Hi Corsi. I had LIS a little over a year ago. Unfortunately I didn't get the immediate relief like some do. I was able to heal the initial fissure though but then things tightened up some again. Occassionally I would get those spasms too. I could go for a few weeks and feel good and then I think I would get a little tear and have to do all the same things I did before the LIS until things felt better. This would really make me anxious and of course that would just make things worse. When my CRS suggested the flap surgery I just wasn't happy with the idea. So I decided that I have to treat my bum just like anyone else who has a chronic illiness. And I have to take care of myself better. I take miralax and benefiber and I swear by shredded wheat twice a day. I have three water bottles that I fill throughout the day to make sure I drink enough, and since I don't really like water I just add a little kool aid in it. But the rest of the day I eat what I want to. For me it's the spasms that can bring me to my knees. When they start they usually don't last that long but sometimes they do. When that happens I use a little nitro ointment and sit on a heating pad. It does wonders. Sometimes as a last resort I take a valium and some ibuprofen but I don't really do that much. I have a very tender area on the left side of my bum, don't know why but it might be the scar that sometimes hurt me. I finally figured there was no miracle to put me back the way I was so I better learn to deal with it. Don't get me wrong somedays I can get really down in the dumps but it really doesn't get me anywhere. The holidays make things a little tougher too, stress is not good. As much as I love Christmas it's stressful. My uncle just passed away on Monday and it was so sad. And I've got three little dogs that need lots of attention.
I can sit better after the LIS but if I sit too long or in the wrong postition it can still hurt. So you are not alone in that. I finally got back to exercising and I really missed it. If I ever started getting that all day pain like before the LIS I would consider surgery again but not sure about the flap one because that one doesn't nothing to improve the spasms. So I take it a day at a time. In one respect I'm lucky I have a gastro dr. would really understood how much pain I was in before the surgery and she checks on me. She told me to call her whenever I need to. She said that rectal pain is one of the worst pains you can have so she really does get it. I can talk to her. She did advice me not to jump into more surgery right now and I happen to agree with her.
I hope you have a great Christmas and feel better soon. I have a busy morning, have to make a cheesecake, carrots augratin and noodle bake for my daughter's dinner. All this while I'm sitting on a heating pad. What a picture that makes huh? Suzy

Suzy -
I think stress definitely makes it all worse! Your post made me feel a lot better about my situation - yes, I think I am just going to be prone to these issues for the rest of my life and taking better care of myself will be a huge help to stopping the cycle. Hope you're feeling better now! :) Your food sounds yummy ~ I must be hungry!