My contribution to your anal fissure page would be to tell people that I had a lateral sphincterectomy after only 3 months of being diagnosed with a rectal fissure. After reading what others went through and how long they suffered, anywhere from 1 to 2 years, I decided that suffering while waiting to get better was stupid. I had tried the same remedies as the others such as steroids creams, tool softeners, warm baths and metamusal, but I was not getting any better. My doctor said be patient because most fissures heal after 3,6 or 10 months! But I was in agony every day during those 3 months. My options finally became (1) be in pain for unknown period with "hope" of getting better or (2) have the surgery and know that the pain "will end" after a few weeks post surgery. The only thing that had scared me was the prospect of having fecal incontinence at the age of only 49, as well as losing control of my flatus. But reading the anal fissure page gave me confidence that choosing a good surgeon would reduce those possibilities. So, I found a surgeon and 5 days ago i had my lateral sphinctertomy. I chose a spinal which was painless. I was awake for the surgery which lasted about 15 minutes. My time in recovery was only until spinal reversed, about 3 hours. I had no real pain that first nite. The next morning I had a slight pain in my butt which I expected to get worse, so I took a pain pill called percocet. Big mistake! That damn medicine made me very nauseated, even after taking some food and I vomited on and off for the next 4 hours! No more percocet, but I didnt need it!
It is now day 5 since my surgery and I have not had any pain whatsoever! I had my first bowel movement about 24 hours after the surgery and had no pain during or after the bowel movement as well as no spasms. I have had 3 more bowel movements without pain since the first one. I have no problem with fecal incontinence and do not fart uncontrollably. I take one stool softener each nite and drink metamusal 2 or three times a day. My point in this letter is to advise people with anal fissures not to wait and suffer too long!
If the usual methods of choice to reverse this condition do not succeed in the first two or three months, I would recommend having the surgery! There is no reason for anyone to suffer for months with that horrible pain. Just make sure you pick a good surgeon.
Hey there, Just wanted to thank you so much for this very informative site. I have suffered with hemorroids and fissures for 20 years. I am a 42 year old mother of 3 and just could not live like this any longer. I went for a consult with a surgeon. He advised the Fissurectomy and Sphinctemy. The night before the procedure, I was surfing the web to find more out about the big day. Your site was amazing. It totally prepared me and validated that what I was doing would be a new beginning for me.
Well the surgery was done on 3/17- Its not even a month yet. I have to say. Surgery was on a Fri. I took Vicadin for 2 days, and then went to advil. By day 3 I was doing laundry and all those fun mommy things. The recup was not so bad at all. THe pain I was living with was far worse then the healing process of the surgery. Thanks again for all the info you provided a very nervous person. I would strongly recommend this to anyone suffering on a daily basis with the pain of which I often related to as..." a lit cigerette up your butt"!!!!! (Not to be gross - but that is the only way in which I learned to describe it> also no probs. with the control issue that had me a bit concerned.
Many thanks for such a helpful site.
Hello, this is Kathy again, the 42 year old Mom of 3 who suffered for 20 years with the hemorrhoids and fissures. Please if you feel the need to share my story by all means, do so, I would hate to think of someone suffering in silence because of the sensitivity and humiliation of rectal exams. You would think after 3 children that this would not happen.
My problem started when I was 21 years old and I had 7 pounds to lose, so I went on a salad kick. Apparently, too much roughage caused to many movements, caused the painful butt. At that age, I wouldn't dare go to Dr. for this, but did talk to friends, and I used Preparation H- and Vaseline Had relief here and there. Remember driving upstate NY with a girlfriend, we must have hit every gas station on the thru way for me to "grease Up" again. The pain was agonizing.
This pain was intermittent for many many years, seemed worse premenstrual. During Pregnancy was very bad. Ob/Gyn always said, it's hemorrhoids, nothing can be done until you are certain not to have any more children. Well, my oldest is now 13, then 11, then 5. So they were pretty well spaced out so I never did anything but cortisone suppositories.(dr. prescribed)
The condition seemed to have worsened in the last 5 years, movements were horrific, sex became a real challenge, the added pressure I suppose. I thought it was my diet. Banned myself from lettuce, from peanuts, from popcorn, from eggplant or any seeds at all. I had come up with my own home remedy of a constant supply of Neosporin with a topical anesthetic. I kept it in my car, in my pocketbook, in my downstairs powder room, in my master bath, and just never left home without it. Once, I tried Preparation Ice- I saw stars- I suppose this is not made for an open bleeding fissure.
Finally, I couldn't take it any longer, the pain would leave me weak and often I would have the chills from the pain. It became the center of my life. And not a very good focal point as you well know. I was referred to a wonderful surgeon on Long Island where I live in New York. My husband and family were all geared up for me to be on 1 weeks bedrest- Not The Surgi Center I went to was incredible- No wait, sign in, a quick pre op- on the table I went- and within a blink of an eye. I was on my way home. Like I said in my previous post, within days, I was home free.
When I think back now, to all the years of suffering, I am saddened. Many of my youthful years. Ski trips in agony, honeymoon in agony, Rocking my newborns in excruciating pain, all for naught. If I knew then, what I knew now, I would have done this back when I was 21. I would advise anyone to have the procedure done pronto- and not play the home remedy game.
Thanks for the website again.