Just thought I'd give myself a profile pic and share it:) These are all my favorite things which I'm sure you're all familiar with. I've got my asprin and generic vicodin to help with the pain. Miralax (awwwh! heaven sent! ) keeps my BMs smooth and gentle. I usually take baths after having a BM and it's always nice to have a something that smells fresh and relaxes you after going through that excruciating pain. I use St. Ives with mineral and sea salt:) Then I've got my little pantiliners. Without them I would go through more than a few pairs of underwear everyday. I absolutely hate that yucky gooey discharge that always comes out. I hate feeling dirty all the time. The A&D helps with the itching if I can get it on my butt before I start. It seems like once I give it a little scratch I can't stop :( It's so relieving but I always regret it when I'm in pain afterwards. Tucks pads keep me clean throughout the day and sometimes help with the itching. Then last but not least my Gatorade and water!! Keep me hyrdated and I'd like to think that drinking as much as I o keeps my stools soft but they didn't seem to be working until I started taking Miralax...God I love that stuff. Anywho water is so good for us anyways. The only thing I seem to be missing is something to prevent my horrible gas Every minute I feel like I have to angel gas. It kinda hurts cause I have to push it to get it out. I know I shouldn't but if I don't then my tummy hurts. Help anyone??

Hmm..i tried posting a picture with this. Didn't seem to work.

I don't believe that you can directly post pictures, but you can use the "IMG" tags to link to a picture stored on an outside site like Flickr or Photobucket. If you look at the quick post box at the bottom of the page, you will see some buttons above the posting box. Seventh from the left is a button that looks like a photo. That brings up the img tag and allows you to place a URL link to the photo.
HTH.

Hey dwbh,
here's a link to a yoga pose for relieving gas;
http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice/windrelieving.asp
worth a try anyways.
I have had more gas because of the increased fiber. I find eating a yogurt with probiotics every day helps. Takes a few days before you notice a difference though.
There one other 'must have' not in your picture...
an electric heating pad. Really. It is a blessing. I feel my muscles just relax when I sit on mine. And that is just on the lowest setting!
Other possible must haves are, prune juice and magnesium supplements. Both for softening, although it sounds like you have that under controll.
Any luck finding a CRS?? You can look on ratemds.com.
-Tanya

Hey Tanya! I'll defintely have to try a heating pad. I know it works wonders for menstrual cramps. I actually really enjoy doing yoga and pilates! Now that I think about it my gas has greatly increased since I stopped. I had to stop taking my classes because I was in so much pain a few months ago that the only reason I got out of bed was for work which couldn't be avoided. I really need to get back to that now that I'm feeling better. I haven't tried magnesium supplements. A lot of people on this forum are using them tho. Do they work just like Miralax?
I want to see a CRS soooo bad! I am waiting for my referral to come in the mail. I only have medi-cal which is government funded health care. I really hope if covers seeing this kind of specialist. There aren't too many to begin with so I think my chances are pretty low. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

I'll cross my fingers for you too!
I haven't done miralax, so I can't say. I do pretty well with metamucil, olive oil, prune juice and magnesium.
Magnesium is also a good muscle relaxant. I like to take mine before bed. If you take enough it will loosen your stool. I take 125mg, but have taken up to 200. I am 5'8" and weigh about 140. I know larger guys who take 250mg. You kinda have to start smaller doses and find what works for you.
So glad you are feeling better! But you might want to go slow about returning to normal activities. These things are so easy to re-tear!
-Tanya

MiraLAX has helped with softening my stool. I still take Metamucil though. Prune juice is good but I found it is too easy to overdo it and end up with the runs, which is just as bad as constipation in my book. Haven't tried Magnesium yet.

HI ..
I have a few questions! I had LIS surgery about 11 weeks ago.. while it DID take care of that HORRIBLE fissure pain.. I am getting so upset that the recovery is taking so long! My doctor never really told me what to expect at all.. and I am almost afraid the fissure is still there.. there is still constant discomfort.. especially after BMs... very sore and tender ...I was going to post my issuses with that in a different section.. ahah but first ..
I am still taking the stool softners twice a day and one laxative.. they told me to wean myself off them but I am so worried about not having easy BMs... I am starting to do a laxative every other day . .but on the "other " day that i dont take them.. my BMs are either almost non existant. or not really soft! I am so worried that my system has gotten used to it and now NEEDS it..? I havnt tried the Miralax yet.. does it really work? Do u need to take it more than once a day? Did you ever hear of taking mineral oil? I am looking for an alternative to the laxative...
thanks ahead of time for any info!
J~

Miralax works great! Some people take it everyday but I take it every other day. Somedays I do half the dose. It doesn't make me run to the restroom like laxatives do. It just makes my stool very soft. I'm very familiar with mineral oil. Before I tried Miralax that was my go to thing. It doesn't make your stool soft but rather lubricates it. It sometimes has a violent effect. It'll force you to push out the stool even if it's hard. I only use that if I'm really constipated or in tiny doses. Last night I just took a tiny but to lubricate the soft stool I now have. Not that Miralax isn't doing it for me but even with the soft stool it irritates my fissures and hemorrhoids. I think because it's so soft now that some of the stool may get stuck in the little nooks and crannies. I'll let you know how it works out. I definitely reccomend Miralax. I don't think I will ever stop using it.
I hope feel better and heal much more quickly. You are not alone in this.

While I haven't tried mineral oil, MiraLAX has worked to soften my stool quite effectively. Sadly, I still get the blood and pain, and taking it to the point of having the runs is even worse.