Hello all,
I've had a chronic anal fissure for almost 3 years. It's been so long I can't remember. I do remember in 2012 seeing a gastroenterologist. The whole process was rather unsettling to say the least. He prodded up there, making me bleed and concluded that I do in fact have a fissure. He gave me some ointment which I tried to use off and on because it gave me terrible headaches. I finally manned up and applied it 3 times a day for over 8 weeks with no change. That was about a year ago.

The only thing that keeps me going is using Miralax everyday. I feel no pain using it which is great but I want to get off of it and fix this thing for good. I've tried several times to "test" myself to see if it's healed by not taking Miralax and boy is that a mistake. The first stool I take is painful and bloody and I'm back to Miralax.

I'm thinking I will need a LIS to really rid myself of this. I'm worried over the past years I've made it worse and "untreatable." I'm also worried taking Miralax for so long is causing me harm as well. I need to find a competent surgeon too. I don't want a botched surgery that takes me back to square one. The whole process is extremely embarrassing as well. I'd have to take time off of work. What is the recovery time? What's the process like? Is it expensive as hell? I'm 26 and have health insurance from work but will it be covered at all? I'm just scared and don't know what to do. Any advice?