Tell me about post LIS discharge...

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Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby NeuropathicGuy » 03 May 2010, 20:34

Ok so I just got out of LIS a few hours ago and have done some reading on here about people's experiences with post LIS discharge. I understand that it's normal to have some.
What I was wondering is the nature of how the discharge occurs: is it something that just happens silently, or does it happen with sound?
The reason I ask is that I've had a few ummm embarrassing episodes of what I think is discharge. The fluid that comes out is kind of yellow-clear with some blood in it. There's not too much blood in it so I'm not worried about the fluid itself.
But the way it comes out is kind of weird (here's where things get graphic). It's almost like an involuntary bowel movement. Imagine if you tried to pass wind, but some watery stool came out instead. That squishy sound is what it sounds like. The first time it happened without me doing anything (I just stood up and it happened), and the second time it happened when I tried to pass some wind and got some discharge instead.
Has this happened to anyone else? Or would this be considered incontinence? Since it's just been a few hours since surgery, I know it's too early to get freaked out about permanent incontinence. I do understand however that some people get temporary incontinence following LIS. So does what I'm describing sound more like incontinence or just normal LIS discharge? When I hear "discharge" or "drainage," I think more of something that just drips out silently as opposed to makes a "I pooped my pants" sound Image
Thanks for any info from you folks who have gone through LIS before.
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby NeuropathicGuy » 04 May 2010, 13:48

Just in case anyone stumbles upon this thread in the future while looking for info on discharge after LIS, I should follow up and say that the "pooping myself" discharge hasn't happened again since the few hours after surgery (knock on wood).
So I'm going to chalk it up as normal unless it happens again.
After the nice discharge incidents, I'm now happy to say that I've mainly got the expected post LIS soreness, very mild gas incontinence (meaning I have a harder time "sneaking one out" :)), and some continued bleeding (basically underwear has blood in it every so often).
The last frontier is that first BM, which hasn't happened yet. Fingers crossed that comes out as easily as the nasty discharge did...
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby Deleted User 5 » 04 May 2010, 15:09

Hey, NG, glad you are doing so well so far...things actually sound OK (to me).
There are too many variables, as far as the discharge is concerned. You needn't worry about any minor or even moderate incontinence during the first three days or so. I had a MUCH worse episode than you did, trust me, during my second or third day of recovery, let's just say I thought I had gas and found out I produced something else instead.
If you are "constipated" during the first 48 hrs, don't fret there either, the nerve bundle down there is probably in shock and may not even bother to send the normal pooping signals right away...
I think so far so good! :) If you want a real post-LIS nightmare, go read or re-read my surgery thread, I am *sure* you'll relax some after that!
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby sidra1968 » 04 May 2010, 18:31

NG!! Wow, just logged on and saw you got the LIS! So happy for you...you'll get slowly better every week and your discharge sounds normal to me. Again, very thrilled for you and your future fissure free life. Don't sweat setbacks, remember even I had that infection afterwards.
Just got back from China, so I've been up all night and sleeping from like 4 am till 11 am and trying to get back in the swing. I will put my scorpion on a stick pic up as soon as I am able..lol
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby NeuropathicGuy » 04 May 2010, 18:43

Thanks Kim, I actually read your LIS story the night before I went in -- not a good idea lol :) Your description of the first BM had me second guessing whether to go through with it all haha. The constipation actually ended earlier today, now I'm back to my IBS cycle of several small BMs spread throughout the day. Each BM makes the LIS incision site hurt, so they're not fun, but they're tolerable.
I still get some bleeding (both during BMs and just on occasion throughout the day), and every once in a while I get "a little more than I bargained for" when I pass wind, but from what I've read that's to be expected, so I'm trying not to freak out just yet.
Sidra, welcome back! Hope you had fun. Did you try the scorpion :) Hey, nothing wrong with sleeping from 4 AM to 11 AM. That's the schedule everyone should keep lol. I'd actually completely forgotten that you got an infection after LIS. I remember your results being so positive that I didn't recall any of the speed bumps along the way.
I guess I wasn't really expecting the discharge, or the pain and very minor "leakage" I'm having today. I thought it would just the surgery itself and then everything afterward would be right back to normal, or at least close to it. Chalk that one up to being a rookie with surgery and unrealistic expectations. The pain actually seems a little worse today, probably because of the BMs and also the fact that I didn't take very many painkillers. Hearing everyone say it takes time to stop having lingering issues and get better is comforting.
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby sidra1968 » 04 May 2010, 19:04

Honestly, everything you're describing sounds just like my experience..I was just so freaking relieved and happy to not have the so extreme being-violated-with-a-broken- beer-bottle pain (where death was preferable).. that I kind of looked at the pains/discharge/and even infection after the surgery as small potatoes -- and as evidence that things were at least moving forward. Better than if I had done nothing about the problem. Sorry for such a long run-on sentence..lol.
I probably had a harder time than I remember..that infection didn't even go away completely with 2 rounds of that super strong antibiotic that you warned me about..I just finally let nature take it away..it seemed the more I worried and fixated on it, the worse it felt. So, I just ignored it and went about things and lo and behold, it did eventually go away.
I still get raw (like diaper-rash) when I walk a lot ..like in China it happened. Nothing intolerable though. I think it's from very minuscule leakage throughout the day, thus the chafing, etc. I just put diaper rash cream on a bit throughout the day and at night. It's gone now that I'm not walking 5 miles per day. Believe me, it's less than 1% of what I had last July..obviously if I sat for 20 hours on a plane (2x) and on tour buses..walked that much and still went out at night drinking..there is hope!
Nope, didn't eat the huge black scorpion that I bought..maybe had I been drinking that night. I did name him Louie and carried him around all night..even scared some backpackers from Spain on the subway with "Louie". Brought him to the last night get-together and cocktail party where everyone got a huge kick out of it/him. Once my friend and I had named him, we surely couldn't eat him. Someone funny suggested we put cheese whiz on him..LMAO
Glad you are doing well..it'll be 1 step forward and 2 back some weeks. The overall progression will be good though (month to month)
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby NeuropathicGuy » 04 May 2010, 23:50

lol that's great. You've gotta post a pic of Louie sometime :)
My fissure pain wasn't real bad when I got LIS, so for the moment the pain's definitely a lot worse then before surgery. If I had gotten it last year when my fissure was killing me, I'd definitely be relieved since I can have BMs without paralyzing pain. Right now though I'm kinda wondering how it's all gonna pan out. Guess time will tell.
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby NeuropathicGuy » 05 May 2010, 01:02

BTW Kim, Sidra, anyone else who is still reading my sordid tale and obsessive posts, did either of you get any "lightly soiled undergarments" type of discharge/leakage after LIS?
I've been quite farty since LIS (ok time for a confession: I was farty before too due to Miralax and a high fiber diet :)), and have noticed that I often get light brown smears (aka "skid marks" and yes I know this is TMI) as a result. I'm not sure if it's some kind of discharge or actual stool, but from looks and odor (again I acknowledge the TMI offense I'm committing :)), I'd wager it's the latter :( Right now I wear a cotton pad between the ol' cheeks to catch it and change the pads quite often.
I haven't actually had a "pooped my pants" moment since the hours after the surgery, which is good, but I'm so paranoid about incontinence that I wonder if this is normal...
I've spent a lot of time reading through other boardies' LIS stories today, and the consensus seems to be that things should improve within a week or so (yours was actually one of the rougher stories Kim), so I'm trying to be patient, but my mind does wander. Thanks for entertaining one paranoid dude.
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby Deleted User 5 » 05 May 2010, 05:18

Well, you have a right to be paranoid after this type of surgery...but ground your psyche in the belief that you are now on the road to healing; that's what I did. Tell yourself, I will be much better in a couple weeks and almost like new (at least *feeling* like new) in a month or so...
I don't recall having too many soiled moments but there were a few in the first few days.
The gas "incontinence" was a minor problem for me for about three months and then went away -- I used quotes because it was not 24/7 but fairly common, especially during the evenings...but as my sphincter regained it's strength, all that stopped!
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Re: Tell me about post LIS discharge...

Postby cherylk » 05 May 2010, 06:46

Good advice, Kim! Image
For what it's worth--yesterday while golfing in my league I faced a long putt and told myself while hitting the ball, "I like golf," and the ball went in the hole!! So, whoever says the body does not listen to the mind is wrong. Heed Kim's words, NG!! Maybe only start worrying after a couple months have passed!!
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