Posts by darkbear14

Sophia Brooks50 said:Do you happen to know the name of that surgeon from the East Coast? And are you based out of San Francisco or NYC? I’m really interested in how your procedure went—it sounds like it was fast, affordable, and hopefully, those hemorrhoids are half the problem now and you're finally pain-free... Did he mention anything regarding potential complications?🤷 😕

I can't recall his exact name right this second—I think it starts with a B, maybe Bicic or something similar—but from what I gather, he’s essentially the only one performing these specific procedures at the Mayo Clinic; at least, that’s the word on the street... I actually did some digging through my buddy's wife, who managed to get the scoop from an acquaintance of hers—a surgical nurse over at the Mayo Clinic... She mentioned that a fissure surgery isn't overly complex and doesn't take much time... With Dr. Phil, everything was handled swiftly and the cost was quite reasonable... though, you should probably budget about a month and a half for things to truly settle down... I mean, I can't exactly expect a doctor to wave a magic wand and fix everything instantly without a recovery period—it's not like I've been nursing these hemorrhoids and this fissure for a single day... I've been dealing with the hemorrhoids for years, and the fissure has been hanging around for a long time too... Dr. Phil isn't much for small talk; he just gets the job done because his schedule is absolutely packed—honestly, seeing the sheer volume of people waiting for him was a bit of a shock... When I first showed up for my consultations and the surgery itself, I thought I might have stumbled into the wrong place by mistake... but later on, I realized that's just how it is... Look, I get that you're feeling stressed, but sometimes you just have to put your trust in someone... If you experience some pain after a bowel movement, just take an analgesic, hang in there, and the discomfort will pass... and seriously, don't underestimate the power of Donat.

Sophia Brooks50 said:And one more thing... how much trouble were you dealing with before you finally pulled the trigger on the surgery, and how long does the procedure actually take? You mentioned doing both at once—but honestly, the total duration doesn't matter as much as the relief. I was asking a friend about her experience; she went the traditional route—an incision under general anesthesia.

In my case, Phil handled everything with lightning speed—took maybe 20 minutes to clear up both the fissure and the hemorrhoids (using the ligation method). He even performed a rectoscopy right then and there—which is standard protocol when dealing with hemorrhoids—and let me tell you, it didn't hurt a bit. Before that, though, I had been suffering for about eight months until the pain became absolutely unbearable. I kept putting it off, just like you might be doing now, but I promise you: never wait that long again. Dealing with it immediately is hands down the best move. You should definitely check in with some other folks on the forums to get different perspectives, then you can decide which surgeon you want to trust with the job.

Sophia Brooks50 said:Thanks for getting back to me. Did you experience much pain after the procedure—and how bad was it? What kind of exam did the doctor perform beforehand? Was it a rectoscopy or something else? Also, that anesthesia injection... it’s pretty painful, isn't it? Or does it hurt less if they apply a topical numbing agent first? I'm asking because, frankly, the idea of the pain terrifies me. And regarding the anal dilation—is that actually necessary? We've heard there can be side effects from that too. One more thing: is cauterization specifically for a fissure, or could it be for hemorrhoids, since you mentioned you had both done? Do you get to head home the same day, and what is the follow-up process like? I need to gather as much info as possible, especially since I'm not from New York City. Thanks!

After the procedure, your doctor will send you home with some painkillers—things like 100mg Ketorolac and maybe some liquid analgesic ampules. Look, I won't sugarcoat it: the injection isn't pleasant. It's a momentary sting—just grit your teeth and get through it. There's no other way to put it. As for the dilation, it's over in a flash; honestly, unless the doctor explicitly tells you they performed it, you wouldn't even know it happened because you'll be under local anesthesia. Anyway, make sure to take your pain meds early, because they take a little while to kick in. Regarding the specific type of pain, I can't say for certain whether yours stemmed from hemorrhoids or a fissure, though my guess is they were hemorrhoids following the surgery. You'll be relying on analgesics for the first two days, but things settle down significantly after that. You might still take them occasionally, but the intense pain subsides. Cauterization is strictly for the fissure—you'll feel a sensation of warmth, but absolutely no pain while they're treating the fissure. Once I finished the procedure, I hopped on the subway and headed home myself... though I wouldn't recommend that. It's much better to have someone with you to drive you home. I've been through enough to handle it solo, but it's not ideal. Plus, you usually have a follow-up the very next day, so you'd probably want to stay overnight in New York City.

I did hear that at the Mayo Clinic (if I recall correctly, you mentioned being from that area) they have an excellent surgeon who performs sphincterotomies. That was my thought when I was looking into resolving this issue in that region... but the pain from the fissure became so unbearable that I couldn't wait for an appointment, so I just went private and saw Dr. Smith instead.

Sophia Brooks50 said:Hey, can you tell me what cauterization actually involves? Does it hurt? Where did you go for this? I’m dealing with the exact same issue—an anal fissure... please, give me some more detail if you can.

Look, here’s the deal: I was dealing with a massive, deep fissure along with hemorrhoids—which, by the way, was diagnosed by Phil... the pain was absolutely excruciating, to the point where I was practically counting down the seconds until surgery. Honestly, I didn't even care whether they gave me anesthesia or not; the pain was so intense that I probably could have sat there and let Phil operate on me while wide awake...
The procedure itself doesn't take very long—I noticed quite quickly that I was in the hands of an incredibly skilled and precise surgeon. Before they start, they give you an injection in the area and apply a topical anesthetic around the anus... the actual burning or cauterization part doesn't hurt; you just feel a slight sensation of warmth. According to him, the radiofrequency device he uses operates at a lower temperature specifically to prevent tissue damage... it essentially just "irons out" the fissure. After the surgery, you apply a cream he provides, though I should warn you that you'll experience some discharge for a little while—it'll end up on the gauze pad you wear 24/7. You'll be able to use the restroom immediately after, and the stinging sensation in the wound disappears. He also performs an anal dilation to help relax the muscle and improve blood flow (my muscles were completely spasmed from the fissure pain)... my impression is that he is a very cautious, conscientious surgeon, and his rates are perfectly reasonable. He's always busy, of course—word travels fast when a doctor is actually good. As for me, I'm already back to enjoying BBQ and grilled meats, though I am staying cautious with prosciutto and cured meats because of the hemorrhoids... I paid $1167 for the combined hemorrhoid and fissure surgery... and, naturally, as a precaution, I drink a glass of milk every single morning... good luck.

Sophia Cook42 said:This flared up for him for the very first time. I had no idea it could just explode like that—since he had a colonoscopy last year, we assumed anything suspicious would have been flagged back then.
Unfortunately, he’s dealing with much more pressing health issues right now than this, so we’re going to try managing it with ointments and creams. Besides, there is zero chance I can just toss him in the car and drive him to see a doctor at this moment.

I spent years keeping my own situation under control—right up until it spiraled out of hand—and then I started dealing with agonizing pain that eventually led to a surgery far more complicated than if I had just addressed it when it first appeared... regarding the creams: they won't do much for you here. Once things hit an acute stage, topical treatments tend to be pretty useless because acute issues almost always demand a radical approach... however, please, listen to the advice on this forum and read through everything from the beginning; you will likely find yourself much better informed than you are currently... wishing you and your father all the best.

Sophia Cook42 said:Hi there!

My dad has been dealing with a massive hemorrhoid flare-up for three days now. To give you some context—he had two colon polyps removed last year and has undergone a few colonoscopies since then.
Honestly, I have never seen him in this much pain; he can’t even sit up without complaining, let alone spend any meaningful time in the bathroom. 😲
I suspect they might be external since there isn't any bleeding, but he did feel a sort of lump. His doctor essentially took a shot in the dark and prescribed Faktu ointment, which he started using today.

I’ve been reading through various threads here, and people seem to suggest chamomile baths along with Hemophagen and Dolocat. By the way, he actually intended to try a soak yesterday, but the discomfort was so intense that sitting down in a basin was practically impossible. 😢

Is there anything else that could provide some immediate relief—even just to take the edge off the pain?

It is incredibly difficult for anyone to recommend a specific treatment without an actual diagnosis—trust me, I know. I once spent my time banging my head against a wall thinking I just had simple hemorrhoids, only for a doctor to tell me it was actually an anal fissure. My best advice? Get him to a proctologist immediately. Even if it means seeing a private specialist, he needs a professional to determine exactly what is going on given how severe this is. The pain following surgery usually lasts a few days and is certainly manageable, but the quality of life improvement afterward is incomparable. Your father really shouldn't have to endure this kind of agony; I know firsthand how absolutely miserable it feels.

Karen Thompson10 said:See, I didn’t even realize radiofrequency ablation was an option for treating fissures! Honestly, I get the feeling everyone just hawks their own preferred methods because, well—it’s good for business. Based on this discussion, and looking at a few articles I dug up online, it seems like anal dilation might actually be the superior route. When I was making my decision, I was convinced it would be way more invasive—Dr. Egypt went out of his way to convince me of just how intrusive it was, even sketching out the whole procedure for me. 🙄
He probably assumed I wouldn't even ask about surgical excision since I was so terrified of everything else that I hadn't even considered it. And I didn't ask Dr. Ivanovic anything regarding dilation—I had already crossed it off my list—though he did bring it up, and I simply shut it down immediately. Long story short, this entire ordeal has taught me that you MUST always seek out multiple medical opinions...

For what it's worth, I also spent a long time assuming all my issues were stemming from hemorrhoids, so it was quite the shock when they told me I actually had a fissure caused by them.
And a fissure is actually a consequence of increased sphincter tone—not the other way around. In fact, if I recall correctly (though I can't be 100% certain), I think the doctor suggested surgery because it offers a more permanent fix, given that the muscle tension could potentially return.

Anyway, best of luck, and please share your impressions once you're through (I'm saying this to everyone 😁)—it helps give people a bit more clarity!

Best regards—I underwent surgery for both hemorrhoids and a fissure with Dr. Phil, and the recovery is going smoothly so far... the hemorrhoids were handled via ligation, while the fissure was treated with RF cauterization... the wound (the fissure) is no longer burning, and every day it feels like things are returning to normal. I'm hopeful the rest of the healing process goes well, and I'll touch base with my observations once the recovery period is fully behind me...

Karen Thompson10 said:Well, here’s my take... I waited an entire month before finally seeing a doctor, and by then, things were pretty bad—I was in enough pain to make life miserable—but it wasn't exactly life-threatening, if you catch my drift. Initially, I saw Dr. Misir, who wanted to try treating it with botulinum toxin for treating anal fissure injections. Honestly, he spooked me a bit; he insisted I deal with this immediately and warned me not to end up in a hospital setting, implying they might just opt for surgery (which, in the end, was the very procedure I decided to go through).

I had heard several recommendations online for Mercury because they supposedly have the top-tier surgeons (Ivanovic and Kocman), so I headed up there to get a second opinion. Dr. Ivanovic told me it wasn't an absolute emergency and that I could probably wait another two months before being seen at the main facility, but since I was at my breaking point, I just went straight to his private clinic instead. I asked him quite bluntly about both the botox option and the surgical incision above the fissure. He explained that in many cases, once the effects of those injections wear off, the fissure either returns or a new one develops—though, of course, it really depends on the individual case (specifically what caused the fissure in the first place). For instance, I have high sphincter tone, so everything would have just cycled back to square one for me; your situation might be entirely different...

I also grilled him about potential side effects because, frankly, I was terrified. He managed to calm me down, assuring me that he would perform only a minimal incision—something he’s done countless times—and that there was nothing to fear, so I pulled the trigger on the surgery. When he mentioned performing a "minimal sphincterotomy," he meant making a tiny incision above the fissure, as he felt that would be sufficient for my specific case (to be honest, I never even noticed the incision myself).
As for the cost, I can't give you an exact figure since I saw him for hemorrhoid removal as well and he didn't bill me separately for the fissure, but from what I've gathered browsing the web, prices usually range from roughly $1,500 to a few thousand dollars. But again, I’m speaking from experience; those prices typically apply to private clinics, whereas if finances are a major concern, everything can be handled through the hospital system.

Oh, right—there’s also dilation (another procedure involving stretching the sphincter), which sounded much more invasive to me at the time, though now I'm reading conflicting things online. Some sources claim both procedures are done under local anesthesia and that patients are pain-free by the next day with zero complications. Honestly? Take that with a massive grain of salt. My surgeon warned me I’d be in significant pain for a few days, and I was actually under general anesthesia, so...

p.s. I see you’ve already consulted a few surgeons, so what have they been suggesting to you? Maybe there truly is a better way out; I’m just sharing my own personal journey here. Things moved incredibly fast for me, so it’s great that you’re gathering as much intel as possible!

I should also mention an article I found on the internet about botox treatment authored by Nebojša Stanković and Darak Mirković from the VA Hospital. It’s titled "Botulinum toxin for treating anal fissure," where the authors present their research on using botox as a potential alternative to surgical intervention. Based on their findings, they concluded that it can indeed serve as an adequate substitute for surgery.

Karen Thompson10 said:Well, let me lay it out for you... I waited a full month before finally seeing a doctor, and by then, things were getting pretty grim—I was in enough pain to make life miserable, though, granted, it wasn't exactly life-threatening. My first stop was Dr. Misir, who suggested treating it with botulinum toxin for treating anal fissure injections. Honestly, he spooked me a bit; he insisted I deal with this immediately and warned me not to just end up in a hospital setting where they might opt for a surgical excision (which is actually the procedure I eventually decided on).

I had heard glowing recommendations for Mercury Basketball's medical wing from several different sources—apparently, they house the top-tier surgeons like Ivanovic and Kocman—so I headed up there to get a second opinion. Dr. Ivanovic told me it wasn't an emergency and that I could probably wait another two months before being seen for surgery, but I simply couldn't endure the discomfort any longer, so I went straight to his private clinic instead. I asked him point-blank about both the botox option and the surgical incision above the fissure. He explained that in many instances, once the effects of those injections wear off, the fissure either returns or a new one forms—though, of course, it’s highly case-specific depending on what caused the initial issue. For instance, I have high sphincter tone, so for me, everything would have just cycled back to square one; your situation might be entirely different...

I also grilled him about potential side effects because, frankly, I was terrified. He managed to calm me down, explaining that he would perform only a minimal procedure; he’s done it countless times and assured me there was nothing to fear, which gave me the courage to pull the trigger on the surgery. When he mentioned performing a "minimal sphincterotomy," he meant making a tiny incision above the fissure, as that would be sufficient for my case (to be honest, I never even noticed or saw the actual cut).
As for the cost, I can't say for sure since I saw him for hemorrhoid removal as well and he didn't bill me separately for the fissure, but from what I've gathered looking up internet about botox treatment and similar procedures, prices generally range from $1,000 to a few thousand dollars. But again, I’m speaking about private clinics—if finances are a concern, you can always have it done at a public hospital.

Oh, and there is also dilation (another procedure involving stretching the sphincter), which sounded much more invasive to me at first, though now that I'm reading more online, the descriptions seem different. Some sources claim that both types of procedures are performed under local anesthesia and that patients are pain-free by the next day with zero complications. Honestly? Take that with a massive grain of salt. My surgeon warned me I'd be in significant pain for a few days, and I was under general anesthesia, so...

p.s. I see you've already consulted a few different surgeons, so what have they been recommending to you? There might truly be a better way out there; I'm just sharing my own lived experience. Everything moved quite fast in my case, so it's great that you're gathering as much intel as possible!

Great, thanks for such a thorough response. It’s good to have that insight regarding Dr. Ivanovic, though for now, I think I'm going to go with Dr. File. He uses a radiofrequency device to cauterize the fissure while simultaneously performing an anal dilation... I'm really hoping this method holds up, but it's good to have an ace up my sleeve knowing about Dr. Ivanovic if things change. To be honest, I'm a bit worried because my fissure is pretty far from "normal"—it's quite large—and I spent all this time thinking I just had hemorrhoids, but they weren't the source of this level of agony. During my exam, Dr. File mentioned he could handle both the hemorrhoids and the fissure at once, so I'll give it a shot with him. I suspect I have high sphincter tone just like you, though mine was primarily triggered by the fissure itself. From what I've gathered, the increased muscle tone is actually a reaction to the fissure—basically, the body's way of spasming due to the intense pain.

Karen Thompson10 said:I had my procedure done in Washington, D.C. at the Butterfly Clinic with Dr. Ivanovic—it was a lateral sphincterotomy (in my case, it was "minimal"). Other clinics perform the exact same thing, and obviously, hospitals do too.
My advice? Don't drag your feet. If you wait, that wound might just keep spreading—or so I was told. Good luck! 🙂

Thanks for the heads-up... I’ve actually heard of that surgery before, but the surgeons I consulted gave me a pretty grim outlook—they advised avoiding it altogether due to potential side effects. Honestly, it’s got me terrified, though it feels like I might not have much of a choice left. This wound is significant; it’s making it incredibly difficult to move around and is seriously interfering with my work. If you wouldn't mind sharing, what did Dr. Ivanovic tell you regarding the risks—how safe is it really? Also, could you clarify what a "minimal" lateral sphincterotomy entails—does that mean your incision was smaller, or is it something else entirely? And, if it's not too much trouble, any idea on the cost? I am desperate to find a top-tier surgeon, so your recommendation carries a lot of weight for me. Thanks in advance!

Karen Thompson10 said:Oh man... I am honestly speechless. Please, just go see a different doctor—even if you have to head to a major hospital—because this is absolutely insane. And as for that comment about whether a fissure will just heal on its own? I have zero words for that level of ignorance. 🙄
I’ve personally consulted two different doctors regarding my own fissure, and when I asked about specific pills or even that common herbal ointment everyone talks about, they actually laughed at me. There really isn't any other way out besides surgery or injections. If you don't act, things could get much worse—you could end up developing a fistula from it.
Look, the surgery isn't going to "remove" the fissure in some magical sense; rather, they make an incredibly tiny incision—almost imperceptible—to allow for easier bowel movements so you aren't straining. That's how the fissure gradually heals (it takes about 4-5 weeks, but the relief is immediate).
The issue isn't just the sheer intensity of the pain—though, let's be honest, anyone who has dealt with this knows it's pure agony—but the fact that the condition can escalate, with that tear spreading further. I am seriously advising you to seek a second opinion; if you're skeptical about what I'm saying, just do a quick Google search. You'll see that those herbal ointments are only useful during the first two weeks of a new fissure; after that, they are completely useless.

Sending you good vibes—I am actually very curious to know which specialist you saw and how you finally resolved your fissure, because I'm dealing with the exact same thing, maybe even worse... it's chronic with a significant wound... thanks in advance.