I hope you will ask for a discount for 'private pay,' many doctors (not all) will offer that.  I would imagine that some procedures are more expensive than others.  I'm thinking botox versus standard dilitation (?sp) versus LIS.         It takes energy to shop around but it would help you know all your options.  I've thought of it as 'Door #1, Door #2 ...etc' (none of which are appealing!!!) and eventually...something will work!  In the meantime best wishes for your healing process!

splinterboy, please go-away!, and just 'pain' tired,
Thank you everyone for the encouragement. :) Still having ups and downs, but trying to take it one day at a time.
just 'pain' tired - I did manage to get a discount on my last visit to the CRS. Normally an appointment is $500, but he only charged me $200. He didn't do a full exam with anoscope or anything and I told him I didn't have insurance, so that's probably why. I have no idea if this other CRS will do the same. I really hope he will. I guess I just have to keep emphasizing that I don't have insurance and have to pay everything from my own funds.
I'm just concerned how much LIS will be, if I need it. I really don't want to try the Botox if it's not as successful as LIS. It will just cost me more money if it doesn't work. I'm guessing LIS is thousands of dollars with general anesthesia? *sigh* Obviously it's something I need to discuss with the CRS.

Luka
Just wondering if that fire is anywhere near where you live and that we all hope that it will not decrease you guys water consumption levels and purity levels in the Bay area.
We hope this does not add to your anxiety levels.......best of wishes.

Thanks, buttastic. I'm not anywhere near the fire (I'm about 15 minutes away from San Francisco), but I hope everyone is safe.

I know how u feel - same thing has happened to me - I wasn't fully recovered but was involved in a project that meant multiple flights each week and poor diet - that alone meant my body was thrown into chaos.

So now back on painkillers and frightened about each trip to loo - between my first trip to loo and around 4/5pm I am in pain - then it goes pretty much after that - repeat ever day - not happy :-(

Hi Luka, I am back again to give you some updates after LIS (> 2 mths now)

Actually I went back to hospital after 4 days post LIS, due to excessive bleeding at the site with removed sentinel pile. I was giving antibiotics IV and betadine on the wound, discharged after 4 days when the wound dried out. The bleeding stopped completely after ~2weeks post LIS, no more bleeding until now. Sometimes, I still have tear feeling around the wound when passing hard stool, but internal fissure should be healing well after LIS, I think the sentinel pile might need more time to recover in my case.

How about you lately? Hope you are good :)

Hi all - just to update you on my situation in case what has worked for me since lat update might do for you.

I switched from senokot and magnesium hydroxide to Macrogol (UK) - think its Movicol in USA and at same time moved over to Anoheal (previous used Rectogesic GTN) - well the difference are worlds apart.

Since taking the Macrogol the difference is huge - my stools are very soft - i have no pain while passing and no pain after. I am sure its down to a combo of both. My advice is if you have tried various creams and stool softeners but never had anoheal and macrogol - get to your doctor fast - here in the UK its prescribed on NHS.

It seems my life is returning after 2 years of hell (no more grumpy and snappy because of pain and I can sit down for longer than 20 minutes!!) - long may it last - and I hope you all get recovery and long term healing.