best!
I knew you would all understand. I dont really mind the skin tag in terms of feeling, it isnt painful, it just seems to be... there. I think if my boyfriend of two years can deal with this whole embarassing situation and be supportive through it, then a little extra skin shouldnt be a problem right? If he asks, I'll explain it to him.
As for my mini spasm? I was just sitting on the couch! Then it was there and gone just as quickly. I dont know, your right hugh, its probably part of the healing process. I am just glad the hard part is over! O-V-E-R!
And...as for my avatar, if I can figure out how to make it available, I will.

kate

Hey, think you actually just gave out the best clue...you were just "sitting there on the couch" -- sitting, although you just had an LIS surgery a week ago. That pressure probably caused the twinge of pain in an unhealed wound. Nothing at all to worry about!!
whadduya think??
Hugh

You may have a point hugh. Sitting, on a hard futon...probably not the best idea now. :suspect:
kate

Great to hear Kate!
And Gareth is right, embrace your skin tag.. keep it as a momento! If you are free from pain that is the main thing :cheer:
If you are obsessing about having a re-tear, that sounds normal, but try and relax, i obsessed with food and supplements like crazy after my op coz i was so worried, but that was back in october, and i reckon i stopped worrying about December... youll be fine
WOO HOO, another success story!! :cheer: