Hi everyone, mrfissure here (for some reason couldn't get onto the site with my original username). Still scheduled for LIS tomorrow, but feeling very surrealistic, can't believe I haven't canceled it.
I'm supposing I'll have a chance to speak with the surgeon before the procedure begins, right? What should I ask her?
Also, I just read that urinary retention can happen after LIS and I was just wondering, has anyone had that experience? The thought horrifies me...

hi mr fissure,
i am glad you have kept your appt.
do you know what the plan of action is for sedation and what kind of pain management you will have post-procedure?
from what i recall, you should have an opportunity to speak to several peeps as you get ready, including the surgeon.
i have heard about urinary retention and hopefully that won't happen to you or me! LOL.
what time is your procedure scheduled for tomorrow?

Hi Happy!
I'm checking in at 7:15 and the operation is at 8:15 in the morning. I don't know what kind of sedation I'll have for the procedure, but I was told that I'll get a call from the anesthesiologist tonight. For after, my surgeon mentioned the possibility of Vicodin but seemed to think it won't be really needed.
I'm freaking out though...all day today I've been really wondering whether this is the right move for me right now. I'm very tempted by the promise of a cure, and now is a good time for me schedule-wise, but actually my pain is not as bad as it used to be. Usually it's just a few moments or a few minutes after a bowel movement, then I can pretty much forget about it until the next day. Although, not always. And I have to pay close attention to my stools all the time, which I'm getting very tired of.
I had botox twice--in June and September--and while I never fully healed from it, maybe that's the reason why my symptoms are milder than they used to be? Maybe I should try botox again first?
On and on...I'm a mess right now. Thanks for listening...

MF - Yes, I've read that too about urinary retention and I can't remember the reason, but I tell you, if anyone was going to have it, it would be me, I have that issue to begin with (I should be on Toviaz, butt, well - it can cause constipation, need I say more). I didn't have any retention at all post-op and that's all I do now is wee wee wee, business as usual. I'm 15 days post LIS now.
Yes, you definitely will see your surgeon pre-op and before you are sedated with anything (if you're in the US). I'd ask the going home instructions and how long she thinks you'll have (fill in the blank). We all seem so different though, but I did fit right into the parameters of my surgeon's timeline: 7-10 days recovery. I always tell my DH to listen up when I'm waking up, the surgeon will be there and she'll start talking to you and most times, I have no recollection of that conversation. DH says I carry on a normal conversation asking technical medical questions and nobody would think that I'm still "asleep". LOL!
Or just tell the nurse (to be sure) that you'd like to speak with the surgeon before you have any sedation of any kind. I personally like to hit the valium asap, lol.
All the best to you tomorrow!

Dont stress i know that its eaiser said then done. but 4 1/2 weeks ago i was stressing like mad. the week b4 my surgery i felt great no pain at all but as you know the little sh*t of a thing will come back. This will give you the best chance to heal and you have suffered for long enough. but i know how you are feeling i was the same but when i woke up and got home i was so glad i did it and keep saying to my hubby why was a stressing soooo much.
the good thing is that its first thing in the morning so get some sleep and before you know it, it will all be over and you will be saying what i did.
If they offer you pain meds get them just in case to take home. i got some but never needed them, but its better to have them just incase.
Also if she does not say anything ask if you will have packing in your bum after just so you know. I did but its not bad at all so dont worry if you do to its just to stop the bleeding.
good luck and let us know how you go!

Ya, she will come talk with you. I would ask her anything that you are still wondering about. Also, ask them about the pain management strategy when they send you home. In my two surgeries they cover this afterwards and I have been half loopy. I always have to rely on my wife for what was said since I have a hard time remembering. Although I never used the pain meds much just Advil.
I am not sure how prevalent urinary retention is. I did have a hard time peeing for about 1.5 days. It just took awhile to get started and a long time to finish. If this is a big concern ask your CRS how often it occurs and how it is handled. It did kind of suck but it passed fairly quickly.
Good luck tomorrow.

well i can totally understand being a mess right now.
i have never had surgery either. i was freaked out that when i was originally scheduled for LIS in 2008, i also scheduled a colonoscopy and fistulotomy. i always wondered why the CRS at that time thought he saw a fistula.
anyway, all those 3 combined got me wickedly scared!
i also had cancer thoughts that plagued me back then so i kept the colonoscopy and the CRS recommended that whatever i was doing, the fissure and supposed fistula had been healing so he canceled those himself.
i have had an enjoyable 2 years for the most part since then but i still have to deal with the occasional mismanaged bm and irritating the skin tag and the area. i often thought a lot what it could be like if i got rid of the skin tag. it doesn't bother me that its there but i think it causes a lot of aggrevation.
and now my fissure is back.
so yes it is tempting to think, if i can only get to where i was again in 2008 and have another 2 years of manageable living, it would be great but i think i have gotten to the point where it would be even better if i could live life to the most enjoyment.
i am optimistic about this decision next month. even though i am a complete scaredy cat and well, i am freaked out about the possible pain that will have to be dealt with during the healing process and the possible idea that nothing will change from the way it was pre-procedure and the worst case scenario, things only get worse.
i am sure you have those same concerns.
i think i am willing to gamble this time - and i don't know why it just feels different this time - there is not too much fear or resistance in my thoughts or actions about it. it's like it's meant to be at this particular time.
perhaps for you, you need a little more time to get there. or you can bite the bullet and move with it tomorrow to get it out of the way and begin your healing.
just understand that there is no overnight cure or overnight sense that it will all go away tomorrow.
my original CRS, who i believe is wise and i wish i could find him because i would definitely have no hesitation with him doing the LIS as he had years of this stuff - whereas my CRS now, she is under 10 years of CRS specialization so she is rather new but not off the fresh farm truck - but there is something about her that exudes confidence and trust. shoot, she put in two anoscopes in my butt this past monday, and as uncomfortable as that may be, it really showed me that she wanted to be thorough and was concerned about my situation. back to the original CRS, he mentioned that healing would take about 6-8 weeks and that the anus would probably be looking more normal around 6-8 months while feeling actually normal could take up to a year. That is pretty conservative. That is what I am going into with this. If it is any faster, then great. But from what I have read, everyone is a bit different and it is better to set goals at a longer pace to allow yourself that time to heal. The body is going to do it on its time table and no one else's.
i recall earlier today that you mentioned you still had blood during your BMs. and you have had some feedback that it probably was more than likely a sign that your fissure was still active.
my other thought into this is that since you are in a hyper-state of anxiety and sorta flight-fight response, your body is probably producing the right mixture of chemicals to ward off the pain that you would normally have with your BMs. kinda like to throw you off and confuse you.
**
no one here on the board can force you to do this tomorrow.
and no one here expects you to do anything you don't want to do.
some of us have been right where you are and some will be, including me next month, where you are.
we are here to support you no matter what you decide to do and if you need some more time, then so be it.
i keep running into posts from people with positive experiences of having the LIS and saying that they are kicking themselves for not doing it any sooner.
well, i really want to be one of those people too. from 2004 to 2010, i really want 2011 and beyond to be totally asstastic!
**
also since you mention doing Botox and recently in September, what happened between September and now that you did schedule this surgery? i think if you focus on that and the importance of why you made that decision then, it could help bring some closure onto why you would just go through with it tomorrow.
i've never done botox and for some reason, i think i would rather do the LIS than that. but that is just me.
may i ask where you are writing from? are you in the USA?

Thanks everyone for your words of encouragement. When I read your messages, I feel more positive about going forward with the surgery. But I can't help this creepy feeling of dread, that I'm making a mistake, that it would be better to leave "well enough" alone. Happy, you're right, I didn't feel well enough after the botox to leave it alone though--I kept getting episodes of pain that even if they weren't as bad as in the beginning of my fissure life, they were still bad enough that I wanted to find a cure. The surgeon I chose is so confident, so sure that this procedure is easy and beneficial, I want to believe her, but who knows? She also says recovery won't take much more than a day, and that doesn't match what people say on this forum. But I've seen other doctors too, and they all seem to believe strongly in the LIS. Oh, and yes, Happy, I'm in the US, in California.
Thanks again all. Happy healing to everyone...

i hope you can feel a bit more at ease even though i know you won't get rid of all your anxiety.
since it is about 830ish CA time, get your enema done - take it easy. and don't eat after midnight, or get wet as you may turn into a Gremlin!
take a soothing warm shower and get some good nite's rest. i hope you also have someone that will be with you to be there when it is all done as they will want someone to escort you home.
just as your female CRS said, she is optimistic you will feel better immediately - as mine said the same thing that i will feel so much better after the procedure is done but she also added that there will be the healing process with some post-op pain but nothing that i have been use to - well i should hope not, LOL, and it better be in a good way!
good luck. you'll do great. keep the thoughts positive. even i don't think you would want to be living your life having to do botox every 4-6 months in the butt.
i barely want an anoscope in there, much less more needles!

I wouldn't worry too much about urinary retention. It can happen, but is very uncommon. I didn't have any urination problems after either one of my butt surgeries.
I'd prepare for the worst and hope for the best as far as the Vicodin goes. Keep some handy just in case, and just see if you need it. Try to get it before the surgery if you can though.
Also, surgeons are usually in for more than one procedure, so they're on a tight schedule. You'll get a chance to chat with them real quickly beforehand, but usually only a couple of minutes. So my advice would be to think of your 3 most pressing questions and make sure you cover at least those. After the procedure, when you wake up in recovery, they may be around but odds are good that they'll be off to another procedure by that time too.