How is that recovery going? I have heard varying stories about healing and the pain. Hope it is going well for you.
I have a chronic fissure and some roids, but Dr K said he wanted to wait until after my revision and my system is working better because he says my stools should get better and not irritate the situation...so it could heal on its own. I have been seeing a colorectal surgeon here and am ready for surgery if this doesn't heal (it gets better for a while but not all the way), but I thought I might kill two birds with one stone and have Dr K do it...but he said to wait so I shall see.
I have had the fissure since the end of May. Initially (mis)diagnosed as internal hemorrhoid. I followed that treatment plan for 4 days with no relief and found a CRS. The office folks got me in within 24 hours of first phone call. ID'd it as a fissure and I decided to be fairly conservative and try to let it heal on it's own. Left with an Rx for valium, to control the spasms and "rectal rockets", to be compounded and help topically. The rockets were useless (compounding issues), so sitz baths and valium with a sprinkling of percocet here and there to combat the worst of the pain. Morning poos were the worst and I would be in agony.
I gave it a couple of months to try and heal and finally went back to the office to come up with a different plan, as it was not healing on its own. This was good timing too, as that evening it tore again and I again had significant bleeding with the new tear. And an amazing increase of pain, too. According to my CRS, once you've gone that much time and have developed a "sentinel pyle" (which I had), the chances of it healing on its own are exceedingly low. Also, the chances of botox healing it at that point are less than 20% if I recall correctly. I had just had enough. I had been surviving on valium/percocet/sitz baths and trying to work full-time and parent my 3 kids. We had to do something.
The surgery recovery would be better if I could have taken 2 weeks off work and laid in bed for at least a complete week. I've had to do a good bit of sitting the last 3 days and it honestly hurts pretty bad today. I've been alternating heat and ice every hour today, like initially. The good news is that you wake up in recovery and instantly know that the spasming has stopped. Hopefully once it heals, I won't have any more issues. I'm tired of having a literal pain in the a$$.
All that being said, and all proper respect to Dr. K, I would only let a CRS go near my sphincter with a scalpel. I have no doubt in Dr. K's skill. But, I would want someone who was the best A$$ cutter available working on mine.
happy to answer any other questions you might have.
becky
