Sigh :) haha. Went to the Specialist .

Hi all,
As some of you know, I had my specialist (CRS) appointment today and finally got to meet him. I told him I had to drastically cut down on the diltiazem because of how badly it irritated my skin tags, and just how I really want to move up to the next level and get something done, unless this will definitely heal if I continue soaking and what not. He said it most probably wont heal naturally if I've had it for this long (7-8 months). Is that true?

Basically, I am on the waitlist for surgery and I have to wait one year :shock: until I can get the surgery done! I thought it was insanity that he even mentioned that, but it's true! He's all booked up and he said most of the surgeons in my province will also have similar bookings, it's just the way our stupid health care system up here works. He said there may be the odd CRS that has no bookings, but that may imply something about the CRS's credibility -- wouldn't a good surgeon have at least some bookings?

I am so confused now. I can't believe I will have to wait an entire year to get surgery. How long did all of you have to wait? I wonder if I should just go to the US or check out some other province and see if I can get it done there. Another huge fear my doctor gave me is about passing gas!!! He said 19% of people (and I suspect it's even larger than that) either poo a little bit in their pants when they pass gas OR they fart like old people and can not hold a fart in when they sneeze or cough. Quite honestly, I don't know if I can handle that happening..... That'd be pretty humiliating, can you imagine sitting there with your boyfriends family and then sneezing (and farting) at the same time? :suspect: That just sounds awful!

Has that happened to any of you who have gotten surgery? Please be honest... I could use all the advice in the world .

I'm also considering botox, but just don't know if I want to spend $400. I don't know if my condition is thaaat severe. I suppose if I keep soaking and using diltiazem my condition will improve.

OH AND THE GRAND FINALE OF ALL OF THIS: My doctor said I have TWO fissures! Which, according to him, may likely make botox less effective on me. Another thing, I have two skin tags and I asked him about removing it and he said "it will hurt like hell for a week but while you're cutting yourself up anyhow, you may as well do it and get it over with." I was like umm, ok. You weirdo! haha... Anyways... I wonder if it's worth it to get the skin tags cut off? I wonder what the chances are of the skin tags healing naturally with soaking/aloe vera/vitamin e?

Does anyone have any advice? I would truly appreciate it. Just a little confused at this point! Take care all and God bless.... At the end of the day even though this is all so stupid, I'm finding it sort of funny and laughing at the whole ordeal. Haha. One whole year until surgery? Sheesh.. haha! It's funny how these things can make you so humble!
xo

Wow, I went and saw the movie Sicko and thought you had it made! But anyway it took me three weeks to get the surgery once I saw the specialist-only because he had a week off or it would have been two. He really felt bad for me and wanted to get mine done. But finally getting to see him took over a month-but he's the best. I didn't have a problem with incontinence-the gas yes but it wasn't bad at all and it's worth it. My surgeon left my skin tag to-I wanted it off but for some reason he didn't want to do it, I think because of the pain. I am really sorry you have to wait that long-that is really not right but you want to see the best you deserve it!

Wow-that is so pathetic it is laughable to have you wait a year for surgery!
I would seriously (and this is must my opinion of course) think about botox in the interim. I mean you have to wait anyway so maybe botox could at least give you a shot at healing without surgery or buy you some time while you are waiting. It would cost a lot more to come to the US to get the surgery than it would to get the botox.

I have heard that some people can get temporary gas incontinence but if they do it was very short term. And that is more likely is someone older with health problems or in someone like me who has preexisting nerve damage. So I wouldn't let that worry you too much. I mean all these nice people on here would be telling you that were farting all over the place otherwise and warn you!

I am sorry they can't do more for you now. I had a skin tag and the doctor first suggested removing it and said wait until the next appointment. Then she changed her mind and said it would just add another wound to recover from. The aloe vera really helped as did soaks and time.

I would think they could move you up on the list of surgeries since you have 2 fissures. But it may not even work that way. I am sorry, honey. You are welcome to come live with me and get the surgery here if you think that is what you want.

Lecia

Hey Sunshine,

Ah, the truth about the Canadian medical system! It's what the documentary _Sicko_ conveniently left out: the ridiculous wait times! By the way, there's a hilarious take on the Canadian system through a parody of the show "House" done by This Hour Has 22 Minutes, a Canadian news/comedy show. It's just a 15 second spot but so funny!

Sunshine, that seems like a long wait, even for Canuck standards. I'm not sure if you're interested, but there's a colo-rectal clinic in Toronto called the Rudd Clinic: it's a clinic of just CRSs! I didn't go there for my recent appointment since I only just discovered the clinic. They still need a referral from a doctor but maybe they have more information for you in the meantime. Just google Rudd Clinic Toronto and it should come up, otherwise their website might be ruddclinic.com.

I'm prepping myself for the possibility of surgery as well.

--Merita

well sunshine maybe consider this a blessing in disguise.

waiting a year for your surgery. perhaps it can mean many things.

- maybe you need to explore more options (i am sure you may think this is not possible but maybe just a little....)

- maybe you are meant to see another CRS for a second opinion

- maybe you are meant to heal without LIS/surgery

****

anyway, with regards to skin tags, my doc says that it's best not to remove them. i have one and when it caused me soooo much pain, i swear i wanted that thing off!!!!! but now that i have everything under control again - no more constipation (knock on wood) - it's behaving perfectly and well, i am happy to have my skin tag. i just don't want it to act up ever again. i think it is sometimes worse that having an AF!!!!! hehehehehe........

*****
don't think too much about the situation yet. let it settle.

and perhaps there is some greater process for you.

good luck! but also keep persisting on finding what works for you.

Thank you all for your msgs.

Gareth, that's definitely what I was thinking. I was like "erm, one year? I could just heal myself in that much time..." but my doctor was saying that the chances of me healing naturally (e.g. with diltiazem, miralax, good eating habits, soaking) are low if I've had the fissure for this long (7-8 months). Is that true? Can I still heal?

About the skin tags, is it even possible for them to completely dissappear with the use of vitamin e, aloe vera, etc.? Or will they still remain there always? I really don't want these two things pestering my ass forever... They look really peculiar and get so irritated! hehe

Do any other surgery patients have comments about the supposed increase in farting/not being able to control farts? Pleae be h onest even though I can imagine it'd be hard to...

Thank you all, xo

Oh & Lecia, thanks for the lovely offer... If only!

Merita, I am really considering doing that... It'd be lovely to just get it done and over with. I'll just have to plan to miss 2 weeks of school which will be tough!

oh sunshine, anything is possible through God. not to make this a religious thread or anything, but just my source of comfort.

if my fissure for over three years wasn't chronic, then i don't know what chronic really means! :-)

but for whatever reason, i didn't even get those dr. prescribed creams or botox or LIS after all, and here i am, healed. but it took almost 3.5 years and now 4 to surely say that.

with regards to the skin tag, it will always stay there. my CRS said that it may not look pretty and that is why a lot of people get it removed but you know, that is a vain thing. and well, the pain is almost as bad if not worse than removing a hemmy.

in any case, he said that the advantage of keeping the skin tag, is that you have ample skin for the anus to expand when taking a BM. whereas, when it heals, you are more exposed to another type of problem: AF or fistula because the anus is so tight from healing and scarring, that you will break the skin if stretch beyond its means.

so now i have to live with my skin tag and as long as he's okay, it's like i have my ass back!

good luck!

You know my skin tag is so inconsequential now after using aloe vera. I can't usually tell it is there for the most part.

me too....well, i know he's there because i can feel him but it's like his normal self just hanging out. he's not inflammed, not irritated, not misbehaving.

just jolly skin tag!

thanks aloe vera! :-)

SunshineHope wrote: but my doctor was saying that the chances of me healing naturally (e.g. with diltiazem, miralax, good eating habits, soaking) are low if I've had the fissure for this long (7-8 months). Is that true? Can I still heal?

About the skin tags, is it even possible for them to completely dissappear with the use of vitamin e, aloe vera, etc.? Or will they still remain there always? I really don't want these two things pestering my ass forever... They look really peculiar and get so irritated!

Yes, you CAN still heal "naturally", but the probability diminishes with a chronic fissure. I had mine for nearly a year and it IS healing without surgery. Check my earlier thread for "what worked for me".

Skin tags CAN regress, but it takes a long time; the best thing is to keep them from being irritated and they wont be much of a problem. Under the circumstances, pain relief and healing should be much more important than how peculiar they appear.

I am a physician and I am infuriated that it would take a year for ANY medical procedure that could help a patient. We have ridiculous health care costs here in the USA, but I am still proud that people can get treated in a reasonable amount of time over here!

Best of luck to you!

I've been thinking about this post.

First reaction: Sounds like Kaiser here in the US. I had a rather sever abscess because of the fissure, and rather than operate and drain it immediately like they are supposed to, the Drs made me wait 2 mos, and put me on super-mega- duper-antibiotics so that I would not go septic in the meantime. But I still got sicker and sicker, until they actually drained the abscess....

Second Reaction: maybe a year will give you a chance to heal and you won't need the surgery after all.

Third Reaction: I'd get the Botox. (I got botoxed a month ago and have had a good experience with it. Fissure pain is gone for the first time in 1 1/2 years. knock on wood and yippee!) It may work for you too and, if not, it wears off in 3-6 mos and you can still get the surgery later. I would pay more than $400 to be Botoxed again if necessary.

SH, I thought it sounded like you were actually healing. Sorry to hear you're going through all of this.

Botox might be worth a shot. And at least you'll know you've tried everything before getting LIS. $400 probably won't seem like a lot to you 10yrs from now.

From Gareth's account and docray's account and the accounts of others, I do think it's possible to heal on your own. Although, it's not possible for everyone. Everyone's fissure is different and everyone's body is different. A year, though, will give you more chance to heal naturally, and if it doesn't, you'll rest easy knowing you absolutely need surgery. I wouldn't rush out to find a doctor with a clear calendar...if you do look for another doctor be sure to ask how many times they've performed LIS in the past and with what results.

And regarding the Canadian healthcare system...I would gladly wait a year for surgery for a non-life-threatening condition if it meant a dear friend of mine could receive basic medical attention for a serious kidney condition, instead of being denied coverage by every single healthcare provider.

That said, I do think Canada's system needs improvement. It's not the best example of Universal Healthcare. It's sort of like pointing to Afghanistan as an example of democracy...well, maybe not that bad.

Thank you all for your replies and expertise. Gareth, you are very right about that. I did think I could heal this naturally, I just lost patience somewhere in between when anytime I would start healing, the itch became so overwhelming that I'd have to stop using the medicine. I don't know, maybe because I have Gold Bond now I can go back into my routine of aloe vera, diltiazem, soaking, and so on. & I guess I can try the Vicks vaporub on the skin tags when it gets really bad

I thought the same thing - perhaps there is a reason why I've been given a year to wait. I never wanted surgery but I just got really sick of dealing with my fissures that never seem to go away.

About the skintag, to docray and whoever else mentioned it, it's not really the look that bothers me, it's not like I'm a butt model... It's just that I have two skin tags so literally when you look at my anus with a mirror or whatever, you can't see the anus. There's one skin tag in the front (like really close to my ... yeah.) and the other one is in the back of the anus, so my anus is barely even visible. It just seems/feels so unhealthy to have it there, and to imagine it'll always be there, and will always have the potential of flaring up again (I'm guessing this based on other people who've healed naturally but still have skin tag issues). At times, the skin tags have caused me more irritation than the fissures!!

I don't CARE about fissure pain anymore..... I've been dealing with painful BMs since I was little, on and off, and I really don't care about the pain. Infact, I sometimes enjoy pain because it reminds me that I'm still alive (yeah this sounds weird, I know). One of the biggest things that bothered me about this whole ordeal though is the irritated skin tags and how they act up and itch as if I've got 2 mosquito bites down there.

Anyhow people, I'm going to keep on trying... Maybe I can or will just have to heal this myself.. Yes, I suppose I can. Thank you all,
xo

Keep at Sunshine!
Gareth's reco on the vaporub has worked for me, so I say to absolutely try it out.