Ok so I know this sounds like a dumb question, but here's the deal. When I first got my fissure, it hurt like bloody hell. Every BM involved intense, blinding "sit on the toilet sweating and crying" pain that made it nearly impossible to even stand up afterward. That pain of course came with the long-lasting spasm that felt like my sphincter wanted to pucker itself outward. I spent every moment dwelling on what the next BM would bring.
However after a few months of conservative treatments (creams, stool softeners, and Botox), the pain is much more manageable, yet still present. But now it's not blinding crippling pain anymore. These days it's a dull ache in the buttocks that radiates up to the lower back, accompanied by some moderately sharp pain if I strain during a BM (but very soft BMs come out without too much trouble). Bending over also causes pain so I just avoid bending over. So at this point it's definitely a big nuisance, but I can't say I live in sheer terror of every BM anymore.
My question is: does this pattern of pain match any of your experiences? Is your fissure pain always intense or did it start off intense and then kind of taper down?
The reason I ask is that I'm trying to decide whether to take the LIS plunge. If every BM still hurt like they did in the beginning, I'd do it for sure, no questions asked. But as it stands, my fissure isn't really healing, but it's also not making me live in constant overwhelming fear, either, so it's kind of hard to decide what to do. Maybe fissures just become less painful when they become chronic or something?
BTW I posted on page 1 of this thread in another forum a while ago when I was new to fissures, but stopped checking in on it because I found this great forum here. But I just checked in on it today. Apparently there have been quite a few new posts, some of which I found very informative. So I thought I'd share it with you all who, like me, are on the fence about LIS. The feedback there seems to be very positive hence why I'm giving LIS more serious consideration now than ever:
http://www.healthboards.com/boards/showthread.php?t=704601
All of those posts saying "just do it and get your life back" just sound ooohhh so tempting :)

Ok I just read my post above and realize that it sounds kind of scatter brained.
I think the real issue I'm wrestling with is that since my current fissure pain isn't nearly as bad as it used to be, whether it's worthwhile to get LIS, since the pain immediately after LIS will almost certainly be worse than what I'm feeling right now. Hence the real underlying question is "how bad does the fissure have to hurt to make LIS worthwhile?"
Of course if LIS fixes the problem forever, then it'd be worth taking a small step backward in order to take a big step forward, I suppose.
Argh ok I'm not sure this made any more sense than my original post. If anyone understands what I'm trying to say and has feedback, it is most appreciated, otherwise please ignore the lunatic mumbling softly to himself on the sidewalk :)

With me, it's not how it hurts so much, it's the fact that it's still there!! Fair enough, it doesn't hurt as much now as it used to, I can have bad days but equally have good days, but the fact still remains... and the only real solution is LIS but whether I get that far is still hanging in the balance, if I get the choice then i'll take it.
Fissures, or my fissure anyway seems to go into a kind of hiding state with little pain during and after BM which makes me think everything is ok, it's then that I put the likes of LIS to the very back of my mind, but then out of the blue it can attack again and I go into a state of fear, it's then that I just want LIS asap..

NG and Steve,
Could either of you try Botox as your next step???? At least you two have each other to commiserate with. I used to e-mail Tabby every day to tell her how I was doing. It's great to have a buddy that understands.

Haha Steve your 2nd paragraph about sums it up PERFECTLY for me :)
Cheryl, I did Botox back in October and it was great for a while but unfortunately the relief wasn't permanent :(

You know I was thinking the same thing somedays are really bad and other days are good. When I have the bad days I just want to scream and cry because thier is literally no relief for the pain. It made me question if I should go through with it also? My procedure is scheduled for the 15th of april..

Yes - everybody has periods of good and bad days - the only dilemma really is - are you willing to live in the limbo for many more years ???
For me the answer was NO and I had my first LIS after 5 mos (3 times COMPLETELY healed during that time - not even the "small discomfort") .
Also - when I developed my second fissure after 7 mos , I wanted new LIS ASAP ! At that time there was NO sharp pain what so ever , no bleeding, no dull ache - it was more like constant irritation, some burning, itching, some scrapping and of course, I had to watch anything I ate under the microscope again.
And I said - O HELL NO !!!! I will NOT live with this thing and found a CRS who was wiling to do second LIS and thanks god and all angels I was so determined to have a normal butt !
Now that I have so many other problems in my life - I am eternally grateful that I do not have to deal with a butt pain on top of it all !!!!!!
That is how I function in general - I away put things into perspective . It was as if I knew what "is ahead" and that I need to be completely functional to go through it ...
I was never afraid of the LIS - if my first CRS was not so reluctant to do it and made me do all of those "creams", I would have done it even sooner For me the quality of life is on the top - I would rather live 10 years pain free than 30 in pain - but everybody is different
and only you can decide what is the best path for you...

I agree with fissulyna.
I have good days and bad days of pain.
Its become more and more difficult to tell these days as I have had it so long and had two operations.
I really do think you should try LIS.
I has a high success rate, just not with me.
Jason

Today is a good day, my fissure friend is asleep
How long he stays asleep though is anyones guess, my fissure friend seems to have dormant phases and no two days are the same, it's really playing with my head lately hence why i'm depressed and emotionally drained!

Thanks guys, I'm glad (well not glad that you guys are suffering too ... but you know what I mean) that I'm not the only one going through this pattern. Some days I would just jump into LIS, but on many other days, the fissure is only barely noticeable and then I wonder if I should get surgery or not. After nearly a year of this, the logical part of my brain is telling me that it's just false hope, but the hopeful side of my brain is saying "just wait a little longer and maybe it'll get better" :) Guess I'll play the waiting a game bit longer, my patience is nearly up but there's still a tiny bit left to burn :)