hi alpha,
yes, you want to keep anus dry within reason. so using the gauze (whatever size will work, 3x3, 4x4, etc.) or even if you want something softer (although it's not as thin), you can buy cotton laid out in a roll - you just have to cut squares (i never saw any pre-cut for you).
so after you take your hot/warm bath with or without epsom salts, then you dry your bum as much as you can and then you place the gauze in between the cheeks and amongst the anus (no need to press it into the anus)....this will help you also visualize as the days go by how the post-op discharge is getting smaller - also a great way to visually inspect any changes in size, color or smell of discharge.
as i mentioned before, i bought diapers to also catch any "incontinence" leakage/BM post-surgery but i never had any issues with that. so after day 3 or so, i stopped wearing the diapers. kept the gauzes.
when you go back to work, and if you walk like i do to work or in the middle of the humid summer, you may want to bring some extra gauzes with you to change in the middle of the day to keep the moisture down.
***
you keep wearing the gauze when you barely see any discharge or when you feel no longer necessary. i'd say at least a good 3 weeks or until your first post-op check up!

Hi alpha -
yes - I consider myself extremely lucky in that I have had no pain. some discomfort due to swelling I suppose - but not enough to take any pain meds. and I think the discomfort was primarily due to the fact that I was sitting at our table for a few hours doing some work. I even called my dr. to make sure this could be normal as everything that I read and was told, indicated there would be pain. Ice packs I'm sure helped (every hour) and the sitz baths (about every 3) a laxative .... and I drank a few glasses of prune juice the day before the procedure (I wanted to be fairly cleaned out the day after). I also tried to have a good sense of humor going into the operating room - I imagined it to be a high end spa, don't know that it helped or not, but it certainly wasn't as scary. Good luck with yours....

P.S.
day 3..... there is more discomfort today - not much - certainly can be maintained by Advil..... but my little balloon of "oh... easy" is deflating rather quickly today.
:oops:

choirgrrl wrote:P.S.
day 3..... there is more discomfort today - not much - certainly can be maintained by Advil..... but my little balloon of "oh... easy" is deflating rather quickly today.
:oops:

OK, that's not too encouraging for me. My hope is deflating too!!! :D

happyass wrote:hi alpha,
yes, you want to keep anus dry within reason. so using the gauze (whatever size will work, 3x3, 4x4, etc.) or even if you want something softer (although it's not as thin), you can buy cotton laid out in a roll - you just have to cut squares (i never saw any pre-cut for you).
so after you take your hot/warm bath with or without epsom salts, then you dry your bum as much as you can and then you place the gauze in between the cheeks and amongst the anus (no need to press it into the anus)....this will help you also visualize as the days go by how the post-op discharge is getting smaller - also a great way to visually inspect any changes in size, color or smell of discharge.
as i mentioned before, i bought diapers to also catch any "incontinence" leakage/BM post-surgery but i never had any issues with that. so after day 3 or so, i stopped wearing the diapers. kept the gauzes.
when you go back to work, and if you walk like i do to work or in the middle of the humid summer, you may want to bring some extra gauzes with you to change in the middle of the day to keep the moisture down.
***
you keep wearing the gauze when you barely see any discharge or when you feel no longer necessary. i'd say at least a good 3 weeks or until your first post-op check up!

Thank you!!! One of the best pre-op advice I got from this site. I am going to stock up some gauze this weekend.

alpha -
it's still not as bad as I had expected... I'm just not doing things around the house or yard. have hope - I did not take more then 2 advil all day

I know it's hard not to be afraid, alpha, but looking back now I think I was more afraid it wouldn't work and that I would still suffer the infernal burning while it healed. I know I just had a simple LIS but the difference after that was night and day! Post op I could take a pill! And it would work! Before LIS it seemed that only a Valium would actually make enough of a difference to make me sigh with relief, but it's hard to be on Valium all the time when you have three kids so I would save that for the worst days. I know I can't take away your fear, but I hope you are reassured that we were all afraid, my husband thought I was NUTS to get my assh*#% cut, but now that the burn is gone, he remembers who I used to be! Angry mom/wife is no more. You too can be normal again, I know it's hard to believe. I never believed it either. But it's very very likely that you'll heal fine, only a few of us are having a hard time, it's been said here before, slot of ppl just disappear from the board once they've healed. Be strong, you can do it we're all behind you!
Hope everyone's having a good butt day!

Hi Elphie,
Thank you for your encouragement. I had my surgry today and so far so good. Much less pain tan i imagined.
I was able to take only 2 hours of sleep last night. How stupid i was!!!!
After taking care of this fissure i wiil have to deal with constipation, because i dont want to live on laxatives for the rest of my life.

Choirgrrl, how's your pain these days? Still on advil only?

not even taking the Advil :D I'm back doing everything I was doing before the surgery. Sitting and standing remind me that I'm still recovering but I wouldn't classify it as pain at all. I did neglect to take my Metamucil one day, but only one day - *that* day was a bit painful, but only while in the bathroom.
Thanks for checking on me Alpha!! How are you doing?