Hi, very helpful to find these forums for this hard-to-discuss problem. I'm a 44yo male, and just had LIS this morning after suffering 8 months of hell with a fissure that wouldn't heal through months of high fiber diet and stool softeners. After getting tired of scheduling my life around BMs and having the fissure affecting my ability to sit at work all day, I finally had to take the plunge, after doing a lot of research into the benefits and risks of LIS.
The surgery went fine. I am already noticing what others have reported about the surgical pain being about the same as the former fissure pain. Things do feel different, and I can tell the fissure is not screaming and aching like usual.
I am now waiting with a high level of anxiety my first post-LIS BM. I've always had a reliable once-a-day schedule, and have never had any constipation problems, but I think I am going to have a hard time the first BM after the LIS today. I am feeling the urge, and tried a couple of times 14 hours after surgery, but it just ain't happening. I think it may be psychological, as I am timid to exert any pressure in fear of what pain it may cause. They did give me a stool softener prescription, and I have taken fiber supplements daily.
Hopefully when it happens, the first BM won't be as bad as I think it will be. I hope it happens soon.