I was just about to post on here and I got you sweet notification. Ok here goes. today is day 7 from my LIS, let me back track...Let me start of by saying that my doctor had recommended that I shower and gently run the water on my behind and not take baths
due to the danger of prematurely causing the dissolving stitches to dissolve. Also after each cleaning I would repack my wound by folding a 4 by 4 inch piece of gauze and gently placing it in my crack resting on the "opening" . . I would then take a another 4x4 piece of gauze and tape it with paper tap over the my butt crack packing so it wouldn't move out of place.
My first BM was on the 2nd day after my LIS, My CRS called to check up on me. I was enthusiastic
and he sounded very guarded
with my joy and enthusiasm of my easy first poop and then called the first poop sort of still in the honeymoon period of my recovery...What a downer right??? :( I really didn't quite fully appreciate what he was trying to say until my second poop the next day...yes it burned, burned burnned a lot..
the good part about it is once I "gingerly attacked the remnant poop (sorry don't know how else to call it) the burning sensation subsided...My guess is that the poop touched the tag removal area which was still raw and probably exposed to the fecal matter (ouch)...Next BM poop burned but a bit easier..(mind you during my poops I would have a stack of non alcohol flushable baby wipes I purchased at CVS right next to the can..Thankfully I stocked up before my operation). 3 poops, all burned but less each time as my tag wound was healing. 4th poop was this morning and much less burn.
They key after a post LIS poop is to gingerly
start to wipe, staying away from the tag removal zone but yet move inward with each new wipe or swipe of the towelette....I know this is too detailed but its important....since I could remember where the tag removal zone was, I made sure I left that area for cleaning last...Thee strategy is to wipe the outer regions of your crack like zones and slowly start swiping inwards but never even getting near the tag area. Then finally at the "opening" use a new wipe and with your index finger gently place behind it and place it right on (not in!)
the opening and let it sit there for a few seconds and do a final poop cleaning by absorption. Really gentle, no rush (my first burn poop cleaning took close to 30 minutes and about 15 wipes to clean carefully and thoroughly because I wanted to avoid breaking my stitch and of course, infecting the area) again take you time no rush and repeat as necessary. For me, I would keep cleaning until all I say that remained on the wipe was minor blood from the wound. ...
Each subsequent poop was easier :D as I had the routine down. again, gently wipe zones of your but starting with the inner butt cheeks (as my poopies was somewhat miralax watery :roll: ) and work you way inwards in a swiping movement. Use as many wipes as you need. Remember you've come a long way from you first fissure poop and this is your ticket to future bliss
so now is not the time to rush this or not execute this cleaning perfectly.
This morning, 4th poop went ok, still slight burn but nothing like the earlier ones and cleaning in about 10 minutes, no pain afterwards and thank God, no spasms since the day of the surgery. I laid around for a biit on my side, got dressed and actually went to my office for the fist time in a week. Still need to sit very carefully but with each passing hour things seem to be heeling more and more..
As far as my blood and drainage, they are still present but starting to subside.. I did have a question as my drainage really stinks. My doc said that unless I was in pain not to worry of infection and that drainage and sligh bleeding can continue for another week or so. I am in no throbbing "infection" pain even though I had two short bouts with slight fever the night agfter my LIS and a couple of days ago. After about an hour or two, they subsided. I stayed off the major pain pills and stuck with ibuprofen which I still take a couple a day.
I must say that the"old" pain of the fissure is no longer present.
The "new" pain for the cut and tag removal, while sore and uncomfortable, unlike my $#^$^ fissure, has the characteristics of a healing wound...something my fissure never had...I am optimistic but still guarded
as I don't want to jinx it but if my healing trajectory really gets me pain free after 8 months of fissure torture, I must proclaim that this is the best thing that has ever happened to me. A blessing of science and my doctor. I am forever changed as I will never take good health for granted.
And as to message to all the readers on here stil suffering from and AF , you have heard it said by many before me, If you really are suffering from a chronic AF, give it two or three months max and then bite the bullet and get LIS. Its just one more week of heck to get to Heaven. You will not regret it and you can get back to a normal life sooner. So how is your progress going Bumpkin????
Best wishes
Grateful Al