11 days botox, had a setback today. Had bulky BM, soft but had trouble coming out. Ended up with "the spasm" for about 4 hours. No blood. So how do you know if you had a retear or not?

I could always tell right when it happened. It felt like a small sting during a BM. I never had blood with retears either.

If you are not sure, the next few days will give you an indication. Multiple bad days in a row usually means something has changed for the worse.

Hopefully, it was just a scare, and you are OK again. Bad BMs and bad days happen, even without retears.

Glad to see you are around answering post. I read most of yours, your kinda my hero. Glad to hear you are still doing well. I don't think I had a re tear. On day 13 of Botox switched to miralax from Metamucil like a few suggest, having better BMS WITH NOT MUCH PAIN DURING AND AFTER.

That's awesome! :)

LOL, hero.. me??? nahh, just a guy who dealt with a fissure way too long. I will stick around as long as it takes for my friends in here to feel better. Might as well be a little useful in the meantime.

Good luck with your healing, sounds like you are on the right path!

JHH

Hi Apes,

JHH will be able to give you some great advice &reassurance!

A retear is the biggest fear for most of us and any "difficult" BM, which causes you a little more trouble and more discomfort will trigger those fears at this stage. In fact, a lot of people do not actually retear at all - "good" and "bad" days are all part of the healing process as JHH rightfully mentions.

If you do not experience any major pain again and you start to notice that the "good" days are becoming more frequent and the bad no more severe than in the beginning, then the chances are you're heading in the right direction!!

All the very best to you :)

Thanks ETO, yeah it's scary having a bulky BM with that fissure pain after. Feels like your going back to ground zero. Day 14 of Botox, finally feel like I'm getting things under control. I understand what I can and cannot eat, adjusted fiber supplement and miralax doses and like you said having more good days then bad. My main problem right now seems to be an annoying external hemmy that keeps swelling. Much better then the pain of a fissure.

I had an annoying hemmie after botox too. (botox tends to aggravate them)
Since I adapted the squatty potty routine, I haven't been bothered since.

I don't squat with my feet on the toilet, I do use a stool to get into the squatting position. The hemmy seems to be acting up during the day when I am active, walking around trying to live my life. I have been using ice and baths to control it. Stopped using nifedipine.

LOL! I have to add I also had one of those 2 yrs ago or so after my surgery and the little devil was angry for weeks! BUT with a bit of bottom TLC (also adopting the squat position!) it finally just went and touch wood, it's one issue that has never come back since......it will go when it decides to! :)

Need to vent. So I thought I needed to have a BM tonight and squatted on the toilet. Passed some gas, still felt like I was going to go but nothing. Got up, a little blood in toilet and bright blood on TP.. HEMMY swelled up really big. I guess the good news is the hemmy is still soft and not painful and there is still no pain from the fissure. I'm thinking the blood is from an internal hemmy the doc said I had. I bathed and put some ice it.
Has anyone else felt the urge to go after Botox but didn't? Sometimes when I walk it feels like the bottom is going to fall out.
Anyway thanks for listening, I'm hoping for a smooth morning tomorrow.