Hey everyone,

I just had a sphincterotomy done this past Wednesday, Dec, 13th. I believe it went well. I I had to get one because of anal fissures that I acquired 4 months ago from giving birth. The past 4 months have been completely miserable, and instead of enjoying my new baby girl, I spent my days very uncomfortable, in pain, and terrified of bowel movements. I was on a few medications in hopes to heal my fissures, including nitroglycerine (which actually helped for about 2 weeks, then stopped working.) But nothing would help me. My doctor decided that I needed a sphincterotomy. I really didn't want to get one, but I really couldn't bare to go through it anymore, so I went ahead and had it done.

It has only been 2 days post-op, and I am feeling okay. Still a little discomfort, but I had my first bowel movement post-op this morning, and oh my god... what a difference. I was expecting to cringe and be in extreme pain... but to my surprise, it was actually okay for the first time in months. It was a little uncomfortable, but pain-free. I think I will be okay...

The only problem I am experiencing is bruising. I am badly bruised on my left buttock and a little bit around the anus. The bruising on the buttock seems to be getting a little worse since Wednesday. I called my doctor's office and they said it was normal, but I am starting to worry. Has anyone had this happen to them? I'm not in extreme pain, but I'm just worried that I could be making it worse by sitting down, etc. I am only 23 years old and I feel horrible about this whole situation. My doctor recommended I get a colonoscopy done in January. I am scared. Please respond and assure me that the bruising is normal. Thank you so much :)

Jen

Hi Jen,
I have not had the surgery you have had but it is my guess that you are bruised because they taped your butt checks apart for the surgery. Ask you doctor for a copy of your operative report and it will probably say that they taped them apart.

All I can offer you is empathy and sympathy. (I am talking to someone in the next couple of days who has had the surgery so I will ask her your questions and try and relay the answers back to you here.)

I can definitely sympathize with you about the pain and trying to enjoy a new baby. I had a hemorrhoidectomy in September right after giving birth. I have now developed a fissure because of this surgery. I am in extreme pain from it and trying to take care of a baby with all the sleepless nights has been hard. I really want to enjoy him and it is hard to sit for long periods of time. When you tried all the different prescription creams before the surgery, were you breastfeeding your baby at the same time? I am still breastfeeding and was worried about the side-effects of some of the topical creams prescribed for fissures.

I would also hope that you would keep posting here as to your recovery from your sphincterotomy. If I am not healed by early January, my colorectal doctor wants to discuss surgery. I am very nervous about having any more rectal surgeries as the hemorrhoid surgery I had was just one of the worst things I have ever endured. Please share any thoughts you have regarding trying to heal a fissure.
ericollin

Hi Ericollin,

Thank you so much for your reply. I suppose it would make sense about the whole butt taping thing. I am just stumped on why it's only on my left cheek. I hate calling my doctors office. I called there yesterday but my doctor wasn't in. I asked the nurse if she knew why I would have a bruise on my left cheek. She put me on hold for 3 minutes then said "it's from surgery." Well.. obviously! I just don't understand it. I got really worried last night because it started getting even bigger so I called my doctor's office again and asked for the doctor on call. It was my doctors partner. He had no clue as to why I would have a bruise there... he said that I shouldn't have one. He told me to outline it with a sharpie, that way I can be sure if it is getting any bigger. Today it is the same size as yesterday, so I'm not much worried anymore. I just wanna know what happened during my surgery for me to get this, ya know? I have my post-op appointment on Wednesday and I know my doc is gonna say "where did this bruise come from?!" and I'm gonna say "that's what I wanna know." Sigh...

As for the breastfeeding... I haven't done it. My doc said I wouldn't be able to being on the medication that I was on, Nitroglycerine being one of them.

Please let me know what your friend has to say about her surgery. I will keep you up to date on my progress as well. Thank you very much for your help. Take care :)

Jen

Hi Jen,
I asked my new acquaintance to tell me about her fissure problems. Without even asking about your bruising question, she mentioned that it left her initially with a lot of bruising. I wish you could talk to her. She had a wealth of information regarding healing from fissures. She acquired hers too from delivering a baby. She actually had 2 fissures. One was healed quickly within days of her son's birth by having a sphincterotomy and the other one took 2 YEARS to heal. It was described as being a very deep fissure and it was not in the 6 or 12 o'clock positions which are the typical locations. She healed that one by using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (I think that is how you spell it.) That type of therapy is VERY expensive and is not covered by insurance.

How has your healing been going? How much were you cut down there? This new friend mentioned being cut 50%. She has absolutely no incontinence and she says that everything down there looks as it did before.

Please keep me updated on your recovery as it will help me decide if I want/need to have this surgery done.
Thanks,
ericollin

Hey ericollin,

Thank you for your reply. My recovery is going quite well. I can get around a lot better now. I still have that wicked looking bruise but it's not as bad as it was. It does hurt a bit when I sit down still, but it's only minor pain. My 1 week post-op appointment is on Wednesday. I hope it goes well. As for the healing, I think I am on the right track. BM's are soooo much better. I cannot explain how much easier it has been for me since having this surgery done. Sitz baths are helping a lot, too. I still get nervous during a BM, thinking that something will go wrong and I'll get that sharp, passing-glass-feeling, but it really does seem to be back to normal. I was terrified of incontinence, but I am doing just fine in that area as well. I seem to have the same control that I always had. As of right now, I am really glad I decided to go ahead with the sphincterotomy.

I started out with one fissure at 6 o'clock. This fissure was discovered 3 weeks post-partum. A week later, I was in so much pain so I went back to my doc. He then found another one at 12 o'clock. I guess it is possible that he may have missed that one, and that I did originally have 2 fissures. But I believe that I developed the 2nd one from putting too much stress on the first one (if that's possible). I'm not exactly sure how badly I was cut or how deep. After the nitroglycerine started to take a bad turn, my doc opted against the sphincterotomy. He said that it just really didn't look that bad to settle for surgery. So I continued with the nitro. I was only having pain during BM's and that's it, so I knew that they weren't that bad to begin with. But about 3 weeks after that appointment, I was in a lot more pain and they must have looked worse, because he recommended surgery.

I guess it depends on who your surgeon is. I really like mine. Right before I went under, he said "today is the best day of your life." haha. I wouldn't say the BEST day, but definitely one of the best.

Please keep me updated on your situation. I hope everything works out for you. If you do decide to go ahead with the surgery, I think you will do just fine, as I have been. There's no telling how I will be in the future because of this, but I have a feeling I will definitely get through this :D Good luck!

Jen

8 days post-op and i am doing freaking awesome!

That is so great! Is all the fissure pain gone now??? Do you feel like you are healing? No incontinence??? Can you sit without any pain? Please let me know.

no pain, yes healing, no incontinence, yes i can sit :D

18 days post-op: good as new!