Ok everyone. I have LIS surgery booked for Wednesday. Finally, its here. Now I'm getting that "but do I really NEED it?" feeling. I backed out once already because things were improving. Here's my reasoning. As long as i'm taking Clearlax every night, things are fine. But once I miss a dose or have a firm stool, things re-tear and bleed and I start all over. Stupid right? I can't live on laxatives forever. Tell me i'm being stupid. :) I'm having pain free stools now...as long as they are soft....
is it a good idea to have the LIS even though its starting to heal?

Hello!
I'm in a very similar situation. Things just seem tight down there...I was fissure free for a while, but tore after eating too much 'dry fiber' while tapering off miralax. I'm not quite 'pain free' yet, but close--mostly just stinging while defacating and then it goes away.
I am interviewing surgeons now, so I'm not as far along as you. I figure it would be better (and healthier) to have a well-performed surgery than to indefinitely keep taking pharmaceuticals and be stuck with a very strict diet while remaining under the constant threat of imminent retear. At least that's what I am trying to tell myself. I was watching some of the surgical videos and reading some of the horror stories and started second guessing... My situation is somewhat complicated by living circumstances and my job, which will effect my recovery period. IF you feel confident about your surgeon and your post-surgical situation, seems like a reasonable step.
Having just read your other posts, my biggest concern for you would be time off--are they still only giving you 4 days? Don't return to work pre-emptively. 'Grin and bear it' is NOT the right attitude for work post-surgery. You are more important than your work. Don't mess up your body! Take sick days as long as you need to.
If you can't set yourself up with time to heal, I would say don't do it. In which case maybe Botox would be a better solution for you. Or keep experimenting with your diet. I recently discovered that refried beans and rice does produces softer stools than anything else I have eaten.
Good luck with whatever you choose.

If you have had your fissure for a long time, I think it is pretty unlikely it will heal on its own. It may just be time to get it taken care of. I second outdoorsman re: living with a restricted diet under the threat of the next tear. But I understand the second guessing, that makes it tough!

Hi Jbl! Still happy and feeling good post LIS? I'm not sure how many times I've scrolled through your recent surgical venture...but it's a lot!

Aw, I'm so glad it provides some good reading for you! Sometimes I just can't believe how much my life has changed since surgery. My mom says I'm a completely different person. I couldn't be more thankful to have had it done. I am feeling fantastic. I do notice that I have a little burning for about 5 minutes after a BM and I can't decide if it is residual sensitivity, the miralax, or the spicy mexican food I've reintroduced into my diet? Or maybe it is just normal sensitivity and I don't know what its like to poop like a normal person anymore?? Anyways, no spasms and nada after that. Loving life again. :)

Jbl2224,

Happy to hear that you are doing well! Where are you located in California and who conducted your surgery?

If you've had your fissure for a long time, it's chronic and even if it heals on it's own it's not very likely it will stay healed. That's because of the constant tearing and healing process and the build up of scar tissue. Scar tissue doesn't stretch that's why things keep tearing. By the time I had LIS it didn't work, I suffered for 5 more years and finally had double advancement flaps and looking back I wish I would have gone with the surgery a lot sooner. Good luck on your surgery. Suzy

oops. I think I hijacked this post when I commented on jbl.

Mommaof1, I'm rootin' for ya.

Mommaof1. Thinking of you for your surgery, if you have decided to go ahead with it. Let us know how everything goes, whatever you decide

Alyssa - I'm in Sacramento, CA and my surgeon was Jeanne Yu at the Sacramento Colon and Rectal Surgery group - http://www.scrs1.org/. I highly recommend her!