So I was diagnosed with a chronic anal fissure about 6 weeks ago. I had it for around 6 months and in the two weeks prior to diagnoses the pain it was causing me became excruciating. So much so that after a bowel movement I could not sit or even lie down for around 6 hours. I had to try to walk it off and hope that my painkillers (paracetamol) would help.
I was prescribed Rectogesic by my GP but that didn't work. Then I went to see a specialist and he recommended surgery. I asked him to book me in for it because at the time the fissure was still excruciatingly painful and nothing I was doing seemed to work. That was about 3 weeks ago and since then the pain of the fissure has gradually receded to the point where it is almost non-existent (bear in mind though that this is with painkillers, so I might still have some pain if I stop).
My surgery is scheduled for tomorrow, but I don't know if I should go ahead with it. Obviously I will if it is going to prevent me from getting another fissure (I've had several, but the latest has been the longest lasting), but I'm worried about 2 things:
(1) The surgery is likely to leave me in some pain afterwards, and
(2) What if, now that my fissure is healed and (presumably) my sphincter is no longer tight/in spasm, the surgery loosens the muscles down there beyond what is necessary and, as a result, I'm left with an incontinence problem!
Ahh! Please advise me as to what I should do!
TL;DR: I had a painful anal fissure, was scheduled for surgery, but now that my symptoms have gone I'm wondering should I go ahead with it.
Hey Jake. I am sorry that you had to go through all that pain before. I had a fissure for about 6 weeks and I wanted to go ahead and do the surgery. Like you, I was afraid of the inconsistency problems, but o went ahead and did it.....and I am so glad I did. I have not had a fissure since and although I am not going to tell that it was instant painrelief after surgery ( because it will still hurt maybe even more after surgery so expect it), but in the end you know you are giving it your all and trying everything in your power not to get another one. as far as the inconsistency problems, the only problems i have had are having to fart sometimes and it is a little harder to hold it in if I am in public(because the hole is wider now without the sphincter muscle).but if i try hard enough I can still hold it in. In all, I would say go for it because in the end, you want to know that you gave it your best shot. Good luck with whatever you do, and I pray you don't get another one because man oh man fissures hurt.
Hi mmarcus151910,
Your info supports me, thank you!
How long have you had the surgery? And do you still have to fart in public like can't control it or it got better?
Thanks
I had the surgery around the end of June 2014. I will tell you that the docctor told me that I would come out feeling like a brand new person. And even though after the surgery I did not, and instead came out in a lot of pain, it was well worth it. When you think about what they are doing in the surgery, combined with the fissure itself. There is no doubt you will be in pain. Also, the first poop after surgery is the worst. However, after that it slowly got better. Over the first week after surgery, it slightly hurt after I pooped, but nothing like the euphoric pain (this is about the only way I can describe the pain that I felt with my fissure because the pain is truly unimaginable and out of this world) that I felt with the fissure. It took me a bit of time to get used to normal life again, after being in bed for about 50 days in absolute agony. I am not trying to scare you with the pain comments on the surgery, I just rather tell you what to exppect and to prepare yourself instead of listening to some BS the doctor tells you of how it willl not hurt.
Today, I am 100% better. I still have a fear of getting a fissure, or hemmorids, but I do some things daily to prevent it.
1. I take metamucil, a fiber supplement, daily to make sure I do not have hard stools.
2. I take a shower after I poop to make sure that I wash everything off.
3. After I shower, I put on this stuff called calmoseptine onto my butt to make sure sweat does not accumulate.
4. This is probably the most important in my opinion. I do no sit on the toilet anymore, like most people do. Instead, I squat. For th position I am talking about, look up "squatting to poop" on google images, and you will see what I mean.
As far as the farting, I am able to control a lot more than I was aafter surgery. If I really want to hold it in I can, I just have to try a little harder than I did before.
I hope this helps and I really hope you heal up good.
Best of luck,
Myles Marcus