I am a 36 year old, otherwise healthy, female. I am a normal weight (although I lost an extra 15 lbs due to AF), I eat healthy, and don't drink or smoke. I have given birth to 6 children. Only my last was a c-section so I am familiar with PAIN...but nothing in my life compared to the pain from my AF. It started off and on back in July of '11. I noticed when I would be on my feet for a long time that I would start to get this intense burning! I assumed it was hemmorhoids and told no one except my Mom. She gave me a list of things to buy to remedy the "H" but nothing helped, except staying off my feet - impossible with 5 children to take care of (1 daughter is in Heaven). By late September it became an everyday pain that lasted anywhere from 4 hours after BM to 8 hours!! I was having to plan my life around pain! I eventually told my hubby and best friend who convinced me to see a Dr. after about 1 month of this nonsense. Misdiagnosis of hemorhoids by the nurse practitioner at my family Dr. and given suppositories and cream. Did nothing for me! Took myself to a GI Dr. who did an anuscope and said no hemmorhoids and no fissure! "Just irritated" and gave me the same cream and supp
again nothing! Went back a week later to same Dr....HUGE mistake! 
He did another anuscope and this time I left in tears from the PAIN. I sobbed on my bed for 3 hours until 4 ibuprofin finally took the edge off. A week later I went back to my family Dr. to get some blood work to try to figure out what was wrong with me. All that came back normal, thank God, but she sent me to a CRS that day thinking I had Proctitis. The CRS listened to my story and said I think you have an anal fissure but needed to do another exam. I was TERRIFIED after my last experience. He was very gentle though and used a pediatric scope but could not see a fissure. He still felt 99% sure I had one. He recommended an exam under anesthia and possible LIS the next day. I scheduled it but cancelled within the hour...mistake! Two days later I had the worst set back ever!!! Unbelievable pain for 32 hours 
! Could not even sit down without a pillow and that was excruciating! Started Nitro after 24 hours and that is what brought me out of it. However, I was still taking tons of ibuprofin and stool softeners, metamucil, and using Nitro 4-6 times a day. Pain became tolerable after a week on Nitro but always there and it was still all I could think about. 
Ultimately since we had met our $4000 deductible for the year I went back to a second CRS in mid Dec in the same practice and he recommended the same. So I did it! Had exam under anesthia and LIS on December 28th. He said my fissure was very small but my sphincter was very small as well and in complete spasm... and that the size of the fissure does not determine the amount of pain it can cause. The surgery took all of 5 minutes he said and when I woke up I felt fine and wasn't even sure they had already done it! As I woke up more I could tell I was definitely sore down there but a different sore than the spasm pain. I took one NORCO before leaving the hospital but was still numb and honestly I didn't need it I was just scared. When I got home I took 4 ibuprofin 200mg each and that completely cut the pain once the numbness wore off. I layed around and watched movies with my mom all night and slept well (hubby took kids to his mom's for the night :D . I continued the 4 ibuprofin every 6 hours for a day and a half but by the 3rd day post op I didn't need any pain meds!!! I had my first BM the morning after surgery. It was uncomfortable but no tears, more of a stinging pain but it went away in the bath within a few minutes and there was a little blood with my stool for about 4-5 days but not much. On day 3 I went on a 2 1/2 hour walk in the woods with my family and felt so normal!!! Thank you God!! Didn't even need pain meds after!!! Unbelievable!! 
I had a small set back on day 7 and had to take 3 ibuprofin but I was also starting my period (sorry if tmi) so was probably a little swollen from that. I am almost a month out and I have my life back!!! 
I only had LIS...no tags removed ( I do have them but opted not to remove, they don't bother me and CRS agreed the pain would not be worth it). I wish I had not waited so long!!! If anyone has any other questions I would be happy to answer!! I hope my story will bring some hope to those suffering!!!Thank you to all those that posted before me! You were a tremendous help!!!
Faith6
