Site is my Heaven and Hell all in one...

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Site is my Heaven and Hell all in one...

Postby TomV » 06 Jul 2012, 06:14

Hello everyone. I discovered this site yesterday afternoon at work and have been reading it nonstop. This has really been my Heaven and Hell since then. I am so excited to read success stories and individuals sharing their experiences and the encouragement that fellow members have given them since they can understand and relate to what they are going though. The Hell part is also reading the stories and setbacks that people have experienced. I find so much relief reading and now finally sharing with a group of people who understand what AF is like.
I am a 37yr M living just outside of Louisville Kentucky. I can remember the instance that my AF happened as if it were yesterday. September 13th 2011. My hobby when I get home from work is playing an online computer game. I was sitting at my chair and had the urge to have a BM. I held this for way to long and made my way to the restroom after about 4hrs of straining to hold it in. (How I wish I had NEVER done that). I have never felt pain like I did once it started. It felt like I was trying to push a watermelon out.
I grabbed onto the counter next to the toilet as I felt this intense pain. After finishing up I wiped and the TP was red. I had never had blood after a BM before. The toilet was also had blood in it. I felt this trobbing pain in my bottom that I had never had before. I honestly didn’t think much about it (I know how stupid) and thought I had just developed a hemorrhoid from the pushing and straining trying to get this watermelon out.
The pain and blood and intense pain after a BM went on for a few weeks before I decided this must be a really bad hemorrhoid and finally called my GP.
Short story ….
She confirmed after a brutal finger and looking see examination that it was not a hemorrhoid as I thought it was but it was actually a fissure. I had never heard of an AF before so I had no idea. She told me to get on a high fiber diet, take stool softeners and sitz baths after BM and gave me prococream (hydrocortisone). The only relief I got from this was the sitz baths after a BM. The AF did not heal and the intense pain was there after EVERY BM. I continued on this until early January for months of no relief and made an appointment to a GI doc. He gave me a script for diltiazem to get compounded and polyethylene gycol (which I think is prescription miralax). The powder softener make my stools very soft that I no longer had the intense pain after a BM. I applied the cream and kept on the gycol and I would go a few weeks at a time thinking I was on the road to recovery and then all of the sudden I would have a BM which I would think would be normal and boom. Blood and tearing/rip feeling. The only thing different this time is the intense pain was not present. This on and off healing relapse has gone on since January. I made an appointment with a CRS for June 28th. The examination confirmed that I had a chronic fissure. He suggested that I get this fixed and I am scheduled for a LiS July 10th . I’m very scared of this and wondering if I am doing the correct thing since the pain that I first experienced is not present, but I know this is not healing as it should considering I sometimes feel a pull and tug during a BM and sometimes see blood.
I guess the skinny on this was to share and get advice on post OP supplies I should be getting. I’ve read maxi pads for a few weeks after surgery so I don’t ruin my underwear.
Does anyone suggest maybe even adult diapers? Is that a good idea or is maxi pads enough? Is there other things I should be getting that would make this post op easier?
Thanks so much for anyone who reads and gives advice. I have read many (and I mean many) of the journeys to healing and wish everyone best of luck. I’ll keep everyone posted on my progress.
Thanks!
Tom
TomV
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Re: Site is my Heaven and Hell all in one...

Postby jr2 » 06 Jul 2012, 11:29

Hi Tom!
Image
I'm so sorry to read about your struggles with a chronic fissure. Fissures are so debilitating. But you've definitely come to the right place for information and support. I too began my chronic fissure journey in September 2011, but fissures are not new to me. I've been getting them for years, and now I have multiple ones that go through different stages of healing and retearing. I'm not a good candidate for surgery so I can't help you with information on post surgical supplies, but there are a lot of stories in the surgery forum about surgeries, what to expect, what helps to have on hand, etc. There are a lot of really great and supportive people here so don't hesitate to jump in and ask any questions you might have.
Surgery is never an easy decision to make, and everyone is different when it comes to making the decision to have it done. Ultimately it really comes down to your own gut feel about it, which is probably not that helpful to hear, but it is a huge plus to have access to people who can support you through it from having gone through it themselves.
Best wishes to you, and please do keep us posted!
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Re: Site is my Heaven and Hell all in one...

Postby bdawn » 08 Jul 2012, 23:09

Hi Tom,
Congrats on your upcoming surgery and healing your fissure. I had surgery almost 2 years ago. You may but doubtfully need maxi pads or a panty liner. I personally didn't use either. You may have a small amount of post-op discharge or blood but it's usually not much. The main things I would suggest is cotton balls, swabs , baby wipes (without alcohol/ unscented) for cleaning gently, over the counter pain relievers to use as soon as you feel you don't need the prescriptions, your stool softeners, water. Keep your soft poop regimen and baths and things should go great. Good luck, it was much easier than I expected :D
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