This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

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This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby sailorgal » 11 Feb 2012, 08:37

Greetings fellow AF friends! :)
I am presently healing from a fissurectomy with botox injection 2 and a half weeks ago. My fissure began last november (2011) after a bout a constipation, i believe from some medication i was taking at the time. I attempted to self-manage for 2 weeks before seeing my doctor who referred me to a CRS who gave me an arsenal of conservative treatment strategies (diet modifications, sitz baths, topical hydrocortizone ointment, colace, anusol suppositories, fiber pills). I returned a month later and sadly learned it had not healed. I had read into the benefits of acupuncture in healing hemorrhoids/fissures and wanted to try that - which helped, but still experienced rollercoaster pain so decided to go forward with the prescribed procedure: fissurectomy with botox injection 1/24/2012.
I can honestly say that the healing is much slower than what I was prepared for or expected. This is partly because as an active, athletic, 35-years young female -I have never had a procedure of any kind, nor an injury that has been so disruptive to my life. Also, I feel as though the surgeon/nurse misled me in regards to recovery time. When I asked how much time I need to arrange off of work (a busy, active physical therapist) I was told "1-3 days, sometimes 5". In reality, I had to take 2 full weeks off from work. Eagerly returned to work (restricted to half-days, no squatting, no heavy lifting x 3 weeks) this week and it was still pretty uncomfortable. It takes me half a day just to manage my toileting, get ready which includes 4-6 hot sitz baths just to get my butt out the door. My successes?
Yesterday was the first day I was able to get thru the day without taking a vicodin pill after the BM, altho i still bleed with BM's - no more blood with urination, I am able to sleep thru the night, I was able to complete 3 half days of work (with modifying my activity), I was able to participate in a social event last weekend (birthday dinner out),
I am eating healthier than ever in my life (altho I was a healthy eater before)
I am letting other people help me and as a result am learning I have an excellent support system in my family, friends and work colleagues
learning more patience than I've ever cared to learn, becoming more compassionate towards myself (and of course others).
Additional strategies that I find helpful in addition to everything else I have seen on this forum (and these methods may also be listed somewhere, i just may not have come across the threads):
1. Weekly acupuncture treatments - to promote relaxation, increase blood flow, promote healing, also just started a chinese herb that is supposed to heal hemmies/bleeding stool
2. Daily guided meditations (via cd) 1-2 x day to help with relaxation, visualization, healing and general mental sanity.
Peggy Huddleston has a book/cd I found helpful in healing/preparing for and after my procedure: Prepare for Surgery: Heal Faster. I believe you can find it on amazon if interested.
The roller coaster continues, but with my continued efforts and the ongoing support of others (I have greatly appreciated Happyass's sense of humor in his/her post) I have to believe that the healing-goodness will prevail! :)
sailorgal
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby Savaici » 11 Feb 2012, 17:33

Good luck with your healing. And yes, the nurse did mislead you. You have probably read a little under the having or already had surgery link now and see that it can take some time. I haven't had surgery myself, but have certainly read posts by others on their recovery time. It's marvelous though that you've already managed to attend a party, so you must definitely be heading in the right direction!
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby sailorgal » 12 Feb 2012, 08:03

Thanks, for the reassurance. One other (of many questions along the way). Does anyone know if it's normal to still have blood in the stool and significant pain during and after BM's nearly 3 weeks out from a fissurectomy? the pain increased last week and has remained consistent every day since my stool returned to a solid, but soft consistency . . .
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby workingonit » 12 Feb 2012, 19:40

Maybe you are returning your BMs to 'normal' too soon?
It takes a long time for the skin to return to it's normal strength and resiliency. It takes a year at least. So IMO, go back to toothpaste consistency BMs til there's been no blood for a while.
From others I've read, fissurectomies take much longer to heal fully than LIS alone.
Have you talked to you CRS about it?
Thank you for the tip about the healing meditation. I love that stuff. Have you tried Erik Brown's? I don't have his healing MP3s, but I have another that helps me get back to sleep. I also like Bodhipaksa.
-Tanya
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby sailorgal » 13 Feb 2012, 05:18

Thanks, Tanya,
That's what i was wondering too regarding "BMs returning to 'normal' too soon" - altho the consistency is still very soft - but i was concerned of the same; the doc's office just keep urging the importance to keep it solid - but soft - but i think i may have to trust my instincts and tweek my fiber/softener efforts a little - something tells me that 5 consecutive days of painful bloody stool is not conducive to healing.
Thanks for the meditation recommendation - i will look up Erik Brown's and Bodhipaksa - always looking for recommendations to share with my patients as well bcz the cassette tape i have been using is old and a copy from somewhere so i have no idea who/how to get a hold of the same.
How goes it for you and your healing?
Big thanks again for the suggestions! :)
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby workingonit » 13 Feb 2012, 09:31

I haven't given up on Nifedipine yet. Touch wood and whistle ; )
My menstrual cycle tends to come and undo all the good healing I've done, and I am due this coming weekend. ..-sigh-
But I've been more balanced lately with more yoga breathing and conscious relaxing of the pelvic floor. Someone else here suggested visualizing a perfect anus. Sounds crass, but it helps in a strange way :roll:
Hope things smooth out for you soon!
There's a free body scan mediation online by M Cullen. She also has a free sitting mediation that I love.
For pain and anxiety I also like Holly Holmes-Meredith.
Then there's also a whole website called hypnosisdownloads.com I've got several of theirs, but sometimes I need to edit them to get it down to just the useful bits.
My favourite is still Bodhipaksa though.
-Tanya
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby sailorgal » 14 Feb 2012, 07:46

Thank you so much for the continued recommendations - am looking them up right now :D
ps, I have not been prescribed Nifedipine. I have inquired to my CRS if there are any other topicals besides the prescribed hydrocortizone ointment and she says none of the others really work. What is it?
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby workingonit » 14 Feb 2012, 10:13

Hey Sailorgal,
Nifedipine is a calcium chanel blocker. It's used as blood pressure medicine often. It increases the blood flow to the area where you put it. This in turn makes the muscle relax a bit. Basically it's like what you had with the botox but less so and in a cream form.
After a while HC can start to thin the skin. So be careful taking it for too long.
I've been trying to relax my pelvic floor muscles.
I try to do this as often as possible. I breath into my belly and on the out breath I picture the air going down and out. It's that moment of when you start to pee. That's the loosening of those muscles.
What does the botox feel like to you?
I am thinking it will be the next stage for me if I'm not healed by the end of the month..
-Tanya
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby sailorgal » 15 Feb 2012, 09:10

It's kinda hard to tell. On the upside, i'm moving around easier in the latter part of the day - was able to do a gentle workout last weekend and return to the warm up portion of my dance class on sunday afternoon. But, my pain has been variable - it was worse last week in the mornings after my bowel movement and continued bleeding. I missed a bowel movement monday and when I went yesterday, there was actually less blood and was not as excruciating. But it kept crescendoing up for 4-5 hours afterwards. I had a 2nd follow-up appointment with my CRS yesterday bcz I noticed a new skin tag formed last friday. Fortunatel or not fortunately, I was having a crescendoing pain episode on my way to the appointment (I would usually be back in the tub by then, but couldn't at the office) and upon visual inspection (no internal exam) she said, yet again, "you're really inflamed and angry down there" - agreed that perhaps it was too soon to come completely off all the stool softeners and agreed that I still need to manage with vicodin just so i can get out the door for my half-day shift at work. a bit discouraging bcz that's the 3rd visit I've heard her say that and they have nothing more to offer except the continued broken record of: "heat, hot baths, lots of water, fiber". Trying to get myself ready for work this am - have had 3 or 4 hot baths, but haven't had a bowel movement and can tell i feel a little anxious about it after yesterday's ordeal. I'm surprised to be having this much pain 3 weeks out from the procedure and said so to the nurse and it seems like they are surprised by that too. When I asked if this is normal, the nurse kinda beat around the bush saying that most people are doing better than I am at this point - but it's hard to get any concrete info of any sort out of them. And this is at a reputable hospital in new york city, she's board certified and all.
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Re: This roller coaster is fun and all . . .

Postby workingonit » 15 Feb 2012, 09:59

Well I'm glad there was no sign of infection. That's a plus.
If you are gradually improving, perhaps it's just a matter of staying with the program?
Can you get a second opinion?
hope you have a better day today!
-Tanya
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