Hi all. I've been all over the internet for a year and a half searching for answers, solutions, etc. I've lurked here for awhile. So, here's the story: first had bleeding in 3/09. Attributed it to hemmorhoids. Went down that road for a couple of months -- had bleeding when I would have a BM. Finally seemed to resolve in 5/09. Then had what I'm guessing now was a retear in 7/09. I had lots of itching, discomfort, pain, and was finally refered for a colonoscopy. They found nothing, but then it started up again a week after. Went to a digestive health specialist who finally looked and said it was 3 fissures. By the time i was refered to a surgeon, she said there was only 1 and it was healed. The game continued....tried the dialtizam(sp) cream, which didn't seem to do anything. Tried all the other creams out there. Many sitz baths. Tried not to lose my mind. Finally went in 6/09 for a recheck and she said it was still pinkish skin covering it, but it didn't need surgery. I've pretty much been okay until this a.m. Had a BM and seemed to be okay, finally started my walking routine again this morning and went walking with a neighbor. Had that feeling down there like i hadn't wiped very well and when I got back wiped and the toilet paper had like watery blood on it. I guess I retore it. Sh*T! Now what to do. I've maintained the Benefiber (1X day) plus Miralax religiously for a year now. I can say I've slacked on the diet part and probably ate some blackberries yesterday that didn't help. Shoot! I guess I'm not a candidate for surgery, according to the surgeon, but what else would I do at this point? Any advice for clearing this thing back up? Thanks to all of you!!! I hate this crap but am glad i'm not the only one who's had to deal with it.

Hey reidgirl,
Welcome to the forum.
Sounds like you have had your fissure problems for some time now.
If you don't mind me asking -why does your CRS think you aren't a good candidate for the surgery?
After having a fissure for so long, I can't see anything but the surgery helping heal it?!
There's a lot of good tips on here to help deal and manage with the discomfort. Your fissure is definitely chronic and although some heal without surgery, it's virtually impossible in my opinion and is pretty rare, especially after such a length of time as you've had yours.
It's just my opinion but I would find a good CRS who would give the surgery as an option and or other things such as botox...My CRS didn't push the surgery at me but said when I was ready she'd do it. I waited 8 months and had enough but I know they would have did it sooner if I wanted it. It's really a simple procedure and works. Unless you have some other underlying health conditions that makes you a bad candidate for LIS, then I'd get a second or third opinion.

Dawn, there was no other reason other than she said it was 'healing' on its own, but still had baby-like skin on it. I don't have any other conditions which would keep me from having the surgery. Of course, at the time it was music to my ears to hear I didn't need it. Do they do fissurectomies anymore, or just LIS, or is it all done together? When did you have yours and how long was recovery. My stepmom had it 12 years ago and has done fine although she has to continue to be vigilant. Thanks Dawn! Nice to meet you!

Reidgirl,
I had lis, skin tag removed caused by the fissure and the fissure cauterized almost 6 weeks ago. I think fissurectomies are still done by some CRS, but when I aksed mine- She said they're "old" and they don't do them at all in their office(group). I was glad to hear that since I've read some other post and it seems it's more painful when it's done w/ LIS. I really didn't know they'd have to cauterize mine until I woke up and it was done. I'm not sure if that's just something they do but I haven't had any trouble.
I know a few people too personally who have had LIS. One who had it twenty years ago and he eats what he wants but also eats healthy with a lot of vegs and fruits.
I'm close to being six weeks and have already been able to eat foods that I never could have ate with my fissure but I will always eat a high fiber diet along with other foods I like. Does you stepmom still avoid certain foods or is she just careful to mantain a high fiber diet along w/other foods?

pss... I wanted to add- from what I've read ,fissurectomys are usually done with LIS and not alone when they're done.
I think some have had botox with the fissurectomy, but I don't think just having a fissurectomy alone is done?! I know I wouldn't do that (lol). That really doesn't make sense to me. The LIS is what relaxes the muscle and stops the spasms so the fissure can heal. I think the fissurectomy just smoothes down the edges where there's scar tissue. But I believe that was the reason mine was cauterized.

Welcome Reidgirl.
So have you been healed since 06/09? And retore now? If that is the case it may heal quickly and be vigilant with the sitz baths.
If you had it semi-healed then surgery would be worth considering now. Find a good CRS that you trust and tell them enough is enough. I was in this semi-healed state for several years before my LIS. It would cause me discomfort daily and drainage. And once in awhile I would retear and get it back to the semi-healed state. When I got a second fissure that is what finally made me get the LIS - I reached my enough is enough point.
Yes, they still so fissurotomies. I had two done at my LIS. As Dawn mentioned they are to get rid of scar tissue. They shaved the edges of mine. The cauterizing she had done served the same purpose by ablating tissue to make a fresh surface to heal.

Paul and Dawn, thanks for replying to my post! Paul, the last time I went back was 6/10, not 6/09, my mistake. So you think it's time then, huh? When I started up the 3 baths yesterday all I could think was "not again!" I had a couple of small spots of blood this a.m. after my bm. I'm also applying vitamin e oil since it seems to really stay on for moisturizing purposes. Paul, your surgery was successful? I think more than anything, and this sounds very vain, that I don't want to be out of work and people wonder what i had done. I teach, and I think I'm putting this pressure on myself to not be out away from my students. Stupid, huh? How long is the recovery??? I would so love to find someone who would do it during my two-week Christmas break so I could be out as little as possible. Think I'll call tomorrow and speak with my surgeon's office again. As far as the qualifications go, what should I make sure he/she has? Thanks again!

Hey Reidgirl,
I don't blame you for not wanting everyone to know what kind of surgery your having...I only told a few people myself.
When I talked to my crs about surgery I had a list of questions that the good people on this board helped me with also.
One- I asked how many Lis had she done and she said more than she could count.
Two- How many incontinence and she said NEVER happened.
Three- Is it possible I could get infection from the surgery and she said she'd only seen it maybe once.
I also asked about recovery, we discussed pain meds I would be given and exactly what she would be doing to my rear, how I would be put to sleep....
There's an old thread where I asked this same question to the boardies on this forum- :)
From what I've read, most people were feeling well enough by two weeks to go back to work.

Hey Reidgirl-
I think the LIS procedure is very common for most CRS's. I would ask whatever you feel like to calm the nerves. Dawn has a good list to start with. Incontinence was my biggest concern and is what kept me from the surgery not the pain of the surgery itself. My CRS told me that the risk is very low since they cut so little. And males have a larger sphincter muscle so that was on my side. And I talked with other surgeons in the group and they all told me it is "no big deal." So if I had to do over again I would have had my LIS after about a year of battling with it.
I would think that they could do it over Christmas break. That was when I had mine originally scheduled, Dec 09, until I got a stomach flu, a present from the in-laws, so I had to reschedule for Jan 10. My CRS said most people go back to work within days. I went back to work 3 days after. I work a non-physical job and can come and go as I please so I didn't have the pressure of worrying about trying to have somebody cover for me at work. Since you teach you may want to have some kind of back up plan if you need more time. Everybody is so different in terms of recovery, pain tolerance, etc.
My surgery was successful in healing the fissures. I also had a skin tag, fistula layed open, and the fissurotomies. So my recovery was a little more rough. Plus I was just diagnosed with Mild Crohn's this week so I have had this impacting my peri-anal region. My surgoen became concerned after my surgery in Jan since my fiisures looked more like ulcers. I had a peri-anal abscess and draining seton for another fistula in in Sept 10 - all signs of IBD. So I heal this area slowly because of this.

Paul,
I try to support Crohn's research efforts as I can (CCFA.org).
Cheryl