I think I got a little too excited when the CRS told me it was all healed up except a little scar tissue that should strengthen over time. I started skipping fiber a little bit and eating pretty much carelessly, not to mention lots of beer multiple nights in a row! Wasn't the smartest thing to do. I guess you could say that I celebrated a bit prematurely! I should have known that the skin down there is still super sensitive. I strained and probably had a bit of a re-tear of sorts, that's what now it's a bit itchy again feeling like it's healing again, but I'm not getting discharge again though, so that's good. A minor setback I suppose, but it was a big wake-up call! Had normal BM's these couple days after that bout of constipation and the blood is gone, so it looks like things are on their way!
I realize now that I need to stick with this high-fiber diet even longer after the initial healing as the skin is still not as strong down there. I've got a good regimen that works for me, gives me BM's in the morning before I even leave for work, if you guys are interested: Bowl of Quaker Oatmeal in the morning with a slice of hi-fiber bread, then at work I have some triscuits which are good in fiber and a nice snack. For lunch it's California style mixed veggies that I cook up at the beginning of the week with a little olive oil, then later in the day I'll have some blueberries with green tea (I think the blueberries REALLY help), and then near the end of the work day I will have mung bean sprouts with more green tea and water. Dinner varies when I get home. I have another dose of my fiber supplement after dinner. Then before bed 1 more dose of the fiber supplement (so 3x a day for that) along with my 2 stool softeners.
Basically after this setback I had a few days ago, I've gone back to my pre-surgery diet!
And I decided to have beer only on Friday nights, but to be sure to follow up with lots of water before bed, and of course the diet that I mentioned will be the full day of that.