After about 16 months, I finally got in to see a CRS. I had to drive almost two hours to get to her, but it was worth it. She took one look and immediately saw the fissure and associated papilla. Up to this point, I've been unsure whether I had a fissure or hemorrhoid since my original fissure "healed". The symptoms weren't quite as bad, and my GI thought she felt a hemorrhoid so I figured that's what it was. The CRS thinks this fissure and my first one are one and the same, even though the pain seems to be from a different location. I was extremely relieved to finally know what the heck is going on. P.S., if you have painful butt problems, avoid the GIs and go straight to a CRS if possible.
So, she managed to schedule me for a LIS/papilla excision next week. She was pretty convinced that it was necessary, since I've tried pretty much everything else up to now. It was a pretty easy decision for me. I really can't take much more of being in pain all of the time and only being half as productive as I should be.
I'm not nervous yet, but I'm sure that I will get that way as the date gets closer. Not looking forward to the enemas.

William,
Glad that you should see an end to your troubles soon. I was really scared just prior to my surgery but it was really no big deal at all. I don't remember any of it, only waking up from what seemed like a very deep and comfortable sleep. The post surgery pain wasn't that bad either. I also didn't have to have an enema, (the subject never even came up) so hopefully you won't either. Good luck, and congrats on your decision.
Fiberup

Good luck with your LIS. I agree with you about heading straight to a CRS.

William, good luck with LIS next week! Let us know how it all goes.
My fissure pain did "evolve" quite a bit during its course, both in nature of the pain and the location where it was felt. So it's indeed possible that you just had the one fissure, and it either healed and re-tore, or simply never actually went away and was just less symptomatic for a while. You never can tell with these things. When my fissure was acute, it killed me every day. But after it went chronic and I was able to get my stool sufficiently soft, there were days that I barely noticed it, and days that it was crippling.

Just sending good vibes too.
I didn't have to do an enema. I'm not sure where that's brought me to now, i.e. if I'm healing on schedule or not due to not having one, guess I'll find out Monday at my follow up.
All the best!

NeuropathicGuy wrote:When my fissure was acute, it killed me every day. But after it went chronic and I was able to get my stool sufficiently soft, there were days that I barely noticed it, and days that it was crippling.

That does sound awfully familiar.

Well, it's almost that time. It's really sucked not being able to take ibuprofen the last two days; it was the only thing that was making the pain bearable recently. Tylenol just doesn't cut it.
My CRS seems to think it won't take more than a couple of days to be able to functional somewhat normally after the surgery. Judging by the posts here, I think she may be underselling the recovery time. But she said that she takes a conservative approach, that she would rather undercut and have to do surgery again than give someone lifelong incontinence problems, so maybe that amount of time is about right for her patients.
Unfortunately, the surgery center is 90 minutes away from home so I'll have a long ride after the surgery. They seem to think I'll be ok sitting down, but I plan to lie down in the back seat.

Good luck William! You see I am the resident LIS cheerleader and you're going to do great! My local wore off a few hours later, so you should make it home ok. I remember sitting in the car, and saying, "ohhhh I feel great!" LOL, the local hadn't worn off yet. Now mind you, I had a rough night and next day but then the pain lessened and still not fissure level. Heck, I could be stabbed now and probably deal with it with Tylenol.
I'm 13 days post open LIS now (nothing else done) and have to remind myself that I'm not even 2 weeks out and remember to rest and get off my rear. And that recovery fell within my CRS' 7-10 days recovery estimate. Otherwise, I feel totally normal (but am reminded by my nightly Miralax).
Rest up and you'll be a new person soon!

good luck William!
that is my middle name. and as you, had a nice long term period without any fissure worries (about 2 years) until now. so i can totally relate with it not being in your life for so long and then you have to face it to erase it (as suze orman says).
anyway, i hope these well wishes can offer you some comfort and that you will get a good nite's rest.
i too was told that i would need to do an enema the night before and then the morning of! lucky for me, i have a self-cleaning ass feature that i just have to press a button and it will clean itself in a few hours.
i'll pray for your appt tomorrow to be great and like if nothing ever happened.
let the healing begin!

Thanks for sending good vibes my way! I'll let you know how it goes.