Hey Subpig - I'm a big power bottom that was really getting into getting fisted and could take a pretty decent sized fist. I got 4 haemorrhoids and an anal fistula repair in Oct 2018 - the surgery was really quick but the recovery is a challenge. For the first couple of days after, having not eaten and cleaned out for surgery you don't need to poop - but then on day 3 things start happening. I had a tub in my place at the time and the only way I could get through doing a dump was running the bath first, doing a poop, then immediately getting into a hot bath to manage the pain - after 10 minutes of breathing exercises and relaxing and swearing I was good to go. I can't imagine not having a hot bath and going through the recovery. Two weeks later, and I was healed up and went back to work - though still with pads in my underwear as the scars healed.
Here's my rosebud pre surgery:
The second picture is 1 week after surgery - so healing up pretty well.
And here's me after 8 weeks
Pretty good for 49 🙂
I started fucking after 12 weeks - and found the smallest cocked guy I could find and everything worked great. I was definitely tighter than before surgery and spent 2019 working up through my (old) dildo collection. I was fairly soon back to fucking like a bunny - I was in Paris in July - so 8 months after surgery - and got fucked more in a week than the whole year up till then.
I didn't start fisting again till 1 year had passed - and now 15 months on I'm pretty much back to what I was taking before surgery.
It's a slow process - but I've got a much nicer hole than I had before.
I do have some scar tissue internally that guys feel with their fingers, but no-one has freaked out - and I guess when I'm getting fucked it all adds to the stimulation. I'm pretty open with guys that I've had surgery, so based on my experience I would go for the surgery - but just with your eyes open on the initial recovery.
Good luck!
J