About Fistula Support Online
Fistula Support Online is a New Zealand based website that offers advice, information and personal experiences for those suffering with fistulas. Here you can share your stories, ask questions and offer support to other sufferers. Living with fistulas is very hard and can sometimes be embarrassing and difficult to talk about. This website is an open forum and a source of information to make dealing with fistulas just that bit easier, and to make the sufferer feel less alone with the problem.
Please note that we do approve all comments on this website before they go live, to protect you all from spam etc. So if your comment does not show up immediately, please don’t worry, we approve comments daily. Cheers!
FISTULA SUPPORT ONLINE 
Thanks for this site.
Roxie - February 23, 2011 at 5:59 am |
No problem Roxie, thank you for reading and leaving comments, it really helps everyone else with fistulas! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - February 23, 2011 at 10:50 am |
Dear I am Nishant from India?Had my fistulectomy peformed 6 weeks ago which failed as the surgeon reached till anal spintcher and stopped.He removed the affected area till spintcher but couldnt reach futher as it would require cutting spintcher muscles.the infection remained inside.But then after 4 days,I visited the Ayurveda clinic and underwent Kshar sutra method and now after 6 weeks i am 90 percent healed.Pls try this method rather than repeated surgeries.
Nishant - May 16, 2013 at 7:09 pm |
What is that method? I have never heard of it.
julie - May 17, 2013 at 11:51 am
Hey Julie,Kshar Sutra is an ayurvedic method in which a specially prepared thread is tied to the fistula tunnel.The thread does simultaneous cutting,healing of the fistula tunnel and generates new tissues at the same time.The thread is replaced every week with a new thread and this goes for two months.After that the tunnel heals,the thread is removed and remaning part is allowed to be healed naturally.Once the tunnel heals there is no discharge.I had normally surgery also but it generally fails as normally fistulas are well formed till the anal canal and the surgeons cant cut the anal spintcher muscles as it leads to incontinience.
Nishant - May 17, 2013 at 4:11 pm
Thanks for the explanation! Sounds interesting and hopeful.
julie - May 20, 2013 at 11:15 am
@nishant – I am currently suffering from fistula in ano and was thinking of the ayurveda treatment. How long is the treatment? And is it painful everytime you have to change the thread?
fireinthehole - August 20, 2013 at 12:14 am
Hi nishant can u pls mail me the address of aurvedic hospital where u got treatment for fistula.pls mention name of the doctor. My email is- manishmanus@ yahoo.com.we will be thankful if u provide us this information at the earliest. Thanks
manish - September 18, 2013 at 8:46 pm
Hi nishant, it will be really greatful if u can help us/me from this disease by providing me the information from where your surgery had been done…please reply me
Manoj - September 19, 2013 at 10:20 pm
Hi nisant where did u have this ayurvedic surgery…my husband suffering badly..doctors advised for lift procedure but don’t know abt success rates not over than70 percent . Can u pls give the details ….thanks awaiting yr reply
My email I’d is aartish14344@gmail.com
Aarti - October 27, 2013 at 9:26 am
hi nishant
can you let me know the plc whr you did the ayurvedic treatment
fathima - October 29, 2013 at 4:25 am
hi nishant,
is the kshar sutra silimar to the cutting seton method?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seton_stitch
Yoga - December 16, 2013 at 7:26 pm
how much rest is required after kshar sutra
anita - December 20, 2013 at 5:05 am
hi nishanth,
i hv been suffering frm fistula frm pas 3yrs. got 2 surgeries done but didnt work. firsttime my doctr removed just d abcess and second time after surgery it was nt heeling, wen again diagnosed it was said dat der some other track which was nt done during d surgery. it really painful nw doctr wants me to undergo another surgery. its been 3yrs i am nt able to do anything in life. it seems life has stopped fr me. plz mail me d details of the hospital wer u got the ayurvedic treatment done and suggest me wat should i do
swetha - March 17, 2014 at 11:44 pm
I’m suffering from anal fistula from last 6-7 month. I consult to the doctor and he suggest me to operate this.
Is there any other procedure like medication or any ointment which can heal it without operation. Please suggest me as soon as possible .
Sandip Sharma - July 29, 2014 at 5:39 pm
I agree with Nishant. From my experience, Kshar sutra is the best and only curable technique for fistula. I was suffering from fistula in ano for around 5 years. Surgeries did not help. They just give you temporary relief but don’t attack the problem from the root. Kshar sutra actually attacks the root. My Ksharsutra treatment was done in Pune, India by Dr. Prasad Bapat. Here is the link for his website:
http://www.omayurvedicclinic.com/
I am from Mumbai. I used to travel to Pune on every weekends for around 1-1.5 months. Then, alternate weekends for 1 month then the frequency decreases. Overall, It takes around 3-4 months for the treatment depending upon the criticality of fistula.
Onkar - November 7, 2015 at 3:52 pm
I am from Mumbai, India. I underwent a surgery in Mumbai in anorectal area to remove the pus from abscess which later resulted in fistula. Took homeopathic treatment for about 4-5 years but all in vein. The frequency of recurrence of pus formation and pus release from Fistula exterior opening started increasing which really affected me on personal front. Finally I decided to find some permanent cure. I did lot of research to find out the right treatment. Once I was convinced that I should go for Khar Sutra treatment, I visited couple of Ayurvedic doctors. After meeting doctor Prasad Bapat, I felt I met the right doctor and decided to start the treatment. Khar Sutra treatment requires right skills. Without appropriate skills it can be very painful and also may not be successful. Dr Bapat is very good in this treatment and just because of that patient can walk out on his own immediately after every thread change with not so much pain. Almost 9 months has completed since my treatment and I have no issue so far. And I really hope there won’t be any issue also in future. I wish Dr Bapat all the VERY BEST in his practice. God should continue giving success in his hand which will in turn benefit the patients suffering from this painful problem.
Chanda Maheshwari - July 25, 2016 at 6:36 pm
Hi I am Mamata. My father is suffering from anal fischula from last two years. He has started ksher sutra process from last one and half month. Doctor is very skilled and he is changing thread every week. We also did lots of research and finally became confident for this process as occurence is negligible. Can any of you plz inform me about the duration?? Because discharge is still going on through the thread.Unlike earlier weeks now he is also experiencing blood discharge appart from puse cells. Doctors is not confirming anything regarding duration as the whole thing depends upon patient. I am worried because he is 65 years old. Last week he got fever nd now he is suffering from urine infection. Can you please write comment in this regard???
Mamata sankar chakraborty - August 12, 2016 at 5:20 pm
Hi!
I had fistulotomy and it got fixed in 6 weeks. After 3 weeks, I had another abscess developed and it was another minor operation. During the six weeks, I had daily change of pads with assistance from a nurse.
After operation/kshar sutra / bio plug and any other invasive procedures, if there pus, means there is still minor leaks in anal channel due to which body is generating pus by fighting against bacterias from anal channel.
chirag007mehta - August 14, 2016 at 11:51 pm
HI NISHANT R U STILL OUT OF PAIN R U FOLLOWING ANY ANTIBIOTICS OR STILL CONTINUIING STRICT HIGH FIBRE DIET
ankit - January 29, 2018 at 11:16 pm
Eight years with my fistula three operations still really bad at times..what is this treatment you are talking about and how do I make contact kind regards thank you
Paul Valentine - November 5, 2022 at 5:23 am
Hi My name is Ivan see a lot of people asking about this fistula I Ben suffering with it for 12 years and got worst oft the past 4 years I had lots of surgeries and hyperbaric treatments that closed it but when i stop going week later it blow open and got worse pain levels is true the Ruffe .
Ivan - October 2, 2013 at 7:34 am |
hi i recently had a fistula surgery it was about 2 almost 3 months ago but i still have such heavy discharge is that normal? i do now see some pink blood in it but still alot of the icky green, is this normal or should i be worried? doctor visits said she cant tell and she just has me keep coming in and last time i went she almost killed me with some cream to dry and help dry it out (literally almost killed me after the pain came a death allergic reaction was rushed to ER after i fainted and went into convulsions) so i been trying to let it dry out on its own now but am worried it may need to go for more surgery, really nothing online tells me if this constant fluid is normal or how long it normal takes to heal.
wolfy - March 5, 2014 at 5:42 pm |
It’s normal because you’re full of inflammation. You have to let it do it’s thing by draining.
Craig - March 7, 2014 at 12:33 pm
It’s not the seton, it’s my second surgery the flap, my doctor sai I should be drying up by now at least a little, fluids should not be increasing and she went to try some gel to help dry me, and it ended up in me passing out body turning blue and red with bumps on every crevis, and having convulsions while they tried medicating me in the er, and after that day it is now about two weeks and it is not risen like a pimple and oozing more then it ever had before and it’s no longer a smooth fluid it’s more of a chunk and now dark red blood is coming, and where the incursion site was by my sphincter it is very puffy and if I push on it green oozes from the hole on te side
Wolfy - March 8, 2014 at 5:02 am
How did u go Wolfy as I’m three weeks post surgery for flap advancement and still have consistant drainage? Everything else seems to be going well just not sure if this should still be draining this much?
Cheers
Kyle
Kyle - November 21, 2014 at 3:35 pm
Hi everyone, I’ve had fistula’s for almost 5 years now and I’m wanting to see if anyone had any tips for managing it at work as I often suffer from chronic infections? How do you keep it clean when you’re on the go? Would appreciate any tips of links to help with this 🙂
Emma Clarke - March 1, 2017 at 10:33 pm |
HI Emma
I had suffered terrible a couple of years back with a constant infected fistula after 3 ops and a complete change of diet I am now totally cured thank God!! But to help with it at work I always had water wipes to hand and I found Sudocream a life saver , it protected the area from getting worse , every evening I would literally hose it down in the shower.. keep it dry at all times if poss.. hope this helps..
Bernice - May 2, 2017 at 9:00 pm
I am 65 years old and a retired teacher from Visakhapatnam city along the east coast of India. Reading peoples’ suffering from anal fistula reminds me of the worst experience I had for three long years with the same problem. Thankfully, I could get rid of it now through the Indian traditional Ayurveda technique – Kshara Sutra treatment. Before I found out this ancient ayurvedic method which unfortunately is not so popular even in India, I had undergone fistulectomy done by an allopathic surgeon in a private hospital, but the fistula recurred even before the surgical wound healed.
I want to share my experience with a hope that it may be helpful to others to come out their agony.
So after the fistulectomy failed I could not dare to through the same procedure for a second time although the surgeon suggested it.
I even visited a super specialty anorectal facility in San Francisco, USA during my visit there in late 2014 but was only advised for surgery again.
Later, I found out about the Ayurvedic Hospital attached to the post graduate department of Ayurveda at Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi (1200 km from my hometown) where Kshara Sutra procedure is done to cure the fistula. It is a public hospital and the treatment is free for all. I went there in September 2016 and got the procedure done with simple local anesthesia by Dr. Shivji Gupta. He told me that the medicated thread (Kshara sutra is a thread, which is coated with ayurvedic medicines) has to be changed with a new one at weekly intervals. Since my sphincter muscle was already damaged a bit due to the fistulectomy, he wished to proceed cautiously to prevent further damage to my sphincter to avoid possible incontinence. I stayed there for five weeks for the Kshara Sutra change. I requested Dr. Shivji Gupta to suggest some ayurvedic doctor who can do the same procedure (weekly Kshara Sutra changes) for me nearer to my home town because I couldn’t stay at Varanasi for so long doing nothing except for a five-minute procedure of Kshara Sutra change every week. Then he suggested to me an old student of the same university and an Ayurveda surgeon in District Government Hospital at Rajahmundry (now renamed as Rajamahendravaram) about 200 km south of Visakhapatnam. She is Dr. K. Vijaya Kumari, a very kind surgeon with deft hands. I visited her every Wednesday for 15 weeks, traveling by car starting at home early morning. She told me the same point that she wants to deal with my case very patiently to avoid damage to my sphincter.
Dr. Vijaya Kumari has never administered any anesthesia during the weekly thread changing procedure. She did the procedure with such deft hands, I never experienced any serious pain except some minor pricking pain. Each time, immediately after the 5-minute procedure, I used to travel back to Visakhapatnam by car to reach home by evening. On 8 March 2017, within two minuted after I laid on the surgical table, she declared that my fistula was gone and I need not come back to the hospital again.
It is three months hence. Now I am free from that nasty Fistula which to a greater extent curtailed my life!!
I had to pay a substantial amount of money besides undergoing pain and agony for my fistulectomy surgery, which was quite useless. Allopathy seems to have no answer to this kind of diseases.
The modest Ayurvedic surgeons, Dr. Shivji Guptha at Banaras Hindu University Hospital, Varanasi, and Dr. K. Vijaya Kumari at the small but very tidy District Government Hospital, Rajahmundry, established and funded by the State Government of Andhra Pradesh have the perfect solution to fistula through Kshara Sutra.
I wish to thank both these young and helpful Ayurvedic doctors for giving me my normal healthy life back!!
I feel anyone suffering from this kind of fistula, should seriourly avoid surgical procedures such as fistulectomy and think of Kshara Sutra.
K NAGESWARA RAO - June 13, 2017 at 1:06 am
I have found the perfect water squeeze bottle to spray onto the seton opening for cleaning. It is the nasal flush bottle. It is small enough and round to get it lowered into the toilet bowl without your hand hitting the bowl water. It is amazing and works.
texasponygirl - October 30, 2020 at 8:43 pm
I put sudafed in the hole when bad it eases it for a while drs say will sort urgently within a year ? They call that urgent
Paul Valentine - November 5, 2022 at 5:26 am
Hello, I went for Fistula surgery last October 2018, however the symptoms continued for about 8 month after the surgery, until by a coincidence I started taking magnesium citrate once or twice a week for about 6 weeks…you can find it in any pharmacy.
you take it when you are ready to go to bed at night time, it”s super effective this way.
it will not make you to get up go to the bathroom…the effect will start after you get up in the morning.
for me was the cure of the Fistula, after almost a year going back and forward from the Doctor” office.
I thought I was going to have to learn how to live with a Fistula the rest of my life.
dxrodriguez813 - October 16, 2019 at 2:10 pm |
Is there any ointment for external application for fistula for healing?
Pratik Sengupta - July 20, 2020 at 12:26 am |
I do not know if this site is still active but, am taking a chance. I have a colovaginal fistula. I have had diverticulitis twice and this has no appeared. The surgeon does not even want to do the sigmoid resection which would also include repairing the fistual which goes from my colon to the left side of my vaginal cuff. Have you ever heard of ingesting wild mediterranean oregano oil to heal fistulas>
Cheryl - June 26, 2022 at 8:31 am |
hi i had anal fistula for over a year, i didn’t have any pain but was discharging. i had surgery 4 days ago and inserted seton but the doctor said it will come of it self. did it happened to anyone yet?
mina - April 15, 2012 at 5:25 am |
Hi Meg, I hope the procedure you have done in April works for you , the seton i have in place is in a complete loop , thro the anus thro the buttock so it cant come out, however i deed have one simply placed into the fistular, this could easily have fell out, remember to take some painkiller before your op to relax you, best of luck, by the way one of my Doctors at the local practise is off to Perth with his wife and 4 children, Lucky people, Paddy
Paddy Eades - March 6, 2013 at 10:31 pm |
Hi, what a great site.. I’m in the uk and I had my ‘lay open’ op on fistula 3 weeks ago 16th April! My fistula was due to a botched haemariodectomy that I’d had done 2 years ago which left me suffering with abssesses every 2 weeks and shed loads of antibiotics! That op had to be one of the most painful times of my life and I’ve had 2 kids! The pain was due to excruciating bowel movements. So for this op I was well prepared with boxes of Laxido ( Stool softeners)! My surgeon instructed that after fistula op I was to have my wound packed daily by district nurses! I had a different nurse most days and each one had ‘their’ way of treating it , some like to pack whilst others don’t. Long story short one nurse said that after just 3 days it was almost healed to surface so didn’t pack it, but the pain inside was still really bad. I have been paranoid with keeping it clean too so I have had umpteen shower’s, and baths, a day. A really great help is that I was prescribed ‘Irriclens’ a sodium chloride aerosol solution..a godsend..specially when caught short out and about!!! After 10 days I was then referred to practice nurse who examined me and she actually used a probe to measure my wound and the ‘tracking’ was still an inch long and still discharging, as she said the surgeon had instructed it to be packed and they should follow HIS instructions! Other surgeons have different instructions for ‘packing’ some ‘do and some ‘don’t’ So…I have been going to the practice nurse daily for the past week and have to go next week too., not sure beyond that yet but already it feels better!
Sian - May 6, 2013 at 10:10 am
Well fingers are crossed my fistual will calm down. Last Thursday I had a seton placed going from anal glads to the area between the rectom/vaginal . My crs said I have a T fistual with a small area to the vaginal side but she could not find the full track. So she did not put the seton fully fom the rectom to vagina. Now it’s just a waiting game. If things stay decrease pain and the area on the vagina side stays calm then ill be able to start a family with the seton in place….so fingers are crossed I am not up for another major surgury.
Rachel - May 6, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Rachel– you said if things stay calm you’ll be able to start a family ‘ with the seton in place ‘ ..does that mean you were told you could have a natural birth with a fistula (seton in)? I’m hoping to start a family soon too but worried doctors will tell me I won’t be able to have a natural birth : /
Jendel - May 7, 2013 at 5:10 am
Jendel they said as long as they are pretty sure I will not need another surgury (anasithia) then they will support my desion to become pregnant and should have no problems carrying to full term. However for the delivery it would have to be a c-section. However even if the flap surgury had worked both my obgyn and crs had said a c-section would be best at this point. Once you have a vaginal/rectal fistural a c-section is best. After having so many surguryies this year a c-section sounds easy 🙂
Rachel - May 7, 2013 at 8:34 am
Hi Rachel, I had several fistula surgeries, and eventually had a successful advancement flap surgery. I then got pregnant and was told by my surgeon that I had to have a c section. I had a c section 11 weeks ago and it was a WALK IN THE PARK compared to fistula surgeries – trust me!! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - May 7, 2013 at 10:53 am
Hi Jendel, I wouldn’t even attempt a natural birth, with all the pressure you could risk making your fistula problems so much worse. I was pregnant and told I had to have a c section by my surgeons. I had a c section 11 weeks ago and it was nothing, so easy! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - May 7, 2013 at 10:55 am
Hi, all, yes a open wound should always be packed daily, so the area heals from the inside to the surface, this can be painful, any nurse worth his/her salt would know you have to probe everyday, infection can easily take a hold, at the moment my Seton has been in since March !st, its really painful even when i take painkillers, seeing Consultant on June 3rd, if i can wait that long, i must say this time i am finding this pain hard to cope with, so i feel for all you out there in the same situation, i think i might have a double before bed tonight, Regards Paddy.
Paddy Eades - May 6, 2013 at 10:53 pm
Has anyone ever had a bowel to bowel fistula, and if so, can you please give me all the information you have by contacting me directly at douglaspjk@yahoo.com.
Thanks!
Douglas - May 13, 2012 at 3:20 pm |
Just had surgery for a fistula beginning of May…. My doctor misdiagnosed as a muscle strain. I had never had a fistula before nor had I ever heard of it. All I know is one morning I was awakened by extreme pain, I sat in awkward positions and it literally felt like a heavy weight attached to a string that would bounce inside of me as I walked or exercised. I had no Idea what was wrong, I thought I had a sudden onset of hemorrhoids. I took warm baths to relax and it helped but the pain would return and other strange things started to happen. I had very little control over bowel movements and because of the infection I began to feel very run down…keep in mind this was something that was going on for almost 6 months..until I managed to see a specialist who had me go into the hospital immediately as he feared I may have been suffering from sepsis.
The surgery was a success however it was the most painful thing I had ever experienced. After surgery I had to have 3 shots of Morphine and 2 percoset just to take the edge off.
A word of advice, try to avoid the narcotic pain killers if you can. They will make you constipated…trust me you will NOT enjoy a bowel movement with that problem after the surgery.
Get yourself some prunes (Sunmaid) are very good. Keep your stools soft for at least 2 weeks, avoid laxatives , you want a smooth move. And besides, prunes or prune juice is good for you.
And a bit of dark humor…. the first time i had a bowel movement which was about 2 days after the surgery….it feel like a breech birth of a porcupine……that was on fire….yup…..ouch.
Get preparation H medicated wipes or something similar to clean yourself after a bowel movement if you are not able to bathe afterward.
But do take warm baths (make sure the tub is clean) sit back and relax, put some music on. Its been 18 days since my surgery. Very little drainage, no need for a surgical pad at all, back to working out and riding my motorcycle… energy level is almost 100%. I am feeling good
best wishes to everyone
52 yrs old male retired and back to enjoying things again.
RER - May 26, 2012 at 4:01 am |
hi rer…what was the surgery about…a seton treatment or
a fistulotomy?
vinayak samant - December 27, 2013 at 6:09 am |
OMG, the way you described your first bowel movement post operation made me laugh and cringe at the same time…it sounds really painful. I just had my surgery 3 days ago, and so far, I haven’t felt any pain yet…when I found out that I had to undergo fistulectomy, I prepared myself for the surgery. I stopped eating meat 2 weeks before my surgery, and started eating pineapple and green leafy veggies everyday. Right now, I make sure my diet is packed with fiber, and I eat a lot of healthy food, and I only eat fish. Banana, pineapple, pineapple juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice is a staple in my diet. My stool goes down smooth and easy. I’m going to try eating prunes too, thanks for the tip.
cairene06 - March 13, 2014 at 6:09 am |
Was it superficial fistula or fistula affecting muscle. What type of fistulotomy you had. I am going to have a surgery for superficial fistula next week. Very scared. Anything you can advise are appreciated. Thx!
paula lee - July 28, 2023 at 1:19 am |
My name is Brandy and I’m 37 yrs old.This is my third anal fistula surgery.I’m trying to recover from my surgery I had 5 wks ago.I was cut on both sides and have a senton placed in the middle.Saw my Dr two days ago and said everything looked great.The problem is I’m in sooo much pain on the right side.I wander if my senton could be hurting me.Please help?
Brandy - June 16, 2012 at 6:11 pm |
Normally the seton should not hurt you. It allow the puss to continue to drain. Maybe there is some infection going on again. Does it feel like another infection? If so, see the doc and have him give your more antibiotics. In the mean time make sure that if you have Crohns, you are eating right. You want to eliminate all diarrhea because that would mean more inflammation and may be slowing the healing process. Try the SCDiet if you can that has helped a lot of people and it helped my fistula heal. Good luck and I hope and pray you heal soon.
Roxie - June 18, 2012 at 11:30 am |
Did you have a fistulectomy & completely heal from it?
Mlayne - September 5, 2014 at 10:22 am
I had a similar problem and had my nurse take a swob sample. It showed I had a really bad infection and the doc gave me the correct antibiotics and ibuprofen. I feel great 2 weeks later
Matai - June 29, 2012 at 9:19 pm |
Hi Matai, make sure you get a second opinion from a specialist – like a Colorectal Surgeon. The first 3 doctors I went to gave me antibiotics and pain killers as well…. all they do is ‘mask’ the problem, and you’ll feel good again for a couple of weeks…. but if there is a fistula or abscess in there, things can get a lot worse after antibiotics. So please get a second opinion from someone who is an expert in that field.
fistulasupportonline - July 6, 2012 at 2:28 pm
Last year I had a seton put in. I had so much pain there was no inflammation. The seton felt like there was a tree limb stuck up my butt. After a week or two it felt like just a twig and then I didn’t feel it at all. It will pass.
Harriet - July 7, 2012 at 4:35 am |
My flap surgery did not heal so now I need to have the fistulomecty surgery. My but really hurts could I have anothet fistula or is the pain from the flap surgery not being healed?
Harriet - July 3, 2012 at 6:30 pm |
Hi Harriet, I’m really sorry to hear your flap surgery didn’t work. The pain is probably the flap not working, it’s probably the same fistula that’s hurting. Are they sending you for an MRI? When are you having your fistulomecty? I hope you’re coping with the pain ok!!
fistulasupportonline - July 6, 2012 at 2:24 pm |
Dr just said he was going to do the fistulometry. I am back on Flagyl and Cipro.
Harriet - July 7, 2012 at 4:38 am
I just got diagnosed with a peri rectal fistula and I’m not sure if I want to have surgery because of the risks, and the chances that it can resurface. Can it be harmful to my health if I leave untreated?
jessenia - August 14, 2012 at 2:40 pm |
Leaving anything untreated is harmful to your health. And the sooner you get these things sorted, the easier they are to fix. I didn’t think that not having surgery was an option? It’s up go you, but from what I know, fistulas don’t go away on their own, they cause problems, get infected, can affect the health of your entire body etc etc. Leaving fistulas to ‘fester’ away can be a really bad idea and mean you have a much longer recovery. Depends on how deep your fistula is as well. What surgery options have they given you?? Have they said that you will need a seton placement? Or are they going to lay it open? Good luck! Make sure you ask your surgeon loads of questions and get all the information you need to make the right decision!! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - August 15, 2012 at 9:50 am |
Hi jessenia,pls search for Kshar sutra ayurvedic treatment on internet and go for it.Surgeries create complications which are never ending.Dont go for any surgery.Just go for kshar sutra as its the only thing that works.
Nishant - May 17, 2013 at 4:27 pm |
Jessenia could you please advise if this treatment is available in sydney australia?
JM - August 9, 2013 at 12:40 am
Hi, first off thanks for setting this up!
I’m currently undergoing treatment (UK) for a fistula in ano and had my first seton inserted one week ago. After the procedure I was asked by the surgeon whether I’d like some info on a clinical trial taking place over here of something called a Fistula Plug – has anyone any experience of this method? It claims to be a much less invasive treatment than the usual cutting seton and advancement flap methods and carries a far lower risk of sphincter damage. The downside is that it’s pretty expensive and, as it’s fairly new, hasn’t had the long term results that these other procedures have chalked up.
At first I was pretty interested in joining the clinical trial as the thought of possible incontinence from fistula surgery scares the…whatever out of me, but I’ve since been told I would be the first person in my region to meet the requirements for the trial. Now, is that good or bad?
Matt - August 19, 2012 at 7:28 am |
Hi Matt… gosh you have a tough decision to make there! I would go and get 2 or 3 more opinions. The plug is a treatment that has been used for a while, there are a few people on this site who have had the plug surgery. I had the flap surgery, which has also been around for a while. You need to get as much information on this as possible before you make a decision – talk to a few different expert surgeons, and ask loads of questions. It’s up to you at the end of the day. Because this is all new to you, and you’ve only had a seton for a week, I really think you need to build up your knowledge of fistulas and the different treatments and surgeries out there, before you decide to do a clinical trial. You say it’s pretty expensive – but surely, if you’re taking part in a trial – they would pay for it??
Personally, I wouldn’t do it, as I would be worried about messing around with something that isn’t properly researched. The problem with fistula surgery is that, quite often, you only get one shot at it. For example, Flap surgery – they can only do it properly once, they can try it a second time if it fails, but that has an even lower chance of success (20%). So don’t mess around with something you may only get one shot at fixing. I’d be making some appointments with a couple of other expert colorectal surgeons if I were you!! Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do 🙂
fistulasupportonline - August 20, 2012 at 9:52 am |
That’s great advice and pretty much confirms my own thoughts on this – thanks alot 🙂
You’re right about the plug treatment costs being covered by the trial, the point I was trying to make is that as it is expensive it’s not available as an option yet on the NHS over here – which seems a shame to me. The other issue with the trial is that even if I choose to take part there’s no guarantee that I’ll get the plug as it’s supposed to be a random selection. As you suggest – more information is needed, it’s tempting to rush (or be rushed) into a decision after finally getting confirmation of the fistula (I’ve had a recurrent perianal abscess since 2004).
Thanks again.
Matt - August 20, 2012 at 8:56 pm
Update: Just over 3 weeks into my first seton and I’m pretty much pain free apart from the occasional dull, nagging feeling up my bum. The drain seems to be working okay although I noticed fresh blood recently after a busy afternoon catching up on gardening duties. I’m slowly getting back to work (from home) and managing to keep the area clean with wipes and lots of showers. If I’m honest, I’d happily keep the seton in rather than go through fistula surgery.
Matt - September 3, 2012 at 9:07 pm
Update Nov 12
I decided to sign up for the FIAT (Fistula in ano trial) taking place over here and am due for surgery in a couple of weeks. It’s a randomised study and will either be the fistula plug or what they call “surgeons preference” which in my case is likely to be a cutting seton. I certainly never thought I’d be asking Santa for a butt plug for christmas!
I’ll update again in December for anyone interested.
Matt - November 27, 2012 at 12:02 am
Hi Matt,
I am undergoing treatment for a fistula too in the UK. Can you share the name of your surgeon? I am looking to get a few advice from a few surgeon before any surgery. Also, hope you are doing better and your seton is working well to take you to recover.
Codez - November 18, 2012 at 12:56 am |
Hi Matt
I was wondering if your ops was successful, I was on the Fiat 500 program and had the plug surgery but was unsuccessful, I’m based in Uk and I was the first patient to have that surgery in that hospital, how did it go for you?
I have been suffering from fistula for 10 years now and had a number of surgery all was unsuccessful I did lose all hope and thought I will have to live with this condition for the rest of my life, however their was light at the end of the tunnel I was recommended by mum to try homeopath, so I did I had nothing to loose it’s been 3 months now and I’m abcess free no more pain no more blood, discharge ,infection etc my opening has completely closed I feel normal again after a very long time so please for those who have tried different types of surgery and want to avoid further surgery try homeopath it has worked for me in like 3 months, if you need any advice please feel free to message me I would love to help I know and understand how a fistula can take over your life.
For all you guys i pray your cured from this disease. Don’t give up have hope.
Faz - November 29, 2014 at 8:53 am
Hi can you please let me know of the step by step homeopathic things you did to heal your fistula. I too have had one for over 10 years.
Thank you
Keeni - November 29, 2014 at 6:11 pm
Hi keeni
I was given Nitric acid which I have to mix one cap full into 2 litres of Evian water had to be that brand, and each month the nitric acid dose goes up , I had to drink that water only so with my meals any time I was thirsty I would drink that water, I had to change my diet completely cut out red meat, chicken I was on a high fibre diet and eat lots of fruit veg and fish , drink lots of water also I was given a cream to apply on the actual opening but I don’t know the name I will find out for you.
From what I understand with homeopathic you don’t get the same remedy even if it’s the same problem it all depends on your character personality they will give you a remedy that will best suit you, hope this helps. And one advice I will give you is look for a very experienced homeopath
faz81 - November 30, 2014 at 3:42 am
Thank you so much Faz81.
I am soooo happy you are healed.
I will try the things you have suggested.
Yes see if you can get the name of that cream.
cheers Keenie ☺☺☺
Keeni - December 1, 2014 at 12:49 am
I am Scheduled for a seton or fistula plug surgery for tuesday 8/21/2012, I am very scared! and my main concern is incontinence after surgery. I went through 2 incision and drainage 5 months ago, but it felt like it never really drained completely. The pain never really went away, Im not hurting all the time, about twice a week, and the pain is not as bad as it use to be. What should i expect after surgery?
mimi - August 20, 2012 at 2:15 pm |
Placement of a Seton was not so bad for me, but isn’t a plug a lot more intrusive? There is a big difference. You should tell your CSR what you want. I think placement of the seton is good because it can give time to heal before invasive surgery. I never had to have surgery because the SCDiet (and lots of prayer) helped me heal. Thank you God! I did not have to go through any serious surgery. What do you want? Can’t you tell the doctor? I also had a silk seton and it was thin. I think is also better than rubber. Ask your CSR.
Roxie - August 20, 2012 at 6:10 pm |
Hi Roxie, it is so good to hear that someone had a fistula that healed without surgery. How long did it take? Did the seton come out on its own after it drained? What is a CSR? a surgeon? I just got diagnosed with Celiac Disease and started the SCDiet and really want to see if that heals my fistula that has been draining for 4 months. Thanks so much. Liz
Liz - October 14, 2012 at 5:23 am
Hi Roxie, how are you? Still healed and healthy? I have just added a new page to this website called – Success Stories. I wonder if you could please write a brief comment on that page about how you’ve healed? I thought we needed to add some positive stories, rather than just all doom and gloom 🙂 Cheers!
fistulasupportonline - March 14, 2013 at 4:42 pm
Well I just got back from the doctor. I had a seton inserted in April of this year. This was my second visit. I still have green nasty puss coming out of my seton so I was prepared for te doc to tell me that it wasn’t time for the seron to come out yet. What I wasnt expecting was for him to tell me that I need to have another surgery. Disappointed to say the least. I guess when you have one seton having another doesn’t really make a difference. I have crohns as I am sure I’ve told u all before. There r no signs of chrones or irritation of any kind inside my arse. That’s good I guess. Two things have to happen my doc says for the setons to come out. I have to have no chrones signs internally and I have to no signs of infection. Iike puss. I still have that. The doc thinks I have a second fisstula or the fisstula I have has found a second way of draining from my body. Pretty bummed. Trying to stay positive and focus on getting healthy even through this set back. I treated myself to some Yummy Vegan Thai food to cheer me up. Thanks all of u fellow bum sufferers. I’m glad I have u to talk to- Carol.
Carol - August 21, 2012 at 12:33 pm |
Hello…had a second seton placement on Feb11 2014..thought I was goin in for my follow up care so I could return to work, had been out for 4weeks..all started with an abscess that I thought were hemorrhoids.I’ve been thru 4 surgeries already…would like another alternative like something natural…believing God for healing..hopefully believing this will be last surgery when seton removed
Ashanti Rose - March 18, 2014 at 3:27 pm |
Hi Ashanti try homeopath it worked on me
Faz - November 29, 2014 at 5:46 am
Hi,
Go in for my first seton ring in september. I have had a complex fistula for about a year now. Doctor says the seton ring will help keep it under control as he does not want to remove it. I here alot of painful stories surrounding these seton rings… I can’t emagine dealing with that daily pain as my fistula does not really cause alot of pain right now. I am getting mine done by freezing of the spine as my doctor says he does not like putting anyone under anasthetic… I am so terrified of getting the needle in my back aswell as being away while they insert this ring. Can anyone tell me what the spinal freezing is like? Has anyone had this surgery without being put under?
Annette - August 25, 2012 at 7:07 am |
Hi all, Going into week 5 post flap surgery. Noticing a bit of discomfort when having a BM. Bit of blood/spotting also which I’m sure is normal but still disconcerting. Slight pain still but nothing too bad… Hmmm. Checkup with CRS on 7th sept will tell me if we have flap success or whether it is back to square one. I can honestly say that I would go through any pain just to be done with all this… I’m sick of wearing pads on my ass… Having to take so much care and plan ahead for the most simple things… Ah well.
Could be worse I guess…
Hope you are all ok out there in fistula land.
M
Sorebum - August 26, 2012 at 9:28 pm |
Hi sore bum was wondering if you could tell me how you know if the flap sugery has worked?
Linda - January 24, 2013 at 12:29 am |
Hi, this site is a great resource!
Just curious if anyone has had the LIFT technique and if it was successful?
I had my LIFT procedure last week for a complex fistula (two tracts – one transphincteric and an intersphicteric horse shoe extension) last week. I have minimal pain, but some drainage.
I am playing the waiting game to see if the operation worked. I am seeing my CRS next week so fingers crossed – otherwise it is probably back to setons 1 & 2.
Good luck to everyone in fistula land.
CJ - September 1, 2012 at 1:11 pm |
Hi. I am three weeks post op from the LIFT procedure and am still experiencing some drainage especially after a BM, along with a lot of soreness. I have my follow up with the CRS in 9 days for the post op visit (I couldn’t get in for the 10-14 day visit due to the holidays). The incision on my bottom is healing well. I’m wondering how you’re doing nearly 4 months post op. When did the drainage end? And the soreness? And did it heal the fistula? Thank you.
DB - December 25, 2012 at 6:33 am |
I was wondering how your were doing after your lift surgery. My son has a complex anal fistula from Crohns. Would love to hear from you.
Julie - January 2, 2013 at 3:06 pm |
Hi all . Day one with a non-cutting vessel loop Silastic seton ( copied that off of surgeons email). Like some people here, I knew little to nothing about what this procedure is, how long the seton stays in or what it was supposed to accomplish. Had a rectal abscess drained 4 months ago ( by far the most pain I’ve ever encountered ) Have had constant drainage…little to no pain but had spasms in anus just before BM or passing gas. My surgeon recommended and performed the above procedure with a very vague explanation as to what it was or what to expect. Although I had asked him on several occasions ( the man is brilliant, so his overly intelligent explanations made little sense…but I trusted him…his reputation is impeccable )
All of your letters have helped me understand what this is all about…I only wish that I had found this site before my procedure.
Imagine my surprise last night when I had a look down yonder with a mirror and saw what looked like a shoe lace looped through my butt and out the old scar from the abscess drain.
I can hardly wait for my first BM…sounds like this is going to be a real treat ( sarcasm ). I can thank all of you as to what to expect. Obviously cleanliness is paramount.
Have an oppointment with him in a month so he can reassess. He has stated ” that if there is any question of the tract being deep in relation to the external sphincter, then MRI or Endorectal ultrasound will be done.” He’ll refer me to a ” Colerectal surgeon for consideration of flap closure of the fistula or a seton plug or the “LIFT” procedeure.”
From reading previous letters, I’m not so sure what to make of some of these recommendations. Haven’t read anything about the LIFT procedure.
Hopefully, someone here can enlighten me.
Thank god for this site and all of you.
z28jake - September 2, 2012 at 6:22 am |
What is SCDiet ?
Augustine - September 11, 2012 at 9:00 pm |
See the link in the upper right corner, under Pages.
Liz - October 15, 2012 at 9:44 am
hi all,
i had had fistula operation on 22 may, it been now almost 4 months. presently, i am having constipation problem for more than two weeks although i take diet balance food. when in bowel moment, the first part of stool is quite hard (block) to the rest. the practice becomes habitual action. it is quite painful and the pain continues after bowel moment. my concern is that is it related to fistula ? can anyone share experience please… am really scare for this..
thanks a lot
jas - September 12, 2012 at 3:46 pm |
Hi, have you tried increasing your fiber and any stool softener? Ideally, you don’t want to be pushing. Also if you’re taking any pain medications it will make things worse.
Dan - September 20, 2012 at 8:45 am |
I have had success with metamucil fiber with water — it produces soft moist stool, and moves everything along. Maybe try 1/2 dose a day, as you don’t want to add too much bulk. But definitely drink lots of water with it or it will cause the opposite effect.
Liz - October 15, 2012 at 9:38 am |
hi jas I had the fistula operation same thing but with mucus traces on the stool, i changed my diet to raw fibres, ate prunes stayed off bulky foods and “wintered it out”, it will get better it just takes a lot of time and yes it is painful, like giving birth to a broken bottle but then considering the sensitivity of the area its no wonder. good luck and drink plenty of water
B - November 15, 2012 at 8:41 pm |
Hi Everyone,
I had my 5th or 6th (lost count!) perirectal abscess drained two weeks ago and have a pezzer (mushroom) catheter in for drainage. I’m concerned about the removal of it. Obviously, it is a sensitive area and is very painful. It is my understanding that they don’t numb the area at all. There are no sutures holding it in place and I’ve noticed as the wound heals, the catheter gets pushed out more and more.
Anyone have experience with this? How painful is it going to be when removed? Last time I had my packing removed (the last abscess) I almost passed out and felt like vomiting all over the pain was so bad. They
Dan - September 19, 2012 at 8:17 am |
Hi, I love this site. Thank you! I went back to colorectal surgeon on Aug 7th for a fistulotomy but when Dr looked he said the flap surgery had healed. I had the flap surgery done in Feb and Dr said after I went back for my checkup it had not healed. So between Feb and Aug it healed. The problem is I still have pain in my butt. It went away for awhile now it has come back. Colorectal surgeon wanted my gastro Dr. to put me on remicade. Gastro Dr is reluctant because he is not sure if I have Crohns or not. Results from colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy not conclusive. I am afraid to take Remicaid if I don’t need it. My arthritis Dr. said I have Crohns arthritis. I just want this butt pain to heal. I don’t have any drainage. Just pain, but the pain is not bad like when I had the abcess. Does anyone have any pain like this after having flap surgery. This is going on 7 months now.
Harriet - September 23, 2012 at 1:46 pm |
I should also mention I had a seton put in last year in July. Kept that in until flap surgery in Feb. Also seton hurt at first for a couple weeks but I think that’s because your body had to get use to it. After awhile I didn’t feel it. Just a trip when you have a BM because you can’t just wipe like you did before. Otherwise no problem.
Harriet - September 23, 2012 at 1:52 pm |
i would like to say having fistulas make life difficult for some.i had a perianal abcess in 2010 that burst causing necrosis,sepsis and 2 fistulas.i was lucky to survive,but the end result been a loop illeostomy and seton drain that hav been in since this all happened hasnt been great.i hav to go under anesthetic every 10 weeks to hav perianal wound scraped and drains cleaned out as i still get discharge.it has affected my life greatly but im a positive person and try to do as much as i can.my heart goes out to anyone who has fistulas,beleive me i know what your going through.
mandy - October 3, 2012 at 4:59 pm |
Hi everyone, I’m so glad ive found this site and reading that there is others going through the same as me. End of may this year I developed a perianal abscess after 6 days of antibiotics and tremendous pain I ended up in eau and had my 1st incision and drainage. If only it was successful. The pain when I woke up from the anesthetic was unbearable( I’ve had 2 children too) I had morphine injections then morphine drip that I could press when the pain got really bad again. I went home the day after and was bed ridden for 3 days, I was constipated for 5 days and my 1st bm as u can imagine wasn’t pleasant or pain free. From then on I was in pain everyday taking strong pain killers that made me very spacey, which is not good being a mum of 10 month and 3 yr old. So another 2 weeks went on and still no better I ended up back in hospital and had a 2nd op this time I was told after waking up that the abscess had devolved into a fistula and that they had placed a seton in to help it heal and to help it drain. Again I was in a lot of pain afterwards but had hope that this would be the start of it healing.
But how wrong was I, after 5 weeks of pain and constant pain killers and changing dressing 2/3 time a day my colorectal specialist said he needed to operate again (3rd op in 3 months) they made incision in same place and drained it again and also widened the seton they said this would help it drain better. It’s now been 6 weeks I saw my specialist yesterday and he is not happy as I am not either, I still have to change dressing 2 times a day and still have pain daily. He said I have another access and that the only way it can drain is through the fistula tract. I have another operation this Monday so 4 ops since beginning of June. I just wish this would all be over I’m beginning to give up any hope that it will ever heal. I am going to ask if it can be laid open, I know there is risk of damaging spinzter muscle but surely that would know by now whether my fistula is near that muscle. I think I need to ask lots of questions? Should I push for something else to be done other then another incision and drainage and keeping a seton in place??
Thanks
Ashley - October 4, 2012 at 10:15 am |
I forgot to say I’m 26 years old, if this makes a difference to any procedures i could have done? Am awaiting biopsy results for chrons disease. MRI scan hasn’t been looked at by my specialist yet (3 weeks ago I had it) Once again really glad to come across this site and to read everybody else’s post I don’t know anyone that has this or has had this problem before, so this site is really helpful and gives me a little hope that I will be fistula free one day, it’s really dragging me down now 😦
Ashley - October 4, 2012 at 10:27 am |
Hi, I’ve been living with this fistula nightmare for approximately 2 years now. I’m 28,married and from Cape Town South Africa. I’m a chef by trade but my career’s been totally finished with this disease. Any physical activity causes me to have excruciating pain. I’ve had 4 surgeries in the last 2 years ranging from draining the abscess to the placing of setons. LET ME TELL YOU THIS: THERE’S NO ONE DOCTOR that can help you if you have a high perennial anal fistula as myself. I’m no doctor but the general feel I get from all the specialists whom have treated/examined me is that they’ll try this or try that and then “we take it from there”. Now I’m not one to be easily swayed but I believed them. Foolishly nothing changed, I’ve lost my job (due to many days off and general inability to be as quick and efficient as I used to in the kitchen), I now live with my parents again and my wife is going to leave me soon. And you might be thinking this guy’s exaggerating but I’ve tried every remedy under the sun to alleviate the pain so I can be a functional adult again but to no avail. I’m laying in my bed and contemplating suicide, its one thing having pain but another to lose your job and family as a result of this dreaded disease. Its the worse thing to have.
Clinton - October 10, 2012 at 3:34 am |
Dont say that clinton,no suicide ok.i know its really depressing as i ve gone through the same.well pls search about kshar sutra method which is an ayurvedic treatment.pls find about that as it offers cure.If its not in SA which i think it wont be then come to india and get ur life bck.
Nishant - May 17, 2013 at 4:37 pm |
Ksharsutra treatment available at sandeepni ayurvedic chikitsalyam, palampur
ayumed - October 5, 2013 at 9:05 pm
I’ve been without a doctor for 1 year. Treating this issue on my own with anti-inflammatories and pain killers. This is hard. So tired. Just laying in bed now feeling really down.
chasez15 - October 11, 2012 at 8:41 am |
I know how down you must feel, but you should be getting medical attention though. How many different specialists have you been to, to get a few different opinions? I would find a really good colorectal surgeon and get looked at again. Treating it on your own with drugs isn’t the best idea. The pain killers are only masking it, they’re not fixing or healing you. So if you haven’t seen a doctor for a year, then you don’t have a seton in place??
fistulasupportonline - October 11, 2012 at 9:50 am |
I had so many setons last year, from cutting seton (messed me up with unbearable pain), non-cutting, hell I even remember having a seton that’s as hard as an arm bangle cause apparently the hospital I was at didn’t have the rubber ones. I was in a sort of similar situation as you I guess because my medical aid at the time didn’t cover me for multiple colorectal surgeries (some technical mumbo excuse they used) and was promptly whisked away to the a public service hospital. I have no issues with the public health system here in Cape Town cause the best colorectal surgeon in town is a Professor who is treating patients in the private sector too. Anyway back to the reason why I didn’t go back, I see here people was placed on all sorts of antibiotics and pain killers but my surgeon the last time left me with a gaping wound in my buttock, cutting seton that hurt as hell and an infection that he said would go away with sitz bath using salt and gave me paracetomol. Needless to say I had a nightmare year. It seems all these doctors do is drain, scrape, place seton and send you home and this is repeated all the time because why? They can’t cut through my sphincter muscles as it would cause incontinence. Tired of this cycle I just ditched the whole system and is now at home. I have no faith in doctors treating this issue as I believe there’s no way they can treat this issue without damaging your sphincter. I hear and see reports on here about fibrin glue and plugs and advancement flaps but truth is these treatment options have little or no success rates. That’s what my surgeon told me, so they no longer do fibrin glue and advancement flaps are best for fistulas that are situated in the lower region of your rectum. This my only options are fistulectomy which is laying open of the tract but that will almost certainly cause damage. I’ve mulled with the idea to do this and deal with no pain for the first time in 2 years even if I have to wear I adult diaper for life. That’s how desperate I am. I just wanna walk back into my job as a chef and pretend this issue never existed but I can’t. I’m broke, living with me mum and I never thought that would happen at 28, the prime of my life. I might eventually go to the surgeon eventually but right now I’m not in a good space to do so. Thanks again for a magnificent platform you’ve created for us to share our pain, it really makes me feel better to share my story with all of you.
chasez15 - October 11, 2012 at 2:40 pm |
Lol on a lighter note though, the reason my wife left me is because we had ugly arguments about the usage of each other’s sanitary pads. She still begrudges me for the last pack of hers that I took. 🙂
chasez15 - October 11, 2012 at 2:47 pm |
That’s pretty funny….she clearly wasn’t very supportive then! Stuff her, pick yourself up and get yourself better, you’re only in your 20’s – plenty more fish in the sea 🙂
There’s a lot of puns and jokes around fistulas… good to try and see a lighter side of it, and make it your own, after all, at the moment, it’s part of you. And it’s definitely shaped who I am today!!
fistulasupportonline - October 12, 2012 at 10:23 am
Hi chasez15, I think you’ve been misinformed by your surgeon…. advancement flaps are used for high complicated fistulas – I had two of them, both running through my sphincter muscles. The reason that they leave setons in for so long, and change them every few months, is to get your bum to a point where the infection has died down, and things have ‘dried up’ and the tissue is healthy and ready for a ‘fixing’ operation, like the advancement flap or the plug or glue etc.
The tissue in my fistulas took a couple of years to settle down, for the infection to settle, for the fistulas to completely drain, and for the tissue to be healthy again and ready for an operation. During that time, I had 6 seton change surgeries.
I made myself the healthiest I could possibly be so that the tissue would be ready for my advancement flap surgery. It was such hard work, I really had to push myself and force myself to be as healthy as possible. And it worked. What I was putting into my body (nutrients, fresh air, vitamims etc) was healing the tissue – even though the fistulas stayed open obviously because the setons were there.
My advancement flap surgery had a 30 – 40% success rate – and it worked.
You can get fixed, you just need to fight for it, and don’t take no for an answer, and don’t lay down and give up!!
My surgeon said to me, that it could be a very long road, and that they may have to try several different methods, but that they would eventually fix me in the end.
You’re young. You have a better chance at healing than someone who is older, less fit etc. So do something about it 🙂 You’re never going to get into a good head space if you continue to let it get you down, take charge.
I’m sorry if I sound like I’m lecturing you, but I really think that at your age, you’re giving up too easily 🙂 There’s no reason why you couldn’t celebrate your 30th birthday fistula free – perhaps you should make that your goal! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - October 12, 2012 at 10:19 am |
Yeah you’re right, its exactly the kick up the you know what that I needed. This issue can be fixed. Its just a matter of the willingness to achieve that goal. Tell me, are you fistula free? How old are you? Male or female? How’d this issue impact you?
chasez15 - October 12, 2012 at 4:21 pm
Yes I’m fistula free now, my advancement flap surgery worked, and I was told I had very complex fistulas. They covered two over with the same advancement flap. Luck may have something to do with it, but I think it’s more to do with my determination to fight and get rid of it. You’ll get there in the end, you’ve just got to pull yourself together and get on with life, be strong 🙂
I’m female, and I’m 34 now. I was a bit of a party animal and travelled all over the world. The fistulas made me depressed, bed ridden, I lost my spark, I was feeling incredibly sorry for myself all the time. I didn’t have crohns and my surgeon told me it was just ‘bad luck’ that I had got them. I personally think it was more to do with not looking after myself for so long, and burning the candle at both ends. Fistulas ruined two relationships for me, and affected my career majorly. After a while of feeling sorry for myself and thinking ‘why me’ all the time…. I snapped myself out of it, and decided to get better. I gave up lots of things that I loved and became a picture of health. After a while, my surgeon examined me and said that the tissue in my fistulas looked the best it had looked, and that I was ready for the advancement flap. I’m now fine, and happy, I have a partner and we’re expecting a baby. I started this website to help other people see that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, you’re not dying of cancer thank god, it’s not a life threatening disease, it’s something you can hide if you really wanted to, and it’s something you can beat – you just need to fight, get really healthy and get the right advice – and that may mean going to 5 different colorectal surgeons until you find the right one. I went to 5 different colorectal specialists until i found one that gave me the correct information I needed, and was more experienced and knowledgeable than the others. I also felt I could trust him, and that’s very important too. I researched for hours to find him!
Start working on your ‘get better’ plan – those fistulas aren’t going to heal on their own, and lying around in bed feeling sorry for yourself and taking pain killers isn’t helping anyone 🙂
fistulasupportonline - October 13, 2012 at 10:05 am
Im 19 got diagnosed with crohns disease, and now i have a fistula, i understands really well how you feel.
Seb - April 30, 2014 at 10:47 pm |
Hi ..just want to ask..how are you now?? Did you undergo to other kind of treatment? Or any recommendation for treating fistula??
Im really worried about having a seton.. my surgeon want to do the surgery by puting seton..it will help me you think? Or never to do one of those thing??
al - August 20, 2014 at 11:14 pm |
I thought am the only oné with fistula, but i can see now uncountable. I had my fistuloctomy sugery on 17/01/2016 and it seems like it will be heal by God’s will. So never give up, have faith in God, everything will be alright oneday. Pray had and try to control your diet.
Maryam - February 3, 2016 at 3:42 am |
Aslaamu’Alaykum Maryam. How are you feeling now? Have you completely healed? I’ve had a fistula for over a year now & It’s very debilitating.
Adam - August 16, 2016 at 6:33 am
Wow, everything you said I could totally relate to. I think I need to muster up the courage and go see my surgeon again. You see, here in cape town my surgeon (who’s a professor) is considered the best colorectal surgeon in the country. Professor Goldberg is his name, old guy with stumpy fingers that he loves to use when examining you ( lol!). Anyway I think its more to do with me not having the patience to see the whole process through, not making the necessary lifestyle adjustments and feeling sorry for myself. And you’re right, this is not going to disappear. I was voted the top 3 most promising chefs by the culinary institute and that’s part of the reason I feel down. I see old mates and they’re the epitome of the perfect life and when it comes down to them talking about cookery and ultimately the feared question, “where are you working now?” That’s when it gets to me because I feel so frustrated, ashamed that I lost everything because without good health you’re nothing in a professional kitchen. I’m so passionate about my profession but know that by feeling sorry and being a recluse won’t help. Can you mail me info about the SC diet? I can’t seem to access it on the site.
chasez15 - October 13, 2012 at 6:33 pm |
I just want to say that this site is the first of its kind. Been looking for an interactive blog for sometime now. I love the fact that you’re still being there for other fistula sufferers even thought you’re completely healed. God bless you for this site.
chasez15 - October 13, 2012 at 6:43 pm |
Hi, saw an old patient who has the same issue. He told me that his surgeon told him to stay away from foods that causes the colon to work really hard. By this he meant high fiber foods must be avoided, dairy, alcohol, starchy foods and red meats which are harder to break down and all this can cause inflammation of the fistula and then the whole cycle with the fistula starts. I’m not sure how accurate it is but he told me that he has been better when omitting the above foods. Thought I’d share it with ya’ll.
chasez15 - October 16, 2012 at 5:32 pm |
Hi Chasez, yes that’s so true. I cut out red meat, dairy, gluten, yeast and alcohol, and it made a MASSIVE difference. Everything that you’re passing through your body will affect the healing process. I found that dairy in particular was irritating my bowels, and when I stopped eating it, the inflammation in my fistulas calmed down. Diet makes a huge difference. I lost weight and looked healthier as well!!! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - October 17, 2012 at 9:03 am |
I had a seton put in in july this year after a 5cm deep abscess burst in february this year. I still have puss draining – I guess this isn’t normal? I learnt the hard way – another abscess burst with seton in – that sitz baths are needed twice a day and i am not sure if the oregano oil is working. I find this quite depressing and wish the yellow puss would end but it is there everyday! Will it ever drain and dry up? My Dr didn’t investigate or ask if I have Crohns disease and i am trying to make changes to my diet. having a toddler and a newborn (june this year) makes it difficult.
cate - October 17, 2012 at 2:17 am |
Oh and I forgot to answer your question, yes the draining is normal. That’s the function of the seton to drain any fluids from the fistula tract so that it doesn’t clog up and become infected. This is imperative that the tract is healthy and infection free before and corrective surgery can be attempted. So the seton is normal and so is the draining. The draining will never stop whilst you have the seton in, that’s the unfortunate thing of a fistula. Some days it will be more and some days it will be less. My view on the matter is rather to have a wet bum than continuous pain and swelling as a result of fluid build up in that region. So don’t worry about the draining, just keep a healthy diet, have sitz baths regularly and follow your doctor’s advice.
chasez15 - October 17, 2012 at 4:01 pm |
hi i also forgot to ask about “swabs”. my dr took a swab recently when i got an abscess – with the seton in and said the results said there was nothing. what does that mean? surely with an infection a swab analysis would show something?
cate - November 1, 2012 at 1:05 pm
Hi Cate, they do the swab’s to check for infections, if you have an infection in your fistula, they’ll put you on a course of antibiotics. They must not have thought you needed it though. Which is a good thing 🙂
fistulasupportonline - November 1, 2012 at 2:05 pm
Hi I have just had another abscess burst – I hope out of the seton hole otherwise I have a new opening! Is there anything other than sitz baths? i have them regularly I also tried wild oregano oil (having a break from that) and I am on antibiotics. I was promised a 3 month waiting list for my next operation – that was over 3 months ago – but because i am a medicare patient I am not a priority! It’s very difficult with babies to cope with this. Can I use betadine or tea tree oil or something as a cream over the area? The seton is really quite uncomfortable and now with more pus and blood and stinging in the area it’s getting more difficult. is there a time limit to how long a seton can remain? I never had an abscess before and now they are occuring regularly. Why?
cate - November 25, 2012 at 8:21 pm
Hi
It looks like I have another abscess forming next to the seton – so does that mean another fistula? My Dr kept putting me off and off with the operation and now I have moved far from her area so I guess with the public system that will mean another year of waiting? What will happen if I have a seton and another fistula with an abscess in a different spot? I feel that the seton was a really bad thing for me from the start. I can’t have different antibiotics because I am breastfeeding and I can’t have an op because that might leave me incontinent. Do they put multiple setons in? at the moment I just have a lot of blood coming out – unusual I usually just have yellowish pus and quite a sore bottom that hurts when I break wind – the other side of the anus to where the seton comes out. I have been using wild oregano oil but now it just seems to be irritating the area and sitz baths don’t seem to be working as well as they did.
Please help – my next specialist appointment isn’t for another 3 weeks but i might be in hospital before then …
cate - January 30, 2013 at 7:39 pm
Hi Cate, the yellow discharge is as a result of the fistula tract running through the mucusal glands that’s responsible for the functioning of bowel movements. When it became infected the abscess drained through your skin and formed a secondary opening. Thus due to this abnormal connection you will find a mixture of pus(infection), blood(abscess) and yellow mucus from the gland. Sometimes some people have stools passing through there as well. I think its best that you write down a few questions you might have and go back to your doctor with them. If not satisfied then get a second opinion. I’ve been a year without a seton or doctor visits in the blind hope that this thing will disappear. After founding this site, it has re-invigorated my desire to fight this illness. I hope this helps.
chasez15 - October 17, 2012 at 3:54 pm |
thanks i wasn’t told that the yellow mucus is from a gland. does this mean it will never be dry and i shouldn’t worry? or is it like a bad cold with a thick snotty nose – eventually it should dry up? i am really worried about the next operation where they move the tract?? and try to make anotherone so that in a final operation the muscles of the anus won’t be damaged and less likely for incontinence??? i read that some people can dry up and the seton drops out with everything being ok without another operation. i would prefer this.
cate - October 19, 2012 at 11:06 am |
Hi cate, I also have a high complex fistula. I think your doctor is using a cutting seton that cuts through the fistula tract and that heals as is it goes? Well that’s the theory my doctor had. The cutting seton has some success. I won’t worry about the fluids. As long as you’re pain-free. That’s all that matters. Also speak to your doctor about your incontinence fears. I told the doctors at my clinic that they can try whatever surgery but that they not leave me with incontinence. So maybe you should do the same.
chasez15 - October 19, 2012 at 6:09 pm
I had a LIFT procedure done a week ago…just wondering if anybody else has had this done and the recovery time? How do you know if the procedure worked or not?
TB - October 18, 2012 at 5:19 am |
I am so happy to have found this sight, My mom 72 years old had colon cancer surgery, the doctors manage to get all the cancer but the day she was to be discharge from the hospital, after getting out of bed she felt a terrible pain the doctors told her that her colon rupture, they said this is call a fistular this is something new to my mother and myself she is now dealing with a open wound, where they went in to do the colon cancer surgery, and deeper into the wound is her colon this is where they said the fistular is, the doctor said it has to drain which this green stuff comes out and it has been draining for a month now, and because of the drainage the doctor told her it would be better for her not to eat solid foods so she has been on a TPN which is something to administered the food through a IV so she’s unable to eat, and she’s unable to come home. she spent 3 weeks in the hospital and now she has to go to a acute care home, and she hated, my mother’s whole life has change they tell her this problem with the fistular will take a while in my mother is not taking the news very well. the doctor said it might take a another month maybe longer they really couldn’t give her a definite time, the doctor said my mother fistular is in her colon and can’t be operated on at this time until her colon firms up they said its to soft to operate at this time, they are hoping that it heals up on it’s on, without surgery, this is a nightmare for my mother we never knew this could happen, she is starting to get depress and feeling hopeless that she would ever be her old self again my heart breaks for my mother we are praying for her so hard every second of the day, my mother is a out going lady love the outdoors and spending time with my dad she;s 72 years old and I am so scare because she can’t eat real food and only eating through a IV what is this doing to her health, IF ANYONE HAVE BEEN THROGH THIS AFTER COLON CANCER SURGERY PLEASE RESPONSE WE ARE DESPERATE FOR SOME ANSWERS. THANK YOU SO MUCH…DIANE
Carolyn Mondy - October 24, 2012 at 1:22 am |
Diane– How is your mother doing? I have a similar situation to yours. My 75 year-old dad had surgery to remove colon tumors in April 2012. He was in the hospital for a month with one complication after another, including a fistula (which they only recently diagnosed as such.) For 8 months, he has been draining fluid from his incision and it has needed to be tended to several times a day. While undergoing chemotherapy, the fistula would get worse- on three different occasions, he was rushed to the hospital with a raging fever/infection. They have decided that the only way to alleviate his pain and (hopefully) repair the fistula is to go in surgically to remove the part of his intestine that has the fistula. This is considered a more complicated version of the first surgery he had. He is meeting with the surgeon again this week to learn about the risks associated with this surgery on an older man who is weak from 8 months of chemo and who has had numerous infections the past almost-year. I don’t know what the procedure is called yet; just that it involves cutting out the affected intestine, and it’s considered a very major operation that involves a minimum of 2 weeks in the hospital and a subsequent stay in a rehab center. I would be interested to hear others’ stories of surgery to repair a fistula.
Kath - January 4, 2013 at 4:33 am |
From ya’lls experience with fistula’s, what do you do for work? At my job, I don’t lift alot of weight but I constantly lift, and carry 25lbs or so and do some walking. Should this affect my work?
Nate - October 24, 2012 at 2:05 pm |
Hi nate,
It depends on many factors. I’m a chef and I carried lots of pots and pans. At first I didn’t immediately feel the pain but found that the extra pressure from lifting puts a lot of strain on your colon and with the fistula there it can cause inflammation and swelling that results in pain. This cycle went on and on until my boss fired me because I took off a lot and wasn’t as quick as I used to be. So my point is yes carrying 25lbs (13kg) can affect the fistula but it depends on the individual because not every individual reacts the same way physically. So maybe its better if you ask your boss to be on light duty for atleast another month? Because right now the wound is tender and needs some time to heal properly. 25lbs ain’t gonna help the cause in my opinion because you don’t want issues further down the line.
chasez15 - October 24, 2012 at 5:40 pm |
Hello chasez15,
Thanks for the reply. I guess I’ll just have to take it easy for a while then. I’m going in to get it checked out today, I don’t know when they’ll opperate as I was put on antibiotics just a couple days ago. From what I’v read, the opperation don’t sound like any fun.. After opperations, how quickly can I go back to work?
Nate - October 26, 2012 at 2:50 am
Hi Nate,
Until the seton drain was inserted I didnt have much of a problem doing heavy lifting, although this wasn’t part of my day job and would be mostly on a weekend. Walking should be more beneficial than sitting on your butt all day, unless you have an open wound or an abscess. However, for the first 2-3 weeks after the seton procedure there’s no way I could have lifted 25lbs I was in so much discomfort and simply walking around was a struggle. I’ve now had this thing in for 3 months and life is pretty much back to normal, I’m even doing some light weight training although I’m careful to avoid any movements that might put too much pressure on my sphincter muscles.
Matt - October 25, 2012 at 9:06 pm |
I also want to say thanks for this useful site, being a male in my early 20’s is hard when having an issue such as this. Theres so many other things to to other than be in pain.. Im just going to try to be positive and be healthier and look forward to being back in shape. Sounds like this is the best way to get better 🙂
Nate - October 26, 2012 at 5:37 am |
Hi. I’m a 19 year old female & have had a peri anal fistula for 3 years! However, it only got diagnosed as a fistula in August 2012 at the hospital. October 2012 I had surgery, I was terrified! But a seton has been placed, it doesn’t get tightened. It’s just draining as the fistula has gone through spinachter muscle. First 2 weeks were awful! Now the wound has healed. Still quite sore of course when I walk & sit down. I feel all alone
I’m only 19! I’ve been told it could take several surgeries! It’s scary, just want this thing to be gone! It’s nice to know I’m not alone 🙂
Toni - November 5, 2012 at 2:11 pm |
Hello All
What a lovely site.
I am 35yrs old a mother of 3. I have been suffering with Anal Fistula for approx 20yrs now. I have had approx, 15 operations. I have a seton stitch at the moment and am going for tightening under anaesthetic on 19th December again. 😦 not looking forward to it. The doctors i have seen have really not been at all helpful, can never get much info out of them. Lost count of the amount of doctors i have been to already. My concern with the seton stitch is when it eventually comes out, am i going to get a full blown fistula again? with the seton stitch i still have drainage after 1 yr, and i suffer with alot of pain, which i have read is not normal.
Stacey - November 6, 2012 at 12:06 am |
Sorry My name is Stacey!
Stacey - November 6, 2012 at 12:06 am |
Hello,
I have had fistula for a year now. Had a drainage seton fitted in the first week of june. Had my second surgery last tuesday – the doctor did a LIFT plus laying open.
The problem is my bowel movements – it hurts like hell. Has anyone had this procedure before please? How long does it take to heal please?
KB - November 12, 2012 at 5:47 am |
I had a seton fitted in November 2011 (I had a 6 week old baby at the time) and removed and laid open in April 2012. The fistula still hasn’t healed but day to day its easy to live with and sometimes I even forget that its there.
Initially bowel movements are so painful and I can remember that like it was yesterday and I really feel for you!!! I used to sit smelling lavender bath salts, I don’t know if it calmed me down or whether it just took my mind away a bit but crying and sobbing where common place. All I can recommend is using wet cotton wool and having a bath or shower afterwards. It is really really awful but please believe me when I say it does get easier week on week, there is light at the end of the tunnel and things will get better and easier to live with. I was terrified that I would never improve and forever be stuck with the pain but it does get easier.
JP - November 14, 2012 at 11:21 am |
Hi JP,
Thanks for sharing your experience. it for sure helps me to build my confidence that the only way from now on is up.
KB
KB - November 14, 2012 at 9:17 pm
Hi, can anyone share some details about good colorectal surgeon who has successfully helped to cure their fistula?
Codez - November 18, 2012 at 12:58 am |
Hi, my name is Daylin, i am 27 with a small kid and I also have a perirectal fistula that first started as an abcess during my pregnancy. I had it drained and that’s how it started, now i have a seton in place for about 3 1/2 months, it drains all the time, can be sometimes painful and uncomfortable. According to the doctor, he will have it removed by december.
daylin - November 19, 2012 at 10:39 am |
Hello,
Myself 30years. I have Fistula in Ano and doctor suggested to go for scan (Perianal USG). I have gone through the scan TRANSRECTAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY, it says:
There is a left posterior perianal fistula measuring 3.0 cms in length. It courses along 5 o’ clock position and opens into anal canal at 6 o’ clock position through the upper part sphincter.
No evidence of superficial or deep collection in the para rectal region.
No obvious mass is noted in the rectum.
IMPRESSION: HIGH PERIANAL FISTULA.
please suggest me how to take this and is it cureable completely and is it more criticial?
Thanks,
Mahesh
Mahesh - November 24, 2012 at 2:02 am |
Mahesh,
From my understanding, a fistula NEVER cures on it’s own. You’ll need to get it operated on. Depending on your health, it can be completely cured. If you have IBS or Chrones, my surgeon has told me they have a much harder battle with fistulas. Good Luck!
apples - December 19, 2012 at 6:47 pm |
Hi my name is Ren,
I’am just new to this site,but l can tell you now that l don’t feel alone,reading everyone elses problems with these nasty fistula’s
and going through different procedures and operations to find a
complete cure really helps,I just had my third surgery a few days
ago.I too have a complexed fistula that is deep in the muscle of
both he interal and exernal sphincter muscle of the bowel.My
colorectal surgeon does not want to do anything invasive right now
so he used the fiborin glue procedure,only 20% sucsess rate,yet
he feels this will prepare me for the next step,which l will find out
on Dec 10th.I was okay until l reached my 3rd day post/op and
then the unbearable pain and pressue in the rectal area started.
I do not like to take anything for pain because it upsets my stomache
to much and l start to vomit.Unfortunttely l started bleeding when
l had my last BM,only way l can stop the bleeding,pain and pressure
is by putting myself on clear fluids.that is what seems to help my condition.
They are looking for crohns disease with me and now feel it is up higher
in my large intestine.Iwill keep you posted on my healing with this fiborin glue procedure.Best of luck to everyone going through this horrible disease.
renne - December 4, 2012 at 7:50 am |
Renne, I just wanted to wish you good luck with your future treatment and to say be strong. It sounds like you have a good surgeon anyway one thing I was really lucky with… something to be thankful for at least. Its a shame pain killers don’t agree with you, unfortunately, vomiting is one of the last things you want to be doing with one of these things. I found it quite amazing just how often these muscles are used to do things that you would never have dreamed of… for example – I now find sneezing excrutiatingly painful!
Jan - December 7, 2012 at 2:28 am |
Thanks Jan,
I saw the c/r surgeon today,it was a quick 5 minute visit,the incision site looks good,had alittle pus drainage
from it.I need to give this sometime and he will see me in
6 weeks.As for the excruiating abdominal pain he still needs to investigate further.I had IBS for 30 years now,he
also found diverticulous with the vertual cat scan done in June of this year,also had an anal fissure for years and he still thinks l have crohns somewhere.I’am hoping for the
best,knowing it will be a long painful processes until he finally finds the internal passeway,that caused this fistula to begin with.I will keep you posted,for now in order to stop this horrible pain in my gut l put myself on clear fluids
for at least 3 days and then l’am able to have somewhat normal days. I also agree with you even sneezing can give you excruiating pain at times….
Renne
ren755 - December 11, 2012 at 10:47 am
Hi everyone,
I had an abcess that was operated on twoce and has now developed into a fistula. The surgeon I am seeing said to wait 2 months for the fistula surgery as it is still draining puss. When I asked what the surgery was and how long the recovery time would be, he suggested I ‘look it up’. Well, i have looked ot up and it seems that complications are pretty common and really there are so many options put there, i’m not sure what he plans to do. I think it will be opened up and he mentioned a drain. Is this a seton? Will it be packed? How long is recovery? I have three kids under five and very limited help as my parents and husband all work. I am terrified and I’m trying to find another doctor as each one I’ve seen has treated this as no big deal, when it is a big deal. I’m in some sort of pain every day and it makes it hard to live my life. Any help pr advice anyone could give me would be greatly appreciated. It’s nice to talk to people with the same problem. It’s not something I like to talk about, but I’m sure people wonder why i walk like I’m 85 now. I just want my old life back!
Jenn - December 9, 2012 at 9:19 am |
Hi Jen,
I was in the same place 14 months ago,and dealing with stomache and bowel problems for many years.My experience has finally led me to a colorectal surgeon who carries with him 14 years of medical expertiece in this problem.So many surgeons,gastro and gp’s are still unaware of the horrible perianal disease and they pass it off as no big deal!!! It is along process that carries a degree of pain and disabling to the person that has it.I was
a nurse and could not pin point this problem on my own.
Please get into see a colorectal surgeon,ask alot of questions,bring someone to appointments with you,and write down all your concerns before you see them.I was very active 14 months ago before my first surgery,l played competive tennis 5 days a week,did yoga,zumbo twice aweek and weight trained every other day and walked 5k
every other day.Now after 3 operations later,on a good day l can do a 5k stroll…..This is me though,they found a tear from my second surgery in my L 4-5 disc,just another complication from my second surgery,so everyone is different.You have to find what works best for you.I put myself on clear fluids for at least 3 days when l have this thing flare up,l also found probiotics help ,drinking alot of water,staying away from red meat,gluten and diary products,alcohol and when l get the fever,chills and generally feel ill plenty of rest.I’am learning what works for me and l hope some of these
suggestions l made will work for you.I agree with you,l would love to have my old life back!!!
Renne
ren755 - December 11, 2012 at 11:36 am |
Hi Renne,
Thanks so much for your response. I will definitely try the things you’ve suggested to keep this under control. I’d like to see a colorectal surgeon, but there don’t seem to be many in my area. I live in Canada and healthcare, while free, works at a very slow place if your illness isn’t life threatening. I’ve been operated on twice for the abcess and they really haven’t run any tests to see if I have an underlying condition. I’m trying to get referrals for another doctor, but I haven’t heard anything back.
It’s good to hear that other people deal with the loss of energy too. I went to the grocery store on the weekend and I had to lie down after. That’s definitely not me. I hope that this new surgeon can make a difference for you! Were you diagnosed with more than just the fistula?
Jenn - December 12, 2012 at 9:38 am
Hi Jenn,
I have had IBS for thirty years,Gastric refl
ex problem for 15 years and a anal fissure for 15 years.They keep looking for crohns with me now,because they keep telling me Irritable bowel syndrome doesn’t cause fistula’s in ano.My MRI ,this past march showed grade 4 trans-sphincteric fistula tract going through internal and external sphincters,through the ischioanal fossa,where there was another abscess,1cm in diameter ,the tract then extends to the skin surface and exits out my right butt cheek.I don’t know if you had an mri with the dye,that test seems to be 90% accurate in finding the fisula tract.Don’t give up,keep trying to get into seeing a colorectal surgeon.This is a big deal if your diagnosis so far is perianal disease….Medscape is another good site for medical inf, signs and symtons,of what you are going through,This site is the only site that made me feel l wasn’t alone in this disease and that others where finding difficulty with disabling symptoms and terrible pain at times.
Renne
ren755 - December 12, 2012 at 5:48 pm
Ok so I have no where to go other than this blog to express how I feel. I need to get this out. I posted on this blog before. Well in a nutshell, wife left me 6 months after developing my fistula and its been close to 2 years now that we’ve been apart. I silently hoped and prayed to God that she would not go through with it but I got the divorce papers today. I’m devastated. Not only am I homeless, broke and unemployed, but my wife has officially cut ties with me. I live off state money and live at my parents’. I’m at wits end and don’t know what to do anymore. I want to work but this fistula flares up from time to time so its impossible to hold down a job as a chef. I feel useless and like I’m a nothing. I don’t deserve to be on this earth. I’m contemplating suicide. I’m sorry.
chasez15 - December 10, 2012 at 3:40 am |
Hi Chasez, I’m sure it must be devastating to get the divorce papers, even after 2 years of separation. I understand that you were hoping she would change her mind. But in all honesty…. why would you want to be with someone that broke up with you when you needed them the most?? I think you should cut your losses, thank god that you escaped a lifetime with a selfish person, and run for the hills!!! Don’t sweat it. There are more important things for you to be focused on right now – like getting yourself back into tip top shape. If she wants a divorce, let her have a divorce, and move on. I say, sign the papers with a smile on your face, she wasn’t right for you, and doesn’t sound like a very nice person.
As far as being homeless goes – well, you’re not homeless, are you!? If you were homeless, you wouldn’t have your parents house to stay in. You’re LUCKY!! A lot of people don’t have parents that would take them in when they needed somewhere to stay. You’re very very lucky that you have an option to stay with your parents.
If you don’t think you can do cheffing for a while…. why not do something else in the interim, until you get yourself better? I have other friends who had to change their jobs due to illness, to something less physical, just while they got better – it doesn’t mean you’ll never be a chef again.
I think you were getting yourself on the right track a few weeks ago, and starting to feel more positive again. Keep that momentum going. Don’t let a selfish woman sending you divorce papers ruin your life. She’s not worth it. There are more important things in life than being married to someone that doesn’t care if you’re sick or not.
Pull yourself back together and start a NEW life. Suicide is the most selfish thing on earth. How do you think your parents would feel if you did anything to yourself?? You’d ruin their lives. Suicide is never an answer to any problem, there is NO problem big enough to warrant taking your life.
You are young, you will get better. Crikey, you have a fistula – not cancer. Just get on with it – in the nicest possible way 🙂
There are lots of happy stories on this website of people going through fistula surgeries for years, fighting, and coming out the other side better and stronger for it. There’s no reason why you can’t do the same thing.
fistulasupportonline - December 12, 2012 at 4:17 pm |
So well written 👍
Riya - November 17, 2018 at 9:39 am
Hi I have anal fistula about 9 years ago I go to surgeon and he operated it and after two years pain start again and surgeon operated it again and now about a week ago I have started pain again what should I do
Shah - December 16, 2012 at 5:50 am |
You need to go and see your surgeon again. I would suggest getting a second opinion from a different surgeon. It is common for fistulas to reoccur, perhaps yours never completely healed the first two times, and so it has come back again. It’s not going to go away on it’s own though, so go and see your doctor, and get a second opinion… and even a third opinion! If you think your surgeon isn’t dealing with the problem properly, go to someone else.
fistulasupportonline - December 17, 2012 at 10:10 am |
Hi, I was just diagnosed today with an anal fistula that repeated doctors in the past misdiagnosed as infected anal fissure. At present, thanks to a 7-day dose of leviquin antibiotic, it is not bothering me all that much, but in the past, the puss and blood problems start to happen over and over again after an Rx is over (again, before this was a ‘fissure’ to me — now I clearly see the fistula diagnosis). Anyhow, I am getting an MRI to determine if it is something that will affect my spinchter muscle or not in terms of surgical choice.
Based on my research online, I would like to pursue the anal fistula plug course of action. (I am correct in assuming that the fibrin glue treatment is really not all that bad). Would you be able to describe the post-operative activities/length of time for fistula plug?
One last question — if it turns out to be a simple fistula and can be removed with a fistuotonmy — what is the recovery time/activities for one of those?
I had plans for January, but now suspect they may be changing
Yikes…
James - December 21, 2012 at 11:15 am |
Hi James,
You are heading in the right direction!! MRI,is 90% accurate way of finding
where your fistula is situated.In the way of your plans,l would wait to see what is actually going on with you.I can relate to the puss and bleeding..
You are not alone in this situation.This site is amazing in helping us get through are difficult times.Hang in there…
Renne
ren755 - December 22, 2012 at 2:30 am |
Thank you, Renee! I appreciate the site! Given that I was diagnosed three times before with anal fissure, do you think it is possible that I just have an infected anal fissure causing the abscess and that it may not actually be a full-blown fistula?
James - December 22, 2012 at 9:44 am
James,
Before you move forward with the fistula plug, I would strongly encourage you to look at a fistulotomy or non-cutting seton installation followed by a LIFT procedure, depending on how deep your fistula runs. If it doesn’t run too deep in your anal sphincter muscles, a fistulotomy may be all that is needed. This involves fileting the fistula open and letting it heal (with lots of sitz baths and time). If deep, a non-cutting seton will keep the fistula open at both ends, stopping the repeated build up of pressure and major drainage every couple of days. It will drain constantly but will shrink the fistula track to just a very small track. The LIFT (ligation of intersphincteric fistula tract) procedure will ligate or close up the opening in your anal cavity and will stop waste and bacteria from moving into the fistula tract. This cannot be done until the tract is nearly closed up by the seton.
I’ve only been battling this problem since early August 2012 and had the seton installed October 8, 2012. The LIFT procedure was done December 6 where the seton was removed. My doctor also detected a second fistula tract that stemmed off the original one, so he cut the tract open. I am 3 1/2 weeks post op and feeling better than ever. Still a lot of soreness and daily sitz baths (sometimes multiple ones per day!). I go back to my doctor for a post op visit tomorrow. I’ll post my results on this site.
Don’t be afraid of the scary YouTube video of the LIFT procedure. It is done under general anesthesia (I had a spinal) and you won’t feel a thing. My BM the next day was uncomfortable but much less than the constant pain I’d felt from the fistula before I had anything done. I don’t know anything about cost, as my health insurance covered everything after I hit my deductibles, fortunately.
I hope this helps you and anyone reading. Best wishes!!
DB - January 2, 2013 at 3:57 am |
Also, my doctor tells me that the success rate with the LIFT procedure is quite high, with only about 10% chance of recurrence. This is a relatively new procedure for fistula treatments, but is very simple. Based on my research, there isn’t any other treatment with that high of success rate.
DB - January 2, 2013 at 4:06 am
Hi James,
I know that a fissure can tunnel deeper into the tissues,causing a fistula and plus you have had two abscess,which is a sign something is going on.
Hopefully they will do the MRI with the dye and find the fistula track…..Let me know how you make out.I know this process can be frustrating,time consuming and painful,so please ask alot of questions,and it looks like you have already looked into different procedures,which is great.Mescape is another good site!! I had the fibrin glue procedure done,only 20% success rate,but my fistula has affected both my muscle sphincters and my colorectal surgeon did the least invasive surgery.I’am still bleeding,had this done nov 29,2012.I know for myself,this will be a very long process,but everyone is different.My fistula showed up on the MRI.Hang in there James.Best of luck!!
Renne
ren755 - December 23, 2012 at 5:40 pm |
Hi, I am so glad I found this site, as depressing as it is to finally know the truth! Drs obviously don’t want u to know just how much suffering and pain is involved. I guess if I knew I wouldn’t have been as quick to agree to the seton. I had my surgery on the 29th november and initially with iv antibiotics, sitz baths and narcotic pain relief, my recovery was going extremely well. Then around 2 weeks later an infection caused unbelievable pain. Back on antibiotics for 10 days and steroids as well. Again started to recover, but as soon as I stopped the antibiotics the pain and swelling start to come back. Each time I wean myself off the pain killers only to have to start taking them again!
My drainage is quite minimal, but I do check the seton and move it around a bit in the bath to make sure it isn’t adhering to my skin. I gather from the above comments that minimal drainage is a “good” thing, however is it normal to still have quite a large area of swollen tender flesh, (obviously infected), and not drain much?
I am fairly active, had thought that getting back on my feet and making myself heal through positive thoughts and getting back to a normal routine would be beneficial. Boy was I wrong about that!
So having found your site I now realize that I am going to have to completely change my lifestyle to allow myself to heal.
I am a smoker, coffee drinker and sporadic eater due to my work in hospitalily. Fortunately I don’t drink alcohol much, won’t miss it. But the coffee will be mourned. Ciggies are a no brainer, why wouldn’t I give them up under these circumstances? wish me luck?
I tried to return to work several times over the last few weeks and found that the pain was intolerable, I couldn’t just go hop in the bath or use my sitz, and as I work with money, I couldn’t take the usual amount of endone, as it makes me feel like Ralph Wiggam! I have just returned to work and am being driven crazy by questions like “all better now?” How do I make my boss understand that better isn’t going to happen for such a long time? In hospitality, at Christmas time, u do NOT have an option to be sick! I have worked 2 full shifts so far, the first was ok, but after yesterday, collapsed into tears of frustration and pain. Now worried about depression as well.
maudegibbons - December 24, 2012 at 12:49 pm |
Hi Meag68
I do wish you luck!!!! all the best.I never had a seton,so l can’t help you there,l had the fiborin glue procedure,done nov 29th/2012.I’am still draining alittle from it.Like you l was very active,now l’am finding it hard even to walk short distamces,very painful!!! I ice my groin and inner thigh area,this seems to help me abit.If your incision site,gets very warm and red,usually sign of infection.I found probiotics help,putting myself on full fluid diet also helps.I know everyone is different,but after 15 months of this for me,l continue to learn inorder to stay pain free….
Take care
Ren755
ren755 - December 29, 2012 at 5:39 am |
hi ren755,
I must have missed this in all my internet trolling for answers, thanks so much for your support.
I am now living healthier than I ever have. I sailed through giving up smoking, pain is such a good motivator isn’t it? I think being on narcotic pain relief has helped too, keeping me nice and relaxed.
My fistula is still very painful, have had another surgery to release more fluid from infection, basically they just incised the drain hole to make it bigger. NOT FUN.
I am staying positive, and happy. Feels like this is just as important as looking after my body.
My work have been really supportive, and I have until the 20th of this month off. I am hoping I don’t need another surgery for a while as I miss working so much.
The SC diet is fantastic at making bowel movements less irritating, have definitely noticed a change since I started! Plus saw a new GP who put me on a very mild dose of Endep which is an anti-depressant. I’m taking it to help control my very painful spasms as it is a muscle relaxant. I have just started this medication last night but will report on its effectiveness in a few weeks time as it may help someone else out there.
Thanks again, hope you are going well?
Meg68
meg68 - January 12, 2013 at 3:53 pm
My son was put on a wound vac and that really, really helped. Perhaps this could help you too?
Julie - January 15, 2013 at 7:34 am
Hello to all, its really good hear that my wife and I are not alone in all this problem were having. My wife three years ago had a hemorrhoid which was operated, after a week or two there was this shocking pain right next to her anus, it burst with some liquid, I took her to the doctor which said it was a “Draining perianal abscess” that we should not worry, it would heal in time. It’s been three years, and it’s still healing. Sometimes there a little blood sometimes a little of fluid. The doctor which is specialist in colorectal say that its looking good and in time it will heal. He sent us to make a MRI and the result were that she doesn’t have a fistula. He then sent us to a gastroenterologist to make a colonoscopy and he didn’t find no fistula. So we left it like that for about a year. After some time ago we had to change doctors because of our insurance and the new doctor which is always in a rush said that it is a fistula and that she needs a seton. But my wife say she doesn’t feel any pain, it’s draining just a little, no pain at all, looks like it’s healing, why mess with it if it’s okay even if it take more time to heal she’s use to it. Should she get the seton or leave it the way it is?
Felipe - December 27, 2012 at 8:13 am |
Well, did the new doctor see a fistula track? Ask the new doctor to describe the track of the fistula for you — in what country do you live, Felipe? My surgeon said that his father lives with a fistula and is choosing not to do surgery, but I have read online that it can be bad to let these things fester, independent of the obvious quality of life issues at hand.
James - December 28, 2012 at 12:36 pm |
No, the new doctor want to examine her and but a seton. We live in Puerto Rico. The seton as I’ve been reading is for the fistula to drain and she is draining without the seton, Some info says it’s suppose to drain until it heals so she wants to wait for it to heal. The things is that it doesn’t hurt and it is draining just a little.
Felipe - December 31, 2012 at 5:18 pm
I’ve had a peri anal fistula for 3 years, I had a drainage seton placed in October and honestly, I’ve had nothing but problems. I would like too know if it should still be so painful 3 months after surgery! It really taking over my life 😦
Toni - December 28, 2012 at 2:53 pm |
Just returned from hospital visit to ER. Second infection since surgery on the 29 November. I’m having 3-5 sitz baths a day. Have eliminated all the bad foods and am well on the road to giving up smoking. Totally stopping tomorrow. My question is what else can I do to help stop the infections? I have been given enough antibiotics for 7 days.
meg68 - December 31, 2012 at 12:01 am |
I don’t have insurance and my Dr told me I might need a total of 3 surgeries if it’s complicated. I’m 26, all they did was examine me and told me it was a fistula. It’s happened before in the same spot twice before, but NEVER this bad, they had just drained it in the past and it went away for 3 years-ish each time. I’m just wondering if anybody knows ROUGHLY how much a fistula removal surgery is out of pocket. I watched a video of a surgery, and now I’m scared…well shitless. I can’t even begin to explain my pain right now, last night must have been worse though because I took my Swiss army knife and tried to drain a super sore and tender area that I can only imagine is a second one??! It’s more on my cheek but it’s really close to the other one, like on top of it. I can’t sleep and don’t know what I’m going to do about my job. I can’t bend over or get up from laying on my stomach with wanting to wet my eyes. Shit balls I’ve never felt so low in my life.
Happy New years everybody
Greg - December 31, 2012 at 5:02 pm |
Greg,
I feel for you man. I’m not sure how much it costs because I’m from Canada and it’s covered here, Thankfully or I’d be screwed after the 10 surgeries I’ve had to have. I know you can get multiple “tunnels” from the same fistula and it’s best to do the surgery asap if you can so this doesn’t happen. I know it makes you feel pretty low, to have something like this. Maybe if you can just do the one surgery and have a seaton drain ( not a cutting seaton) installed you can keep the fistula ope and draining so it won’t get infected. You can always to the other surgery a while later if you decide. If you can keep it draining there may be less pain and pressure. Soo sorry to hear your having issues with this.
Jenn
jenn78 - January 8, 2013 at 8:44 am |
Hi Toni, I recently consulted a young doctor who was prepared to tell me the truth about healing periods and pain. Apparently it is perfectly normal to experience pain, infections, swelling and irritation for a long time.
He told me not to expect to heal in the 4-6 week period the surgeon suggested, but that 6 months to 2yrs was more normal.
Do everything you can to help yourself heal. DO sitz baths with Epsom salts, this really does seem to encourage drainage. DO eat well and limit foods laden with bacteria, like meat and dairy. Take your painkillers, don’t tough it out like I had been, this just makes it harder to cope and puts extra stress on your body. Don’t eat nuts and seeds. Avoid starchy foods like potato and rice.
I am experiencing the same problems along with everyone else here, reading back through the posts has been helpful. Some advice is quite good.
Good luck to you.
meg68 - January 1, 2013 at 9:08 am |
I’m really happy to finally find a group like this on line. I’ve been dealing with this by myself for 16 yrs now. I’ve had a chronic fistula since I was 18 and I’m in my 30’s now. I’ve had about 10 surgeries on it over the years, but it always comes back. I’ve had scopes, fistulotmy, fistulectomy, seaton drain etc. Now we’re thinking that it’s time for a bowel resection. I’m so tired of dealing with this and its interfearing in my life a little too much. I’m at the point now where no matter how much I bathe ( 3 times a day) i still smell like unwashed bum and I have to wear me’s boxers because regular undies cut into the fistula exit. Soooo not good for the selfesteem. I’m married to the most supportive hubby so i’m lucky that way and I have a beautiful son. I have a great job in health care, my life is good all around except this damn fistula:( I’m really concidering the bowel resction and temporary colostomy because I’m told that this will definately heal it. It’s such a dissapointment to go through all the other surgeries and have them not work. Some of them have been pretty painfull too. I also want to get this fixed because I want to have another child and I can’t do that in this shape.
I feel for all of you on this site and can relate to many of your stories. It sucks soooo bad that we have to go through all of this. At least we can vent and support each other here.
Jenn
jenn78 - January 8, 2013 at 8:35 am |
Well, 4 months now with a non-cutting vessel loop Silastic seton. Overall, the pain has been
bearable… there have been a few ” bad string days”. Still experiencing slight drainage ( wearing pads daily) I carry a zip lock bag in my pocket with a few wet wipes to clean up while at work, and sitz bath with Epsom salt daily.
The one thing I did encounter was that the discharge was making my butt raw and itchy( think extreme diaper rash) What I found works is a bit of barrier cream smeared around your butt after every BM. This hasn’t caused any negative issues.
Still waiting to see CRS and get MRI or ultrasound done. I’ve called both my surgeon and the CRS and left messages. Apparently my condition has been classified as non life threatening or urgent. I hate being a pain in the ass but I’m living it.
It sounds like I’m having a better go of this than some of you ( pain wise ). Chin up, it’s got to get better.
z28jake - January 8, 2013 at 5:49 pm |
I first had a minor surgery to remove a pocket of infection on 12/18/2011. I then had fistula surgery in April 2012 when it was realized what the problem was. The healing process took a very long time. In late June/early July, the wound reopened but has since healed. The reason for my post is that the pain after a bowel movement as still there and sometimes extreme. Does anyone have a suggestion? Fiber pills seem to help, but if I stop the pain comes back with a vengeance. It seems to be two to four hours after a bowel movement and it last for about three to four hours.
jrc323 - January 8, 2013 at 7:35 pm |
I have that same pain after a b/m! For me it is colon and sphincter spasms. It really helps me to get in a hot bath for a good long soak, this relaxes the muscles all over your body and helps to calm the spasms somewhat. Could this be what you are experiencing?
I still have to take pain killers daily, but elimination of meat, dairy, sugar, bread and grains has helped so much. I think I may finally be healing. There has been no swelling (collection) since my last op to widen drain around seton.
I was healing too quickly from the outside, thus the fluid wasn’t draining properly causing a back-up, and then infection.
I cannot tell u how much better I feel after eliminating processed food from my diet, I started just before Xmas, and in that time, my skin is clear, my body has detoxed and I feel really positive about kicking this problem for good!
Hope u find some relief 🙂
meg68 - January 9, 2013 at 12:40 pm |
So what do you eat?
Julie - January 9, 2013 at 1:38 pm |
Lots and lots of fresh vegies, and fruit. It’s quite hard at first but I have found quite a few sites on the internet for Paleo recipes.
meg68 - January 10, 2013 at 10:13 am |
Hi just a bit of advice needed if anyone can help i would be grateful. I had a draining seton (also got sepsis)(and was hospitialized for two weeks and nearly died) from june 2012 to 7 jan 2013 ,which was still draining (i was changing dressing 3/4 times a day bescause of pus) Then on 7 jan 13 i went in for surgery ,i told one of the doctors who see me before op(not the surgeon who was doing the op) that it ws still leaking a lot .I only said this because i read that you should not have the operation done if it was still leaking ? anyway i had the op done and was told after that the surgeon had cut part of my sphincter muscle away ,cleaned that tract with a prob and layed the fistula open ,he said it didnt need to be packed daily I got home from hospital same day.The next day when i passed motion i never felt pain like it the burning sensation was unreal ,and evertime i pass it is the same pain.I knew it was going to be like this, but my question is once the cut heals over surely the fistula will come back and the the sepsis again ?i havent even been giving anti-biotics i called the surgeons office and was told i dont need anti-biotics as the pus needs to get out .Im just really worried that the op should not have been done until the pus had all stopped .I cant bear to get sepsis again !!! Sorry to be so long winded any advice would be gratefully recieved Thank you
Trey - January 11, 2013 at 2:35 pm |
Oh you poor thing! I don’t know if u can, but if possible I would go see another doctor. The idea of not needing dressing/packing, and for u to not be on antibiotics sounds wrong to me?
meg68 - January 11, 2013 at 8:16 pm |
Thanks for reply
trey - January 15, 2013 at 8:52 am |
Hi Trey,
No worries, hope u are feeling better? I am having a lot of success with my new diet, have found pain to be a great motivator!
Every day I am experiencing less pain, it’s amazing what a difference food makes. I realize not everybody likes fruit and vegies, but anything is worth a go when dealing with something so chronic and painful as this!
Have a look at the Specific Carbohydrate Diet.
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/
This has also improved my general health. I feel so great, and bowel motions are so much easier and less painful.
Another thing that has helped is Endep 10. A very low dose of anti-depressant, used in my case as a muscle relaxant. It has improved my pain after b/m drastically, by reducing muscle spasms (sphincter and colon). Talk to your doctor about it? The only problem I have with it is it has changed my sleep pattern a little, have more trouble falling asleep, but am sleeping later in the morning.
Early days for me yet, to be professing a total recovery, but by the end of this week I should know just how effective the SC diet has been. I will have been off antibiotics for a week by then, and if my infection doesn’t reoccur in that time, I reckon I’ve got it beat!
Wish me luck?
meg68 - January 15, 2013 at 1:15 pm |
i had a fitsula surgery in 08 hadnt had a problem until jan of 2011 when i was abroad i had an abscess that discharged after 3 days of immense pain and continued filling and discharging for ten days or so,during these days i was taking 4-5 warm baths a day ,flaxgen and regularly cleaning that area.
By the time i came back and went to my doctor there was nothing showing…..i dont know if i am healed or not but there is no pain no discharge for past year!!!can anybody help here …should go back the surgeon again or ….
mo - January 15, 2013 at 9:55 pm |
Hi Everyone. Thank goodness for this site. I feel so alone; at times I spend all day crying. I had slight bleeding after BMs in Octotober 2011 and my GP referred me to a surgeon, muttering about heamorroids (I am in UK). Then I had a lump that burst and I have been bleeding every day since then. The surgeon said it was a fistula and I had a seton placed in February 2012. It is still in situ and I bleed a lot every day. I smell, I am uncomfortable and my clothing and bedding is always stained. I cant work as my job involves a great deal of driving. I have been listed for further surgery to repair the fistual but still waiting, and waiting and waiting. I cant afford private healthcare. No one seems to understand. I appreciate that it is not life threatening, but I have no quality of life at all. My doctors just shrug and tell me that it is a resource issue.
Carrie - January 16, 2013 at 12:43 am |
Hi Carrie, so sorry to hear you’re going through this. EVeryone on here understands how horrible it is!! If you need to work/drive, you should get a donut pillow – I used those when driving and it made a huge difference.
So you’ve had a seton in place for a year now?? The same seton?? Has it been changed or have you had an operation since Feb 2012?
It sounds to me like you’re not healing at all, if you haven’t had any improvement in a year, then you need to make some lifestyle changes and try to get your fistula healed (dried up) so that they can do further surgery to close the fistula and remove your seton.
Are you keeping infection under control by always keeping the area clean? Have you put yourself on a special diet? Are you taking multi vitamins and protein supplements? Are you doing light exercise keep yourself active and healthy?
I wasn’t healing at all until I took control and made some massive life changes. As soon as I started to get myself into top form, my fistulas starting to heal and infection went away.
I know how hard it is to deal with this, but it really is up to you to take control (if you haven’t already). And hound the doctors until they give you an answer, don’t put up with them shrugging you off. Just because you’re not paying for private healthcare, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get all the answers and advice you need – ask loads of questions and arm yourself with the information you need to get better.
fistulasupportonline - January 16, 2013 at 9:51 am |
Hi carrie, I to am from the( u.k )I had a seton from june 12 and had it removed on 7 jan 13.Same As you i had the leaking and smell all day i also drive for a living and havent worked since june 12. I went in for day surgery on 7 jan 13 ,as i have a complex fistula i was told that the surgeon could not cut to much sphincter muscle away as it would cause incontinence .After the op i asked what i had done and they said they removed seton and cleaned tract with prob cut away some of my sphincter and laid open fistula (which is a cut about 1/2 inch long)to let it heal from inside out.
As of now a week after ,it is still leaking pus and bleeding (but this is to be expected)The one BIG problem is when passing motion the pain is unbearable which last for about 15 mins then its just saw again which i can cope with.If you end up having surgery make sure you use laxatives and ask for strong pain killer and make sure you take them before you need to go toilet ,then you wont be in to much pain ,i am glad to get rid of seton and hopefully fistula will heal and not return again .I have a follow up to see surgeon on april 13 hopefully i will be back to work by then as my wages stopped in oct 12 and need to get earning again .Dont worry as operation isnt to bad .Good luck
Trey - January 16, 2013 at 1:42 pm |
HI Carrie.soo know how u feel. so happy to have found this website, i have been dealing with an abcess turned fistula for the last 10 mts and feel its never ending, ive had 3 ops in total,2 incision and drainage and eventually after much screaming and shouting i got the docs to give me mri which showed a fistula, im greatful it was not high up and the surgeon has cut through fistula and layed it open,my major upset is all the packing, i had both incisions packed daily and now this very deep opening packed, the pain is immence and i feel so down as my hubby and 3 kids just havent had fun bubbly me in a long time and i know their so worried. i feel guilty because i know people are dying of starvation and cancer every day but i find this so hard and there seems to be no light at the end of the “tunnelll” pardon the pun..sooo fed up of the pain, hope yur ok carrie and it healed for u..fellow bum sufferer…ber/
ber - March 5, 2013 at 3:46 pm |
Thank you both for your replies. Yes I have had the seton since Feb 2012. I keep the area clean by showering twice a day and after BMs. I do not think I have any infection. I walk everywhere (when I am not sore)- but I have a permanent soreness between my buttocks and also often in my labia. I take a high fibre diet because I am worried about getting constipated. I cant sit on a donut when I drive- because my legs are so short, I cant reach the pedals if I do this !! If I did not laugh I would cry…..(more)
carrie - January 16, 2013 at 9:48 pm |
I can’t drive with my donut either and I’m nearly 6 feet tall! It makes me wobble and I don’t feel safe. Yes I’ve tried different inflation etc, I use one of my old flattened couch cushions instead, worth a try 😉
The SC diet is the go, I feel better every day, and so far no infection! Just starting to re-activate my life outside of home, so good to feel a bit normal again.
meg68 - January 17, 2013 at 3:09 pm |
I haven’t tried sitting on a donut yet, but I found that my horseshoe shaped breast feeding pillow works really well for me.
I also, thanks to meg68, am on the SC Diet. I bought the book and have been following it for 4 days now and my digestion feels way better. I have no nausea or diarrhea and the pain has lessened. So far so good! It’s pretty easy to follow too.
I’m possibly on the road to a bowel resection and a colostomy. I’ll find out the plan of action on Jan 29th. I just want to heal. My husband and I would love to have another child so I have to get better. I don’t want to get my hopes up because I’ve been dealing with this for 16 years and 10 surgeries now:( some days I feel more optimistic than others. I just want the Surgeon to cut away the diseased part of the bowel and get on with healing. Has anyone here had this done or heard of this being done with success?
jenn78 - January 17, 2013 at 4:50 pm |
Hi Jenn,
My friend had perianal crohns disease,had 15 abscesses drained,then they found it was in the small part of the bowel and they did a bowel resection on her back in 1998,she needed a colostomy,temporary pouch,for 3 years she had the bag,because there was 5 tests she had to pass before they reconnected the 2 parts of the bowel.The bag was removed and now it is 2013 and she has no recurring crohns perianal disease……amazing!!!thought l would share this with you.She has been an angel to me,helping cope with this disease as well as this site.Oh by the way she was able to get pregnant again with her second child.I wish you well in whatever you desc
ide to do.
Ren755
ren755 - January 21, 2013 at 12:50 pm
Hi all, does anybody know about the after surgery of the fistula plug? I currently have the none cutting seton but it hasn’t worked & I’ve had so many problems & a infection. Don’t know much about it.
Thanks
Toni - January 24, 2013 at 3:08 am
Hi Toni
I had the fistula plug surgery a couple of months ago after 6 months with the non cutting seton. I’ve been updating my progress in the Share/Ask section of this blog.
Matt - January 25, 2013 at 5:15 am
I’am so glad to hear you are doing well Meg!!!It really is nice to feel abit normal!!! I know that feeling,best of luck to you!!
Ren755
ren755 - January 17, 2013 at 4:20 pm |
Thanks Ren, it’s really nice to have the support of not only my family and friends, but all of you people who KNOW how it feels!!!
I visited my surgeon for post op on Friday and was very surprised to hear that I actually had another infection!
The pain, swelling and drainage was so minimal compared to before the SC diet, that I thought I was fine.
Oh well, another round of antibiotics…At least this time I’m in control of how I feel. I have days now when I don’t need my pain killers, and the bath is good enough!
I cannot stress how important it is to eat well, (SC) rest enough and drink heaps of water.
I still can’t eat meat, I don’t know why, but every time I try a little meat of any kind, I get really bad cramps and the runs. I’m having a gut analysis, (costly, but not compared to specialists), to try and find out why I got so sick in the first place. This will tell me of any food allergies or sensitivities I may not be aware of, plus will provide the information necessary to balance my system after all these weeks of medication. I’ll keep u posted.
My surgeon thinks I may have another tract that hasn’t been dealt with surgically yet, hence the 2 weekly infections. A month ago this news would have plummeted me into depression, but now that I feel I have control back, and my pain is receding, I can handle that.
Two setons is better than cancer or losing the ability to walk or speak. That’s the way I’ve learned to look at this problem. Each day is another step forward on the road to complete recovery.
Thanks for making me feel so good, so glad I was able to help someone, because that in turn helps me!
Stay positive, and good luck to you as well. 🙂
meg68 - January 21, 2013 at 7:58 pm |
Hi there,
Had advancement flap done 11 days ago, on day 7 had BM and LOTS of blood came gushing out like a cup of it (like in the movie the shinning when the elevator doors open, ok lol not quite that bad but it was scary) next morning no blood did phone the hospital and talk to a CR registrar but he didn’t tell me much. Hesitated going to ER because i am going through public and would rather wait to see the surgeon in a weeks time at follow up appt. who is the top guy here who i lucked out in getting, very confused as to wether flap is working the pus did stop on day 8 so i think that is a good sign. I feel for everyone who can’t work because of these bum issues, am in the same boat, but it could be worse 🙂
Linda
Linda - January 20, 2013 at 8:06 pm |
My doctor has put 3 setons in place and is getting ready to cut from one to the other and leave 1 seton in place. I know that it will be packed but is there an average time frame that the healing takes? I am wanting to know so I will know how long I will be off of work. Thank you, Carolyn
carolyn - January 21, 2013 at 1:23 pm |
Carolyn, take as long as u can afford off work, I did and it really paid off, I used up all my sick leave and then a few weeks of annual leave, but boy did I do better for it. U need to really concentrate on your diet and lifestyle right now, make the changes u need to and get lots of rest. Buy a sitz bath, and use it!
I read every single post on this site and took all the advice I could. These people know what they’re talking about. We can beat this thing only if we are healthy, inside and out!! Good luck. 🙂
meg68 - January 22, 2013 at 8:18 pm |
Thanks for the info. I had the surgery in July of last year and am going to have the next surgery in March but for some reason this past week it has felt like I am sitting on a porcupine. I never had any pain from the original surgery but am now feeling pain. Has anyone else felt this and if so what helped? Also, I was too ashamed to ask my surgeon if it was ok to have sex. Does anyone know the answer to that?
Carolyn - January 26, 2013 at 10:17 am |
LOL! I know just how u feel. My poor partner waited for a while! There are other ways of “slaying the snake” so to speak. Good on you for keeping it real 🙂
meg68 - January 30, 2013 at 6:00 pm
I am a 68yr old male, in April 2008 i had a pereanul abcess, now waiting for my 12th op, ihad a Lift method in Sept 2012, not worked, now waiting for next op, dont know what they are going to do next, i,m very fit for my age, still fixing brick/stone [ am a bricklayer] however i am feeling the strain with this constant pain in my buttock, becoming more quick tempered etc, i have a horseshoe fistular and i realise its not easy to cure, however i do think i should recieve more contact from my Hospital, Your ideas welcome, thaks Pat
Paddy Eades - January 26, 2013 at 7:00 am |
Hi Pat, am in limbo land it has been 3 weeks since advancement flap don’t know if it has worked and don’t know what the next step is (they love taking it in steps), my appointment to see the surgeon was 5th of march but i rang up today and changed it to 5th of feb and when i go in I am taking a note pad with all the questions that have been floating around in my head, my point is, don’t leave it up to them to contact you it is your body and they are meant to be there to help us so I don’t see the harm in being proactive and bugging them for answers.
Linda - January 29, 2013 at 7:04 pm |
Hi Linda, you are SO right!!! I have said this many many times on this website…. the surgeons are dealing with so many people that they don’t have the time to concentrate on your particular case, so you need to take the control yourself and constantly bug them, make more appointments, write down questions, ring them, make appointments every couple of weeks if you feel worried… do all of this until you are better.
I had the Advancement flap surgery, and didn’t know that it had worked for about 3 months, so you probably have some more time to wait – they take a very long time to heal. They will be able to tell if the flap has ‘stuck’ or ‘taken’ after a few weeks, but you won’t know if it has fully healed or not for a longer time.
In fact, I didn’t feel completely healed for about one year. My advancement flap was successful.
And I was extremely vigilant when it came to hounding the doctors/surgeons and nurses until someone checked me and gave me an answer 🙂
Good luck with your appointment! And please keep us updated with how your advancement flap has healed 🙂
fistulasupportonline - January 30, 2013 at 9:48 am
Did your procedure work?
Kourtney - June 14, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Hi Pat, just an update, went to the surgeon and he said it looked like it was healing and I won’t need any further surgery (unless it breaks down in the next year or so) so after a month of not knowing if advancement flap is working apparently it is, now i can look for a job yippeee! what is the next step for you? I hope your not stuck with a
seton.
Linda - February 7, 2013 at 6:16 pm |
Hi Linda, This must come as a complete relief, i,m sure you will be fine now, and yes working can actually make you feel better in yourself, not to hard though. I now have a op, date not until May though, its because of the demand this time of the year, older people taking up bed space, which they are entitled to, as always the case not enough money spent on our National Health, to much on wars etc, Please let me know at a much later date how you are getting on. Regards Paddy.
Paddy Eades - February 9, 2013 at 2:24 am
Hi
It looks like I have another abscess forming next to the seton – so does that mean another fistula? My Dr kept putting me off and off with the operation and now I have moved far from her area so I guess with the public system that will mean another year of waiting? What will happen if I have a seton and another fistula with an abscess in a different spot? I feel that the seton was a really bad thing for me from the start. I can’t have different antibiotics because I am breastfeeding and I can’t have an op because that might leave me incontinent. Do they put multiple setons in? at the moment I just have a lot of blood coming out – unusual I usually just have yellowish pus and quite a sore bottom that hurts when I break wind – the other side of the anus to where the seton comes out. I have been using wild oregano oil but now it just seems to be irritating the area and sitz baths don’t seem to be working as well as they did.
Please help – my next specialist appointment isn’t for another 3 weeks but i might be in hospital before then …
cate - January 31, 2013 at 10:32 am |
If you aren’t getting the treatment needed and you are in a lot of pain, why wouldn’t you go to hospital? I kept going into ER with my fistula, and was operated on next day both times. I am in Australia, where are you?
I also have developed another abscess, and won’t hesitate to go to the ER again if my doctor can’t see me soon. Demand attention, you have a very important job to do in feeding and mothering your child!
Good luck.
meg68 - January 31, 2013 at 1:32 pm |
thanks i might go to ER before this next abscess gets out of control
cate - January 31, 2013 at 10:26 pm |
Good Idea. I was in ER – or Accident & Emergency as we call it in New Zealand, all the time – every time I felt like something weird was going on – I was straight in there. No mucking around!! Good luck!
fistulasupportonline - February 1, 2013 at 9:20 am |
we call it accident and emergency too, just too lazy to type it!
meg68 - February 1, 2013 at 6:42 pm
Hi everyone,
I have a bit of a dilemma – I had an abcess that developed into a fistula. It was really painful for awhile, but lately it has gotten better. It hurts when I excercise or carry my kids a lot, but that’s about it (but I still get discharge from it and I would say it can be uncomfortable, but not painful most of the time). I don’t think I have an underlying conditionI have a surgery scheduled for Feb 21 with a general surgeon. A couple things he has said have bothered me though – he said I could leave it and it may get better on it’s own; from what I’ve read that is almost never the case. And he said that there is almost never problems after the fistulectomy, also something I doubt. If it’s too high, I guess he’ll put in a seton. He said he’s done hundreds of these. I also have an appointment with a colorectal surgeon, but not until May, with surgery probably occurring sometime in the summer. The colorectal surgeon seems like he’d take me more seriously – I get a complete examination, something I’ve never had with the general surgeon. And if the surgery is complicated, he would have more experience. But on the other hand I just want to get it over with. What would you guys do? Go with the less experienced general surgeon and get it over with quickly or wait for the colorectal surgeon (I’m also scared it will get bad again before that)? I should add I’m only 34 and I am a stay at home mom with three kids under 5. My life is a lot of putting on snowsuits, taking them off, carrying the kids, laundry, driving etc. All stuff that’s hard to do with a sore bum. Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.
Jenn - February 1, 2013 at 4:57 am |
Hi Jenn. If I were you, I’d wait to see the Colorectal Surgeon, or I’d try to make an appointment with another colorectal surgeon for sooner than May. Personally, I don’t think that a general surgeon would have enough focused experience with fistulas. And because a lot of fistula surgery has less chance of working when done a second time, you’re best to not mess around, and go with a surgeon that is very experienced in that field, and knows exactly what they’re doing. I got 3 opinions from 3 Colorectal Surgeons before I had any surgery. It sounds like you have a lot on your plate, and everyone on this site knows how hard it is to do your every day things when you have a sore bum. Stay positive, and good luck, let us know how you get on 🙂
fistulasupportonline - February 1, 2013 at 9:57 am |
Hi Jenn, I would insist on a MRI scan before your op, if its a high fistular you need the very best Surgeon, i have a horseshoe fistular, pass ops include a seton, twice, a Plug, and the Lift method, now booked for March for another Seton, and then ? A good thing to do is to be on a high Fibre diet, with hectic life, rest is important. The fistular will not go away. My daughter only has one child [18months], i dont know how you cope, keep up to date on Google for any latest news on a Fistular. By the way i,m over here a city called Bath, England, keep positive.
Paddy Eades - February 2, 2013 at 3:24 am |
My MRI has just shown that I have a horse shoe shaped collection passing through and alongside my first fistula, which has a seton in place. Haven’t seen my surgeon yet, (this friday), why are horse shoe fistulas so hard to deal with?
I’ve been ok with the idea of another seton, but balk at the idea of some of the other surgeries mentioned above!
Paddy, why haven’t your fistulas healed do you think?
meg68 - February 4, 2013 at 1:59 pm |
Hi Meg, a horseshoe shape fistular is difficult to operate on [high fistular] because the tract can go thro, the intershincteric muscle, my sugeon stated in a letter to me that, [ we are using compromise techniques to try and prevent incontinence] its possible that I and others may simply end up with a seton in place permanently. I am sure better methods will be developed soon, its not so bad for me but I feel for the younger generation who may have this problem, i have some info, you could try these websites here in the UK, http://www.rcsed.ac.uk or http://www.asgbi.org.uk Best of luck Paddy
Paddy Eades - February 4, 2013 at 11:22 pm |
Thanks Paddy,
Seems all I do these days is research? I’m getting used to the idea that perhaps my seton and perhaps another(?) will be longer term than I first thought, but I am determined to beat this thing through diet and good over all health.
(Funnily enough my ex was a brickie who suffered from Hemorrhoids, I can’t imagine how you’ve kept up with your job through all this???)
Off to research your sites now, thanks again, and good luck with your next op! Meg.
meg68 - February 5, 2013 at 2:28 pm |
Hi guys please help me,
i have one fistula from december 2011 so it is almost more than one year now..it occurs because of perianal abscess
I have done my check up to doctor many times
and all have one answer for me *you need a surgery for this but we are not sure, there is chances of re-occurence*
to be honest as it is near from anal so before i go for surgery i start fearing that if i lose control on my bowels then, so because of the fear i always drop the plan of surgery, and till now i have not gone through with any surgery on this case of fistula,
so the thing i want to ask is this, i dont know how But fistula is automaticaly getting heald, i mean to say there is very little pus coming out from opening of fistula(its very little or may be no pus), or you can say there is no pus coming out, so infection is going away or what sign is this?
The anti-biotics, gas, better digestion, all these medicines which doctor told me to take it, i started taking those medicines again after 1 year, because my fistula is automaticaly healing, does my infection is going away or fucking fistual will go forever?
Please help me, i want this fucking shit go away from my body,
my senses are saying that its going away from my body and i start having medicines to help more for healing it and now little pimple like mark left there on fistula openings are almost closed?
Help my dear ones..? Is this going away or what?
shanky - February 7, 2013 at 3:54 am |
Hi Shanky. First of all, remember that surgeons will do what they can to make sure your normal bowel function is not affected. If they think surgery will damage your sphincter muscles so much that you become incontinent, then they will try a different approach. Where abouts in the world are you?? You should be going to see a different surgeon to get a second opinion. If you have had a fistula for one year, and they still “don’t know what to do”, then I think you need to see a different surgeon!
The only way you can tell if your fistula has closed up is by an MRI scan. Ask your surgeon for an MRI so you can see the severity of it. They should have already done an MRI and then assessed you for surgery. I think you need to start demanding better answers, these are all the questions you should be asking your surgeon.
Sounds like you’re doing all the right things with your diet etc, make sure you’re also keeping the area very clean.
I’m not a doctor, but from all the stories I’ve heard about fistulas, it’s rare that they would go away by themselves without surgery, but rather will just keep closing over and then reoccuring again and again.
Good luck, let us know how you get on!
fistulasupportonline - February 7, 2013 at 8:20 am |
hi it seems like it is coming again LOL ,
and my frnd i havent done any MRI or somthing like that, i had only medicines one year ago, and till now i havent done anything in that, well my frnd i’m from india and trying to do best thing for my self yup i too think that i should go for surgery, i have just checked two or three time to surgeons and they just tol after seeing in anal hole with the help of torch 😛 that you need a surgery for that, so you give me an option that should i go for sugery or wait for this shit to go away from my till my last breath, this is really annoying
shanky - February 12, 2013 at 2:24 am
and please tell me one more that can it really go after surgery ??? 😦 im really so upset from this
this fucking fistula ruind my life from last 1year,
please tell me can it really go after surgery
shanky - February 12, 2013 at 2:28 am
Hi all, I’m looking for some support as I’m feeling so incredibly down. In April 2012 I had a very painful perianal abscess. I thought that I’d just got painful piles and kept soldiering on through the pain not realising what the real problem was. Eventually I went into A&E with the pain and the abscess was lanced that afternoon to drain the pus. I then had an infection in the wound and had to take strong antibiotics. After about 3 months a tiny pus filled spot stayed on the operation scar and refused to go away. I was given antibiotic cream, more antibiotic pills and had the area cauterised to try and seal it but to no avail. I was referred to a colorectal surgeon and on the 23rd January I had a seton put in place. Three days later I had a terribly painful infection and had to go back to A&E in the middle of the night to be treated. I was given more antibiotics as well as other pills to get rid of the infection. I thought the infection had gone but today I’m feeling really sore again and my flesh feels painful to touch but it’s not in the area of the original abscess – it’s now sore right between my legs and is painful to sit down. I’m going back to the docs today as I think it’s another infection. I’m starting to think that having the seton in place has made my problem worse. At least when I just had the spot I was never in much pain, it was just a nuisance as it leaked every so often. Now the seton feels tight, makes me sore when I walk too much and has ruined my sex life as it makes me so squeamish about that whole area now. I know I’m probably going to have this problem a long time but today I’m really struggling to cope with it mentally. I feel so angry that this is happening to me. I know it’s not cancer or something more serious but the infections could still lead to sepsis and this frightens me so much as my mum got sepsis and never fully recovered – she died 2 months later. How does everyone else keep there ‘chin up’ with this horrible illness? I feel that some doctors don’t take this very seriously and do tend to shrug you off with antibiotics too often. I’ve just taken 2 weeks off work and have to go back on Monday and I’m dreading the discomfort I’m going to be in. It’s not as if it’s an easy subject to bring up with workmates either – it’s a real suffer in silence problem. Sorry for my rant but today it has all completely got to me 😦
Caz - February 9, 2013 at 4:00 am |
Hi Caz, sorry to hear you’re not coping, it is such an awful thing to go through, and people don’t understand how hard it can be unless they’ve been through it themselves. You’re right, it’s not cancer, I guess everything is relative though, and it’s your life. I had setons in for 2 years, and I had infections every 6 months or so. I would be put on antibiotics each time I got an infection and it would go away. I found that when I completely changed my diet and lifestyle, the infections stayed away. I also took lots of supplements to get my immune system really strong, and got myself into top physical form. And that’s when I really started to get better… after 2 fistulas, 2 setons, 7 surgeries, and an Advancement flap, I’m now back to ‘normal’. I used to tell my work mates that I had “holes in my intestines”… I don’t know why, I was embarrassed to say I had fistulas, but that’s ok, you tell them whatever you want to tell them – it’s none of their business anyway. I had a donut pillow on my chair at my desk at work. I covered it with a pillow case so that it didn’t look like a donut pillow! These are all the little things that you do to get through it. Do whatever you need to do, nevermind everyone else. And get up and walk around every half an hour at work. You won’t get sepsis, don’t worry!!! The doctors would never let your infection go that far. You just need to stay on top of things, if you feel like something is wrong, or you’re experiencing a ‘new’ weird pain, get straight into the doctor for a check up. Find a doctor that is clued up about fistulas and understands your case fully. You will have many bumps in the road to recovery with fistulas. I did. I had something new wrong with my fistulas every 3 weeks or so, I’d march back into the doctors and demand an MRI 🙂 Like I said, just do what you need to do to get better, and be strong and positive, and you’ll get there in the end 🙂
As far as leaving your fistula – and not having the seton put in place – I doubt your fistula would have ever gone away. At least with a seton, you have the chance of everything draining properly, and drying up, so that you can be completely rid of it.
Good luck, and keep us updated! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - February 10, 2013 at 3:17 pm |
Hi there,
I hope everyone is well and keeping there heads up high.
You mentioned you changed your diet and took supplements. Could you possibly give me some info on that please! Thanks so much!
Regards
Stacey
Sent from my BlackBerry® wireless device
stacey77@mtn.blackberry.com - February 11, 2013 at 8:21 am
Just wanted to give an update. I’ve just had a review of my fistula with my surgeon and I’m now feeling really positive. The seton that was put in in January was a cutting seton and has cut through about 1cm of flesh. The flesh behind the seton has healed up nicely so it’s all going in the right direction. My next surgery (in a couple of months time) will be to examine the fistula more closely while I’m under anaesthetic and the outcome will be either another cutting seton to bring the fistula even closer to the skin or to have the fistula laid open if it’s already close enough. The surgeon thinks he will only have to cut about 25% of the sphincter muscle and that it shouldn’t make me incontinent. All in all I feel really hopeful that by the end of the year I’ll be fistula free if the surgeries are a success. This is the first time I’ve felt really hopeful that I’ll finally be free of the fistula. I know things can go wrong but at the minute I’m enjoying the light at the end of the tunnel 🙂
Caz - March 26, 2013 at 6:10 am |
Does having a perianal fistula and an abscess affect giving birth naturally? Has anyone on here given birth with a perianal fistula? Mine won’t go away and I’m thinking of starting a family soon and I really want to avoid having a c-section… I don’t really trust doctors advice now-a-days, especially since they all want to perform a c-section cause giving birth is now a “business”… so I’d like to hear from peoples’ experiences directly. Thanks
jendel - February 9, 2013 at 11:07 am |
Hi Jendel, I had two perianal fistulas and setons for 2 years, and then the advancement flap surgery, which was successful. I’m now pregnant, and was advised by my doctor and my surgeon to have a c section, so as not to risk any chance of putting pressure on my advancement flap. I’ve taken their professional advice on board and am having a c section. I would rather do that, than have ANY chance of a relapse of a fistula. At the end of the day, it’s up to you, I guess you need to make an educated decision, get a couple of opinions from different doctors. I would say that they will advice you to have a c section. I was told that the ‘downward pressure’ of childbirth could have negative effects. I personally don’t think there’s anything wrong with having a c section these days, in many cases, it’s the safer option for the mother and the baby. There are benefits and negatives to both ways of giving birth I guess! 🙂 Good luck, and it’s great that you’re going to be starting a family soon! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - February 10, 2013 at 2:57 pm |
I’ve had both natural births and a c section, and would advise you in this case to listen to your doctor.
My first baby ripped me from vagina to anus.
For 23 years, since his birth, I have suffered ongoing problems with pain from fissures, and painful scar tissue from the stitch up job.
The doctors think this is probably the reason why my fistula developed, through infection in the fissure.
So If I was pregnant today, and in this situation, it would be a c section, no problems!
Congratulations on your pregnancy and impending birth! 🙂
meg68 - February 10, 2013 at 10:58 pm |
Hi Meg, awesome advice from someone who has been through both! 🙂 There is no way I would muck around with it and have a natural child birth. And you are right, the doctors wouldn’t advise a c section for the hell of it. Thanks for all your great helpful posts on this website too 🙂
fistulasupportonline - February 11, 2013 at 8:06 am
Has anyone had a fistula close with the use of a combination of steroids and antibiotics? Has anyone had a small fistula close by ANY means? Hope, hope….
julie - February 11, 2013 at 1:38 pm
Not so sure about that one…Doctors want c-sections performed all the time “for the hell of it.” Plus, there are just as much complications with c-sections, if not more, than having a [healthy] natural birth. So eh… looking for anyone who gave birth naturally with a peri-anal fistula.
jendel - March 1, 2013 at 12:32 pm
hi meg, just thought i would mention, i also gave birth to my first child and had a complete front to back tear……then my other 2 had c-sections. funnily enough last time i was in having a perianal abscess cut out and laid open i mentioned it to the surgeon, it occurred to me that maybe there was damage done to the muscles back then but the doctor assured me it couldnt possibly have been anything to do with that……interesting though hey? xx tina
tina - April 12, 2013 at 10:29 am
I’m freaking out right now and I don’t know what to do. I had my second fistula surgery last Wednsay (a week and a half ago) and just today I feel like I’m getting an new absces on the other side! I can’t go through that again. I just can’t. I’m not well enough to work, I suffer from extreme low self worth and can’t hold down a job anyway. I suffer from depression. I don’t know what to do! I cannot end up in the ER again. I just can’t.
Mel - February 10, 2013 at 4:18 am |
Hi Mel, I used to freak out all the time thinking I had another abscess, or something else was wrong, I think it’s normal for you to feel like that, and be paranoid because of what you’ve been through. There could be nothing wrong, it could be an infection that they could clear up with antibiotics. But if it is another abscess, then you just need to work through it and be strong. Rather than fretting, worrying and wondering what is wrong, you need to just go and see your doctor as soon as possible. They should book you in for another MRI scan to see what is going on in there. Whatever happens, you’ll get through it, you just have to take it step by step, one day at a time, and try to remain positive. You will get through the other side and be healthy again. Believe me, there are many bumps in the road on the fistula journey!! It’s how you deal with them that matters. If you need surgery again, you just do what you have to do. I have many surgeries, and after 2 years of it, I got better. Are you on medication for your depression? What are you doing to build up your self worth?
fistulasupportonline - February 10, 2013 at 3:05 pm |
Thanks for your reply. Thankfully it wasn’t another abscess . My original fistula is still draining though. I have my third seton surgery tomorrow. I am applying for jobs again and I am trying to arrange early morning counselling.
Mel - March 12, 2013 at 10:49 pm
Thanks for the reply. I was having a real down day on Friday but I’m feeling much more positive now. It’s good to hear a success story and that your fistula’s have now gone and you’re ok. That gives me a lot of hope that one day I’ll be through all this. I couldn’t find a success story anywhere on the Internet – it was all the horror stories of the surgeries. Is there anyway a page could be added to this website for ‘success stories – my fistula has now gone’? I don’t know about everyone else but I for one would love to hear from people who’ve got over this condition, what was the most successful surgery for them, how long it all took from start to finish…etc. It would certainly give a nice light at the end of a long dark tunnel (if you’ll pardon the pun lol) 🙂
Caz - February 11, 2013 at 2:22 am |
Hi Caz, what an awesome idea! There are a few success stories on here, I guess it’s a matter of reading through everything which would take some time! I’ll set up a new page and ask those with success stories to add to it. Thanks for the great suggestion, and I’m glad you’re feeling more positive now! You will be up and down, hang in there!! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - February 11, 2013 at 8:08 am |
Hey Caz, a lot of us are in the same situation here, and I have read through all of these posts. I have taken all the advice I can, and still, I have an unsolved case that needs further surgery/surgeries??
God knows its the hardest thing I’ve ever been through! (And I’ve been through some stuff!)
I’ve just had a really down and depressed w/e myself, having found out last week that while I have been taking antibiotics, my fistula has been growing right around my rectum, like a vine…
So now my worst nightmare is coming true!
I really feel for u, and I hope u have some support from friends/family? Even though they can’t possibly know what you’re going through….
We are here for u, and we know what it feels like 🙂
meg68 - February 11, 2013 at 11:28 am
Thank you so much for your support guys. I’m so glad I’ve found this website. Meg68 I really feel for you. I would be so upset if I was told what you’d been told. Sometimes it’s so difficult to keep going on as normal when you’re constantly at the doctors or in and out of A&E or off work because of the pain, not to mention being a mum and running around after kids as well. I guess we just all have to keep plodding on somehow. My next appointment is on 25th March which feels like ages away considering my surgery for the seton was on 23rd January. It’s already been infected once since the surgery and then two new sore lumps appeared right between my legs so now I’m on antibiotics to get rid of them. I’m praying they are nothing to do with the abscess and that it’s just a coincidence. Sigh 😦
Caz - February 13, 2013 at 7:41 am |
Thanks Caz, and you’re most welcome 🙂 I’m doing it a bit tough pain wise this week, antibiotics versus infection!
Going to Sydney to see a surgeon up there, hopefully will sort me out with a 2nd seton, (lucky me!)
Yeah I freaked out a bit when I found out that things weren’t going as well as I thought, but what can u do?
Keep up with your healthy diet, (I had a bit of a cheat on the w/e and paid for it), at least I know now that I simply CANNOT afford to eat grains or any bi-product of them, or sugar or meat now. As I’ve said before, pain is a great motivator!
I hope your antibiotics sort out your lumps? It’s not where your lymph nodes are swollen from infection or glands, whatever? Sometimes my groin gets really sore either side when I have an infection. Good luck anyway. I know how relieved I was when I found this site.
A great place to hear and tell the truth that the doctors don’t seem to share 🙂
meg68 - February 13, 2013 at 8:35 pm |
Hi Guys, I am a South African, and I must say that we happen to have quite an advanced medical profession. However not matter how good or how talented your surgeon is, the bottom line is the same – We has fellow sufferers endure discomfort levels and reach pain thresholds unknown to many. I went to my GP in December for a “leaking ass” for want of a better description. I was told it looks like a P A A with drainage. Take care to keep it clean and a course of antibiotics. 5 days ago I could not handle the pain and the leakage so, I went to the surgeons in the know. Booked in for a EUA (examination under anisthetic) and a fistula was section was removed. 5 days later I am extremely painful and fully constipated. I have the urge to pass stools but the minute the muscles become active, I have electric shock pains and I freeze. No passage for the stools. My advise would be maybe the bowels should be totally cleaned out at least 6 hours before the surgical intervention and keep away from foods that would require greater bowel activity, for at least a month after surgery. Suffering in silence and slowly gong into depression. Than god I have my post op visit on Tuesday the 19th Feb. I also thank god I found this site.
Devan Naidoo - February 18, 2013 at 2:58 am |
I agree with you,it seems the majority of us are dealing with this in silence,yet we can be vocal on this site,which makes life much better for all of us.I had the fibrin glue procedure done before xmas,,l srill remember the excructiating pain trying to have a bm for the first time,l feel for you and pray for all of us to heal and the pain to diminish.Best of luck to you.
Ren
ren755 - February 27, 2013 at 12:40 pm |
I really think that I would go crazy without this site… It’s easy to feel like your alone with this problem and it can get you down, I’m currently waiting for my 5th procedure, my surgeon has deciced to take a month off the week I’m due in so more waiting round now… Does anyone feel drained of energy from having a fistula? or maybe I just feel emotionally drained from it all, I’m looking at loosing me job due to all this time off I’ve had, I’ve lost so much weight and all my confidence, even to go the shops because I’m constantly checking the back of my pants or jeans for wet stains, thanks for everyone who has posted, this is the only chance for to get all my feelings off m’y chest
Tony - February 20, 2013 at 2:38 pm |
Hi, to all, I had the plug op about 18months ago, it failed, also laying open, seton fitted and the lift op. on Fri next a seton fitted again. As i said to Meg the daily dressings are a real pain, but you must take a painkiller a hour before the dressings are applied, my problems started in April 2008 [ a abcess] and yes this problem makes your head swill with anger etc, because you cannot really help to stop the problem. Yes you can Bathe or Shower after these ops, in fact you need to be extra clean after your ops, also before each daily dressing remove the old dressing in the bath/shower. I had a bedet fitted its very useful to keep extra clean. All the best to you all Paddy.
________________________________
P EADES - February 26, 2013 at 11:23 pm |
Hi all,
Had a non cutting seton placed in October, caused me nothing but problems! Yesterday (21/02/13) I had the fistula plug surgery, woke up in extreme pain as expected. Just wondering if anybody knows the healing process? When can I have a bath and shower? I can’t even sit down at the moment. I’ve had this fistula for 4 years this year! It’s also in my spinachter muscle.
Any help would be appreciated,
Thanks
Toni - February 23, 2013 at 12:34 am |
Hi everyone… So my surgeon has suggested that he might do a lay open AND a Lift procedure at the same time. He won’t know until I am under anesthetic and so I won’t be consulted about it.
From what I have read both seem to be mega painful procedures and I am getting really worried about how I’m going to feel waking up?
Anyone got any advice on how to best prepare for these surgeries which will be happening in the first week of April?
meg68 - February 24, 2013 at 10:20 pm |
Hi Meg, the laying open or the Lift ops are not that painful, the packing out of the hole left can be uncomfortable, takes about 3 weeks, daily. The wound needs to heal from the inside to outside, yes i have had both ops, i had a phone call Mon, going in for a Seton [again] to be fitted on Friday next, the NHS here in Bath UK, cannot cope with number of ops at the moment , so i,m off to a Private Clinic, see how the other half cope. So i know you will be alright, keep taking some pain killers before each dressing is done , you will be ok, Paddy
________________________________
P EADES - February 26, 2013 at 11:06 pm |
Hi Meg,
I had the lay open done last year and out of the 10 procedures I’ve had done on my Fistula. It was the most painful by far. I went off my pain meds too fast and has a pain crisis that was awful. If I had of just kept taking them it would have been bearable. It took months to heal. Then the fistula came back a year later. So now I’m having an MRI and a seaton put back in before its laid open again. I think what went wrong was that I started eating normally again right away. This time I’ve been doing the SC Diet which is working wonders to control the inflammation and then after the laying open I will go on a liquid diet for a month just to give everything time to heal properly. I’ve been dealing with this for 16 years and the SC Diet is the only thing that’s made a drastic positive change. My fistula, even though its still there, has stopped leaking and healed on the outside. There is no inflammation and I feel normal again. I know it will build up in there and come back, but for now it’s good
jenn78 - February 27, 2013 at 9:49 am |
Oh jenn!
I just read Paddy and he says it wasn’t too bad, (I think he was trying a bit of positive psychology on me)…
I can’t even imagine how this is going to feel, I did have a fissure laid open 23 years ago when my son was born and I woke from surgery screaming. That’s the picture I have in my head!!
I am sticking faithfully to sc diet as well. I feel like I have changed my whole freaking life for this thing, and yet I’m still suffering, and when I hear that you have been like this for 16 years it makes me feel guilty for not coping better.
My poor partner is really copping the brunt of this lately. Trying to cut down on opiate based pain killers, so suffering a bit more pain and blowing up more often. I regularly leave my work in tears…
It helps SO MUCH to have this support here. I know that I’m not alone in my problem, as this is a very difficult one to talk about.
Thanks so much, just for being there!!
meg68 - February 27, 2013 at 12:31 pm
Hi Meagan.
Make sure the anethetist takes care of you so you won’t have any pain when you awake,as for the procedure you are going to have,l never had that done,so unfortunetly l can’t help you with that.I do want to wish you the best of luck and my prays are with you.
Ren
ren755 - February 27, 2013 at 1:13 pm |
Thank you Ren, I really think the world of you people, who would have thought I would find so much support from strangers?
Your prayers are much appreciated 🙂
I think I’ll ask for a spinal block, that seemed to work well the first op. I didn’t feel a thing for about 6 hours.
Thanks again 🙂
Meg.
meg68 - February 28, 2013 at 11:27 pm
hi meg im new to this site and feel like my angels sent it to me tonite as ive been so down, its true u have to go through this to understand the pain and loneliness it causes//not something you bring up over dinner, i am fellow sufferer for the past 10 mts and just 5 days ago had a 3rd op where i had the fistula laid open, yes its an ouch but i feel i can cope with the pain its just the packing that is a daily torture and which i have been getting since the very 1st incision all tho now there is such a big hole to be packed it takes forever, ive opted now for showers insread of the sitz baths jus to see if it will make a difference,i miss being the happy bubbly mum i used to be all tho my 3 kids are amazing i know they miss me 2.. i have a wonderfull supportive husband who has even done the packing as it needs it every day and in ireland everything shuts at wkends unless yur dying or dead! anyways just wanted to say good luck with op and ill let you know how this procedure goes and thankyou for yur great advice re diet etc..fellow bum sufferer..ber
ber - March 5, 2013 at 4:26 pm |
Thanks Ber, very worried about how I’m going to cope. I have dreadful sphincter spasms and I don’t know how I’ll cope once the muscles are cut?
My kids and partner are awesome too, but there must be a limit to how much they can cope with?
Please let me know how u are going, I’m in half a mind to cancel the surgery and go alternative medicine with this. That’s how scared the surgery makes me.
Meg..
meg68 - March 13, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Thanks Paddy!!
I am so worried, you would think I’d be tougher by now? You have made me feel a little better already.
I’m concerned about the 6 hours of traveling I have in order to get home after hospital releases me. (Surgery is in Sydney) How’s that going to work? I can fly home, but it will be super expensive on our regional airline….
Good luck at the private clinic, I’m sure you’ll enjoy the food and care a lot better… Let us know how you go?
I’ll be thinking of you 🙂
meg68 - February 27, 2013 at 12:17 pm |
Hi I had my 3rd op yesterday 1.3.13 this was to put a seton in place so far I have had no pain just stinging, I don’t know if I am lucky or the painkillers are real good.
I am so scared to go the the toilet tho, this petrifies me what should I expect please help I’d rather know so I’m prepared
Claire - March 3, 2013 at 10:07 am |
Hi Claire, I didn’t think going to the toilet with a seton was too bad really. Make sure you take your painkillers well before, and hop into a nice bath after?
My routine was toilet, quick shower (to clean up really well), and straight into the bath. It worked well for me. Good luck with the next few weeks, drink plenty of water and eat well and you’ll be okay.
meg68 - March 3, 2013 at 11:45 pm |
Hi Claire,
I found it more mentaly scary to have a movement with the seton in place. Once I got used to it, it was ok. Being really, really clean afterwards is super important. Making sure to drink lots of water and eat lots of fiber to keep things moving easily is really the key I think. You could try stool softeners to help with all that as well. Also chk out the SC Diet. It’s really helped the inflamation and made me a whole lot more comfortable.
jenn78 - March 5, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Hi Claire, I to had a seton put in position on the same day, this was the 3rd seton op i had done, as you said the stingiing is the worse thin about the the op, I take Tramadell , it works . Going to the loo is not a real problem, you will get used to it. If you read this Meg, yes the Private Clinic was very good, a room to myself, Tv etc, plus a good meal afterwards, the same Consultant Surgeon performed the op as in the Natiional Health Service Hospital last time, now have to wait for 3 to 4 Months to see what he decides to do next time, Thank goodness I have a lovely 18 months old Grandaughter to give me a lift now and again, all the best Paddy.
Paddy Eades - March 4, 2013 at 10:52 am |
Hey Paddy, great to hear that you had a “good” time in the private clinic. I think it’s funny that they are the same doctors in both public and private. Happens here in Australia too.
Glad to hear you’re doing ok anyway.
My stupid seton fell out last week, and now I’m in dire straits again, might need to visit the hospital for another one as soon as tonight or tomorrow the way I’m feeling, but staying positive until surgery in April…that’s when I’ll freak out I think 🙂
meg68 - March 4, 2013 at 7:50 pm
Thank you so much for your help.
It keeps getting clogged during watery poop and I always have watery poop. I for as long as I remember have always had watery or occasionally constipation…never normal. Even with diet changes it went from one extreme to the other. I have the worst abdominal pains when my stomach is empty of food, like curled over in pain. Now I have this fistula thing, So I’m afraid to poop and I’m afraid to not eat because of the abdominal pains. Why is my body always going against me? 😦
PainInTheAsk - January 19, 2014 at 12:47 pm
I have had a fistuls for over 12 years, I am now suicedal . My Doctor keeps giving me creams and says it is to do with my crack, i had had a very poor quality of life for over twelve years and am now suideal where can i get help i really am a human being but because I am irish that does not apply in my doctors view.
Noreen Marie Lawlor - March 4, 2013 at 4:33 am |
Might be time to change Doctors don’t you think Noreen?
Please don’t feel like nobody cares about you, we have all had days when we feel down and the pain is just too much. I hope you have enough strength left in you to go see another Doctor. Help is out there waiting…
Where do you live by the way?
meg68 - March 4, 2013 at 7:45 pm |
My son has had a fistula for years.but one thing that really helped him that no one mentions here was a wound vac pump. His fistula was quite large and (after years of dealing with it) he was on the pump for 6 weeks and it shrank to pin hole size. At least we no longer needed to pack it. It’s still there, although small (too small for surgery) and we are now going to have him start going in a hyperbaric chamber. The wound vac pump really changed his life for the better. Let me know what you think.
julie - March 5, 2013 at 2:15 pm |
Hi are you guys in nz
Jes - December 2, 2016 at 7:20 am
god marie u poor thing, i am irish to so do know bit about our med system(wat system) i have no clue wat your going through for twelve yrs but i do know the last 10 mts have been hell, it started with an abcess which i had 2 ops on with packing every day for months,soo painfull and at times would practically crawl home and cry for the day and wake up the nxt morn only to do it again! i eventually started screaming for an mri which i got and showed a fistula…its 5 days since my op and im back to packing every day and have a hole the size of the grand canyon nxt to my anus, everything hurts and my hubby and kids havent seen the real me in so long..but dont give up you must change that doctor immediately and walk into sorry crawl into a&e screaming blue murder..that doctor is a crack!! and hasnt a clue. my gp is great and very supportive and got me into to see the best corective surgeon in s ireland who did my surgery,,also gonna do the diets that everyone talks about on here..and try stay positive, i dont have medical insurance and your right it seems you have to be dying before someone will help,i rang the hospital every day for months begging to see the specialist..and my gp helped by emailing and calling…pls pls dont give up… START SHOUTING..and good luck..fellow bum sufferer.. ber
ber - March 5, 2013 at 4:03 pm |
Surely she doesn’t live in Ireland. Why would she be getting poor treatment for being Irish by her own countrymen??
meg68 - March 12, 2013 at 4:16 pm
she didnt say but the system here is not great unless you have insurance or full med card, your just a number and you never see the same doc twice in the hospital, 10 mts of packing every day… killed me…I am irish and they are my countrymen?? but i know everyone has their own experience.. I hope and pray now that im getting sorted but you never know… fingers and everything x
ber - March 13, 2013 at 1:39 pm
I cannot go through the packing again, so I made an appointment with my GP to get a pain injection before the first dressing, because the first one is always the worst in my opinion. Poor torture! I think it’s absolutely inhumane and barbaric to pack a wound like this when the patient is awake. The diphene and tramol don’t make any difference!
Anyone else share my frustration?
Mel - March 12, 2013 at 10:53 pm |
Can someone recommend a specialist for fistula in ano @ NZ, preferrably in Auckland or Wellington. Pliz let me know…I’d like to make an appoinment.
Aaron - March 13, 2013 at 3:28 pm |
I can highly recommend Dr Ian Bissett at the Auckland Colorectal Centre – http://colorectal.co.nz/. He works in public health as well as this private clinic.
fistulasupportonline - March 13, 2013 at 3:44 pm
Hi Mel, The first time i had this packing done i nearly hit the ceiling, i had to get to my local surgery, the Nurses were very good, in fact they would stop when the pain was to much for me, however the pain was as you said, i tried to grit my teeth as the packing material was put into the wound, i would sweat etc, i dont think they would give me a injection, i know this will probably not help you but because our family has had a Father and Daughter passed on from the big C, i try and stay positive and think perhaps as i will be 69yrs im May and apart from this horrible problem i feel healthy, the seton i had put in on the 1/3 is quite painful what i try and do is take the max pills i,m allowed, i do have a tot of Whisky before bed, over here in England the weather is total Crap, i cannot get out in the garden or go fishing, i cannot relax so this makes things even worse, But i am determined to be a winner with this problem, there its off my chest now, by the way i,m half Irish, hence the name, Bye Paddy
Paddy Eades - March 13, 2013 at 11:19 pm |
Hi Mel. god i know how you feel its a freakin nightmare.. I find its torture as well and have been having the packing every day in between 3 ops for the last 10 months all tho so many people on here suffering for so long its scary, the 1st packing like you im terrified off and my poor sister was in hospital with me to witness it and fair play to her she googled like her life depended on it and found a forum that advised LIDOCAINE..OMG it was like night and day but I can only seem to get a hold of it in hospital for the first and second op, its a spray,, there are other types of it but lidocaine worked for me, i literally felt nothing…. if you can get a hold of it you ll be grand..good luck and let me know..ber ps: try breathing through it aswell, breath in and tell them pack it as you slowly breath out….helps me sometimes.. x
ber - March 13, 2013 at 1:49 pm |
Shit Mel,
I’m starting to wonder about this whole lay open technique and whether I should stop reading this site for the fear it’s creating in me?
Am I better off knowing?
Am I really, considering the pain I am already in, better off opting for a life time seton? Or a cutting seton?
This waiting for my April surgery is driving me insane. I am so scared, and reading your post above has only made me more afraid.
So sorry for everything you’re going through, if only I could help you..
Meg.
meg68 - March 13, 2013 at 1:49 pm |
Hi Meg,
How are you now,, I know its sooo hard but try not to stress, feel so sad for you..it was only on my third op with specialist that they went with laying it open, the packing has got easier this week and im seeing specialist this friday who will decide whats going on with it?, I dont know anymore, im afraid to hope incase I lead myself into dissapointment again ( but small part still hoping/praying) the hope is that the fistula will heal once laid open the wound is kept open to encourage wound to heal from inside-out, this did not happen first two incisions as fistula was feeding the open wounds….so I can see the logic in it if it works??..I shall post on Friday night with hopefully good news and very large glass of vino in hand!! and to everyone on this site may I say I think we are very brave people indeed who deserve to have a healthy body and thankyou all for just being on here.. only us really know what a bastard this thing is too live with..and dont give up Meg….xx
ber - March 14, 2013 at 4:35 am |
Hi Ber,
Not giving up, I guess I’m just giving in to the inevitable. I have dreams, where I go to another place, visit my sister in another state, etc, and the fistula is gone! I am healthy. Then I wake up….
Just goes to show how much this problem has invaded my entire mind? Even my subconscious wants me to be rid of the problem 🙂
I will keep strong, as long as I have u all for support, but sometimes, I’ve got to admit, I just wish I could give up. The thought that this surgery may not heal me, that I will go through all this for nothing, makes my blood run cold.
I am hoping for u to have a positive outcome on Friday? Best of luck to u, and thanks so much for your kind words, they really do make all the difference! xx
meg68 - March 14, 2013 at 3:12 pm
Hi Meg and anyone else reading..Well… specialist this mornin..waited near 3 hrs with baited breath and soo nervous..eventually assumed the “position” and “music to my ears” said he was very pleased with it, keep up the cleaning of the cavity (which i do 3 times a day with shower hose) and he ll see me in 3 months!!!! but best of all…stop packing! dear god I got so emotional I must have looked a right baby but i know every one on here would understand, I wanted to tell ye because i hope it gives everyone hope..Im not out of the woods yet and still on pain meds but this is the first time I feel someone knows what there doing,tg. my advice to everyone is try to get a surgeon specialist in this area, hose area as much as you can and just put simple sterile gause (very cheap in pharmacies) I also started the scd diet 2 wks ago(thankyou meg68) and got the book which is fairly extreme but I cut out bread, dairy and any processed food at all, I can see the difference allready but mostly bowel movements are easy and predictable which really does help keep your system clean,everyone knows that their are people worse off, my own brother still fighting a brain tumour the last year and is doin ok but my gp gave me very good advice, she said ” everyones pain/suffering of any kind is relavant and deserves to be heard” I think she s right so everyone dont give up..keep hassling doctors, specialists till you get the attention you deserve and are
intiltled too…i pray and send lots of positive energy to all..thanks 4 listening…keep chatting..ber xx
ber - March 16, 2013 at 9:25 am |
So glad for you Ber!!
Great news, lets hope this time it’s gone for good?
Still freaking out here, April 5 is my surgery date, and I still feel like running away.. A Lift procedure AND a lay open are on the cards for me, as I have a high horseshoe tract and one that passes through both sphincter muscles 😦
Stupid bloody fistula!!
I have a very good specialist and I’m hoping for a miracle, like one where the fistula vanishes without a trace. Ha ha.
I use the gauze now, as it’s so much cheaper and cleaner than sanitary pads.
Keep sending that positive energy my way?
Thanks xx
meg68 - March 18, 2013 at 12:50 am
Hi Meg, The success rate for the Lift method is very high, so i will keep my fingers crossed for you, the seton i had fitted on the 1st March has become very tender so will see the Doctor soon in case of a infection, there i was thinking everything was rosy, i think i need stronger painkillers, yes this problem is something what other people dont understand, i,m sure your op will be a great success and will be thinking of you on the 4th april, Paddy
Paddy Eades - March 18, 2013 at 11:07 am
aww meg..can hear i your mail how worried you are, your so like me and use houmour to mask a lot of your pain,, i hope and pray all will go go well for you and that that your angels will fly you through this (honestly im not mad : )) but angels have been a great strenth to me..long story..) ill b thinking of you on april 4th and sending lots of positive energy…its such a nightmare this aufull illness..mind u..xx
Mel hope you get a hold of the lidocaine..dont mind what docs faces say their not the ones going through their ass being crocheted…..I used to say to the numerous packing nurses and docs and my poor husband “its like trying to get a shoe lace through a needle hole and that was first packing after incision/drainage !!” we do not imagine this pain.”.I read that this area is a very hard area for pain relief to reach near impossible actually because of the nerve endings…. which explains a lot really..so dont feel your complaining for nothing.. if only they new?..demand the lidocaine or some local anesthectic..do what u have 2..and take care..ber xx
ber - March 18, 2013 at 11:14 am
Just had a rectal flap surgery on Friday March 8th after having two setons in for 6 weeks. It was a quick procedure but I was in a lot of pain Friday night at home with the Percocet barely touching the pain and difficulty finding a comfortable position. The day after was much better although still painful. Now, the pain is less and manageable. The CRS intentionally wanted me to be constipated and not have a bowel movement for a few days. The first bowel movement was Monday and very painful. I had another one today (Tuesday) also painful but the Percocet works better now. I did a low fiber diet for a few days after surgery and now moved to high fiber. During the day I’m pretty comfortable overall but just taking it slow and resting at home and staying out of work for 2 weeks. I’ve heard that this procedure has a lower success rate so I want to do whatever I can to help improve the odds. It definitely hurts more than the draining setons but I’m glad to have those out. I was able to go on vacation with friends for my birthday before the setons came out. I swam and relaxed by the ocean and enjoyed the vacation then came back home for surgery. It’s been 6 months of dealing with these 2 fistulas so far. I hope this surgery works and I can get my life back! Sending lots of positive thoughts to everyone here for healing and positive outlooks even in the midst of pain and frustration with this health issue. It’s great to share our stories and experiences. Stay strong! Cheers! Tony 🙂
Tony - March 13, 2013 at 3:57 pm |
Did your procedure work?
Kourtney - June 14, 2019 at 1:23 pm |
Hi Meg hope you are doing well sorry I didn’t reply sooner, I just had another surgery this week. I can’t really advise you what route to take, I’m not too clear on stuff myself. My surgeon hasn’t even explained what kind of seton I have ha. I had to have the area cut again and I’m having it packed for the next MONTH. It’s just a horrible situation that’s been ongoing since October… but it’s less painful this time because I have a stronger painkiller called Tylex. Unfortunately this is making me very drowsy, confused and worst off, nauseous and causing vomiting. I don’t really know what to do except take less of it and go through absolute agony.
BER – Thanks for the advice about the lidocane spray. I’ll try get my hands on some but I don’t think my surgeon will agree to it. She thought I was being ridiculous getting a pain injection for the first packing. **sigh**
They really don’t understand the pain of it unless they’ve been through it themselves do they?
After my surgery, all they gave me was Paracetamol. Seriously, paracetamol?! Why not give me a bag of skittles. That would work just as well am I right?
They really haven’t a clue what we are going through…
Mel - March 18, 2013 at 8:54 am |
Poor Mel, bag of skittles, ha ha.
I was really lucky to run into a locum who was filling in for my regular GP, who had suffered a severe rectal fissure after childbirth. Without her I would still be suffering from severe spasms each day. She was the one who put me on Endep 10, which has completely changed the level of pain I suffer each day. A win for team MEGS FISTULA!!
She was so completely sympathetic as she KNEW how much pain I was in. (She was also a spasm sufferer.)
Thank God for her is all I can say, but you are so right Mel, they have NO freaking idea how much pain we can suffer.
Some of my workmates have asked me how it feels sometimes and I tell them to just pop a helicopter up their bum! LOL
A lot of my friends who have asked me for details about the surgery I will be having are shocked at how barbaric it sounds. The say surely medical technology has progressed further than that?
I admit it’s a question that haunts me from time to time. How can laying ones rectum open, be the “best” way of dealing with a fistula?
My surgeon has told me he may have to cut through both my sphincter muscles and sew them back together. How the hell am I supposed to go to the toilet after that??
I just cannot wrap my head around any of this, and I guess I’m just being shoved down the shute like a sheep, doing as I’m told?
Hang in there Mel, there must be an end to this for us all somewhere??
meg68 - March 20, 2013 at 12:49 pm |
Iv just had my second seton stitch put in 5days ago (anal fistula)….this time after surgery i was feverish, cold sweats, bit of nausea, the lot! anyway bowel movements not near as bad as they where when i was first operated on..i was wondering, if anyone knows if i could go swimming? My freinds booked a spa day this week, steam room/sauna etc… Im afraid i cant go because im not really sure and my doctor doesnt seem to have a clue. :s
Sara - March 20, 2013 at 10:40 am |
I was told I could swim in the ocean, but definitely not swim in public pools, and definitely not spa pools. Places like that, shared with other people, carry a lot of bacteria. If you have an open wound, and only had surgery a week ago, there’s no way you should be exposing yourself to bacteria and the possibility of getting an infection. If you get an infection, you could delay your chances of getting better. Stay away from the day spa, as annoying as that is, you need to be sensible 🙂
fistulasupportonline - March 20, 2013 at 3:06 pm |
I just let mine drain. I’ve read numerous people’s stories about how surgery has gone bad and the fistula’s and abscesses come back. I’m not chancing surgery. I have a perianal abscess, that drains everyday, and I have no pain at all nothing like what others here are describing. I’m leaving mine alone. Seems like once you go get medical help it’s a never ending dependency on surgery and setons. I heard oil of oregano and olive leaf might help. I’ve just started taking some capsules in small doses, so no results yet. I don’t know if I have a fistula or not, but I assume I don’t since I’m not in pain. Oh yeah, I’ve had mine for 6 months… letting drain every single day… just tissue in between my cheeks and i’m set for my day lol!
Jendel - March 26, 2013 at 10:26 pm
I only just found out that mine was a fistula, have had it for over 4 years…
That is 4 years of wadded toilet paper and stained undies. What ended up happening was that one end healed over and the pus just built up behind it, creating great egg sized lumps that were EXTREMELY painful! I do not recommend doing nothing.
Heather - March 27, 2013 at 10:36 am
Hello I’m a 28 year old male from us I first realized something was wrong 3years ago when I first developed what I now know was a perinatal abscess that I left untreated and it ruptured after about 11 days I remember it distinctly because of the mind bending pain it then seemed two drain for a few months then gone but this past year two months ago I felt that familer pain again slowly growing over the course of three days but the fourth and fifth day after being unable to stand and not sleeping for two days because of the pain I couldn’t take it anymore and went to the er the first hospital sent me home with pain killers and said it would rupture on its own again so I drove to another er immediately because that sounded like bullshit and the thought of another hour of that intense pain was just depressing luckily the on duty er doc was a surgeon And was familer with my condition he cut it and instant relief he then packed with gauze and sent me home I visited him for a follow up 2weeks later and all seemed well drainage had slowed and no pain except for the medical bills that started to roll in due to my lack of health insurance anyway I was relieved but that was three months ago and drainage now continues daily some days worse than others and more when I’ll have a few almost involuntarily spasms in my rectum anyway my Q is I assume I have a fistula now but zero pain just a clear yellowish drainage and want to know if I just levee it be will it spread or get worse or if I can deal with the puss then should I just relax.
Luke - March 21, 2013 at 12:23 pm |
Hey Luke, gosh poor u, 3 yrs of it! I was like you for nearly a year with a discharge from the incision and that was after further ops 2..eventually an mri scan revealed location and size of fistula,it was not in spinter muscle so I went ahead with another surgery to have fistula cut and laid open just 2 wks ago..so far so good thank god and im finished with packing/dressing which was always most painful for me, reading through this forum tho someone suggested a pump that has shrunk her sons fistula to pin size?? worth maybe checking it out..best is to talk to specialist if you can as fistulas can get worse if just left.and for your own sanity best to get it sorted…best of luck and hope this helps some…this site is great for suppport and just to vent.. ber
ber - March 25, 2013 at 1:41 pm |
LUKE – Where is the drainage coming from if you don’t have a seton stictch? It sounds like you might have a fistula if your still draining 3 months later. If you don’t want more sugery, my advice is eat a couple of spoonfulls of high strength New Zeland Manuka Honey every day, and take daily epsom salt baths.
Mel - March 21, 2013 at 1:33 pm |
Hi! So I spent all of last night reading all this stuff (thankyou so much for starting it by the way!!!). I just had a seton put in place 5 days ago, finding the whole experience very…interesting.Har har. I went running around all the chemists in town trying to find something called a ‘sitz bath’. Read about it online but no one seems to have heard of it? Seemed like a great way to soak the rather awkward area with saline solution to try and draw out the pus, but am trying tea tree oil instead. Just curious what else I could try? Want to make sure everything stays clean and NOT infected down there!!
Heather - March 26, 2013 at 9:33 pm |
haha,sorry howling at you looking for sitz baths!! I spent a year sitting my butt in salted hot water, it does clean the area but I found just recently what is working amonst a
combiation of stuff is jus to hose with shower hose for a good few minutes and cover with clean gause (cheap in chemists) it just seems “cleaner” and if you can fit in a bath, some people use a dish or just sit yur butt in a bath..tea tree can be strong so be carefull..my doc always said salted baths but theres no real back up to the salt either..I dont have a seton but am recovering from fistula being cut and laid open..amazing how much better I feel and wound is healing inside out..healthy eating a major part of healing 2 so watching everything I eat..lots of fruit,veg, and comon sence..to be honest ill try anything and take all advice given to me to rid myself of this” thing”… my advice, hose area at least 3 times a day and bath before bed..
ber - March 27, 2013 at 1:33 pm |
Hi Heather, just read your post about finding a sitz bath. I’m in the Uk and found something similar via Amazon called a portable bidet which seems to do the same job – here’s the link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/NRS-Healthcare-Portable-Personal-Toileting/dp/B006679MHS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1364375533&sr=8-2
Matt - March 27, 2013 at 10:16 pm |
Woo! Thank you 🙂
Heather - March 28, 2013 at 11:23 pm
By the way good luck and let us know how u doin? ber
ber - March 27, 2013 at 1:37 pm |
HI ber,
So two weeks later and how are you? Is the pain still bad?
meg68 - March 27, 2013 at 11:13 pm |
Hey Meg,
Almost afraid to say it but so far so good,no more packing so no more pain, wound healing nicely tg actually feel in myself so much better,infection free I think is the reason, the specialist knew what he was doing so all going accordin to plan, sooo happy..
How are you? count down on now for your surgery..praying all will go well for you to,pls let me know how you get on as will be thinking of you, take care..ber
ber - March 28, 2013 at 1:20 pm
What type of specialist did you use? A colorectal surgeon? Glad to hear you are doing to well.
julie - March 29, 2013 at 12:05 pm
Eh, guess I gotta go find a dish to sit in
Heather - March 28, 2013 at 2:30 am |
Hi fellow bum sufferers, i had operation last week 18 march I had complex fistula but thank goodness i finally dealt with . For you guys out there feeling depress and no hope, pls remember we are not alone its not cancer or not able to walk or eat. We have to stay strong and hope for the best…. Good luck and Godbless all of us….. Best wishes, raquel 32yo female
raquel anonuevo - March 28, 2013 at 7:32 am |
Good statement!
julie - March 28, 2013 at 12:25 pm |
HI, I had fistula operation 7th of February, now there is no pain, but the would is still there with a little bit of discharge. Is this normal? Does it take this long to heal totally?
preet - March 31, 2013 at 12:41 am
I have just undergone a fistula surgey and have a seton placed very painful and uncomfortable this is my second surgery in 2 years due to recurrence…well i wish to know just when i can start eating…its been 5 days and havent eaten anything for fear of pain….im wondering if the drugs are gonna work without food…need help
junior - March 29, 2013 at 6:37 am |
Thanks jenn, mel and paddy sorry for the late reply, I must say you we’re all right it wasn’t as bad as I thought although I did pull on it ekkkkkkk the pain I’ve had 2 babies with no pain relief but tugging on that stitch wow I will never do again, so I’m 4 weeks into having this seaton and can honestly say I spoke to soon about the pain factor, I’ve been in such bad pain for weeks now done a 10 day course of antibiotics and have to take co-codamol with tramadol every single day befor I can even move I’m constantly woken up by pain when I move in the night and just don’t know what to do with myself I’m constantly showering/bathing so keep very clean and have compleatly cut out carbs since feb just want this over and it seems like my journey has only just begun 😦 but on the bright side I have another surgery for the 9th of may so not such a long wait xx
Claire - March 31, 2013 at 12:34 pm |
The pain definitely worsens significantly when infection there. I also have a seton in place and suffer reoccurring infections even though I manage my diet, keep the area really clean. Anyone any ideas about ingoing infections
sandcastle - April 3, 2013 at 11:36 pm |
HI, I had fistula operation 7th of February, now there is little pain, but the wound is still there with a little bit of discharge. Is this normal? Does it take this long to heal totally?
preet
preet - April 3, 2013 at 9:10 am |
Hi Clare, yes the pain from a seton is bad, the op no trouble, i am in some form of pain etc everyday, mines been in 4weeks also, next visit to see surgeon is not until June 3rd, i dont know what will happen next, i don,t want a seton in permanent, you did not mention what the next op will be, the idea of a seton is to rid us of the fistular, keep well meenwhile, a retired Doctor i know told me yogurts are good for you, worth a try, bye from a very cold england, Paddy. PS just forgot my 47th Wed, Anniversary.
Paddy Eades - April 3, 2013 at 11:08 pm |
Hi paddy, many congrats on ur anniversary, my next appointment is on the 9th of may so not to long now, my surgon has said the next step for me is hopefully a silicone plug but he has been very honest on the sucess stats being between 13-50% but ill try anything, i went to my gp yesterday who has now given me yet another course of antibiotics second lot since the op and i seem to be in a little less pain today so fingers crossed, but got to just stay positive i guess, have a good evening also from the bitter cold uk 😦 xx
Claire - April 4, 2013 at 10:17 am
Heyo – off to Sydney for the big op (scheduled for Friday). I want you all to send positive vibes my way please and say a little prayer for me? Thanks all, hope everyone is doing well? 🙂 Meg
meg68 - April 4, 2013 at 12:27 am |
All the best Meg, hope all goes well xxx
Claire - April 4, 2013 at 10:22 am |
Wishing you a fast and speedy recovery Meg68.To everyone else who has been through different procedures and operations for these fistulas,my prays are
with you all…
Ren755
ren755 - April 4, 2013 at 3:38 pm
Good luck for tomorrow Meg! Wishing you a speedy recovery and a successful op! Please let us all know how you get on 🙂
fistulasupportonline - April 4, 2013 at 4:13 pm |
Sending all positive thoughts and healing your way, best of luck today and speedy recovery Meg ber x
ber - April 6, 2013 at 8:39 am |
I’ve had a recurrent perinial abscess for 4 years now. The first time it occurred was 5 years ago, second came 7 months later, third came one year later, fourth time was June 2012 and fifth time was February of this year.
Now I think it might be coming back again
This is getting ridiculous I cannot keep dealing with this every other month. Please god find me a treatment to stop it from recurring so much? I’m military I go to school this has created many problems in the past 5 years it was orginally and abcess and by now I think it has become a fistula be cause it keeps reccueing in th same area (perianal)..is there a surgery that could cure this please!!! Like a seton cut, or keep it open let it continuely drain out. Remove the fistula or ceist?
Please god help me I am so tired of feeling like crap all the time.
Thank you,
John Helffrich
John Helffrich - April 4, 2013 at 6:41 pm |
Hi John,
Can you tell me how you’re getting rid of all these abscesses you’ve been having? I’ve had one for 6 months and it won’t go away; possibly a fistula. But yours keep going away… is there anything you are doing to get rid of them?
Jendel
Jendel - April 5, 2013 at 6:51 pm |
hi john, god auful how you ve been left for so long without further investagation..ie. mri scan would tell if you have fistulas, if its not.. ingrown hair is a big factor along with diet, lots of sitz baths and keeping area super clean.. . seek medical help as much as you can and demand mri, I ve had a fistula cut and laid open and im still doing ok thank god, like you I had recurring absess for a year, wound is still healing 4 wks later and still discharge but not at all like it was pain etc. best of luck and dont feel alone, ber
ber - April 6, 2013 at 8:36 am |
Woke up from anesthetic to the news that the lay open and lift surgery wasn’t able to be done as I am still in too much of an inflamed state.
What a let down!!
All the way to Sydney, all that fear and nerves only to come out of the operation with another bloody seton!!
Dr said he’ll have another go in 6 weeks or so, but there is no point doing the Lift surgery if I’m still infected as it won’t work and I’ll just be worse off.
So here we go again, another big wait.
I guess I should be happy that I’m in such sensible hands, but I can’t help feeling that this could go on forever.
I take such good care of myself!! I don’t know what else I can do to improve my chances of successful surgery?
The Specialist also said that I’m not a candidate for the lay open surgery at all as my fistula runs too deeply through both sphincter muscles and it would leave me incontinent….massive sad face….
At least, through this site, I have had fair warning of all the things that can and will go wrong.
I’ll keep hoping, thanks for all your support. You guys are great xx
meg68 - April 6, 2013 at 9:21 pm |
That SUCKS! You would’ve been hanging out to get the thing removed 😦 What happened to you is one of my fears.
Best of luck for the next six weeks, hopefully you find some kick arse super food to put this infection in it’s place x
Heather - April 7, 2013 at 12:57 am |
Heather was it you that mentioned the Manuka honey? I used that for my son’s eczema with fair results. What do you recommend? Just eating it daily?
Thanks for the message, I’m hanging in there with a positive attitude because I don’t think any thing else will help? Hope u are doin ok too 🙂
Meg xx
meg68 - April 8, 2013 at 8:26 pm
Oh S***…..
Meg what a total dissapointment for you, how are you coping with this news now? but as you said it does sound like your in good hands and you sound such a strong person I just know this will work out for you soon, your on the right road and I pray you ll get there soon..your doing everything right Meg so dont blame yourself, its just a balls its taking this long, Im going mad for you I really am, thinking of you, stay strong..praying your Angels will guide you through this.. (whoever thought our butts would be such a disaster !! ; ))
ber xx
ber - April 7, 2013 at 2:06 am |
Ha ha ha, “Disaster Butts”, coming to an operating theater near you……. sounds good to me. Let’s make a doco?
Thanks Ber, you’re such a hoot. A good laugh is sometimes better than anything else isn’t it?
I’ve got the tightest little seton this time, driving me mental with pain. A lot different to the last one which was nice and loose and didn’t pull and rub on my tender bits. Been using the gauze to try and shield things a bit, but I think I’m still a bit swollen.
I’ll keep u informed as to how I’m getting on. xx
meg68 - April 8, 2013 at 8:23 pm
Oh God Meg your rightly goin through it..: ((
Yep sometimes laughter is the best and a good old deserved cry aint bad either..we should all get together in some neutral part of the world… we could call it.. “bad asses unite” : )) No one would ever know except us that it is actually our butts!! ( they ll just think were bad asses!!)
t-shirts,mugs,sitz baths! ok im getting very carried away here!!! haha..
ps; I take the Manuka 10 + every day in cooled boiled water with some lemon every day..my motto try everything.. best of all think im healing.
take care Meg,
ber xx
co founder: -B.A.U-
ber - April 9, 2013 at 10:27 pm
Hi Meg, very sorry about the position your in now, lets hope you can have the Lift op next, as it has a good success rate, i think you said before you had a Horseshoe shape fistular, same as me, thats why they keep trying these Setons, i have to wait tillthe 3rd June to see the Surgeon, i hope by then that you have had a successful op, this Seton is playing up a lot now but i,m sure we will all beat this dammed problem, Regards Paddy.
Paddy Eades - April 8, 2013 at 9:53 am |
Good luck for the 3rd Paddy, I’ll be seeing my doc at the end of May, and I’m hoping for a chance at the Lift soon after. Until then this little sucker of a seton is going to make my life hell… any tips?
Keep on smiling 🙂 xx
meg68 - April 8, 2013 at 8:29 pm
Hi Meg, with your full on life i think you are doing well, i,m retired so it,s a bit easier, i have a much looser Seton than you have, but still painful, i do have a Ring i use now and again, like a thick sponge type of material , its OK. My sister-in-law has severe back problems, she has been on a course for Pain Mangerment, thats a laugh, I simply take the max, pills I can when I need them. The problem we all have with this illness is it,s allways painful, I believe that when possible to find a new hobby etc, get out a walk, visit places you have allways wanted to, I,m off to Wales in about a Months time, determened to walk maybe try my Cycle [ ha,ha] at least try to take my Mind off this. At the moment with the really Bad, Bad weather we have in England, I find a really Good bottle of Aus, wine very relaxing or maybe two bottles. Anyway I hope you and all sufferers keep your chin and fight, i,m sure we will win in the END. Best wish,s Paddy.
Paddy Eades - April 9, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Had an appointment with my surgeon today to check how I was finding the seton, no worries there. Still haven’t heard from the GI that I had been referred to so the Surgeon gave her a call and hopefully should hear from her over the next two weeks in regards to going on biological agents…Hemira..or something. What are peoples experiences with this?
Heather - April 9, 2013 at 8:57 pm |
Has anyone ever just left their fistula alone? I’ve had mine for 12 years, and despite some irritation once in a while, I don’t have much problem. I’ve never even had a seton. I’ve been to a bunch of different CRS’s, and some say surgery, while others just don’t seem to care much. One, when I told him, immediately said surgery, but after he looked at it, he told me it’s very superficial, and that the risk for cancer is very, very low. So I don’t know. I would like to hear from someone else who’s left theirs alone for a long time. Thanks!
Josepf - April 10, 2013 at 5:22 pm |
I had mine 10 yrs but I had a reoccurring abscess that I was told was a strained hamstring so I did nothing when it occurred. However I have now had 6 surgeries since oct and the doc says I have the most complex he has came across because I have had it so long. If you are not suffering with an abscess I would advise to leave it alone.
sandcastle - April 10, 2013 at 6:18 pm |
thanks for the site
Hamid Taha Nabhani - April 10, 2013 at 9:41 pm |
hi
I’m a retired senior Engineer, one night I had a very bad pain in my stomach that I could not sleep back in October 2010 my wife took me to a hospital and after the operation I came out with stoma and after 2 weeks an Enterocutaneous Fistula developed.unfortunately the Dr Back home in Iran could not help me with the healing or how to deal with such Fistula,and after 3 months I was dehydrated and Malnutrition and I was about to die.In January 2011 I had to come to Germany, City of Cologne where I stayed about 2 week in university hospital Uniklinik then sent me home and asked me to be on parenteral nutrition and allowed me to drink water,energy drink and tee only but no solid food.after about 10 weeks the Fistula Healed and I started eating.After 18 months of my first operation on 20 of April 2012 I came back to the same hospital and did the operation and removed the stoma ,my operation was successful but a similar Fistula developed from Bowel to the stomach skin at the middle of my stomach I thought this will heal very soon like first one but now its almost 11 months and still some fluid coming out of it , it healed about 3 or 4 times and reopened and started leaking again the Dr don’t want to do operation to remove it and insisting that it will heal but it will takes time they are saying .recent CT showed that fistula is at the end of the small bowel and very much close to the large bowel.I’m now taking liquid soup,energy drink,Yoghurt plus other very soft food.can any body help me please to tell me what to do and how long can I stay with this fistula any implication on my health.I have no medical insurance because I was working in UAECB and I send home due to Iran/uae problem .I request your help and advice please
Hamid Taha Nabhani - April 10, 2013 at 11:14 pm |
what is the differences between anal fistula and enterocutaneous fistula and which one is easier and quiker to be treated and can Dr. use seton method to treat the Enterocutaneous fistula,I request you to tell me please
Hamid Taha Nabhani - April 11, 2013 at 1:00 am |
In July 2011 I married the man of my dreams….a month after are honeymoon I had a very odd pimple/blister develop between my Vagina and rectum. Which has now been dx as a very complicated rectal/vaganal fistural. And this is when the nighmare begain. At this point I have had three surgeries. First was by obgyn who though she was removing a cyst but found no cyst but instead a tube (dec2011) . Second was by my colon/rectal surgeon who put a Seton in. This was horrible more pain then before it was placed. After a colonoscopy in may 2012 a second option from another surgeon it was decided my fistural had branched off and a flap surgury should be tried. So sept 2012 this would tried. Yesterday it was decided this has failed. I still have a area that will not heal and increase pain has done multiple courses of antibiotics no results. Plan now is to go into surgury may 2nd and try another seton placement to try to calm down the area.
After looking at this blog i am wondering about some of the diet options. To help. They have determine I do not have chons or ibs. I have not given birth. So the best answers my doctors can give me is I don’t know why. I have been trying to be better about exercising meeting with a trainer two times per weeks who has a strong women’s health back around and walking or running one to two times per week.
My husband has been wicked supported but the idea of having more surges in the girly area make me not feel very attractive. My other question has any females found anything that that makes sexual intercourse more comfortable? I am 31 years old and less then two years married we should be having kids not multiple surgeries that are just making not wanting my husband to touch me.
I am feeling a bit hopeless and discouraged at the moment any advice welcome. I do try to remind myself things could be worst. My surgeon yesterday promised me she would heal this pest at some point but could not tell me when.
Rachel - April 13, 2013 at 11:38 am |
Hi Rachael, gosh your having a bad time of it, these things are such a nightmare as reading this site proves, I think the diet is just to help with healing and keeping bad foods out of your system, I found cutting out carbs and dairy as much as possible helps, lots of fruit and veg, I tried the SCD diet tough(got the book) but I have to say my health has improved and I am so far on the mend after have 3 ops the last 1 being fistula cut and laid open.( same position as yours by the way and so very akward for any type of intimacy but dont stop trying) look for alternative medicine to boost your imune system, go to the health shops etc. above all do not give up as you said it could be worse but at the end of the day pain is pain..Im sure your husband would not agree about not being attractive and he sounds very supportive so try other ways to keep intimacy in your relationship….stay positive and I send positive thoughts and prayers to you and hope everyone will heal eventually..this site is great as you know everyone can relate to what your going through, good luck Ber..
ber - April 14, 2013 at 1:27 am |
Hey Ber!!!
So how’s your disaster butt this week?
I’m in hell, this pokey little piece of plastic on my seton is stabbing into me and hiiting a nerve, sending pain down the back of my right leg. Aaaargh. It’s so tight that I can barely move it to relieve myself of this little spike of plastic. And the knotted bit is half up my Khyber!! It’s driving me wild.
I’ve tried to position it better but as I said, it’s too tight to do much with….
I’ve made an appt. to see my GP, to see if she can do some “craft” with it??
Anyone else got any ideas?
Disaster Butts United,
Meg!! 🙂
meg68 - April 15, 2013 at 1:19 am
I had the same problem and my surgeon just cut the bit that was rubbing, during a check up.
sandcastle - April 16, 2013 at 6:33 am
Hey Meg, Jesus that sounds horendous! I thank God I never had a seton as they do have a serious “ouch” attached and seems as baberic as packing wound every day….Im doin ok, major break out of the diet last week as my daughters confermation so lots of fast food when running about and then boose, cake etc.(couldnt help myself!!) at the after party we had.. and I have to say my disaster butt is suffering! ! I can just feel my system is not cleaned out properly and do feel that plays a big part in healing as I think any bad bacteria hanging about inside hinders and inflams the wound….. big sigh! such a shame as I do like my vino :)) the scd diet says you could have vodka and sodas when you feel good but dear Jesus I can just see the kids and hubbies faces with their Mother lowering back the vodkas of a night…:))haha so ill just have to be good untill this fecker heals. on that note do think you should see the doc/surgeon about how tight it is? doesnt seem right to be so uncomfortable and in pain as sandcastle mentioned to maybe have it cut? dont know how your managing with it? as always send prayers and positive healing to you and everyone on here…take care, ber x
ber - April 16, 2013 at 10:07 am
Please look at the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, this has helped so many sufferers, and it’s not hard really, it eliminates all the junk food from our systems. Here’s the link:
http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/home/
Your surgeon is probably waiting for the inflammation to go away before she does surgery, as it will not work if there is inflammation.
This has just happened to me, so I know exactly how you feel. I have to wait another 6 weeks, and even then it may not happen.
We all just want to be better again, patience is the key here.
Sticking to the diet 100% really helps with pain and discharge. My whole family are now eating this way, and we are all so much healthier for not eating processed foods!
I feel so sorry for you, but this problem shouldn’t stop you from living a full life, have a very warm epsom salt bath, to relax you and then try intimacy with your husband. The more you “tense up” the more it will hurt. Plus you could always deliver a baby through C-section, so pregnancy should be fine.
Good luck Rachel, we are all in this together 🙂
meg68 - April 13, 2013 at 10:14 pm |
Yes the doctors have already told me I can do a c-section. But they will not support our choice to stop birth control until they know my fistual is stabilized so either healed or the seton in place without complications like the last one which tracked laterally off. They want to avoid general anasisa while pregnant. Deffently going to try the diet changes….and hope for better results this time around….thanks for the support
Rachel - April 14, 2013 at 3:55 pm |
I’m hopeful that your diet will change the way u feel and help with healing as well. I really noticed a difference after being on it for a couple of weeks. Plus I really notice if I eat something bad. There is so much pain next few days!! Plus more inflammation.
I also had a seton placed incorrectly which led to my fistula going crazy and it tracked of and curled into a horseshoe shape! It’s so frustrating when u don’t get good enough medical care isn’t it?
I feel like I’m in good hands now with my surgeon, and I trust him.
Best of luck to you.
Meg. 🙂
meg68 - April 15, 2013 at 1:05 am
hi.im Artur.is that normal to be loosing so much weight with anal fistula?
nie ma tak - April 14, 2013 at 4:43 am |
Thanks Ber and Sandcastle!
I am going to see my GP this week about my pokey seton, see if she can do something with it, if not I guess it’s the E.R. at the hospital again.
I can’t put up with this for another 5 weeks. My surgeon is a 6 hour drive away, so I can’t just go see him every time I have a problem 😦
And YES Ber, don’t u notice when u go off the diet???
Meg 🙂
meg68 - April 16, 2013 at 8:07 pm |
I received my second kidney transplant in 2009 and i haven’t use my fistula since. But for some reason in the last two weeks ( it’s April 2013) the fistula has been throbbing so much to the point that I start crying. What could be the cause of this and does anyone have any suggestions?
PrincessT - April 17, 2013 at 4:53 pm |
OO by the way I have been keeping ice on it but it doesn’t seem to be working.
PrincessT - April 17, 2013 at 4:54 pm |
I have been dealing with fistula since 11-until the current time. I have had 2surgeries.I wonder if they will ever heel.
Craig - April 19, 2013 at 2:50 am |
hi i m suffering from fistula from last 5 year i started homeopathy from last 2 year now i have nt pain but fistula s still there can fistula curable through homeopathy what i do now plz suggest me??????????????
ravi - April 21, 2013 at 7:00 am |
Hi, I am from India and I really some help on this. I’m suffering from Anal Fistula and also underwent an surgery lately for an Abscess. I know, I need to undergo an surgery for relief.
My financial situation is bad and I just recently managed to get a new job. I cannot afford to leave this job and neither do I have enough funds to undergo any surgery. Can someone please tell me if it is okay to bear this for a month at least until I get my first pay-check. Is it okay to take medicines for a month.
Please help me.
-Bibiana
Bibiana - April 23, 2013 at 6:19 am |
Well Bibiana have your access busted yet? Did you also say that you have had surgery already in the same area?
When mine first occurred I couldn’t deal with it. My butt was full of inflammation. And then one day it burst on its on. My doctors thought that I were having hemorrhoid problems until they finally decided to send me to a gastrologist if I spelled that right. If its unbearable you hadn’t to do what you have to do. You can’t work like that. Good luck. I’ll be praying for you. 🙂
Craig - April 23, 2013 at 8:39 am |
Thank you Craig. I’ve been bearing this for a while now but, I’m not sure how worse this could possibly get.
The surgery I underwent was only for an Abscess near my genital area. Fistula was not diagnosed at all that time, I wish it was.
Please let me know any information, if anyone thinks I need to know about this. God bless you all & thank you so much for your reply.
-Bibiana
Bibiana - April 23, 2013 at 3:03 pm |
You’re welcome Bibiana.
Craig - April 25, 2013 at 1:45 pm |
hi folk., im kinda scared about this fistula on ano thing but when I met you guy im in a little relief now, im 24 yrs old and the doc said that MAYBE I have this fistula on anus, it start when my butt cheek the right side swollen and very painfull its almost the size of prunes then last april 22 im undergo for a operation like draining or whatsoever, it hurts like hell when its cleaning time, they remain the cut opening open the insert a catetter then pump it with a combination of sodium choride bleach and hydrogen peroxide, then plug the opening of the cut a gauze soak in peroxide its my first day after the operation and comes back after 10 days, sorry for my english
francis - April 24, 2013 at 11:49 am |
That’s ok Francis. I wish my procedure would have gone that way. I had a fistulatomy.
Craig - April 25, 2013 at 1:52 pm |
Please let us know how you are doing. I have not heard of the way your wound is being treated, but it sounds like a great to prevent infection.
julie - April 26, 2013 at 11:36 am |
its my 2nd day, god its like human torture when cleaning time -sob
I want to know sir if its normal when a going to poof and wash it the side of my anus hurt? and when I wipe with tissue it have a red spot like blood?
francis - April 25, 2013 at 10:32 pm |
I am waiting to see the consultant for the first time this Wednesday coming. After reading your symptoms I’m now wondering if I have a fistula. Not all the time but I’m getting the discharge you would get from your back end through the vaginia and back pains. That I can deal with but what I’m finding I get tired so easily. My eyelids are always heavy with sleep and feeling cold. Yesterday 3 jumpers and the heating on and I still couldn’t get warm. Are these also symptoms. I know you can have general feeling of unwell but this is silly. Suppose also up to now I’ve never been ill and have done 8 years of work without a day off sick. You guys seem to know what your talking about. When I went to see my doctor he listened toy symptoms but didn’t examine me so still clueless until weds. Any ideas would be welcome.
Hev - April 28, 2013 at 5:42 pm |
Have you taken your temperature? If so, what is it?
julie - April 30, 2013 at 9:24 am |
no i haven’t, but in the main i am always cold and shivering. which is the opposite of what i was before i started to have any symptoms
hev - May 1, 2013 at 5:24 am |
Hi I have a fistula it started in 2008 The fistula started in my abdomen it made a hole right trow my vagina and my bladder then my bowl. back then they wouldn’t do surgery it was to risky. After i took remacade the hole closed up then i was allegic to the medicine then they gave me humira. I was on it for 2 years i had to stop because of allergy to it. So when I stop in october 2012 then 2 holes open up again I’m back on hurima but its not working. Now they want to do surgery. Should I do the surgery when there a chance I could die from the surgery?
lise - May 1, 2013 at 10:10 am |
Well the Fistulatomy it’s the actual surgery. And to clarify things. Mine is in the anal area. I’m just waiting for it to stop discharging. Its been doing that for about a year or more. I feel like the lady with the issue of blood from the Bible. I really don’t want to be cut on anymore. Both times were rough. I try to keep myself as clean as possible and I pray and trust that God will heal me.
Craig - May 2, 2013 at 1:25 am |
I hate how frustrating this stupid thing is….really hoping the discomfort that is starting today is just some of the area trying to heal. I had three days of no pain following the seton placement. On Thursday….hears hoping returning to work tomorrow is ok….I hate worrying about pain….
Rachel - May 7, 2013 at 12:26 pm |
Poor Rachel, it is frustrating isn’t it? I never know what sort of day I’m going to have.
I have a little make up purse that I take to work. I call it my “bum bag” and in it I keep various levels of pain relief, a wash cloth, a zip lock bag of sterile gauze, and a small pack of antibacterial wipes. It helps to be organized.
Good luck with returning to work Rachel, sending good vibes your way!
meg68 - May 7, 2013 at 11:36 pm |
Well day one went better then last time I had the seton placed returning to work…trying so hard to keep low key and not over do things. My work has never heard me say no as offen as they have the past two weeks. my schedual asked when i will be healed so he can have the workaholic back. I do have a bum bag too. Hardest thing for me is that I am a home health occupational therapist which means random public bathrooms which always gives me anxiety to use….just too much open area down there. And with trying to increase my fluids to prevent constipation issues and not get dehydrated with the stool softens means extra stops for the bathroom,…oh we’ll ill get through it like I said day one went well and have been able to just use Ibprophine and tylonal
Rachel - May 8, 2013 at 12:34 pm
how do u give moral suport to a boyfriend with anal fistula.he does not want me to see him
beatrice - May 10, 2013 at 8:57 am |
He will need alot of reassurance but do it sensitively as to much can appear fake. Be urself that is so important. Cook healthy meals, not too much fibre aand LISTEN.
sandcastle - May 10, 2013 at 8:57 pm |
Oh amd be PATIENT
sandcastle - May 10, 2013 at 9:05 pm
Beatrice….you reassure him, you listen, and provide comfort, when he s ready he will let you know. I have been dealing with my fistural for a year and a half, it’s hard emotionally to let my husband see the area, I don’t feel desirable. My husband has found a way to let me know I am still pretty and he still loves me. By using words and just normal touch (with clothing on). I still struggle with intercourse (I have ad 4 surgeries this past year in that area) but he has been patient and tryed to suggest other ways for us to be close.
I know for me it helped when he stared to go to my crs appointments and she would explain the situation to both of us. He was able to ask question to her and not to me which helped. It allowed me to also start to see its just a medical thing. By my third surgury my husband was doing all my wound care for me and now with my most recent surgury last week where I had a seton placed its a joking matter for us about my new pricing.
Give him time, let him bring up the situation, and just love him
Rachel - May 10, 2013 at 11:03 pm |
Pls try the Kshar Sutra ayurvedic method which gives little pain and 100percent results.
Nishant - May 16, 2013 at 7:12 pm |
Hi guys, very helpful site by the way – I’ve been diagnosed with a high position fistula – had first abscess last year, was drained etc and then came back recently so had more scans and they said will need the lay-open op which I’m pretty stressed about as it’s so invasive (only one doc’s opinion so far). Through a strange twist of circumstances I’ve come across something about a fistula procedure which I’ve not read about anywhere, called HCPT — thing is it only seems to be on Chinese hospital websites. I am British but I live in Beijing for work so I’m facing up to having to have the surgery here which is less than ideal (horrible prospect really). This is also how I found out about this procedure because I told my Chinese girlfriend about the lay open op and she did some online searching for me in Chinese. This new procedure sounds very high tech (almost too good to be true!?) and I wonder if anyone has heard of it / experienced it? Here’s a link but the English is bad (what we call Chinglish):
http://www.hewiki.com/view/2823677.htm
But don’t be put off by the bad English – I’ve found the procedure listed on some specialist anorectal hospitals in Beijing too, like this one (tip: if you look at it through Google Chrome it will auto translate):
http://www.120gcw.com/fy/zt/gldzzjzjzlff/
So anyway, I’ve got 3 days before I say yes to my bed reserved for op on Tuesday… Hope to hear some replies! Thanks x
Tom10 - May 16, 2013 at 9:36 pm |
I have just had my 17th lot of surgery over a three year period. I had two setons for about 6 months nearly 3 years ago. One side has healed, but the other side will not go away. I had another seton inserted 6 months ago.
I carry all the stuff you referred to in my briefcase, to cope with the physical aspects, but how do you handle the mental state, specially when pain gets unbearable. Does it affect your relationships with your loved ones. I have tried meditation, positive thinking, exercise, good eating habits. I have even tried getting off booze, but some days it gets too much.
Any advice on how to cope will be appreciated.
Thanks
Mike
mikepayoe - May 16, 2013 at 10:37 pm |
Mikepayoe, I hear you on the mental side of things. It’s what I struggle with the most. I am going on a year and a half now and 4 surgeries. With my last seton placed about two weeks ago. I know for me it has placed some strain on my marriage despite having a very supportive husband. (I was dx with my fistural about a month after we got married). We try to just take one day at a time. My husband try’s to go to each crs appointment as possible which for me helps. This way he an understand what’s happening and ask the doc questions.
I struggle with getting people to understand the pain and not being able to control all the time or know what will work. So many people say its not life threatening so it can’t be that bad.
For pain have you tried Ativan it is a anti anxiety medication normally but my doctor has been prescribing for pain to help decrease spams and thus decrease pain. I had great luck with this medication. Also for me the gluten and dairy free has been a big help. It took a couple
of weeks to feel the effects but now I know when I ate something I should not.
My crs always says if you have pain with a seton something is wrong….make sure doctor is monitoring correctly. My first seton was wicked pain full and was cause my fistural had tracked off. Took them a while to figure out what to do but in 6 months they had it out. Tried a flap repair which fail. And thus I have my new seton in. So far pain has been better.
Hang in there and talk with your love ones be honest with them, try to help them understand what’s going on. That way when you are having a bad day they don’t think it’s because of them.
Rachel - May 17, 2013 at 3:07 pm |
Hey mike,its actually sad to hear that you have had so many lots of surgeries.It does affect mental state but we have to have a strong will to come out of it.I just had 1 surgery two months back and only i kno that wat was my mental state but i always believed that it will get over and now i am 95 percent healed.its just beacuse of ayurvedic method called Kshar Sutra.Please search on Internet about it and undergo.its the only cure for returning fistulas.
Nishant - May 17, 2013 at 4:18 pm |
Hi. M also suffering from fistula. Can you tell me about kshar sutra ayurvedic treatment center, where you have done your surgery..
Manoj - September 12, 2013 at 4:44 am
Hi Nishant,
Good to hear that u have recovered from it..can you please advice me the center from where your surgery have been done….
Manoj - September 13, 2013 at 1:40 pm
MIke! I know just how you feel. Unfortunately even with the best support in the world, we sometimes feel like we are all alone in this.
My relationship has suffered a bit due to my being cranky and frustrated, but I make sure to sit down with him, (my partner), at least once a week and tell him I’m sorry and explain what kind of pain makes me act this way.
I have good days and bad days, and sometimes I’m so sick of it all!!
The worst part is that after 7 months it is still the same for me. I’m still in pain, still need operations, still need comfort. But my family have moved on from there and I think sometimes they forget I’m still STUCK in this process.
Of course they comfort me when I need it, but it’s not on the same level as it was in the beginning. They don’t seem to understand that although I’m smiling and carrying on with my life happily right now, underneath all that is a daily struggle just to get out of bed and start ANOTHER day of this shite.
I feel for you. Communication seems to be the key, just keep telling them you love them and you need them. That you couldn’t do this without them.
Hugs.
meg68 - May 18, 2013 at 12:42 am |
Meg I think you just did a wonderful job explaining the hell of the world of fistural…it’s easy to cover with a smile….really like this page. Has been a big help for me to hear everyone’s story and know I am not crazy 🙂
Rachel - May 18, 2013 at 2:38 pm
Meg, Thanks for all the encouragement. I do try sit down have a conversation about the level of pain. I also try and fill up every minute of every day with as many things I can fit in, just to take my
mind off the pain, But, there are days when this just does not work.
I am so glad to find that I am not alone in this situation. There are times I wonder if I am imagining this pain or if it will ever go away. It will be nice to have a few consecutive days that a pain free. Hopefully soon.
Thank you all of you for sharing your stories and encouragement. I shall keep you posted after the next round of surgery, number 18 , which is in 4 weeks.
MIkeP - May 24, 2013 at 11:41 am
Noone will repair my recto vaginal fistula. I just need to know how I should best clean all the feces out of my vagina without creating further damage or giving myself a yeast infection.
Dianna - May 17, 2013 at 5:02 pm |
Hi
What a great site. Ive been searching for information and this has really helped. Ive had a fistula for a year following a peri anal abscess. Ive been fairly ok with it once i got used to it. My partner and i broke up so im currently single, though he was a great support. Im having flap surgery in 7 weeks so even though im 45 and feel like i should be dating, im going to focus on me.
My query is about the recovery from the flap surgery. Surgeon said i will have a drain for 6 weeks and will need about 2 weeks off work, 3 days in hosp and no eating for 2 days after. Im interested to know peoples level of pain after flap and if two weeks off work sounds right. I work full time in a desk related job. Im considering part time work while the drain is in. Also after reading comments im considering giving up alcohol to give my body best chance of healing. I eat very well and exercise. Any other tips. Also what is pain level like after flap surgery. And is the drain small enough to not be a bother, or is it worse than a seton? Does it just drain into a pad?
Thanks
Jane - May 18, 2013 at 9:34 pm |
More surgery on monday for fistula, will b the 6th since Oct 2012. Have a seton placed. Consultant advised the last fistulotomy was the largest he has undertaken. Has nearly healed. Ive no idea what will happen monday and i am really anxious. I am so fed up with it all. Ive had nurses packing wounds every day from this started. However they have been fantastic and I’m veey lucky, but as u can imagine I need some normality back. I need to get back to wrk so hopefully I will not be cut to bad this time. Thank goodness for the aupport of family and friends as these things are a curse. I just keep twling myself it is curable. Need monday over now.
sandcastle - May 19, 2013 at 7:17 am |
Hi All,
My story is this. In Aug 2012 I developed a peri anal abscess. Went to docs, gave me antibiotics and sent away. It then began to drain into my back passage and would go through this cycle about every 10 days. In Sept 2012, my GP referred me to see a colorectic surgeon. Saw her in Dec 2012 (this was her earliest appt available to me!) She examined me and said she would get me in for examination under anaesthetic. I went home and waited for the appointment to come… After several phone calls to the surgeons secretary and 2 further courses of antibiotics, I got a surgery date for 1st May 2013!!!!!
However, in March 2013 I developed another abscess on the outside approx 1 cm to the right of my anus. My GP again gave me antibiotics and said if it got worse to go back to him. Two days later he admitted me for an emergency I&D. The relief was instant.
So anyway, 1st May came and I went into hospital for my scheduled operation with my Colerectal surgeon. I explained what had happened since my consultation 5 months previous!!!
I woke up with a drainage seton in place, she told me its quite high up. All was good until 2 weeks after surgery and I am now in the most excruciating agony when I go BM. Called my surgeons secretary and saw my CRS, she said the fistula is looking ok but she thinks I now have a fissure too.. I never had this before surgery..My sphincter spasms are excruciating, they stop me mid sentence if you know the sort of pain i mean. The worry I have is that my seton seems to me harder to move, almost tugging inside when i try to move it. Is this normal? It feels like my tissue inside is healing around it. But i move it twice a day as advised by my surgeon. There is small amount of drainage still, a little more after BM.
Can a drainage seton start to do the job of a cutting seton? When i saw my surgeon last week she said that it could of already started to cut? That could be the pain.
Im a self employed beauty therapist and have lost so much money through cancelling clients, I dont get sick pay…I feel its ruining my life.. I never leave the house, My sex life has disappeared, although my husband is VERY understanding.
When i asked my surgeon what her plans are with me, she said next stage is a cutting seton..Im absolutely dreading it, Im in agony now, whats it going to be like next time!
I bathe twice a day, and shower once a day. My whole daily life revolves around this THING I have. And because I dont know how I am going to be feeling, I live day to day when it comes to work, social life, or even getting out of bed!
Can a fistula heal without a cutting seton, Im tempted to just cut the bloody thing out!
I am glad I found this forum, but I dont hold much hope for a relatively quick recovery… Does this ever happen?
Thanks for your advice x
smcookie - May 20, 2013 at 1:43 am |
Hi smcookie,
Talk to your GP about Endep 10mg. My spasms are great after taking 1 nightly.
I think that most of us take ages to heal completely. So we’re in this for the long haul. But thank God we have each other!!
Good luck, and always seek extra opinions.
Try the S.C. diet (links above in other posts) it’s the only way to lessen drainage and pain.
Meg 🙂
meg68 - May 20, 2013 at 5:39 pm |
Hi, your problem sounds just like mine, a abcess a op, a fistular will nearly always appear after that op, a seton is the first option, however a high fistular seems to need more options so the next step is a chose of other ops, i,v had a number of op,s but ended up with another Seton in place for the last 3 months, its painful so i take Tramadel etc every day, infection is a problem, iv just taken a course of anti- bioctics even tho i have a Bidet, sitting down is the worse thing i find so i try to be doing things as much as possible, not easy, i,m sure you will cope, but keep onto your GP when needed, keep taking painkillers when needed it,s your body, yes there are more people with this problem than i ever new, keep fighting, i took painkillers a hour before the packing, try it. Chin up Paddy.
Paddy Eades - May 20, 2013 at 9:26 pm |
Hi all, I am writting from my hospital bed after my 4th surgery since aug 12, I was admitted on saturday its now monday 6am here in the uk. Since having a seton place on march the 1st I have been in constant pain I have a complex fistula which crosses through the sphincter muscle my “normal managable” pain is usually around a 7 outta 10 every single day with the edge taken off my 8 tramadol 8 co_codamol and 5 neuproxen aday! However on thursday this pain hit a 10 and I couldn’t even walk called my gp who gave me 2 different sets of antis to start which I did straight away, I woke up saturday in the same pain with the added pleasure off vomiting and a huge hardened mass away from my seton on my bum cheek. I went to A&E and was addmitted and placed on the emergancy surgery list I was not opperated on until 4pm sunday and woke to find I have a 4 inch insection and the abscess that was drained was the size of an orange! My seton has been changed for a rubber one so less corse and not as tight so hopefully this will drop my “normal” pain, as for the new pain and insection that will need packing I am petraifed I was in a lot of pain from my first ever drainage which left a small 2 cm cut as opposed to this 4 incher I have now, the surgen aslo spoke befor surgery about laying open the fistula with the seton in but this was not possible as after going 3d it revieled that it croses to far into my sphincter so he has suggested that lift surgery may be the next step? I must say this all confusses me so much, the only thing keeping me going is morphine at the push of a button every 5 mins as I know that the first packing of this is going to kill me 😦 I must say I am so greatfull for this site and only us suffering this illness truley understand one and others pain hope everyboday has a good day all the best Claire x
Claire - May 20, 2013 at 5:32 pm |
I completely understand went through similar, 5 inch in jan and have just healed over. Going today for another fistulotomy. The pain will ease. Its an awful illness and at the minute its probably hard to see the positive but u will see improvements everyday, we just need alot of patience. Morphine helps with the first dressing. At home I took diazepam and morphine before dressings for a week. Take care
sandcastle - May 20, 2013 at 7:52 pm |
Hi sandcastle, wow 5 months to heal over it seems such a long time, I’m still in a considerable amount of pain still sticking with my cocktail of pain killers, I been having it dressed daily for then past two weeks, it’s getting smaller which must be a good thing but still so sore, just waiting on hearing from my consultant for a review hopefully it will be soon, also on the first packing in hops they gave me a injection or morphine it didn’t do much I still cried like a baby lol, but got out and about with the kids today so that cheered me up, hope your well x
Claire - June 3, 2013 at 11:19 am
So glad u are starting to geel better that u where able to get out with the kids im sure that lifted ur spirits. My wee one keeps me going, if it was not for her I prob would have spent alot of time feeling sorry for myself in bed iver last 8 mths.
U may get used to the packing I have had nurses daily for 8 mths. Im very lucky though they r sooooooo good.
My last surgery was not as bad still packing though and surgeon thinks I need another 2 or 3 surgeries. Veey frustrating as need life to get back to normal, only bonus is I get more time with daughter at home.
I am just abit obsessed with remaining infection free so am constantly showering and salt baths after using toilet. Only downside is I have to change dressings and make shift it until either my hubby, who is a star or the nurse do it right.
Stay well and take care. Its great to chat and share with others who understand x
sandcastle - June 3, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Hi everyone,
After like 6 surgeries since October, I FINALLY didn’t need another lay-open.
I still have a seton but my surgeon said my fistula was finally a lot smaller and I don’t need to see her again for three months. WOOO!
There IS hope out there!
My tips for fellow sufferers are:
Avoid sugar and foods with yeast, avoid grains (wheat, oats, rice) and most of all, avoid dairy! The bad bacteria love these foods and then your fistula just isn’t going to heal because your bowel motions won’t be clean enough.
Try a natural diet of fruit, veg, fish etc…
I know it’s hard, but try and make some changes.
(Make some bread and biscuits with almond flour)
http://www.scdrecipe.com
And I found the Manuka Honey is great for healing.
And take non-dairy probiotics.
And ALWAYS keep the area clean with Epsom salt baths.
This will help dry out any infection and promote healing.
Melanie - May 20, 2013 at 10:54 pm |
Jesus Claire u poor thing, your rightly goin through it, I am finally on the mend after a year and 3 surgerys, I remember the first packing after surgery, I found oral drugs never helped just made me drousy but pain never eased, I finally got a hold of a topical spray, its lidocaine and the difference was night and day…. beg for it, there is a few different types xlocaine and few others but lidocaine was the only one that WORKED..best of luck sending positive thoughts and prayers your way..ber x
ber - May 21, 2013 at 12:40 am |
Hi Ber, I’m going to have a look for the spray your talking about ill give anything a try, I’m still,in a lot of pain but not as bad as when its at its worst if that makes sense lol, I’m waiting on hearing from my consultant and the incision is getting smaller by the day thank god, thank you so much for you thoughts and prayers it means a lot all the best x
Claire - June 3, 2013 at 11:23 am
Had another fistulotomy not as big as before though and seton replaced. Was told im prob going to need another poss 3 surgeries and maybe a colostomy as fistula wrapped around my spincter. That will make it 9 surgeries, at least a yr of wrk. I am so fed up today, I kniw there are positives but hard y o think about right niw. Has anyome else had similar experience.
sandcastle - May 21, 2013 at 9:06 am |
Yay for Me!! Finally some good news. 🙂
My specialist is going to do a LIFT next month. He even said if things go well and he can see things a little clearer, (due to lack of infection and inflammation!!!), he may just lay it open instead. Words I’ve been praying to hear!
Everything is going really well and he said increased pain and bleeding are all good signs of healing!!
Thank God!! Here’s me thinking things had taken a turn for the worse…..
I’ve had some pretty down days lately, but am finally looking at some kind of positive outcome soon. Makes a big difference to the way I feel.
June 21st is OP day. Going to be a big month of eating clean and getting as healthy as I can in the meantime. Yay again, just YAY!! 🙂
meg68 - May 24, 2013 at 11:19 pm |
Great news!! 🙂
owally - May 25, 2013 at 8:41 am |
Great news meg….good luck….hope all goes well on op day
Rachel - May 25, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Hi Mel
Just wanted to let you know l am so happy for you,things are finally going your way.I know l have not been on the site for awhile,since my last surgery before Christmas 2012.I had the fibrin glue procedure,suffering with pain,bleeding and inflammation. also had a tear in my 4 and 5 lumbar disc.Months and months of therapy for that issue.I do have IBS,diverticulosis,spastic colon,yet they still can not find crohnes disease,even though my crs says that l do have this yet it is not visable with all the test he has done.He sent me to his G.I guy,who put me on medication to control the IBS,diverticulous and my spastic colon back in March 2013.The physio helped for the disc. problem and the medication finally eased the .pain,inflammation and bleeding from the fistula.I can say as of May first 2013,l have finally got my life back!!!!yip pee!!!My fistula still is not completely closed the crs said it will be at least 3 to 6 months for it to close if in fact it will close…said,keep your fingers crossed!!!!Oh l do have perianal disease also,because l did have a fissure and 2 perianal abscesses,before l had the fistula.I feel great and l did say to the crs,do you think l could be the 20% success rate and he said lets hope,keep yor fingers crossed,this may just happen for you………So far so good!!!! having a normal life again means the world to me…it has been two very long years of hellJust wanted to let you know anything is possible!!!Best of luck to you my friend. xo
Ren755l
ren755 - May 25, 2013 at 6:23 pm
Thanks you guys, this site is the best! 😀
Hope you are doing okay yourselves? xxx
meg68 - May 26, 2013 at 3:51 pm
great news meg, everything crossed 4 u hon, still healing and mending myself but all good tg..so hopefully you will have same results. Keep positive everyone there is hope for us, praying for everyone in pain and send positive energy you way.. ber x
ber - May 28, 2013 at 9:51 pm |
Great news all the best meg x
Claire - June 3, 2013 at 11:24 am |
Good to hear from you Renn!!
Thanks so much, I think a positive attitude goes a long way. Our life issues are so hard for other people to understand. I guess if we had crutches or cried all the time people would know how to deal with us, but as it is, we have to be very strong.
It feels to me like you are on the road to a full recovery. My fingers are crossed and I’ll pray hard for you.
Good luck! xxx
meg68 - May 26, 2013 at 3:48 pm |
I have a fistula sticking out of an open wound in my stomach. It has been here for over a year now and I wear a bag on it. I was loosing weight but all of a sudden I am gaining. What can I do? I’m obese and don’t need to b gaining weight back. They w not attempt to operate on my fistula due to my weight already. Please help me I need some advice. Thank you
Tonya - May 27, 2013 at 10:16 pm |
I have been doing gluten free and dairy free for the past month I have lost about 5-10 lbs and significant improvements with pain. This weekend with the holiday I was not so mind full and had a couple things with dairy and one thing with gluten and just that little bit cause increase pain and I felt horrible.
I also do a personal trainer two times a week. I know at first people always say I can’t afforded that. My husband and I were living pay check to pay check and him unemployed and we found a way to make it work….I was amazed when I really focused on making my lunch for work no more stopping for coffee drinking mostly just water. Before we knew it we had my trainer paided and it was not breaking the bank. I first startd once a week to make sure my fistural held up ok then added a second time. If you do training make sure you find the right trainer. Mine is very health focused and well being she is not a drill Sargent. She checks in every session about pain and drainage and adapts my work out depending how I am doing. A personal trainer who does not ask about medical history is not a good mix. My trainer She also helped me stay focused through 4 surguryies since dec 2012 and get me back working out safely after each one by working with my doctors restrictions she will even call my crs to make sure what she has planned will not effect the fistural.
I am not skinny by anyways I was over three hundred pounds when I first started a year and half ago and I am now down to 280 lbs. I know does not sound like a lot in a year in half…but they way I look at it is I did not gain wait durning this stressful and pain full time and after my flap repair aug 2012 I was unable to do anything other then light walking till nov 2012.
Be positive, find positive intrests…
Rachel - May 28, 2013 at 11:03 am |
Have a couple ideas. Since you are already obese, perhaps they could do weight reduction surgery and the fistula at the same time, or one and then the other. OR How about trying a hyperbaric chamber for the fistula?
julie - May 28, 2013 at 12:27 pm |
I have fistula in ano , I remove fistula thru operation pain less operation. I operate on 24 may 2013 and discharge on 26 May 2013. Becoz another hole some time discharge stool new hole. I want to know this is normal things, some time pain in operation area . How much take time for recovery. Pls suggest me dite and some thing els for fast recovery.
Anup - May 31, 2013 at 8:31 am |
iam 19.
For 1st time i got pain,bleeding during bowl movement i notice that small pink colour pimpel on my anus.when i searchd i got to know that is fistula.can u people advice wat do. is surgery is only way to getrid of fistula?
SMD - June 2, 2013 at 10:18 pm |
Smd
Find a colon rectal surgrgen in your area and they will advise you what to do. From what I am finding is almost everyone gets at least a seaton placement. My first one I would not lie was horrible, just had my second one placed a month ago and has been pretty good this time. I see my doctor in a week and as long as what she sees matches how I feel I will just keep this in. And not do further surgury. But a good colon rectal doctor is the best place to start
Rachel - June 3, 2013 at 10:49 am |
Hello there . I am Drasko . i had surgery in Boston for my anal fistula. My problem became even more complicate than what was before. I have iritation skin every day , its pain full. Also discharge more then before also my stool discharge from that wound
Drasko - June 2, 2013 at 11:35 pm |
Drasko, who did you see in Boston? I am from Maine and went down for a second option and meet with a doctor Reed (I think) at the layhee (sorry not great with spelling) he was wicked informative and did a nice job with teaching while explaining. I ended up keeping my doctor in Maine as he highly recommended my doctor and just a lot easier with complication. But had I lived closer I would probably gone with him due to how explained everything.
As for what your going throught now keep telling your doctor. I had a flap repair in sept that did fail and pain was horrible just last month they went back in and started with a seaton again and pain has been so much better and drainage more controlled. But I was doing monthly visits from oct to may with my doctor as she was trying to determine if it was scare tissue causing problems or the fistural. Also if they have not already prescribed it ask your doctor about Ativan for pain ment normally a anxiety med but helped so much with pain as it helped to relax the area. And you don’t get the constapation issues that come with other meds…
Rachel - June 3, 2013 at 10:58 am |
Thank you Rachel. Dr. Berger was my doctor
Drasko - June 4, 2013 at 1:23 pm
I have undergone 6 surgeries to date for complex fistula. Surgeon says another 2 or 3 needed. I am becoming increasingly frustrated that he does not take into account my needs between surgeries ie infection management, financial situation and parenting needs. He tells me very little even though I ask alot. My gp has recommended I consider a second opinion as the surgeon says mine is the most complex he has came across. Has anyone ever sought a second opinion? , was it useful, did it impact on care received from main surgeon?
sandcastle - June 3, 2013 at 9:49 am |
Sandcastle,
I did get a second opinion before I underwent my second surgery with my crs as she kept saying how complex it is and how low success rates were. For me I ended up using my original crs but the second option put my mind at rest a little bit. As I said above I liked how the second doctor explained everything very well howeve he was about a hour and 45 mins away from where I live and it just would have made things much more complicated.
Highly recommend a second optinion even if you keep the first, my first crs was very much ok with my decision to get a second on and referred back to the note they second person had sent when my surgury did fail before prosecuting to anything else….
Rachel - June 3, 2013 at 11:04 am |
Thanks rachel, think I will go ahead. I dont think my consultant will be as acceptable however, he is very arrogant and I dont think he will like being questioned.
sandcastle - June 3, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Hi I,m Paddy, now just 69yrs old but i,m told i look at least 10 yrs younger, i do enjoy being outdoors a lot, gardeing etc, but my problems started 5yrs and 12 ops ago, well today i saw my consultant surgeon, he,s stumped as what to do now, i,ve had a plug, the lift , layed open etc, but he has at least referred me to a Specialist in London, so fingers crossed i may see the day when i,m not in pain, i have a Seton in place at the moment, now in for 3 Months, it hurts, by the way what i ment about age was i try and be positive, walk and even cycle if i can. So yes get a second opinion, i did not asked for one before, perhaps i should have done. I,m off fishing Thurs plus i may drop into my local for a couple. Stay strong and say your piece to your doctors, Paddy
Paddy Eades - June 4, 2013 at 2:13 am
Thanks paddy. I am definitely going for 2nd opinion. I have had enough of being kept in the dark when its my body and life. I hope you get the help you need in London. X
sandcastle - June 4, 2013 at 7:14 am
hi guys have not been on for ages(thank god!) after my 4th surgery (lay open) feb 13 I am (fingers crossed) totally healed!! I wanted to let ye know as there is hope, no one knows the pain we go through, endless torturous packing…it all seems like a nightmare now..in answer to the person inquiring about second opinion ” DO IT” I did and eventually got to a corectal surgeon (clearly cannot spell that) all though its still not ” right ” in the area and can still be painful, its the best its ever been…im totally paranoid tho and bring sterile wipes and sudocream everywhere which after cleaning I apply up to 3 times a day..it seems to protect that area very well.. do the diet..drink cooled boiled water with manuka + honey every day..take plenty immune system vitamins and don’t give up..listen to your body and insure doctors listen to you.. best of luck…praying for healing for all of you.. ber x
ber - January 17, 2014 at 12:00 pm |
Good luck in London Paddy x
Also to you Sandcastle. We all need to think and live positively towards our recovery!! (Stuff your arrogant surgeon ;))
meg68 - June 4, 2013 at 3:15 pm |
So true Meg thanks
sandcastle - June 4, 2013 at 6:21 pm |
I had my sevond opinion and rather than having a further 3 surgeries and then a colostomy, the second opinion consultsnt said I have been through enough in last 6 mths and advised no further surgery at this time and to have a softer seton placed long term. So I can get on with my life. He alao said I could develop my spincter muscles in meantime ans reconstruction surgery would be preferable in the future rather than opting automatically for colostomy. He was clearly very experiences 40 + yrs. It was great to talk with a consultant who understood how life with a fistula impacts on my life. Will b interesting how my surgeon will react to this info.
sandcastle - June 13, 2013 at 7:42 am |
HI guys ..i had fistula and had surgery on 03/june/2013 in NAGPUR INDIA in kale piles hospital. to visit the website kalepileshospital.com . Today 10/june/2013 i am very comfortable . The Dr reported me after the surgery that i had fistula but he also found out that i had fissure and treated it. He is a brilliant surgeon and i am not having much problems. he treated me with Ayurveda as well as surgery . Thanks to him .
ace - June 10, 2013 at 8:56 pm |
They treated you kshar sutra ayurveda. But what about pain and how much time to take for normal life. Pls tell me.
Anup - June 11, 2013 at 5:19 pm |
Great news today just had my 5 week follow up after my seton placement and for the first time in 16 months I left my doctors office smiling…..she said my fistula looks the best she has seen it….I follow up in three month and if all goes well we can start trying to have a baby…when all else fails change your diet…she told me today to keep doing the gluten and dairy free it seems to be doing something 🙂
Rachel - June 11, 2013 at 9:02 am |
That’s so awesome! Yay for you!! The gluten free and dairy free diet worked for me too 🙂 Really happy news for you, keep up the good work! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - June 11, 2013 at 10:20 am |
Hi
That’s great news. I’m just wondering if you have celiac/ulcerative colitis or similar? I don’t have any of those conditions, but am having a fistula repair soon and am considering doing the unspecified carbohydrate diet. But, not having those conditions, I’m not sure if it will help me.
Jane
Jane wicks - June 11, 2013 at 11:02 am |
I do not have any dx of ibs celiac/ulcerative colitis or any BM stuff that caused the fistural. My doctor did not tell me to do any diet changes but after a year of pain I found this site and decided to try it. My doctor today could not confirm any connection but if its helping she said to keep doing what’s working.
Rachel - June 11, 2013 at 2:01 pm |
Great! Thanks so much for that. I only recently found this site and saw that people had success with the diet so I’ll give it a try
Jane wicks - June 11, 2013 at 4:42 pm
Hi I was born with a birth defect where my anus was partly closed and in the wrong place I had surgery when I was a baby to fix it the surgery was successful. I had my first baby in 2003 she was born a bit over a month early at 6lb3oz I had a vaginal delivery, it went well. I had my second baby in 2011 I had a vginal delivery for her too she was a week and two days late and was 9lb3oz she got stuck because I am a small person, I ended up with a forth degree tear it was bad all the surgery I had when I was a baby was torn apart. My baby almost died I am great full she is alive because I dont think I would have the strength to go on. I had surgery to fix everything when my baby was 5 months, it went wrong I ended up with a large anal vaginal fistula and had to get ostomy surgery, my dr. tried to fix the fistula last November 2012 but it didnt work I am in so much pain I feel like I am loosing my mind I never knew pain can do this to a person I am trying to be strong for my family. I dont understand why I am in soo much pain can some one please help me understand why my fistula is hurting and how I can stop it my dr. is a great dr. but he cant figure it out please help me.
Andrea - June 13, 2013 at 1:14 am |
Gosh what a nightmare, sorry to hear you are going through all of this. To be honest, if your doctor “can’t figure it out”, then you need to go to a different doctor. Go and see a specialist in this area…
fistulasupportonline - June 13, 2013 at 6:35 am |
Jane, I have been on the S.C.Diet since a month after my fistula was first diagnosed and have now, nearly 7 months later gotten to the stage where I KNOW it is working.
Every single time I eat something that is not on the list of approved foods I get increased pain, swelling and discharge.
Trust me, what we eat is so important if we don’t want to be stuck with a seton for life!
I find wheat and sugar particularly aggravating and have been very successful avoiding both. I can get away with a little bit of milk in my coffee and I absolutely LIVE on cheese.
See how you go. Some people will react in different ways to different things. I think the worst thing is the wheat or grains/nuts.
Good luck.
Meg. 🙂
meg68 - June 13, 2013 at 1:21 am |
Hi meg
Thanks so much for that. I’m convinced! There seems to be a lot of people who have had success. I’ve got the book and have started the diet. Having flap surgery in a few weeks so its a good time to start it.
Hope you’re doing well
Jane
Jane wicks - June 13, 2013 at 8:38 am |
Wow Meg you are so lucky you can eat cheese. I can’t have ANY dairy.
I am trying to follow the SCD diet but it’s so hard. But I agree, it DOES work. I encourage people to not give up and keep trying.
My fistula is finally improving since I reduced my sugar and grain intake.
If I want to bake, I use almond flour.
The only problem with the SCD diet is that it makes meeting people for dinner or lunch impossible.
I also have to recommend Manuka Honey, and a probiotic that is Dairy/Soy free that MUST contain Saccharomyces Boulardii, which kills the bad yeast that destroys our bodies.
KILL THE YEAST! haha
Melaine - June 13, 2013 at 10:39 am |
Hi, i,m struggling with pain from my fistular, back on anti- biotics, seton in bum is where the pain is, however, could you tell me what this SCD diet is, i also love and eat plenty of cheese, cant wait to get my second opinion soon to hopefully sort out this DAMM problem, i,m trying to keep my chin up, perhaps this diet may help, thanks Paddy.
Paddy Eades - June 13, 2013 at 8:08 pm
Hi Paddy,
The SCD diet is the “Specific Carbohydrate Diet”.
It’s a diet that excludes all grains, sugars (including artificial ones) and lactose from the body.
Here’s the website. It will give you a list of the legal/illegal foods
http://www.scdrecipe.com/
Basically the short version is:
No sugar, no grains and flours of any kind (including corn, potato, tapioca, oats, wheat), no lactose.
If you want to make bread or biscuits, use almond flour or coconut flour. That’s it. Those are the only flours allowed on the SCD diet.
Use honey as a replacement for sugar.
And don’t eat too much fruit at first, and make sure you peel apples if you have one.
Plenty of fresh fish. I recommend omega 3 tablets too.
Doctors are ignorant and don’t believe in this stuff, but it really works.
We can never cure Crohns, but we CAN control it and ease the symptoms by balancing the bacteria in our body.
That’s what this diet does. It starves the bad bacteria.
Also, I recommend that probiotic I mentioned earlier.
It must be soy/dairy free and contain “saccharomyces Bourlardii”
Melaine - June 14, 2013 at 9:28 am
I go out for lunch and dinner all the time Melanie! I order a salad or a steak and vegies. You just have to fudge the lines a little and eat as close to SC as you can? Works for me. Looking into the probiotic you mentioned too. Thanks.
I’m having my surgery next week, and I’m getting kind of nervous, but I have not felt better in the whole 7 months since this ugly thing first showed up.
I must admit it has changed my life for the better. I’ve given up smoking, drinking, wheat, gluten etc and have started to look into the GMO crap that Monsanto have been passing off as food.
We very rarely eat or feed our kids anything out of a packet, and the whole family feels better from not any eating processed food.
I guess I’d have to say I’m kind of glad it happened. I needed the wake up call…..
meg68 - June 13, 2013 at 8:31 pm
Good luck in your surgery Meg! Fingers crossed for ya!
I have a endoscopy/colonoscopy next week, and hopefully my final fistula surgery in August.
My new consultant wants to put me on Remicade.
I’m worried about it, but I’ve had my fistula for way too long and I guess something needs to be done.
Melaine - June 14, 2013 at 9:31 am
Hi meg
Which surgery are you having?
Jane wicks - June 14, 2013 at 9:59 am
Jane,
Either having Lift or it will be laid open. Depends on how the fistula looks to my CR now.
Mine is complex and “horseshoe” shaped. CR is concerned about how deeply the tract runs through both sphincter muscles, but at last visit was a little more positive about laying it open.
Unfortunately I won’t know which surgery has been done until I wake up, as he uses ultrasound during surgery and won’t decide himself until I’m “under”.
I’m kind of hoping for a Lift as I am terrified of the pain and spasms of laying the fistula open. I have suffered from chronic sphincter spasms since the birth of my first child 23 years ago. I fear they will make a lay open impossibly painful for me?
Anyhoo, whatever happens will be all over soon. I’m just praying for a successful surgery…. for both of us now 🙂
meg68 - June 16, 2013 at 12:00 am |
Hi meg
Oh you do have a complicated one. Mine is close to sphincter muscle but doesn’t go through and is relatively straight. I found this site a little while ago and so have seen a lot of your posts and I have to say you have a great attitude. I think I do as well, it’s the only way really.
I guess the unknown of your actual operation is the hard part for you as you can’t really plan recovery at this stage.
Anyway I’m sending you lots of positive thoughts for it and a successful outcome.
Jane
Jane wicks - June 16, 2013 at 10:49 am |
I had my surgery 3 days ago. Just a regar fistulotomy. No seton, no medication. What I’m wondering is how normal is the drainage? It still feels very much like it did before my surgery. It is draining puss and stool after a bm. It settles down until I have another bm then starts all over again. I’m beginning to think it isn’t working. I’ve put a call into my surgeon for advice, but being Saturday he hasn’t called me back yet.
I’m just wondering if anyone can tell me if this is normal. I’m getting really depressed and nervous about this. Is this kind of drainage normal? The nurse said to expect some blood, but it’s not really bloody at all. More brown and puss like. 😦
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Steph - June 16, 2013 at 3:02 am |
I had the same following fistulotomy’s. U will p r ob have faeces there but just keep ckean and after a while the discharge will go a lighter colour. Keeping clean with bath and/or shower is so important. I also use tea tree oil and epsom salts in the bath.
sandcastle - June 16, 2013 at 8:27 am |
Did yours heal? Did it take very long? Do you think the Epsom salts help? I’m just worried that its not working. It’s really frustrating!
Steph - June 16, 2013 at 10:52 am
It depnds on the size of the wound. Ibe had 6 wounds and healing varied from 8 wks to 5 mths. Mine is not yet gone as told its a highly complex tract. The surgeon is planning to place a seton long term to give me some respite so my life can get back on track. I definitely think epsom salt and tea tree oil in the bath help even once a day and then showers after bm. As it seems to manage other symptoms including the itch u can get. We just need to be patient with these things, can b really tough but talking to others helps x x
sandcastle - June 17, 2013 at 6:27 am
Hi Steph
I’m certainly no expert, but I think this is normal at first especially so soon after a surgery.
If you have a bidet in your bathroom use epsom salts daily, and multiple showers too. Use the shower nozzel to clean the area straight after a bowel motion and then have an epsom salt bidet. (if you don’t have a bidet, perhaps by something the chemist that would work instead)
I found from experience that keeping the area extra clean with the salts reduced the puss and help it heal. It dries up any active infection, and thus helps the fistula heal inside too.
Hope this helped.
(also, avoid dairy, soy, sugar, grains/carbs like potato, rice, oats and wheat. Get a good proboitic and start taking Manuka Honey )
Melaine - June 16, 2013 at 2:19 pm |
Any idea what the link to carbs and dairy has to do with it? Thanks for all the advice and support.
Steph - June 17, 2013 at 9:05 am
My fistula surgery done on 24 may 2013. For fast recovery u must take high protine dite, ots, soya product, milk, maximum Fruts, 4 time take lemon water becoz of vitamin C. Water 8-10 glass in a day. U also take coconut water, watermelon. This can recover u 4-5 week. Sitz bath also requires two times in a day.
Thanks
Anup
Anup - June 17, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Anup what are you talking about? You MUST stay away from Dairy, soy and Oats. This is very bad for fistulas. They cause bad bacteria!
Melaine - June 17, 2013 at 8:43 pm
You are right Melanie – Dairy is the worst thing you can eat if you have a fistula!
fistulasupportonline - June 18, 2013 at 7:39 am
Thanks everyone.
Steph - June 18, 2013 at 7:46 am
Steph- do NOT follow Anup’s advice. Many people here have already mentioned it, but try the SCD diet (specific carbohydrate diet).
For fistulas to heal quicker, you need to make sure your bowel motions are as clean as possible. Stuff like grains and dairy cause bad bacteria in our gut and make fistulas impossible to heal.
Follow the SCD diet. I recommend it a lot, it’s changed so many people’s lives. It’s all about starving the bad bacteria.
Melaine - June 17, 2013 at 8:45 pm
Hi guys!
i was operated for Fistula-in-Ano on 25th April 2013…still recovering.
My cut is 8 inches long & 3 inches deep.
The Story goes something like this :-
18th April – Fever
20th April – Trouble Sitting
21st April – Extreme Pain to Stand, Sit, Sleep unless on Pain Killers.
22nd- diagnosed as Perianal Abscess
24th – Surgeon said Pilonidal Sinus needs to be operated as no other way.
25th Operation Theatre – After opening me up detects my FISTULA.
(transsphenteric) with 22 stiches (12 internal + 10 external)
26th April – Stiches removed as extreme pain and stool started passing through Cut (laid open thereafter to heal on its own).
While i had my stiches dressing the hospital was damn painful…used to kill me every moment.
30th April – Discharged to go home but continue dressing thereafter after very passing of stool or twice in a day with Sitz Bath which is taken care of very well by my better half (wife). Saline NS used to clean the wound & dressing with Hydroheal AM gel to fill up the wound and protect it from infections.
today as i write this…am still recovering slowly….but no pain as such since the day of my operation. Already been 7 weeks…and from what she says…it shud take atleast other 4-5 weeks for me to recover.
Not been able to drive a car or ride a bike. have to sleep on my chest facing down.Lost 10 kgs of my weight in this 7 weeks.
Have slept only 4 hrs everynite since coming home…..very frustrating too.
would advice people who go for surgery to be prepared for this situation of stool passing through your fistula tract post surgery as when i went through it…cudnt come across a single blog mentioning the situation which in itself is very depressing & frustrating for the patient & care taker.
My surgeon says in his practice of 25 years he hasnt come across such a big fistula tract in last 15 years. (guess i am one the those unlucky one’s to have it).
All i can say is post operation…all u will need is patience & will power to recover fully. Ofcourse lots of love from your family and friends if they can keep visiting once in a while to divert your depressive mood. (helped me a lot). Gear up for the operation mentally…will help you to cope with it.
My surgeon Dr. Yogesh Chandaran (Mumbai – India) advice & treatment has been gr8 so far to me as pain has subsided post operation as promised by him on my first visit to him.
Will keep you all updated on my condition in future…till then best of luck to all suffering from Fistula-in-ano.
Love & Regards,
Miheer Desai. (INDIA).
Miheer Desai - June 18, 2013 at 6:12 pm |
Miheer,
As you are in India did you consider the Sutra ayurvedic treatment which has been advised by one of the members of this forum who has undergone this treatment successfully?
I checked after reading about and was quite impressed but not available in Australia.
JMAN - August 31, 2013 at 2:56 pm |
Ok, I have a question and I apologize in advance for the graphic detail, but I’m seriously worried.
The day of my surgery I had a lot of pain in an area not related to the fistula. It’s actually at the complete other end. Anyway, it got better but is still there. I did notice, upon inspection that there is actually something there that wasn’t there before. It’s on the bottom end of my anus. It looks like a tear, it’s very red, and there appears to be a small red lump in/by it. I’m wondering if it is possible that I was torn during my operation. Do they use anything to “open you up”? It definitely wasn’t there before. I’m worried about it because I just want to heal and go back to being “normal” again if that is even possible. I don’t know if it is a small hemorroid…I’ve never had them before and it doesn’t quite look like one after I googled some images.
Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? Is it possible that a fissure or a tear happened during surgery? Is that common? I called the doctor and they can’t get me in until Friday and I’m trying not to panic. Thanks again for the support here…I really appreciate it.
steph - June 19, 2013 at 3:58 am |
If u r in alot of pain I would go to a & e. It may b nothing but u had better get it looked at even to put ur mind at ease.
After one of my fistulotomy’s I developed a small abscess as a second tract developed. I dont want to frighten u but it is better to provide a suggestion than say nothing. But again it may b nothing and I would get a professional to look at it.
sandcastle - June 19, 2013 at 8:30 am |
He doctor is going to see me on Friday.
Steph - June 19, 2013 at 10:10 am
Steph, could it be a hemorrhoid or fissure? If so, don’t worry.
Melaine - June 19, 2013 at 8:35 am |
I’m thinking it could be a fissure but I’m not sure. It had to happen during surgery because it wasn’t there before. Are they that rough that they could have caused that?!
Steph - June 19, 2013 at 10:11 am
No but pain-killers for the dressings gave me REALLY bad constipation and caused a fissure. Don’t worry, if it’s a fissure, it will heal itself.
Melaine - June 20, 2013 at 8:08 am
I’ve had zero constipation. I’m positive this thing appeared the day of my surgery.
Steph - June 20, 2013 at 9:35 am
Hi Steph, gosh thats weird, im almost recovered from my lay open and still having ups and downs to be honest but I have same thing my doc and surgeon said its poss hemorroid or spare tissue and not to worry,Ive been using hemorroid gel prescribed by my doc since surgery 1st feb but its still there and still very sore and bowel movement makes it extremely painfull, wonder if the same as yours? seeing surgeon for last time 29th, fingers crossed and will bring it to his attention again as has not chaged and ill let you know, keep it clean and take care..ber
ber - June 19, 2013 at 12:00 pm |
Hey, I’m 22 years old, from The Netherlands and also suffering from perianal abcesses for the last 3 years. It started three years ago, in June: mu butt hurt a lot and I was too scared to tell anyone. Until I started getting a fever (40 degreed) while I was visiting my parents. I stayed in bed for a couple of days but still I didn’t dare to tell my parents, and my butt kept hurting like hell. So after about a week I told my mother and we went to the docter right away. She instantly recognised it as a perianal abcess, and sent me home with some antibiotics and the message to come back in a few days if it didn’t help. The fever disappeared due to the antibiotics, and I started to feel better, but the pain in my ass was still really bad. So I went back to the docter, whom then sent me to the ER right away. That was early in the morning, and a seton was placed later that day, with a spinal anasthetic (which isn’t so bad, I was really scared at first, but the spinal doesn’t hurt very much, just a pinch). I went home the next day and home care came to rinse the wounds twice a day for about a week. After a week the wound were still clean (no pus) and the seton was removed. The wounds would close in about a month, the docter said. Wish that were true. The wounds never closed and began leaking fluid and pus soon after. But at least it didn’t hurt (well, not physically at least). About a year later I went back to the hospital (no pain, but the wounds kept leaking, and a seton was placed again. I rinsed it myself at least three times a day, but again, the wounds wouldn’t close. After a couple of months I went back to the hospital, because my ass started hurting again. So a seton was placed for the third time, and it didn’t help, again. At that point, they thought there might be something behind it, because I’m young, and young people don’t often get abcesses like thiis without any underlying cause. So I got a coloscopy, and they found I have Crohn’s disease. Soon after that, I changed hospitals (for practical reasons, and because I wanted to go to a academic hospital) and I ended up at a doctor who was performing a research together with a lot of other hospitals in many countries. The research (stage III already) studies the effect of adipose stem cells on complex perianal fistula in patients with Crohn’s disease. And I was quite lucky, because to participate in this study, Crohn’s had to be quiet, not to severe at the moment, and the abcesses couldn’t be bigger than 2 cm, and they weren’t. So last monday, two setons were placed again. And now I’m on some antibiotics. In two weeks they’ll inject fibric glue – with or without the stem cells (50/50 chance) – into the ‘holes’ and hopefully they’ll grow and close the tract. The place in the rectum where the fistula originated is already closed, my doctor could tell me 🙂 And at this moment the wounds are still pretty clean: a bit of blood and some wound fluid is leaking, but no pus at all. So hopefully this will work and I’ll finally will be free from this terrible illness! 🙂
Mascha - June 20, 2013 at 2:36 am |
Please let us know how you do with the glue. I hope you get the real “stuff” and do outstanding.
julie - June 20, 2013 at 8:20 am |
Hi fellow suffers, quick update, still in constant pain and have been having daily packing and dressings from my last surgery, I’ve had a bad week as it now turns out that I have an abscess forming on my right side now 😦 started antibiotics on Monday but can already feel that it’s grown in the last 2 days keeping up with salt baths and the area is really clean but I can’t imagine having the seton, the new crater and one on the other side, I still have no underlying cause as to why I’m suffering with these but in my last surgery they did take pathology so hopefully when I meet with my consultant on the 11th of July ill get some answers,
Hope and pray is all I can do chin up and carry on ay xx
Claire - June 20, 2013 at 9:09 am |
Hi! I’m Jai from India. I went in for a haemorrhoid surgery 6 days back, had an external haemorrhoid. The surgeon did the surgery under general and general anaesthesia and while doing the surgery he noticed a fistula which he treated.
The first two days after surgery were fine last two days I’ve been getting some pain from time to time. Mostly feels like a sharp pain that comes and goes. But the worst pain is when I go to the toilet! I have never experienced pain like that before. I understand it is normal to experience a bit of pain initially so I’m dealing with it with pain killers and take a sitz bath atleast 4 times a day.
I went for a follow up check up and the surgeon said its healing well…no sign of infection.
What has given me sleepless night since yesterday though is that I experienced some bowel incontinence. And my gauze that I change 3 times a day has red and a bit of brown stuff on it (Sorry for being too descriptive!).
My question is that is it normal to suffer from a little bowel incontinence after the surgery or is this not normal? I brought it up with my surgeon over the phone today as I’m getting paranoid and he told me he didn’t really fiddle around with my sphincter in order for it to get damaged…and said the surgery may have just temporarily weakened the muscles.
Can someone please help me and tell me if they suffered too with this soon after surgery?
Jai - June 27, 2013 at 6:44 am |
It is common to experience such thing.It should improve as time passes.Dont worry but as far as possible try to keep the area clean.You may have problem controlling the air and stools for first few weeks .Its normal..
Vipul - July 12, 2013 at 4:05 am |
Hi gang,
Back from Sydney after a very painful Lift surgery. I thought I was going to pass out for the first few hours after waking up. Each little pain sent me into the worst spasms ever!
The day staff was great at the hospital but the night staff acted like they had to go out and buy the pain medication themselves!
Today is day 6 after the op, and I’m just wondering if a lot of fluid discharge from the site is usual? After bleeding for a few days I now have a clear fluid on my gauze?
Also how soon can I tell if the Lift was successful? I’m due to see my Surgeon in Sydney in about 5 weeks but is there anything to look for in the meantime?
Thanks guys,
Meg x
meg68 - June 27, 2013 at 9:08 pm |
Hi Meg, so relieved for you that op is over, I afraid I don’t have advice for you as I had lay open but I would think pain and discharge to be expected, I did after my surgery, the good news is I have finally healed inside out and all discharge.bleeding has stopped. It is still tender and painful when having a bowel movemet but this is all normal I have been told…all good Meg isn’t it.. I pray this lift will work for you and you will be healed and back to yourself again, you so deserve it. mind yourself and take it easy as much as you can.. positive thoughts to all and don’t give up..ber x
ber - June 29, 2013 at 8:42 am |
Hi Ber, thanks so much. x
meg68 - June 30, 2013 at 1:00 am
Hi Ber!
How are you doing? I had my fistula lay open last week, it’s the 5th op I’ve had since last November (tho it all started May 2012) so I’m desperate for it to work and hoping you have good news to give me faith…! Are you still fistula free?
I’m not on too much pain but my one concern is I haven’t had it packed. In clinic before he said it would need to be, but after the surgery he said there was no need. I’ve had 2 nurses come over and they say the wound looks ‘beautiful'(! I beg to differ but hey, the one good thing about this is that it’s an area only those ‘invited’ get to see!) and to keep doing what I’m doing….
So it’s been 6 days and I’ve been resting a lot and pottering around the house. Should I be walking more? How long did you take to heal in the end? I’m feeling positive about this one but will be devastated if it goes wrong so keen for any advice….!
Thank you so much for this website – I only discovered it recently but there are such good tips. Thank you 🙂
Xx
Ps I’m 33, female and hoping to start a family……
Me - September 4, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Hi meg
Glad to hear its over and so sorry that the pain was so intense. That sounds awful. I’m having the op in a week so I don’t have any actual experience, but bleeding for 5 days then clear fluid sounds absolutely normal. Do you still have pain now? My specialist told me that they generally fail within the first three months so its not an immediate success thing. The advice I’ve read is to take it easy, gentle exercise, rest that sort of thing.
I’m just curious as to how much time you’ve taken off work? I’m taking two weeks off for mine but thinking about having another week off.
Thinking of you, hope things continue to go wl and your recovery continues
Jane
Jane wicks - June 29, 2013 at 10:15 am |
Jane I took a full month off work and expect to make a decision at that point as to how fit I am to return. The most important thing for me is full recovery from this so I am prepared to take as much time as I need.
Things are going well so far. Still in a fair bit of pain, but if I rest things aren’t so bad.
I’m lucky to have an understanding boss, who doesn’t want me to return to work too early and risk the success of the operation.
Ultimately our health is way more important than our work, right?
Good luck with your op. Make sure you get proper care afterwards. I had to shake up a night nurse or two in order to get my pain medication regularly!!
meg68 - June 30, 2013 at 1:09 am
Hi meg
Yes i think i’ll definately take another week off and then see how I go. My boss is also very understanding and my CEO said to take as much time as i need. Im planning for a very very quiet month to give it the best chance of working.
Sorry to hear that you’re still in alot of pain but rest seems like the best thing.
Take care
Jane
Jane - June 30, 2013 at 12:31 pm
For my first surgery I took 2 weeks off. They told me I would need only a week, but 2 was definately needed!
MyriahDawn - July 9, 2013 at 11:58 pm
Hi again!! I’ve been back to work and am off again due to increased pain and swelling.
I’m just not prepared to risk the success of my surgery. (I don’t ever want to go through that again!)
After 3 (very active) days back at work it seemed obvious to me that I was doing damage.
I have staples emerging painfully from the op site. Very sore and awkward when running around at work.
I’m back at home taking it very easy before heading back to surgeon in 2 weeks for post op visit.
I’m definitely going to ask him about the staples. Seems to me to be the cruelest solution, and he’d better have a damn good explanation?
Anybody else had to deal with staples or is my surgeon the Marquis de Sade?
meg68 - July 26, 2013 at 12:41 pm
Hi meg
Sorry to hear you’re off work again, the staples sound rough. I had my flap surgery 2 weeks ago and have another week off. I have stitches and a tiny drain. I can’t even imagine how uncomfortable staples must be. Rest sounds like the best option. I have a bit of weeping from the wound and minor pain but otherwise it seems to be going ok. Hope yours settles down soon
Jane
Jane wicks - July 26, 2013 at 3:50 pm
Hi Meg, Lets hope your op was a success, staples wow, sounds amazing what they do to a body. I,m finding waiting to see this Professer so called expert in London in Sept a bit difficult, the seton area is painful, especially when the pus is leaking, its become a battle of wits with the pain, Tramadel helps but it sends the mind all over the place. What op did you have this time? let me know what the Surgeon has to say in 2 weeks time, keep well, Regards Paddy.
Paddy Eades - July 27, 2013 at 3:00 am
Hi Paddy, I had the Lift op, and yes the staples are agonizing!! As I heal, more of them come out from my flesh, and they’re all linked up. I can’t remove them. They just poke and rub and… well, you can imagine?
Sorry to hear you’re still feeling pain in your seton. I had the same trouble with my last one. Let’s hope the Professor in London will sort things out for you?
Good to hear from you, take care. x Meg.
meg68 - July 29, 2013 at 1:16 pm
Hi!,
I got perianal fistula after fainting ! Its continuing still from 6 months…it gives a feeling while it heals but its draining pus/blood/mucus after having meals/breakfast/lunch anything. I have undergone colonoscopy/mri for small intestine, there is no cronh’s. But the fistula is still active like a volcano which erupts after food…! Can you please advise, should I go for the surgery or can it heal by itself….
chirag - July 9, 2013 at 9:29 am |
In my opinion I would try TPN treatment before I would do any kind of surgery. With TPN treatment, your fistula may be given the time to calm down and heal. In this way, you may avoid surgery.
julie - July 9, 2013 at 1:03 pm |
Hey I am raj from india I am presently undergoing ksharsutra thread therapy for my high level fistula which is also deep 5 weeks are passed every week there is a change of this medicated thread which does the cutting , curing & healing simultaneously, every week there is a cutting of .5cm so it takes time another 10 weeks depending upon the length we need a lot of patience there is no reoccurrence of fistula for this treatment with minimal pain & no concern of losing consistency comparing to surgery where there is risk of reoccurrence & loss of control over bowel movement
raj - July 9, 2013 at 11:44 pm |
I had my seton removed 3 months ago and healing has been slow, but good. All of a sudden the darn thing started bleeding like crazy last week and won’t stop. My nurse says “normal”, but I am still concerned… I have no pain, just am going thru gauze like crazy. Any advice?
MyriahDawn - July 9, 2013 at 11:57 pm |
Hi MyriahDawn,
When my fistula began to bleed profusely my surgeon was very pleased. He explained that scar tissue, (healed tissue), bleeds way more than infected tissue. This was a very good sign in my case that healing was occurring.
I would still check with a colo/rectal specialist, but definitely could be a good sign that your fistula is healing.
Good luck, Meg. 🙂
meg68 - July 10, 2013 at 5:59 pm |
I had fistula surgery last year and I have an abscess beside my rectum, I am still having problems, the abscess is swollen, tender and draining, I’m at such a lose! The doc created a new tract and had to remove fistula and he said I had infection so he had to cut some muscle! I do not want to do this again! If I go back, they will say surgery next week!!! I’m afraid I will not be able to hold my stool if they continue cutting on me inside! I’m in alot of pain, just didn’t know if this is common
Gina - July 11, 2013 at 4:53 pm |
Hi Gina,
I used the following things and it seems its doing very well..
To kill related abdominal bacteria, I used with 100% commitment the following things:
Wild Oregano Oil 3 times a day after meal
Peppermint Pure Oil 1 times a day before meal
Ciprofloaxcin 500mg 2 times a day after meal
Manuka Honey 3 times a day after meal
For easy stool passage
Golden Seal Root Capsules 3 times a day after meal
Slippery Elm Bark Capsules 3 times a day after meal
Take warm milk with 2 teaspoonful of clarified butter in it at night
Supplements
Omega 3 capsules 3 times a day after meal
Vitamin B12 capsules 3 times a day after meal
Eat good food i.e non spicy, pure vegetables, avoid gas..
A balanced diet consists of 6 different tastes i.e
Sweet, Sour, Salty, Astringent, Pungent, Bitter. Try to ensure that
each taste is taken in a meal
http://www.eattasteheal.com/ETH_6tastes.htm
I lost about 8-9 kg of weight in just 1 month, I could not eat more due to this. My photos looked like I went back to college 🙂
But the catch is if we dont eat as needed, fistula will be at large and body
will not be able to fight it.
In my case this is my first time fistula, suffering from 6 months and now it seems fistula is giving
some indications of healing sign
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chirag007mehtahirag - July 11, 2013 at 6:46 pm |
One thing I forgot to mention
Whenever there is pain occuring, the following things will help out. Try to do the following activities 3-4 times a day.
1. ice compress which will make numb the nerve endings so pain is lesser felt
2. sitz bath with epsom salt, when there is infection which tries to come out.
3. Ensure to keep the area as dry as possible since the bacteria wants food/air/water/temperature to grow and multiply. If any of these is missing, chances are it will go away.
chirag007mehtahirag - July 11, 2013 at 6:51 pm
Thank u so much, I will try ASAP 😉
Gina - July 12, 2013 at 1:41 am
I want to know what is the amount of pain after(and during) a surgery of a simple low type of fistula which I have in my perianal region.
Deb - July 15, 2013 at 11:07 pm |
Hi Deb, all fistula surgery is painful for a couple of weeks afterwards, but it’s always manageable with pain medication, as long as you keep on top of it. Any surgery is painful… I guess each person differs with regards to how they handle pain, and their pain threshold, so depends on the person too 🙂
fistulasupportonline - July 16, 2013 at 7:26 am |
I had a fistula flap a week ago & am just checking to see if stool should still pass through the fistula until the external incision heals? Or was the surgery unsucessful?
Nicol - July 20, 2013 at 11:51 am |
Hi Nicol, if you have stool passing through your fistula after having an advancement flap, you need to go and get a check up ASAP. If it has failed, and they get it quick enough, they can repair the flap. Go and see your surgeon today. Good luck, I hope it goes well.
fistulasupportonline - July 20, 2013 at 4:31 pm |
Hi,
Yes stool passes through your flap for some days. Take sitz bath with potassium granules.
You can read my experience which I have shared here earlier.
My operation was done on 25th April 2013.
Still 3 weeks more as told by my surgeon.
Miheer Desai - July 20, 2013 at 4:36 pm |
I know someone who has had this surgery but afterwards now he is having symptoms such a nausea, headaches and paining eyes… why is this ? and is it anything serious ? should he be taking any measures for fast recovery ?
AZ - August 1, 2013 at 6:02 am |
Help. Please! I can’t take it any more.
I live in Southern California. I had fistula surgery on April 5th.
The surgery went well, and after two months, it healed. Now, after four months, there is bleeding again. It just will not stop.
The doctor never prescribed antibiotics. He said that it wouldn’t be necessary.
I went and saw him twice after the surgery. The first post op appointment, he told me that I was healing fine. The second post op appointment, about 6 weeks after the surgery, he told me that everything is okay and that I wouldn’t need to see him again.
Two months ago, the bleeding started again. I went to his office again, and he looked at my ass.
He told me that the bleeding was due to an anal fissure.
When I wipe my ass after a BM, blood does not come out of the anus. It is coming out of the area where the incision was made during the surgery.
I don’t know how an anal fissure, inside of my rectum would cause external bleeding where the incision was made.
The doctor started to tell me that I should have a colonoscopy.
I discussed this with my father, who is also a doctor. He told me that colonoscopy is a procedure which is being done all too frequently these days, and quite frankly, it’s just not necessary any more.
I told the doctor that I didn’t want to go through with this procedure, and he basically had his secretary tell me that “I don’t know as much about myself as they do.” This is bs. They want to look into my intestine and upper tract, which is not necessary. They just want money. They continued to persist, telling me that I might have cancer. I am certain that it’s not cancer, and that they are now trying to scare me into getting this procedure, which I don’t need.
I told them that I would go elsewhere for a second opinion.
I went to USC Medical center and they told me that my insurance is not active, which is a LIE. My insurance is active. They told me that I need to pay 450 USD just to be seen by a doctor. This is ridiculous.
I asked my father to prescribe antibiotics for me, because I was never prescribed antibiotics to begin with. He refused, telling me that he doesn’t see it as being necessary because I don’t have an infection, which is bullshit, I do have an infection. The bleeding will not stop. I am in pain, and I don’t know what to do.
I’m getting to the point where I’m about to off myself. I’ll do it, I just don’t care anymore. I’m tired of being manipulated by the US healthcare industry. It’s bullshit. Doctors here are thieves. Maybe elsewhere they are honest and concerned, but here they just want money.
I can’t afford it, and I don’t care anymore – in L.A.
J - August 1, 2013 at 4:27 pm |
H J… first of all, please take a deep breath… if they said that your fistula surgery was successful, then that is a brilliant thing!! 🙂 If you do have an anal fissure, it’s not that big a deal, yes it will bleed as it is a small tear, and every time you have a bowel movement, it probably tears it again. You don’t need antibiotics unless you have an infection. An infection would mean that there was pus coming out of your bum. Or you have a high temperature and are feeling really really unwell. You might just be bleeding but not have an infection. If you’re bleeding, it doesn’t mean you have an infection and need antibiotics. Try to remember, that taking antibiotics all the time is not good for you, and you shouldn’t take them unless you actually have an infection.
So your second opinion didn’t go well. That’s ok. Cross them off the list, and go to someone else for a third opinion. If you know that your insurance is active, then I’m sure you will find someone that will see you, just keep trying. I know how frustrating it can be. I went to 3 different surgeons until I found one that I thought had the most experience.
I’ve had a colonoscopy, and to be honest, you probably do need one. Just to check the fissure etc. There’s nothing wrong with having one, they’re a simple procedure, people have them done all the time. I had to have one to check my fistulas, and to make sure I didn’t have crohns disease.
If they’re telling you that you may have cancer, you should lay a complaint. That’s completely out of order, and I find it really bizarre that any health professional would tell someone that without conducting any tests and having any proof. Take control of the situation – complain, get the name of the person that said it to you, and show them up.
Please don’t even talk about suicide. That’s so not cool and really, none of this is worth your life. If you have a small tear, it’s easily fixed. Just be very careful when you go to the loo, don’t wipe, maybe use water for a while instead, there are some good tips on this site about keeping clean without irritating your bum.
I have no idea what the heatlthcare system is like in America. Surely there must be a doctor near you somewhere that is in the profession because he/she wants to help people. Just keep looking until you find the right one.
You are fine, you’ll get through this, be strong and take it all in your stride 🙂
fistulasupportonline - August 1, 2013 at 6:28 pm |
Well, I was able to secure a second surgery, for tomorrow. I don’t know, surgery… It’s a cash cow here in the United States. My doctor said ‘Oh, we have to do an encore on this one,’ when I went in for a visit last week.
I am beginning to suspect that the original procedure was just enough to get me in, and make me think that it was okay, because now he is saying I need to come back for a second, and ‘final’ procedure.
TO THOSE OF YOU WHO LIVE OUTSIDE OF THE UNITED STATES, IN COUNTRIES WHICH HAVE UNIVERSAL HEALTH CARE: YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW GOOD YOU HAVE IT. I AM AROUND FOREIGNERS EVERY DAY AND THEY TELL ME HOW GRATEFUL THEY ARE TO BE HERE, UNTIL WE BRING UP THE TOPIC OF HEALTH CARE. HEALTH CARE IN THE USA IS BS. DOCTORS HERE ARE LIARS, THIEVES, AND THEY SIMPLY DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOUR WELL BEING.
J - August 13, 2013 at 9:32 am
Yeah I’ve heard mixed reports about the healthcare system in America. I’m very grateful for the health system in New Zealand. Unfortunately, you’ll find that most of the people on this website have had many surgeries, I had 6 before they could do the ‘final’ one. It can take several surgeries to fix fistulas. I would hope that your surgeon is doing what is best for you, and not just trying to make money. And I hope you’ve managed to get a second opinion if you have doubts about your surgeons motive.
Good luck with your surgery tomorrow, and let us all know how you get on 🙂
fistulasupportonline - August 13, 2013 at 11:15 am
Fistulas are an awful disease. Whilst diffixult u have to stay positive. I was also told I dont need antiboditics as have a seton in to drain my fistula, but every 4-5 wks I need them as I am obviously infected as wound area inflamed and really painful. Im on day 4 of them now and I am already feeling better. U know ur own body. Warm Salt baths also help expecially when on antiboditics as whilst this sounds awful, u will see alot of bits of faeces etc that was in the fistula, in the bath. U may also need a colon procedure to habe biopsy to see if u have ibd or ulcerative colitis or crohns. It is a long long process to manage these bloody things I know ive been told ive yrs ahead of me, but as long as u can function day to day including wrking etc thats a good thing. Take care x x
sandcastle - August 1, 2013 at 7:47 pm |
Yes, Fistula is a dramatic disease, one never knows when the pain will start, when there is inflammation/bleeding/drainage.
I think, Fistula is a mechanism by the body to protect from the infection by developing a tunnel to the skin. It buys time so that the surgical activity can be scheduled as per one’s own comfort level.
I have fistula surgery planned on the 27th Aug 13, have been suffering from this since last 6 months.
The more we think about the pain current / past or future the more we will be in pain. This disease due to its long life cycle seems to have potential of shifting mindset and getting frustrated, but there is definitely something better for us.
Farmers don’t grow the crops, they create an environment to get the crops..
Doctors don’t heal the disease, they create an environment to heal the disease.
chirag007mehta - August 1, 2013 at 8:42 pm
I couldn’t agree more with most of what you said Chirag.
However I still think this disease is mistreated by health professionals a lot. I feel like I know more about it than my local GP who seems to take direction from me as to what I need next.
My surgeon tells me almost nothing about what he’s doing when I am under anesthetic. He also spared a lot of details in the surgical report for my local GP. For instance a total lack of any information about the staples he used??!
The hospital doctors were not helpful either. In our big city hospitals, you are little more than meat on a bed. (Thank God for country hospitals!)
Unfortunately I can’t receive the specialist care I need in my local hospital.
I actually don’t have any idea how my operation went. I have little drainage, much pain and tenderness, but nobody here can interpret those symptoms. (It’s a six hour drive for a check-up with the surgeon. He’s the only one who knows what’s going on!)
Most of my knowledge comes from sites like this and other medical/university sites on the net.
So while we may be doing our absolute best on the mental health, diet and hygiene front, sometimes we lack that final cohesion of medicine to complete the healing cycle.
Most of my frustration is not caused by the fistula itself, but by the treatment I receive (after paying my tax dollar), to receive depersonalized care in the health system.
meg68 - August 2, 2013 at 1:41 pm
Week back on saturday i underwent kshar sutra mrthod for my piles doctor has told me that the thread will melt the mass in 5-7 day bt its not melted yet and its damn painfull before going to seat for toilet the effected area hurts a lot and after passing stool it hurts more than before, i take sitz bath with potassium peramaganet ip which gives relife for the time, and i cant pass gas easily because it gives the same pain which i get before passing stool.. by when i can expect my healing i visited the doctor he says the 80% mass has been melted but the pain is very bad i cant take it please revert soon thanking you 😦
Rohan Chauhan - August 2, 2013 at 7:27 pm |
Please let us know how you are doing. There are others of us thinking about trying the same method.
Julie - August 6, 2013 at 9:16 am |
HI ALL
had a strange lump in my right ass cheek for a few months.. didn’t want to check it out early. god i wish i did. after many doctor visits and misdiagnosis, the lovely doctors at royal Melbourne finally diagnosed it correctly. a fistula.
i had my Seton stitch put in last year. it didnt cuase me much pain at all, it came out through my anus and into a whole about 4-5 centimeters above that and slightly to the right. it was annoying to wipe after business, and i had to keep repositioning the Seton so the knot of the piece of string wouldn’t get caught in my… opening.
had my laying open surgery 2 weeks ago. my lovely girlfriend is packing it for me.. consistently and it’s healing well. but the doctors said there is a bit of fistula tract around my sphincter, which they found during the laying out surgery.
So going for a ultrasound on my butt, to find the rest and then hopefully a final surgery.
That is my fistula story, hope all of you get better.
Bruce Crane - August 7, 2013 at 8:56 pm |
i have this problem for two years.starting i had lot of pain.but after 4 months.my fistula is gone.then im normal i had no problem for more than one year.But now recently three months ago im undergoing this fistula pain and continuous discharge.please give me idea what should be done.what kind surgery is good.or is it possible to cure with medicine?i doubt that it may be a anal fissure.pls give me a clear explanation and difference between anal fistula and anal fissure.waiting for ur advices….!!
P.S-the pain is fuckin’ horrible man:(…help me out.thanks in advance.
ram - August 10, 2013 at 12:42 am |
Ram, sounds like you should have done surgery to insert a seton and prepare for follow up repair surgery after that depending on surgeons advice.. I had a seton inserted last week, ultrasound to check if muscles will interfere with further surgery to follow and then they will open the roof of the fistula to heal inside out. Surgery is only way as I was very reluctant to let them have their way with my precious ring. I am in for a few extra procedures but there is no other way other than leaving it and possible new fistula branches in other areas. read up fissures on google for your own benefit.
good luck.
Jman - August 29, 2013 at 12:33 pm |
Hi all , this is all new to me. I’ve recently been diagnosed with having a rectal fistula and I’m getting lots of stomach pains on and off as well as lower back pains. Is this part of the course with this sort of thing?
Hev - August 10, 2013 at 7:15 pm |
Hi, I have an anal fistula and when I have an infection I would have stomach pain like spasms qhich are very painful and result in vomiting. But it does settle within 24 hra or when I start antiboditics. Hope this helps x
sandcastle - August 10, 2013 at 7:25 pm |
hello my name is jeevan,23, from india. my comments may seem irrelevant i mean they wont be much scientific but more of faith. i’ve suffered for about 3years with this shit. i dont know what kind of fistula am effected with but it appeared near my left butt close to the region where we put on belt(pants). i consulted my family homeopathy doctor. he gave me some medicines. i dont remeber the names i will post them assoonas i remember them. coz of using medicines i experienced only a little amount of reduction in the green pus. days later i observed a cut into my body beside the fistula. i was struck with terror. i began losing weight. became skinny from above average structure. the cut began to go grow deeper and i’m out of words. then i used a powder called vibhuti considered to be holy, it’s from our local god shiridi sai, and i began pouring that powder into that cut without fearing of consequences but keeping only faith. wonder.since the day i put that powder there the cut began to heal,the infection stopped, pain has disappeared. i dont know how this can help my fellow guys suffering from this irritating sick fistula.i just wanted to let u guys know there are even these kinda cases around.i only used two different medicines in my whole medication time and this vibhuti. my indian frns can get this more easily what vibhuti is. hope everyone recovers from this shit asap. i knw how this makes us.but one thing, after 2 years of my healing now i began to gain my body again.so i am gained by my faith in god, but u guys do some research on homeopathy medication for fistula and use them. they are far more bettert than these surgeries, it will take time but no sideeffects and no recurrence assured. thank youuuuu!
jeevanreddymandali - August 12, 2013 at 10:17 pm |
What homeopathic remedy did you use? Please let me know. thank you
700Series - August 15, 2016 at 7:02 am |
hi everyone, do someone here experience having a swollen lump on the right side of the anus pop out? recently a past 4mos iam undergo on incision and drainage of abcesses the surgeon said that maybe i have a fistula in ano, (there not sure about it) then after 4mos i feel the same SEVERE PAIN in that area, for about 1week iam not able to walk to sit even to lay down, i can even sleep, theres no position that iam able to sleep, then after 7 days of being torture the lump suddenly pop out, about 2-4cm long, and a sticky mucus like came out, my underwear almost soak in it, and miraculous it lessen the pain, from 100% to 50% i am able to sleep, to walk, and to sit. then the second day, from 50% down to 25% seriously what the heck happen? i consult in my surgeon and suggest me to undergo again on another surgery and this time they put a seton or what ever, pls guys im 85% relief now do i follow the surgeon suggestion? pls i dont want to go in the hospital again and putting a huge amount of money in that surgery, were poor, and guy i always update you on my current situation by the way sorry for my english im from philippines
francis - August 15, 2013 at 1:18 am |
U r best to get the seton to stop the fistula reabscessing. Long term setons are ok to manage and surgery a quick recovery its managing reinfection of surrounding tissue that is a nightmare. Take care
sandcastle - August 15, 2013 at 6:36 am |
Francis- where in philippines are you? I am from philippines as well, i have a good doctor taking care of me, i have gone through only 3 surgeries, and managing fistula quite well for the past 7 years, maybe i can help you, i still have fistula discharge but very little and no smell, bearable pain too
Sha - August 24, 2013 at 6:39 pm |
Hi, I’m from Philippines also, I went Fistula-in-ano last September 26, 2013 in World Citi Medical Center (in Anonas, QC) under Dr. Ramon Badillo. As of now, my wound is not deep that my wife could not place a gauze anymore. Please see my post below for my complete experience about this disease. 🙂 God bless!
Vinusa - October 21, 2013 at 2:17 pm |
I had an anal fistula for over two years. I just had a fistulaotomy on July 2nd, that’s 43 days ago(and counting!) and everything seems to be healing really well.
I have had 3 follow up appts with my surgeon, every two weeks. The first I was told to stay inactive and let it continue to heal. The last one I was told to get back to my old routine as best I can.
I have begun to build my strength up, by going for short walks and venturing out little by little…
This is embarrassing, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me when it would be safe to have sex again…
Please get back to me, thank you!
Deirdre McGonnell - August 15, 2013 at 3:45 am |
Hey there, how’re you doing? Still healed? I had my fistula laid open 14 days ago and its good to hear success stories…. Can I ask if you had any gunky discharge within the first few weeks? I’m desperate for this to work and am worried as its the same stuff that’s been on my swab for the last 18 months….worse after going to toilet. Also, did you get an answer re sex…?! Nowhere near yet as wound still open but we’d like to start a family but I’m terrified I’ll make it worse….!
Hope you’re still doing well 🙂
Me - September 13, 2013 at 12:47 am |
Hi Guys,
I have a scheduled surgery for fistula tomorrow. Any ideas, how much tentative time should take leave from work to get it healed ?
Chirag
chirag007mehta - August 20, 2013 at 2:02 am |
Hi Chirag… Which procedure are you having?? Are you have a seton placed? Or something else like an Advancement Flap or plug surgery? It depends on what you’re having. I used to take 2 weeks off work when I had seton placement surgery. And for the Advancement Flap, I took 4 weeks off. Good luck with surgery tomorrow, let us know how you get on! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - August 20, 2013 at 7:32 am |
Chirag with my first seaton placement I just took off Thursday Friday and the weekend so 4 days and it was horrible my second seaton I took the Thursday Friday weekend and Monday Tuesday so 6 days and it was so much better. I don’t know if some of that was because I knew how to manage the seaton the second time around or just the extra two days helped. For my flap surgury I was out 6 weeks. My doctor at first said 3-4 weeks but when I explained my job (home health OT so in and out of the car 10-15 times a day) she made me stay out 6 weeks. And mentally I was ready to go back at 6 week but physically I wish my work did not mandate I return full duty would have been nice to do half days at first….
I do think all types of surgurys are different and each person is different. And the type of job you do greatly effects your ability to return….but don’t rush it….I now look back and wonder if I took another week or two would my flap not have failed….
Rachel - August 20, 2013 at 9:09 am |
Hi Rachel
I had an advancement flap done 6 weeks ago and am feeling really good. I only took 3 weeks off but should have taken 4. I’m just wondering how long after your surgery did your flap fail? And when it failed did you know straight away? Did you need to have another seton? I’m also wondering about returning to exercise. I’m currently walking but don’t want to do anything to harm the flap
Jane
Jane wicks - August 20, 2013 at 9:20 am
Hi Jane.
I have a complex anal vagional fistural with lateral tracking.
I had my surgury aug 21st 2012 and April 2013 my doctor said we had to concider options. My follow up in sept wentas she thought things would go. She cleared me to go to work for the first of oct 6 weeks after surgury. I tried to start working out at that time with my trainor but things did not go well I was very light headed and things were pain ful with sitting. After a week back at work I started to have pressure again and pain started to build up and then started my string of antibiotics. I would go 7 days on them 5 days off them at the end of oct I saw my cr again and she decided to do a 14 days on antibiotics. I was so excited that when I went to see her in nov I had only done that last 14 day on them. But I still had one small area that just would not heal. She spaced my next apt for two months but I only went 6 weeks before the pain came back and I was on antibiotics again….in April when I got a blister at the end of the lateral track she decided it was time to go in and explore when I woke I had the seaton back in and she drained the lateral track again. My last surgury was may since then things have been pretty stable. No problems with my lateral tracks. And no antibiotics since may. I do get 3-4 days of issue each month not really sure why its normaly 5-6 days before my cycle begain not sure if related or hormonal some how.
Through out the 6 months my doctor kept saying give it time it just take time she said she has had people go 4-5 months with issues and there flap does not fail. After 2 months she told me to return to 100 percent of what i was doing exercie, sexural intercourse, ridding my motorcycle. she said that that point if it had not failed it would not cause it to fail. if i could tolerate the pain have fun. She was hopping if we could stop my body from infecting long enough the area would close but it was stubborn. Again it is a very complext fistural with multiple tracks.
I wish I had done some reacher about food choices prior to my first surgury. I do not have chrons or ibs so I never thought food would be effecting the area. I have been gluten free and dairy free since April and I think it has been helping. At this point I plan to keep the seton in place to I get pregnant and deliver then will figure out the next step. Sept will be a mile stone month for me of three months with no antibiots or pain meds so I will be clear to start trying if all stays stable. (Going to be a long 3 weeks :)).
Sorry long response.
Rachel
Rachel - August 20, 2013 at 1:14 pm
Hi
Thanks so much for your reply. Gosh you poor thing you’ ve really had a time of it. So it sounds like ) weeks isn’t very long and things may still go pear shaped. I think I’ll leave exercise for a while longer, I’m not really up to it now anyway.
I hope things start too look up for you and that you don’t need ABs or pain relief
Jane
Jane wicks - August 20, 2013 at 9:52 pm
Jane,
Things do seem to be looking up some…may be my attitude to some….my doctor as told me she will heal the beast (fistural) she can’t tell me when. She said to live my life and just enjoy…. I do still at time get frustrated/angry/tearful…..but I allow myself a coupld of hours then either go to bed and start the day on a few foot in the morning or go exercise to get rid of the anger….and I always tell my self….this may suck….be painfull…depressed….but it’s not terminal.
Rachel - August 22, 2013 at 11:52 am
Hi
Yes it’s much the same with me. It’s been a yr and I’m up and down, but overall just have to live with it.
Take care and I hope things continue to improve for you
Jane
Jane wicks - August 22, 2013 at 12:40 pm
Hi Craig
For seton placement I took 5 days off work. For the flap surgery I took 3 weeks but should have taken 4. I would recommend part time for a week or so when you do go back
Jane wicks - August 20, 2013 at 9:22 am |
I was operated on 25-4-13. High fistula in ano with lay open (fistulotomy). Still recovering. Rest min. for 15 days & dont forget to take sitzbath atleast 2 times a day. If u really want to recover and avoid going under the knife again. Ofcourse u will need to hv loadz of patience….which I sometimes lack. Avoid spicy food as long as u can if u r a foodie.
Miheer Desai - August 20, 2013 at 6:05 pm |
I had the LIFT procedure done almost 5 weeks ago. The last 2 days I have had some bleeding and and pain. Are these signs that the procedure wasn’t successful?
Alyssa - August 20, 2013 at 12:56 pm |
Well My Last Surgery In Jan If 2012 And EverY Time I Have Pain Its Usually A Sign Of Discharge. I Hope The Rest Of You Are Doing Well. 🙂
Craig - August 21, 2013 at 11:28 am |
Bula from Fiji…since the initial swelling three years ago, I now have Fistula in Ano with three openings but still can kayak and go out fishing all day, in other words mobility and flexibility is still very much there with a bit of discharge now and then…everyday pain has diminished over the last two years and is not as bad as it was when I underwent surgical drainage in 2011…now, I’m booked to have Proctoscope and Fistulogram in Ano next month in NZ…consultant here in Fiji thinks it will definitely need surgical procedures after that…so I’m just wondering whether any of my fellow bumtulas out there is actually fistula free POST SURGERY regardless of the procedure you went through…is there a definite or indefinite healing process…and has anyone being worse off then b4 in terms of mobility and managing pain AFTER SURGERY??…yr feedbck wil b mch apreciated
Arone - August 22, 2013 at 1:48 pm |
hi fellas, 1wik after the swollen in my butt pops out and my life back to normal again, dont want to put a seton or whatever like my surgeon said its pain in the ass also pain in the pocket, by the way, a quick recap, april 15 13 i undergo on surgery called incision and draining thing, and the surgeon said that i had a fistula in ano, months later this aug 5 13 i have a lump in the butt were the cut was, then aug 15 the lump suddenly pops out and feel relief afterwards, now 7 days later im still ok and hoping that it last long or if possible forever
guys, im not a doctor but who ever had a fistula in ano out there just drain the pus and if it occurs again, try to drain it again, im not going for seton or thing like that, just want it to drain and drain and drain till the pus nor i surrender
francis - August 22, 2013 at 11:40 pm |
Hi
M suffering from fistula since 20 yrs .have nt taken any treatment as yet.suggest me the treatmnt and thread treatment isnt painful.how long do u.have to take bed rest
B k dua - August 24, 2013 at 9:40 am |
Francis, i am in the philippines, it is not ok to just let it be, i used to experience the same thing as you, having abscess that will pop after a week or so with lots of drainage and pain that i could hardly sit or walk, i had a surgery for fistula, and a sphincterotomy back in 2006, i do not have incontinence nor do i experience the same kind of pain that i did prior to surgery, i do not have chrons, nor any underlying disease, just a “pigsa” as they call it here hehehe! Turns out the pigsa is a real pain and is connected inside the rectum, so now it is called a fistula track, now i do not get very big abscesses, just a small pimple like swell that only lasts a day or two then pops with very little puss, i am basically back to normal doing things i used to without worrying that i will be sick for a week, my only hope is that this little pin hole will not close, it keeps me pain free. My doctor is from ust hospital, we are planning to get an ultrasound to see how deep or how small the track is, talked about a possible LIFT surgery as well, but not in the near future because i plan to have kids first. I can help you because i’ve been through what you are going through, i got better in 3 years and now i am on my 7th year 🙂
Sha - August 24, 2013 at 6:51 pm |
Hi. My 5 months old baby is diagnosed with fistula in ano. The surgeon said that my little boy will need surgery as he is 99% certain that the fistula will not go away by itself. My concerns are: 1) will it recur again after my lil boy had the surgery 2) what are the side effects from general anesthetic to be done at such a young age 3) any complications during and after the surgery? I am not sure if I should wait till he is bit older but before he starts school. 😦 I am worried as he is so young and can’t tell me how he feels. Appreciate if anyone who has a LO who has suffered the same condition. Tq.
CC - August 29, 2013 at 11:03 am |
Hi CC, oh my goodness, you poor thing, I have never heard of a 5 month old baby needing fistula surgery. Those questions you’ve asked are really questions you should be asking your surgeon. I would get 2 other opinions from other surgeons as well. Surely it would be better to wait until he’s a bit older? It depends on how bad it is. I really think you need to go and see other surgeons and get 2nd opinions before you decide to do anything. Keep strong x
fistulasupportonline - August 29, 2013 at 11:06 am |
Cc I agree a second opinion would be good and ask lots of questions. I know with me, I am older then 5 months so not sure if true for younger, but as frustrated as my fistural is now the pain is better then it was prior to my first surgury. I also had a no swimming or submerging in water recommention made until my seaton was placed. My doctor said it could make it worest if dirty water got in. Just another question to ask. Also if you wait will the discomfort of the pressure from the fistural effect his development milestones like sitting….and sitting and reaching? (I am also a OT so just a thought knowing my limitation as a adult with a fistural. I can’t sit on the floor and stretch at the gym for any length of time)
Hope not overwellimg more just food for thought and things to ask the doctors….
Rachel - August 29, 2013 at 1:29 pm
The surgeon said it is best to do when my LO is healthy and strong instead of waiting till when there is an infection. He also said that to do it before my LO goes to school to avoid embarrassment if he has leakage. I remember the surgeon said he will cut and leave it open to heal but depending on the complexity of LO’s fistula. I have asked several medical related people including the surgeon himself about GA on a young baby and all responded that GA is not a problem. I will try to seek for 2nd opinion. I live in a very small place (Darwin, NT, Australia) where medical advice is quite limited. At current stage my lil boy doesn’t seem to be in pain but I do notice that the extra opening is getting more obvious. Sigh. But thanks for support.
CC - August 29, 2013 at 10:26 pm |
Hi CC, can you not even just phone a few different surgeons? I live in New Zealand, and I got appointments with 2 other surgeons for second opinions, and on top of that, I also phoned 2 other surgeons, one in the south island and one in Sydney for other opinions. Do some research on the top Colorectal surgeons in Australia for infants, and phone their receptionists, and ask them if you can have a ‘phone consultation’ to ask their opinion. You may need to pay for it, you may not, depending on how long the conversation is I guess. I think you really need to make sure you are armed with all the information and advice you could possibly have.
fistulasupportonline - August 30, 2013 at 6:46 am |
So now it’s been almost a year with my anal fistula. Last year I had a draining seton for several months then a advancement flap procedure that has failed. A second opinion with another surgeon including another MRI, ultrasound and the surgeon says the tract is too short for another Flap or LIFT procedure. He recommends a cutting seton. I have a zero tolerance for pain and am concerned about tolerating a cutting seton. Feedback anyone?
Tony
Tony - August 31, 2013 at 1:58 pm |
Dear Tony,
Sorry cant offer advise on the cutting seton but would like some help from you if OK.
I have a draining seton inserted now for just over a week and plan to leave it in for a couple of months after travel which was preplanned before the abcess was born in my behind. Can you please tell me why the advancement flap failed as my surgeon wants to do this as the next stage as they have done with you. Also how long did it take to get to a stage where you could operate normally ie after packing and ability to get back to work etc.
If anything, you have persevered with the flap procedure so a cutting seton should be pretty much the same ordeal in relation to pain threshold.
If the flap is too short it must mean that previous surgery helped heal some of the tract?
As you are a couple of stages ahead of me I am very interested in your experience from here on until you are cured totally. Which I wish for you asap.
JMAN - August 31, 2013 at 2:49 pm |
Thanks for the comments JMAN. As for why my flap procedure failed nobody can say for sure. Even under best circumstances flap procedure has about 75% chance of working and it is considered the gold standard. Some folks on here have had successful flap procedures. My doctor had me stay at home for three weeks after the flap surgery. When I got back to work after three weeks it was probably another four weeks before I felt much better and was walking normally, not using a seat cushion at work, and the majority of draining and pain subsided. The pain was rough at times the first week after the surgery and Vicodin wasn’t helping. Percocet finally helped. Slowly the pain eased up and became more manageable. After about 2-3 months past the surgery I was able to get back to most of my regular activities but the external opening wasn’t fully healing and still drained sometimes. My surgeon did two exams and said it failed and I would need to have the same two procedures (draining seton the flap). I asked what we were going to do differently the second time to help ensure success. No response. So I went to another surgeon for a second opinion. He’s the current one suggesting the cutting seton. The flap procedure is bearable just be sure to get good pain meds after surgery. Stock up lots of movies, books, entertainment and healthy foods that don’t irritate your colon. Take as much time off after surgery as you can to give it a good chance to heal. Like I said, many folks here have had successful flap procedures. It’s different for all of us. Best of luck and message me anytime with questions 🙂
Tony
Tony - August 31, 2013 at 3:14 pm
I’ve been diagnosed with a connective between my rectum and bowel. Now waiting to have a barium meal to see what type of surgery I need. The lower back ache I get occasionally I can cope with, the odd tummy ache I can cope with but is tiredness part of all of this. I’m getting really tired and at times find it a struggle. Is this one of the symptoms?
Hev - September 1, 2013 at 9:40 pm |
IN 2007 I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ANAL FISTULA 2MM PIN POINT NEAR ANUS AND WAS DISCHARGING PUS AND BLOOD..I BEARED IT FOR 2-3 MONTHS BUT MANAGED TO GET SOFT TOOLS BY ADDING FIBRE TO MY DIET.. THIS EASED THE FISTULA WHICH IS NOW DRY , NON ACTIVE , NO PUS , NO BLOOD. ( PUS MAYB ONCE A YEAR)
MY ONLY CONCERN IS SHOULD I GET IT OPERATED NOW? CAN IT HARM INTERNALLY WITHOUT ANY ALARMING SIGNS ?
KINDLY REPLY ..
NISHU - September 2, 2013 at 5:04 pm |
I am a Sierra Leonean and my son is surfering from ANAL FISTULA and he is 3years old. Should i take him for a surgery or wait for a while. If no what shoild be the reguired age limit for a surgery? Thanks
Alfred - September 2, 2013 at 11:55 pm |
I posted on here a while ago, last month. I had a second fistula surgery on August 13th. It is now September 5th. For the past few weeks after the second surgery, I thought it was well on it’s way to recovery. This morning, I noticed a large amount of blood during a bowel movement. It’s so frightening, especially when you don’t have health insurance. It has been almost one month, and I’m bleeding again. I have been using a sitz bath like mad. I have been keeping the wound clean with witch hazel. I have been keeping it dry and getting rest. I have been eating soft foods, no spices, cut back on beef and other meat, and incorporated more fruits and vegetables into my diet. I don’t smoke, I don’t drink. I’m bleeding here. What is wrong? Please help!!! It has been two surgeries, I am bleeding, and I am surrounded by people who simply do not care and this is seriously beginning to cut into my work life.
My doctor wants to see me on the 17th. I was turned away from another doctor who wanted 400 USD just to see my ass. Seriously, it’s so messed up here in the USA. WE ARE IN TROUBLE! HELP! PLEASE! In the event that this is indeed a recurrence, is there another way (non invasive) to eradicate this god awful condition? I feel like my life has been taken away from me. It’s the worst feeling in the world. I think this might be cancer, which really scares me. My doctor told me that it is not cancer, but I don’t know if he really knows what he is talking about.
J - September 6, 2013 at 12:04 pm |
It all depends on were you live there are clinics that will help I have a fistula and it sucks I’m getting it cut on this morning
tbone - September 6, 2013 at 7:47 pm |
Hello Guys !
I got my Fistula Plug 10 days before.. After bowel movement, it seems I am cursing any food I take…its a nightmare..cant sit, cant stand for at least 2-3 hours after each bowel movement.
I would like to know if anyone has followed 100% liquid diet just to not use the problematic channel and giving it time to heal. If there are any links/guidelines they are more than welcome.
chirag007mehta - September 6, 2013 at 11:55 pm |
Hi — Wanted to provide a quick story about my experience. It wasn’t as bad as some, but I lived with needless discomfort and worry for much longer than necessary. Go to the doctor! Symptoms were bleeding (sometimes only a tiny bit on the toilet paper, sometimes a lot visible in my undergarments which made me reluctant to wear light colored trousers…), discharge, and pain which made it uncomfortable to sit, all on an intermittent basis. Sometimes no noticeable symptoms, sometimes very severe. This lasted for at least a year, probably longer. Finally I went to the doctor. At first, the doctor thought the problem was hemorrhoids and provided treatment for that. Wasn’t the issue. Eventually after a few visits he figured out it was an anal fistula, not very high, so that was good. I had surgery to lay it open, outpatient but they put me under during the procedure. The procedure was in March ’12 and it gradually healed until the area was relatively normal by June. By that point it didn’t require any special fuss with respect to bandages, cream, etc. Now more than a year later and no sign of recurrence (fingers crossed!) Area has healed up nicely. So my advice, go to the doctor sooner rather than later, and don’t take “hemorrhoids” for an answer if your symptoms are not getting better.
d_usa - September 9, 2013 at 10:46 am |
Glad to hear about your healing. Have a quick question please. Do you have Crohn’s Disease?
Julie - September 9, 2013 at 12:34 pm |
Hey guys I had it done Friday morn and it is now Sunday the doctor said a number of things causes these things but mostly it just is simply a stoped up glan I was put completely under for the surgery and thought the worst I was so scared but no big deal now a little pain not much though. Before I went in I thought I had chrons and all that is is when’s your bowels r iflamed its not going to kill you but you prolly think it will but if you have a fistula go get it taken care of
tbone - September 9, 2013 at 4:35 pm
Hi Julie — No crohn’s disease. At least never diagnosed with crohn’s disease.
d_usa - October 2, 2013 at 2:43 pm
I managed to cure my fistula by following the Specific Carbohydrate Diet. I learned about this method through this site. I have left a lengthy comment on The S C Diet page – look for it in the sidebar on the right.
I would like to thank the owners of this site again for alerting me to this remedy.
Robert - September 10, 2013 at 5:05 am |
Hi. M also suffering from fistula. Can anybody tell me about kshar sutra ayurvedic treatment ( post treatment effects) and center to go for it in Delhi…
Manoj - September 11, 2013 at 5:56 pm |
Hi to anyone who can help with any advice or comfort for what seems to be an extremely pain staking journey for my 14 year old son over the past 3 months.
He had a perianal abscess (cavity of a tennis ball) surgically removed and soon after still had excruciating pain to find under MRI 2 fistulas for which he had further surgery to have 2 seton drainage bands in place. He is still in so much discomfort and we have been in and out of hospital as doctors can’t go anywhere near the wound to review him without him having a GA to ensure that things are progressing (which they just don’t seem to be). We spent another 5 days in hospital last week as the surgeon removed the smaller band and left the large one in as said it wasn’t healing as quickly as it should have (what is that supposed to mean) and doesn’t seem to be able to give me any set time frame. He has had a large amount of bleeding in between these so called recovery weeks.
This has been going on now for 3 months and my son has not been at school for this period of time as he can barely sit down and has constant spasming in the rectum/wound area. He has been tested for Chrones and appears no positive answers as yet and waiting on a final biopsy.
We are so frustrated as I see my son in so much pain and on loads of pain killers and just not getting any better……
This appears more common in adults and wondering if anyone has experienced this with their teenage child and perhaps give us some hope or reassurance that things are going to get better.
Please if there is anyone to shed some light on this, we would be truly grateful as I am losing any hope with the medics at this stage as they really don’t have any answers and do not describe this as normal.
Thanks
M
Marie - September 11, 2013 at 6:03 pm |
Hi M, so sorry to hear your teenage boy is going through this. At least, I guess, he is young, so has a great chance of healing quickly. You really need to do your research and find a top notch Colorectal Surgeon in your area that specialises in Fistulas. If you have medics that can not give you answers to your questions, well, that’s not good enough. To be fair, they can’t give you a time frame, as it all depends on the individual. I was told that my setons would be taken out in 6 weeks…. 2 years later, I still had setons in place. What you have to come to grips with is that the road to recovery from fistulas is a very long one, with probable multiple surgeries. If your son does not have Crohns, then that is another massive bonus, as it’s much harder to fix fistulas with a Crohns sufferer. All I can say is be vigilant, get 2nd and 3rd opinions, and try to understand that this is not a quick fix problem. What will probably happen, is your son will have the setons in place for some time, until the tissue is healing and the pus etc is all drained, and then your surgeon will talk to you about the next step in surgery. Learning to live with the setons for now is the best thing you can do. They are there for a reason – to drain and heal. They are difficult to live with, but as long as you keep the pain under control and are extremely careful with hygiene, you can get through it. Read some of the other posts from people on this website. Hygiene (showering after each bowel movement) and diet are both common denominators to recovery. Good luck, and let us know how your son gets on. Find an incredible Colorectal Surgeon near you – call, google, talk to people – do what you need to in order to find the right surgeon for your son. I went to several surgeons until I found the right one for me – one that answered all my questions, and in the end, fixed me.
fistulasupportonline - September 11, 2013 at 6:55 pm |
marie,
I have just had a seton inserted recently and experience minor drainage. An ultrasound has been arranged next and I suppose to determine if surgery will incur incontinence risks.
After reading your interesting post, I have a few questions.
Can you please tell me if you still have setons in place after 2 years and if that is what you mean by ‘fixed’?
Have you been offered surgery by your surgeon at any time? if this is planned will you consider surgery?
Also how many setons have you got inserted.
JM - September 11, 2013 at 7:04 pm
Hi JM, I think you were directing the questions at me?? I don’t have setons anymore, I don’t have fistulas anymore, I had setons in place for 2 years, I had 6 surgeries to replace setons, and then I had the Advancement Flap surgery, which was successful – and therefore I was ‘fixed’. I didn’t even take the time to consider surgery, I just went with what my surgeon said as I trusted him implicitly, he is the best in the business where I live. I had two setons at once, but they were changed 6 times over 2 years. I didn’t start healing until I changed my diet. Only then was I ready for the Advancement flap ‘fixing’ surgery. Setons are there to get your tissue ready for such surgery. They let the tissue dry up, drain, and become healthy enough to do the next stage of surgery.
fistulasupportonline - September 11, 2013 at 8:34 pm
My teenager had almost the same situation and also missed a a lot of school. It took a lot of tests that in the end were useless, white cell nuclear scans, xrays, barium xrays, Prometheus and more. The only test that finally proved he actually had Crohn’s was a colonoscopy. This test showed proof positive and we even had pictures showing his disease. As far as the fistula, he still has it, but it is much smaller. It was quite large with a lot of discharge and he had 9 surgeries on it. Then he tried a wound vac. pump and that helped reduce the size. It reduced the size by about 90%. No more packing the fistula, but he still has it. He takes multiple showers everyday and sometimes does epsom salt bath soaks. Hope something I told you helps. If you ever have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask. Wish i would have had someone to talk to.
Julie - September 12, 2013 at 10:49 am |
Hi Julie, as awful as it sounds comforting to know that other people are going through this and there is some hope in sight.
We are back in hospital as the perianal spasms were so intense and his pain levels through the roof. He is currently on opioid medication intravenously and other heavy oral medication.
Results from last weeks biopsy now suggest Chrones, so they are going to start treatment on this today/tomorrow and hope this settles the perianal pain. I just hope this settles everything as he is feeling quite unwell as a result of all the medication on top of everything else. It appears this will be a long healing process due to the chronic/complicated abcess/fistulas.
Truly just want to have everything back to “normal” as he is such an active outdoor fun loving teenager and unforunately is really getting down on everything, missing school and all his mates. We’re all missing his gorgeous happy personality as it gets consumed up by pain…. Feels so unfair and you hate seeing your children go through so much as you would understand.
Thank for your reply and hope your teen makes a full recovery soon 🙂
Regards
M
Marie - September 13, 2013 at 5:57 pm
off to have flap procedure this morning, had fistula since perianal abscess in 2010, had surgery to lay it open, but abscessed again. lift surgery 6 months ago, still no luck, didn’t heal, off for flap surgery this morning. as you can imagine..alot of time spent researching this rigmarole over the past couple of years and thought it was time to contribte, so thought i would run you through the process this time around.
Marcello - September 12, 2013 at 8:25 am |
Hi Marcello, good luck for Surgery this morning!! Let us know how you go, if you write details on here it will help others who are going to go through the same thing. All the best 🙂
fistulasupportonline - September 12, 2013 at 8:33 am |
Hi, I,m off to see a Professor on Mon next, the only op i have not had is this advancement Flap, so will be interesting to see how you get on, I hope it,s a positive outcome, best of luck , regards Paddy.
Paddy Eades - September 12, 2013 at 9:23 pm |
Ok after my flap procedure failed I am now scheduled to go in and have a cutting seton put in. Doctor said that it should cut through in 4-6 weeks and he would probably have to tighten it in his office (without anesthesia) at least a couple of times. I have zero pain tolerance and this scares the hell out of me. Surgery will be in October. Any advice is appreciated.
Thanks
Tony
Tony - September 12, 2013 at 2:56 pm |
Hey m frm india nd i hv fistula between the legs just below the testes and it has one opening inside the way of human waste ..Hips.. and m suffering from this from last 5 years … so someone please suggest me what i do ???
Mohit - September 12, 2013 at 4:04 pm |
Hi Mohit,
I went for surgery for fistula plug, it seems good so far still in recovery phase. For better healing I am taking cold milk+lemon two times a day, practicing ashwini mudra as comfortable, taking only milk diet..smoothies in daily food, it seems its helping a lot. There are also acupuncture points Ramdev recommends which relieves from pain and also helps in recovery.
Have faith and it will be all over.
chirag007mehta - September 12, 2013 at 9:06 pm |
Hello
First I apology for any written mistakes I can make, I’m French speaking!
So here is my story: I’m a 28 yeard old guy living in Canada. I never had any major health issues, not even minor health issues! I’m healty, do lots of sport, do not smoke, etc. The only thing I ever had (that might be related?) is anal fissures. They tend to come and go, but last year was pretty much without any fissures. Anyway, last June (around June 2nd), I had a major anal bleeding. I tough it was related to anal fissures, altought it was pretty serious bleeding. So I went to the doctor and been told I had Hemorrhoids, and got a prescription for a cream. Bleeding went away after 3 weeks. At the same time bleeding went away, I start feeling a little ‘’bump’’ close from the anus. I taught it was the hemorrhoids still. At the time I had no idea what was an anal abscess or a fistula or anything like this. So the bump got bigger and bigger, and then the pain started. At first it wasn’t that bad, but it got worst quite fast. It got to a point that one day I had difficulty to walk and almost passed out when I sat in the car as it was so much painful. That day (around July 6th) I decided it was enough, and decided to go to the doctor the next morning. During the night, I woke up with my underpants totally soaked. Remember, I was still thinking I was having an hemorrhoid. I was thinking that my hemeroid ‘’exploded’’ or drained by itself. There was an obvious small opening at the top of the bump, blood and probably puss has came out of it while I was sleeping. Automatically the bump was way way smaller and the pain was almost all gone.
This was kind of a relief. I still went to the doctor the next morning, explaining pretty much what I’m writing above. She checked me and told me : this is no hemorrhoid, this is an abscess! She prescribed me antibiotics and told me that ‘’nature’’ drained it by itself (as it pierced during the previous night). So I took the antidiotics for the next 2 weeks or so, the bump slowly went away. HOWEVER, the little hole never went away. As the ‘’matter’’ under the bump seems to go away, the opening kinda got worse. Puss or liquid was still getting out of it, I was thinking ‘’it is still infected, cleaning it will heal it with time’’. So time went by, the pretty much all disappeared. The ‘’whole’’ was however growing bigger in size, wich started to worries me. Also, I started to have the feeling I was having a little feaver. Nothing bad, just a little feeling of being hotter than I should be. Just anoying, nothing that can stop me in my day to day routine. Anyway.
On September 2nd I went to see a different doctor (this is the 3rd one) to get occulted again. I taught I might need antibiotics again. He check me up, and told me that I COULD have a fistula. He clearly saw what the wound was not healing by itself, but coulnd say that is was a fistula. He told me to take an appointment with a proctologic (wich I have on October 2nd) to get a better examination. He also told me to take a ‘’butt bath’’ of warm water mixed with house bleach 2 times a day for 20 minutes each time. This would help disinfect the wound.
So: I’ve been taking bath from 1.5 week, it definitely helped!! The wound is getting smaller and smaller. It however still drain a little puss, but nothing like it use to be. The ‘’feaver’’ went away. I’m crossing my finger that I do not have a fistula. IMPORTANT POINT : I have literally no pain at all. Anyone here suffering of PAINLESS FISTULA? Is it possible to have a fistula without any pain? Also, sometimes when I got to the bathroom and have a bowel movement, I find a little trace of blood on the paper, clearly coming out of the wound. Sometimes it’s light red, so I figure it’s not exactly blood but not puss either. Any taught on this?
Many thanks in advance!
moodo26 - September 13, 2013 at 7:10 am |
Hi,
I can co-relate my case with yours. Having this drainage near the hole for the past two years. Initially as it happens with everyone, went on to see the doctor and after initial antibiotics he suggested to see the surgeon which I did. The surgeon told me that the chance of success is 70-80% so didn’t take any chance and living with it since.
For the past two months I am strictly on scdiet and have seen very encouraging result. As the book BVTC says it took years to reach where you are so need to give enough time to roll back to normal. The main benefit of this diet is you pass your motions without any fuss or putting any pressure. It eliminate the bad bacteria thus help in reducing mucus which is the main enemy of any wound. There are so many positive side effects. Your skin become healthier, you feel good inside and light.
I have decided to stay with this diet as long as I can and would continue to update my status here.
BTW I have no pains, take regular sitz bath and living happily.
oneofyou - March 17, 2014 at 2:52 am |
fellas try PROVIMIN (spirulina) dietary supplement it helps my fistula heal
francis - September 14, 2013 at 11:17 pm |
So…Sunday night, 3 nights into recovery from flap surgery. First things first….very tender! And wow does it look technical down there. My life revolves around going to the toilet @ mo, bit constipated so it has been struggle. Literally only eaten fruit and soup thou, must be tramadol! Just wondering if this flap will stand up to the pressure? Anybody no from experience? The external site feels like bit of pressure pain there, wat is that tellin me? or am i too paranoid three days in? my doc is a shower school of thought so wondering how they stack up against baths? Just rolling off information and questions for any body to get involved?
Mental game overload with this recurring fistula rigmarole, so am very appreciative of not only finding you peeps on here but to compare and contrast stories. One love
Marcello - September 15, 2013 at 11:44 pm |
Hi marcello
Day 3 is still very early days. I had flap surgery on 11 July and am pleased to say that so far so good. My advice is to ease off the tramadol if you can as that constipates you and will make things harder. I used stool softeners and they worked ok. I had showers but after each BM I had a quick swish with a salt bath. I got a sitz bath which sits in the toilet bowl so very easy. I only took 3 weeks off work and my other advice is to take longer. At least a month. And rest. I didn’t really leave the house for 3 weeks except for a few strolls around the block and in the third week I went out once or twice for lunch. Basically my surgeon said that you can’t predict who’s flap will take and which ones won’t. But rest and good BMs are best.
It gets better. Two months down and I’m back to normal life, with no fistula which is awesome. I know it may still fail, but I’m feeling really positive at the moment
Take care
Jane
jecw68 - September 16, 2013 at 9:52 am |
Hi Marcello, congrats on getting through flap surgery! 🙂 I took 6 weeks off work and hardly moved for that 6 weeks. My flap was successful. I also took stool softeners, as the pain medication does make you constipated… obviously anything that’s putting pressure on the flap is not good. To be honest, it took me a good 6 months to feel fully recovered, but I’m still fistula free. Take it as easy as possible, don’t sit on your bum, I used to lye on my side a lot. And don’t do anything strenuous…. plus lots of washing down there!! Good luck, and let us know how you get on! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - September 16, 2013 at 10:33 am |
Francis, how is your fistula? Does it still hurt? Do you still get abscess (pigsa) and swell?
Sha - September 16, 2013 at 3:30 am |
until now no, im fine now, doesnt hurt no abscess and swelling at all, i think that Provimin ( SPIRULINA) dietary supplement works on me, and my mom makes me a glass of boiled guyabano leaves every day,
francis - September 16, 2013 at 6:20 pm |
Hi….. My name is Osis….. first of all I want to thank you for this site, I have a fustula infection in my buttocks just next to my anus, I have suffered with this disease for several years, it pains at time, frequently itches and very embarrassing to scratch where it itches, at times pus come out of it, it wets my trouser even if I am at work and people ask me why my trouser is wet, sometimes it swells and my body gets alot of fever, I had a surgery 2 years back but the fustula has resurfaced, I am now tired of this disease what advice can you give me please or what can put an end to this disease, then what side effects does it have? will it affect my reproductive health???
Bruce Ochieng - September 18, 2013 at 7:12 pm |
Hi Osis, Where in the world are you?
You say you had surgery 2 years ago… what surgery did you have? It sounds like you need to see a surgeon…. Are you using pads to soak up the pus so that your trousers don’t get wet? I’m sorry if I’m stating the obvious.
Are you a male or female?
No, fistulas don’t affect reproductive health. If you’re a female, and you get pregnant, it’s likely that you would need to have a c section as opposed to having a natural vaginal birth. If you are a male, no it doesn’t affect your reproductive system.
My best advice to you would be, don’t put up with living the way you are. See a specialist and start to formulate a healing plan.
In the meantime, there are lots of things you can do to help live with your fistula, such as wearing pads in your underpants so your trousers don’t get wet. And natural dietary means to help heal yourself, or to keep the infection at bay until surgery.
If you are having fevers, then that generally means you have an infection, and you probably need to go on a course of antibiotics.
I do hope that you are regularly seeking advice from a professional…. 🙂
fistulasupportonline - September 18, 2013 at 8:03 pm |
Hi fistula support, thanks for the prompt response, I am Osis and I am a man I come from Kenya in Africa, I think I should go for a specialist, and if I may ask what are the pre and post effects or even the advanced effects, can this disease kill someone?
Osis - September 18, 2013 at 10:14 pm
Hi Bruce, Meg etc, This problem can mean having a number of op,s I have had all the op,s possible except the removal of the complete Fistular, well I saw a Professor in London on Mon, he is going to remove the fistular plus an amount of the sphinter muscle which the fistular is laying in, this should rid me of this horrible problem, yes every day my pants get wet, try wearing two pairs, I take Tramadel for the pain when needed, you must keep onto your Doctors all the time, this will take time, my op is not until 2/1/2014, the Prof is very busy, I feel the light at the end of the tunnel, it will be nearly 6years then, I am looking forward to resuming a normal life then, fishing, camping etc, and i will be 70yrs in the May. Keep onto the doctors and surgeons, Regards Paddy.
Paddy Eades - September 18, 2013 at 8:33 pm |
Please let us know the results of your surgery. There are many of us in your same situation.
Julie - September 19, 2013 at 10:50 am
I am looking some advice.
I have had nine surgeries for high cmpkex fistula and currently have have two setons in place. The surgeon thinks I may have perianal crohns and referred me to a gastronotolist to commence remicide. I am in daily pain but it is manageable. I have been of work for a yr and need to get back for my sanity and finacially. However I sit alot in wrk and was wondering if there is any advice about seat, cushions etc.
Thanku
sandcastle - September 19, 2013 at 6:26 am |
Hi Sandcastle, Good to hear you’ve changed surgeons to one you think you can trust more, it’s a good idea to ‘shop around’, some are much better than others. For sitting at work… I got a thick piece of foam (seat size), and cut a square hole in the middle of it. I had that permanently on my desk chair at work. I found foam worked better as it was softer. Also make sure you get up every 10 minutes or so, and do a lap of the office or just stand up and stretch, you don’t want to be sitting too long. Hope that helps 🙂
fistulasupportonline - September 20, 2013 at 9:08 am |
Thanks forr ur help. I will try different foam to find something comfortable. When im in the office I will try the moving frequently. Sometimes though I have to sit for longer but will use my good side lol. Thanks. I was thinking of a kneeling stool at my desk I wonder has anyone tried this.
sandcastle - September 20, 2013 at 7:22 pm
I tried one of those kneeling stools as well! 🙂 It was ok, a lot of the ‘pressure’ is taken away because it’s on your knees, but you still end up sitting on your bum. So I guess you could use a kneeling stool with the foam as well! It’s all trial and error until you find what suits your body best, depending on where your setons are. It would be great to hear what you end up using, let everyone know so that they can perhaps do the same 🙂
fistulasupportonline - September 20, 2013 at 7:53 pm
Hello folks, well I’ve been following this site since May 2013, thank god it exists or I would not have been prepared for my recent anal fistula developments. So here is my version of events.
I’m a 34 yr old female in Glasgow, Scotland, no health issues, physically demanding job and no private health care so using NHS.
Beginning of Jan 2013 sharp stabbing pain in left buttock which continued for a week and pain increased into a burning throbbing pain. Attended GP and told it was an abscess giving 2 lots of anti biotics and pain killers.
End of January 2013 the pain so severe, unable to sit, walk and even lie on my back or side that I contacted NHS 24 requesting more pain relief this was done due to it being a Sunday. Offered an appointment immediately and attended. 4 hours later I was in surgery for incision and drainage for perianal abscess. Released a day later with pain killers, lactalous and little info re what had happened or what to expect, had to stay with parents, limited in movement and wound had to be cleaned and packed everyday by nurses. So after 8 weeks I returned to work but had a brownish liquid still leaking from what I believed was my wound even tho nurses told me it was healed. Now I thought I was imagining it, but pus, blood and poop still daily stained the gauze tucked between my buttocks. Very little pain however after BM there was a burning sensation.
April 2013 my follow up appointment with surgeon gets cancelled and rescheduled for 6 wks later.
May 2013 attend surgeon appointment, explain about pus, blood, poop etc, without an examination he diagnose a fistula. Now I leave his office in tears as due to shock of the news the only thing I hear really is his explanation that I may require a temp colostomy. Hence when I google and find this site which filled me with fear but an understanding of fistulas and treatments at the same time.
July 2013 my fistula EUA operation for possible fistuloctomy or seton stitch is cancelled. I’m was gutted as you are in limbo land, no one had heard of it or experienced it. Feeling alone even with family and friends around I slowly felt teary, lonely and helpless, gained weight and stop going out due to fear that I might smell even tho my hygiene is tip top. Nobody can warn you of this, the mental thinking is worse than the physical illness.
10th Sept 2013 undergo day surgery with an unknown outcome……. I woke up to a high transphincter fistula with a seton drain in place. So I leave hosp with a groggy explanation re pain killers, anti biotics and more lactalous. At no time is anything explained to me or family for what happens next. On short journey home to my folks (again!) I soak the car seat with blood, this continued for an hour within the house, my dignity in tatters as my mum calms me and tries to establish where the blood is coming from and stop the flow, control is eventually gained and I sleep the rest of the night with my mum carrying out regular checks on me and the blood flow from the wound in my buttock. Following morning I awake to the same scenario, the district nurse attended and stated that this was the norm and supplied me with adult nappies.
Each day blood staining has lessened, pain is a tolerable sharp stabbing pain in buttock and noticing brownish gooey stuff which hopefully means drain is working.
Now after a BM the first couple of hrs the pain ups a little but I take a hot bath and it eases it, an itching has started not sure whats going on there, prob wet skin irritation but I just go to bathroom and baby wipe if I can’t get access to shower facilities, no idea how long I’ll be off work this time but I’ll keep updating of anything unusual and what stage is next.
Thanks to all the strangers who took time out to write about this messy ailment I wish everyone well 🙂
0buttcheek0 - September 20, 2013 at 10:15 am |
Hiya
Sorry to hear you’ve had a rough time. Sitz baths highly recommended!! I’m 33 year old female and live in England and have been suffering since May 2012. Like you it started as an abscess, seemed to drain and then continued to ‘drip’ – no one seemed to know what was going on and said it was nearly healed till eventually I saw specialist and then it all made sense. Have had 5 operations since…….long story!
This site has been amazing for me too – no nurse, doctor or pharmacist had heard of sitz baths, they don’t seem to exist in UK so I bought one on line and it came over from the states! But a brilliant invention – really recommend you get one! I have one twice a day.
Another recommend is Manuka honey – make sure it is the real deal (it should have UMF mark on it). It’s quite expensive but my symptoms have defo improved.
And yes diet also seems to be important as others have suggested.
Good luck – rest well a d get a sitz bath – cleaner and more convenient than having a full on one!! 🙂
Me - September 20, 2013 at 6:45 pm |
I had two operations. It’s been 5 weeks now since the second one. My advice: Sitz bath, twice a day with a drop of eucalyptus oil in there (not too much or you’ll really feel some pain). Use a stool softener, continuously, for like, three months. Watch your diet, stay away from too much bread. 50% of your diet should be vegetables or fruit, take a good multvitamin, and some kind of royal jelly. I found Royal jelly helps with healing.
Jay - September 24, 2013 at 3:48 am
Dear 0buttcheek0, highly recommend you look at the diet stuff on this sight to help with pain mgnt particurlly that following BM…..I too was 31 year old female healthy with highly physical job prior to random fistural development (2 years later still known reason). I initial had a seton placed in feb 2012 with very poor out come….my surgeon did a flap/fistuectomy (still unclear which she did despite trying to ask multiple times) surgery in aug 2012 which failed and I had a seton placed in may 2013 again. 3 weeks prior to the second seton placement I started a gluten free dairy free diet after reading about stuff here….since my pain has almost completely subsided (maybe one or two days a month) and drainage steady but minimal. Normal sex life as been able to be resumed (my husband is great about the seton bugs me more mentally and he is the one that sees it. And I was cleared two weeks ago to start trying to get pregnant. My colon rectal surugon has said where I have stabilized the seton so well to just keep it in to after I do the family thing. No reason to get ride of it unless I have pain or complications again….
I do notice now that is I have dairy or gluten my pain does increase.
Good luck….stay positive….stay strong….
Rachel
Rachel - September 20, 2013 at 11:35 am |
Hi Rachel
Thank you for the prompt advice, I will get straight on the case in the morning of researching the diet info. I had a wee look at it weeks ago but was more concerned re surgical treatment but now the hosp done their part with the seton it’s time for me to do my part with the diet.
It’s good to hear from someone my age and of similar lifestyle and fistula story now I realise it’s not only me that has this.
I have my fingers crossed your seton behaves to allow you to start a family, exciting times!!!
Kelly 🙂
0buttcheek0 - September 20, 2013 at 12:17 pm |
Hello all,
Well my husband made it home from overseas finally…thank god! It was a difficult flight home, with an additional 5 hr wait on the plane due mechanical problems! But, he made it safely. When he finally arrived i drew a hot bath with epson salts and it really helped him. I had made an appointment at the cleveland clinic for him to be seen by one of their cr drs. He was seen yesterday, and the dr immediately cut the plastic setons out and my husband felt instant relief!! Yeeah! So now we are awaiting surgery this afternoon to lay open the fistula. The dr said he may have to replace the setons, but at least it wont be the cutting kind. So, wish us luck, and hopefully this will be the beginning of the end of this nightmare!
Thanks all, and good luck to everyone out there suffering from this terrible condition.
Jamie
Jamie - September 21, 2013 at 1:28 am |
Jamie, so glad to hear your hubby home and getting prompt medical attention. It was distressing reading your initial comment as family and friends must feel helpless in those circumstances, us fistula suffers sometimes forget families lives also become rollercoasters while watching their loved one go through this. Well done, having everything arranged for him!!!! I wish your hubby a speedy recovery 😀
0buttcheek0 - September 21, 2013 at 7:58 am |
Hi.. My father is suffering from fistula, and he he undergoing the treatment of khasrsutra, its been almost one and a half month but the pain is still therein the rectum area and he gets fever in between. I jus saw the post mentioning that it is a very effective treatment. Can u tell me if the pain is there during thr treatment too or should we wait until the thread is removed!
jahnabbi - September 21, 2013 at 6:19 pm |
I have had a recuring abscess over the past few years’ this last time, a couple months ago I had it drained professionally. A month later I went in for my first fistulotomy. A week later developed another abscess in a different area amd a high fever. The next day they operated again. This time they placed a seton back there. Is this going to be an on going thing? The pain was horrible. Its been 3 weeks and im still in mild pai n and walking a lil fnny but im back at work. Also a few months ago I was diagnosed with diverticulitis. Being 30 its kinda rare to have that. Is this in anyway re
Adam - September 24, 2013 at 1:10 pm |
Adam,
Your experience is what I am very unhappy about with the medical brotherhood today. I mean that you have just been put through surgery and through this they, the Doctors, did not attempt to try to find the underlying cause for your condition which caused the initial abcess.
I too had an abcess, I have a seton inserted now. I went to two doctors. The first one wanted to perform lay open sugery after the abcess drain and the second one wanted to do the same without asking if I had any stomach or in my opinion any underlying conditions.
I did have what I self diagnosed as IBS and was taking probiotics to relieve the condition which had some effect. I volunteered that information to the doctors and requested a gastroscopy and colonoscopy to check if there was anything more sinister such as colitis or gluten intolerance. They performed both procedures and also inserted a seton at the same time.
What they found through the gastroscopy was a stomach bleed caused by a heliobacter pylori bacteria which induces stomach ulcers. I must say here that I had to make several reminders to the doctor to perform the gastroscopy with the colonoscopy to ensure he did not forget to do it !!!!
My advise to you is to treat the condition you have, diverticultis, and leave the seton inserted until you may be able to obtain some control before any further fistula surgery.
I am not a Doctor and I still respect the medical profession but in respect to Fistula treatment and after reading this forum for some weeks now it seems there is another galaxy of research required to get things right.
I have received treatment for the Heliobacter and now feel a 100 percent better. My fistula too is now draining less and feels like it is healing.
Too many experiences I have read here are very sad and I think are a consequence of poor attention with the patient and doctor.
JM - September 24, 2013 at 2:50 pm |
Hi, I’ve written before and your answers have helped me a lot…
I got my fistul about two years ago, first they tried the mesh but that failed so I had the seton in for almost two years. Finally on July 2nd I had a fostulatomy, it’s been over two months and I’ve been pain free for a while now, my last visit with my surgeon she said it looked half way healed seemed to be going really well, I even felt good enough to go on a awesome treetop adventure obstacle course, completely no pain the whole time it was like I was back to normal!
But… There’s always a but(…no pun intended…) but, today has been a pretty long day, I was on my feet since 9am till 6pm, and i feel a strange uncomfortable feeling. Almost like the area feels hard? I don’t know, it just feels wrong and it’s making me very nervous… Do any of you think I should b concerned? Should I call my surgeon? Since my last appt went so well she said I should come back in 6 weeks which means I won’t see her till the end of October, but if a strange hard feeling is concerning me then a month is way to long to wait to make sure nothing’s wrong…
Has anyone had this feeling before?
What should I be doing differently?!
Please help!
Thank you!
Deirdre McGonnell - September 24, 2013 at 2:28 pm |
I had a perianal abbesses and i had surgery last July and it got worse and spreaded into a fistula and they were packing it and they stopped packing it I had two surgeries on it an now it’ got a greenish brown stuff that smells bad coming from it and some times yellow puss and it always bleeds really bad and hurts when I sit down what could be the problem here anyone no
Jason - September 25, 2013 at 3:10 pm |
Hey folks, a wee update.
Well I’m on week two from having my seton stitch placed, after a manic first few days things have calmed!!
4 days ago my sitz bath arrived – amazing, thanks for the tip 🙂
Been following a healthy diet, feel better in myself for it.
The stabbing/throbbing pain in my buttock that I was having has gone and I have most of my mobility back.
Drainage of pus, blood etc was heavy for the first 10 days but now it’s mostly light brown fluid (gros i know – but this site is where I learned everything). I was using large nappy style pads but now I’ve moved to sanitary towels hoping in the next few days I’ll be back to my gauze which I did before the op.
No denying it, it smells a lot!! again it’s all about keeping on top of the hygiene.
I can still feel the stitch I feel it’s moved further up into the wound but I still can feel it and its not hurting so just left it there.
My follow up appointment is 24 oct 2013 with a possibilty of getting the LIFT procedure so fingers crossed this stays the same as I can drive, returning to work albeit light duties (police custody officer) and 90% back to normal.
Now I appreciate lots of you are having a difficult time, my thoughts are with you, i dont know whats ahead of me, but this part of my recovery been ok apart from first few days and thought it might give a reader some hope 🙂
Take care x
0buttcheek0 - September 27, 2013 at 12:23 pm |
Not completely sure what you mean about the stich….but if it’s anything like mine I have a knot In the seaton where it joins together my doctor did tell me to frequently check the seaton and it will be much more comfortable if you keep the knot on the out side of the body. She first told me to just let the seton move freely. But after I called her about wicked odd discomfort she asked where the knot was when I said I don’t know she informed me to keep it out side the body….
Glad things sound like they are getting better….good luck
Rachel - September 27, 2013 at 12:40 pm |
Me too Rachel, the knot in my seton used to go up into my body all the time, was so painful, scratching around in there! I used to go and see my nurse and get her to pull it back around for me. After a few times, she showed me how to do it myself… easier to do once the pain goes down…
fistulasupportonline - September 27, 2013 at 1:10 pm
Yey! Glad you managed to get a sitz bath and things have calmed down. Keep up the good work – I’ve learnt from this site and from experience that fistulas get better with plenty of tlc….(sitz baths, good diet, rest, elevation….!!) Whereas doctors tend to say ‘just carry on normally’ a bit too early….!
Good luck 🙂
Me - September 27, 2013 at 8:09 pm |
Hey there, well I’m still confused as to what I actually have seton wise, the consultant at the hospital describes it as a seton drain and my GP who was reading from my hospital notes was adamant that I didn’t have a seton drain I had a seton stitch/suture. This is apparently tied in a knot high up in my anal canal at the internal opening and travels thro the fistula and tied in another knot at the exit wound. It doesn’t go round in a loop. This does make sense to me as I can’t feel anything from the exit wound into my Butt. My mum who was with me at first said she only ever saw the knot at the wound and nothing coming out my backside????? So I don’t have a clue whats going on, I just pray that it’s working!!!! I will speak with the district nurses in the morning and see if they can check the knot, thanks folks x
0buttcheek0 - September 27, 2013 at 1:27 pm |
Hey. This site is great isn’t it. Somewhere where we can talk freely about pus, poop and bums! I think it’s one of the hardest things about the condition. I’m quite an open person but draw the line at telling people about discharge etc as lets face it, is gross. The only downside is its hard to keep up with everyone’s comments!
Well I had a seton put in 3 weeks ago but was in a lot of pain last week. I’m waiting on a bed to go in for another examination under anaesthetic and MRI scan but as it’s NHS I could be waiting all week. I just want to get this sorted so I can resume normal life again. It feels like I’m in a state of limbo at the moment.
I’m 29 and really worry how all this will affect my chances of having kids etc. I don’t even have a boyfriend and the thought of anyone going near me ‘down there’ fills me with dread! Is anyone else in a similar position?!
Katherine - October 1, 2013 at 10:07 am |
Hi Katherine,
I am 31 female with a anal vaginal fistural.
First have you tried to move your seton around….I had horrible pain following my first seton placement and some of it was due to the knot end being inside of me…
Second I have been told it is ok to get pregnant with a seton in place. I currently have one in now and both my obgyn and cr surgeon have given the green light for my husband and I to start to try. My cr (colonrectum surgon) wanted to make sure my pain was well control prior to trying so took a little time and diet changes but I got the green light. After my flap repair (which has since failed) the doctor had said pregnancy would also be fine but we could not get my pain controlled and when they went back in a second time the fistural had not healed and so the seton was replaced. My surgon and obgyn have just worked together on another pt who had a seton on and carried full term. The one down side is both doctors do insist on c-section.
As for the act of getting pregnant. This will sound corny but the one who truly loves you the seton and any other scaring will not matter. Following my flap repair my husband did all wound care and monitoring for discharge (FYI he is accountant nothing medical). And once I was cleared of sexual activitiy again he had no problem. I struggled for a while as it was discomfort as we figured out which positions were best and caused less pain and pressure. And I felt scared but my husband kept reminding me it’s me who he loves and the issues down ther are just part of me…. For me it’s been two years now since my first surgury that we learned about the fistural so we are to the point to joke a bit, but my husband does joke it looks like a new age peircing. From experience though just relax it will be ok….
Good luck
Rachel
Rachel - October 1, 2013 at 1:44 pm |
Hi Rachel
I had flap repair 3 months ago and everything seemed to be going well. But the last two weeks I’ve had an ache around the site and today I have discharge for the first time since it healed. When you say that your flap failed, was it immediately obvious that it failed? I think I’ll book an appt with my surgeon but I’m not sure that I’ll know it’s failed. Was discharge a sign for you that it failed?
Jane
jecw68 - October 1, 2013 at 4:01 pm
Hi Jane, maybe you’ve got a small infection? Always best to go and see your surgeon ASAP just to double check everything is ok.
fistulasupportonline - October 1, 2013 at 5:47 pm
I would not jump to the worest go see the doc. For me I had a small area that would not completely close up. And a lot of pain. And no it was not immediately. I had good and bad follow ups. Flap was done in aug and it was not to April that my surgon decided time to go in and explore. She had told me it could rake 6 months yo fully heal
Rachel - October 1, 2013 at 10:36 pm
My advancement flap took 6 months to heal, and 12 months to stop hurting, the nerve damage takes a long time to repair.
fistulasupportonline - October 2, 2013 at 8:37 am
Oh thank you for that, I didn’t realise the pain ma go on for so long. I’ve made an appt to see my surgeon just to be sure it’s all going ok. The discharge starting again is concerning me a bit when it had stopped
Jane
Jane wicks - October 2, 2013 at 10:07 am
Hi
Thanks for your reply. I’ve made an appt to see my surgeon on fri. It feel like its healed over so I’m just not sure where the discharge is coming from. Fingers crossed
Jane
Jane wicks - October 2, 2013 at 10:04 am
Thanks for your reply. It is reassuring that there are other people who are going through similar experiences. Sometimes it can feel so isolating.
My knot is on the outside but it does dig in sometimes. I used to be able to pull my other one but this one is painful to pull. My MRI is scheduled for tomoro as an outpatient so least that will be one thing out of the way.
I invested in a sitz bath yesterday. I’ve never heard of them before but it seems like it would be a much easier option than running a full bath of salt water each time!
As for relationships, it’s just so difficult in the beginning. How do you go about telling a new partner you have a discharging hole in your ass with a red stitch thing hanging out of it?! Lol 💩
Katherine - October 2, 2013 at 5:34 am
Hi Katherine, don’t worry about having kids, that’s all fine 🙂 I had a baby 7 months ago, had to have a c section, but I’d rather do it that way anyway! And that’s AFTER my fistula has healed through an Advancement Flap… my surgeon said it was still best I had a c section, so as not to put any pressure on my body. And even if you have a seton in, you can still get pregnant and have a baby.
As for meeting a bloke… Well, I was in exactly the same position. I was 32 and single when I had my setons in. And I thought I’d never meet anyone. But I did, and he didn’t care about the setons. I waited a while before I said anything about it all. But he was fine about it. We’re not together now, but that’s a different story! Haha 🙂 My point is, you will still live your life, and meet people every day. And if you meet someone that thinks you’re awesome, they won’t care about your fistula problem. And if they do – then they’re not worth it anyway 🙂
fistulasupportonline - October 2, 2013 at 7:57 pm |
Ah thanks for that. It’s always good to hear reassuring words from someone going through the same thing!
What’s advancement flap surgery? I’ve never heard that mentioned by my surgeon before. 💐
Katherine - October 3, 2013 at 12:06 am
Have a look on the surgery page of this website, it explains what it is there. They stitch a flap of tissue over the opening of the fistula tract. Sometimes the flap ‘sticks’, sometimes it doesn’t. If it does, it’s a very effective way of healing/closing up a fistula. But you can’t have advancement flap surgery until you’ve had setons in for a while. The tissue needs to be healthy/infection free/not inflamed etc before they can stitch the flap over. Your surgeon should be telling you about all the different procedures in detail. Give him/her a rark up!! 🙂 Ask loads of questions, they need to earn their money and keep you fully informed 🙂
fistulasupportonline - October 3, 2013 at 7:33 am
Hello Katherine,
I feel our pain. I had an abcess last January 2014. I had a seton placed in April2014. Im awaiting surgery, the CS will eiter perform a LIFT or the FLAP. I can honestly say that I had pain for the first 4 months. Now I go to work, do normal activities with my kids and husband. I totally understand you when you say its horrifying thinking that someone could go THERE. I do find it difficult even if I have been with my husband for 19 years. Even do I take baths I never feel clean. It is very hard but I try to keep my chin up and pray that surgery will work.
good luck to you
Cathy
Cathy - October 22, 2014 at 7:30 am |
i am suffering from fistula in ano(posteriorly) for 6 months goin for fistulotomy operation along with sphincterotomy as i i hav chronic posterior anal fissure too..plz tell me about post opertative recovery and complications by ur experiences..
sujoy - October 1, 2013 at 10:14 pm |
Hi Guys
I am booked in for more biopsies in 2 weeks and surgeon is going to try and plug fitted and yet more biopsies done. This will be my 14th op!!
I am so fed up with oozing pus out of my butt 24 hours a day. I spend a fortune on dressings. In have had 2 lots of setons but I dont think they helped, the rubber one was unbareable so they are looking to insert a plug the last ones out in March. However it never healed and leaks all the time. I found the silk one better but my surgeon is off sick so new one siaelp me to hd would have to be a plug. I just dont see how keep taking biospies from scar tissue can heal. This condition really is a pain in the arse. The medical profession seem at a loss as to how to cure sufferers. I am going to ask if I can be referred to another specialist. I live in Somerset. Any UK readers reccommed a surgeon that can cure this condidtion??
debster - October 5, 2013 at 2:17 am |
Hi Debster, 14 operations.. you poor thing 😦 To be honest, I think you really need to do some research on Specialist Colorectal Surgeons in your area, and go and get 2 more opinions from other surgeons. If I were you, I would do that BEFORE you have Plug surgery. Why does your surgeon keep taking biopsies? To check for crohns? Please go and get another 2 opinions before you have any more operations….
fistulasupportonline - October 5, 2013 at 7:17 am |
Hi debster, I am in North Somerset and under Caroline Burt north Bristol hospitals…although her waiting lists are soooo long, I have had a drainage seton in since May 1st 2013 and my next procedure is booked for 16th Oct… I have no idea what she intends to do to me, i feel at a loss when it comes to information from her. I have puss still oozing at times and so itchy etc… Im so annyed at being just “left” to deal with this myself. I had to chase chase chase my next procedure, I was told it would be 6 weeks from my last op (1st may) and here I am 6 months later!!! Which specialist are u under?
smcookie - October 5, 2013 at 7:24 am |
Hi smcookie good new if your surgon has a long wait means she is probably one of the better ones. So that is good. Also as annoying as it is to have the draining seton in I have been told the longer it is in the more the area can try to calm down and the better the success rate is for the next surgury to try to heal it. Also it is allowing time for the infection that caused the fistural to fully drain out. Belive me I know it sucks my first seton was I. From feb 2012 to aug 2012 and not a day went by I was not in pain and uncomfortable. Had a “healing” surgury done agu 2012 and in may 2013 had the seton put back in cause the flap surgury failed and it was got healing. Plan now is to leave the draining seton in for 2-3 years….since I improved diet, no gluten, dairy soy and limited corn I have felt much Better and not mostly pain free….hang in there.
Rachel - October 5, 2013 at 9:42 am
Hi – I live in Dorset and have had a brilliant surgeon in Dorchester. When I was finally referred to him last year (after 6 months of doctors misdiagnosing me) I was put on an 8 week waiting list. After about 3 weeks I came home from work in tears and decided just to see him at the private hospital and had an appt within a week – it was the best £200 I’ve ever spent. I’ve had 5 surgeries since but all have been on NHS so you can see him privately for consultation but still have surgery on NHS. It’s been good to have the option to see him privately – follow up appointments £120. Yes, it’s a lot of money and at first I felt bad but it’s been a life saver and if you can I totally recommend him. He’s been v understanding, explained all options and he is v approachable. His name is Mr Lewis and he’s based at Dorchester County Hospital – or The Winterborne is the private one. Good luck – let me know if you have any other questions. 🙂
Ps I won’t bore you with each of the 5 procedures – it’s a looong story! But the good news is I think (cautiously hope!) I am now out of the woods! He did the LIFT procedure that worked 🙂 if you’d like to know more feel free to ask!!
Pps do you have a sitz bath?
Me - October 5, 2013 at 9:24 am |
Hi, thanks so much for writing up this information for other people that live near you, that’s awesome! And if you have time, please write something on the “Success – Fistula Free” Page about your LIFT procedure that seems to have worked. There’s so much doom and gloom on here, I would love to have more happy ending stories for people to read on that page. Thanks again! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - October 5, 2013 at 11:25 am
Hey
What the surgeons name? I go to Drset county tommorow for fistlotomy…
with Dr Ng
Dom - November 20, 2014 at 7:59 am
Thanks to everyone who has posted about their experiences. I have been keeping up to date with the posts but this is my first time posting.
Had my first abscess in 2006 and a draining seton put in place in July 2010 after some investigative surgery when I was told that they had found the fistula but they couldn’t operate as it was going through my sphincter. Didn’t help that I am a diabetic as this caused healing time from abscess drainage operations to be increased. Would take around 3 months for the wound to close. Has been a bit depressing at times and always conscious about the seton and trying to keep the pad between my bum cheeks.
Earlier this year when I saw my Consultant at Glasgow Southern General Hospital he talked about one of the other Consultants who was now performing LIFT procedures and he thought I would be a good candidate for this.
Had a LIFT procedure on 27th September so now 8 days post surgery. Was done under a general anesthetic. Felt ok after the operation but must have been full of painkillers as after a couple of days it got really painful. Has been a pretty painful week, easing a little today. Bowel movements have been fine since the surgery but took about 36 hours post surgery to have one. There is a small amount of leakage so still wearing a pad. Won’t know the outcome for another few weeks when I see the consultant.
I’m praying that this surgery has worked. Has been hard to live with at times. Skin would get sore and my self confidence has went down. I have a desk job so sitting for long periods when sore is hard. Could always tell when I had an infection building when the seton was in. I would get constipated, as if my sphincter didn’t want to work, for a few days. Then would come the puss and sometimes blood out of the fistula opening and my bowel movements would go back to normal.
Hopefully this will be a good ending and will post an update in few weeks.
Andy - October 6, 2013 at 10:11 am |
Hey Andy
Good to hear you are now approaching the final stage of this mess. Fingers crossed all heals well for you.
I’m near hamilton and on 11 sept had my first seton placed in, had probs as previously stated on here but I’m now pain free and back to work light duties :).
My appointment at wishaw general on 24 oct has been cancelled to 6 dec so I’m gutted I have this seton in that time but I knew from this site it takes time.
The consultants plan for me at some point is LIFT procedure so I’ll be keen to follow your progress and how your doing so keep us up to date!!!!! As this site is my guidance notes 😀
I wish you well
Kel
0buttcheek0 - October 10, 2013 at 10:37 pm |
Hi Kel
Certainly having the seton in was a lot better than getting an abscess and didn’t have a day off sick once I had returned to work until the LIFT. I had the seton in for 3 years as I decided that I didn’t want to have a plug as my sick record was bad with work from the previous operations and the consultant wasn’t positive that it would be successful. The only problems I would have with the seton was the skin would get irritated if too much moisture and and was always wary of having to wear a pad.
Went back to work on Monday, just over 2 weeks after surgery. Most of the pain is gone from the LIFT procedure. Just get a short sharp shooting pain now and again and generally feeling pretty well. Still get a bit of leakage but from what I have read this is normal while the fistula heals itself and the opening where the seton went through is closing.
Still not had a follow up appointment. Called the other day and was told that the surgeon will not want to see me for another few weeks.
At the momemt it feels like progress but just taking it one day at a time.
Hopefully when you see your Consultant in Wishaw they will have options and a solution. Will try and post another update before 6 December.
All the best
Andy
Andy - October 17, 2013 at 1:54 am
IN 2007 I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH ANAL FISTULA 2MM PIN POINT NEAR ANUS AND WAS DISCHARGING PUS AND BLOOD..I BEARED IT FOR 2-3 MONTHS BUT MANAGED TO GET SOFT TOOLS BY ADDING FIBRE TO MY DIET.. THIS EASED THE FISTULA WHICH IS NOW DRY , NON ACTIVE , NO PUS , NO BLOOD. ( PUS MAYB ONCE A YEAR)
MY ONLY CONCERN IS SHOULD I GET IT OPERATED NOW? CAN IT HARM INTERNALLY WITHOUT ANY ALARMING SIGNS ?
KINDLY REPLY ..
nishant - October 12, 2013 at 4:37 pm |
If you are not in any pain, and you have no discharge at all, then I would advise to leave it alone and not get surgery. Continue eating healthy and exercise and hope your body will completely heal it on it’s own eventually. It’s not worth it in my opinion to chance activating it up again with surgery and possibly making the situation worse. I don’t think it’s doing any harm in there if it’s non-active. You’re lucky!
Jendel - October 12, 2013 at 9:41 pm |
Good morning,
As per my previous comments I still have my fistulars and 2 seatons in place. I have recently been in a bit of pain much more than normal. After back and forth visits to my consultant they have confirmed that I have Crohn’s disease and I have been proscribed Budesonide which worked almost instantly with the running to the loo or having to be near a loo! Before I started this treatment I could have upto 10 poos a day, where now it’s just the 1 and no tummy cramps and I now don’t even have the panic poos! And the pain has reduced so much. I was at my consultant again yesterday and I have been given Azathioprine which I have only just started and in 2 weeks time I start inflixmab, she had advised that she is going to treat it hard and then reduce the dosage, I would suggest that if anybody out there who has fistulars and abscesses and you have not been checked for Crohn’s to ask your consultant as I understand that the main reason for fistulars is due yo having Crohn’s / colitis – it’s worth asking because before I started the first medication budesonide I could hardly walk some days with the pain! Now I am on the beach daily with my little fury 4 legged friend! He thinks its Christmas everyday just like me! Please don’t sit around in pain as you may well have perianal Crohn’s without even knowing. Hope this information has helped
Jane Tate - October 12, 2013 at 10:26 pm |
I also have a fistula and two setons. Was advised by previous surgeon that I did not have crohns. However my new surgeon did tests specifically for perianal crohns, as tests amd symptoms appear different to other forms of crohns. After a yr I have been told I do have this form of crohns. So now waiting to get remicide. Fingers crossed it helps. As have had 9 surgeries in a yr and I want life back.
sandcastle - October 14, 2013 at 5:00 am |
Gosh, pretty terrible that it’s taken them 9 surgeries to decide that you have crohns! I would make sure they know that you’re really unhappy about that. I had lots of surgeries too, and every time I had surgery they took a biopsy from a different area of tissue. Because yes, there are different forms, and you can have it in one place and not in the other. So it’s hard to diagnose… but after 9 surgeries, that’s shocking. Sorry to hear you’ve had to go through all that. And I hope your body reacts well to the Remicide. I’m sure you already know, but going on a specific diet will really help you too. It’s hard to stick to but will really help.
fistulasupportonline - October 14, 2013 at 7:21 am
Thanks for your support. First 7 surgeries were with 1st surgeon who appeared out of his depth. New surgeon really experienced and appears to know what he is doing thank goodness. Finally getting back to wrk after 1 1/2 yrs off. Will b hard but I am sure I will adapt as I have done at home.
sandcastle - October 14, 2013 at 7:50 am
How I know if there is any infection after anal fistula surgery? I hade a surgery 2 weeks ago and I notes that the area is draining with dark withe color. I like to know if it is normal or may infection, thank you!
Adali Nolasco - October 14, 2013 at 1:04 am |
Hi Adali, if you have an infection, you would most likely have a high temperature and pus draining from the area, you’d be feeling unwell. What surgery did you have? Did you have a seton put in place?? In which case it’s normal to be draining for some time. If you’ve had an advancement flap and it’s draining, then you’d need to get checked by your surgeon. So really depends on what type of surgery you had.
fistulasupportonline - October 14, 2013 at 7:23 am |
I agree u know when there is an infection as u do feel unwell. I feel nausea, extremely tired and pain increases in the area. Antiboditics and sitz baths are best. But would try anti inflammatorys first amd sitz bath first.
sandcastle - October 14, 2013 at 7:45 am
Hello, last February I underwent surgery for drainage of an abcess. I had a seton placed until today. Today I underwent an examination under anaesthetic to see what could be done to repair the fistula that had developed after the abscess. They ended up doing what I would describe as a partial fistulotomy. They laid open half the fistula and placed a draining seton in the other half. The open half has to be packed for two or three weeks and they told me once that’s closed they will take the seton out of the shortened fistula and that it should close on its own. Pain wise I was expecting worse. Anaesthetic started to wear off and I felt a bit of pain but I took two neurofen and the pain is gone now. The most inconvienant thing about it is getting the wound packed, but it’s not so scary second time round as I feel I understand the situation a lot more. I don’t have crohns, or any bowel disorder, I was just unlucky apparently. The abscess was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced and I hope I dnt have to go through it ever again.
Emma - October 15, 2013 at 12:28 pm |
Hi Emma, I am interested to know why they did not lay open the entire fistula. Was the sphincter muscle a problem if they did the entire tract? I have a seton fitted and am due for some surgery in the near future.
Illikai - October 15, 2013 at 1:32 pm |
Hello Illikai, yes they didn’t lay open the entire fistula because some of it is going through the sphincter muscle. I went in to day to get my wound packed, and they said that once the open wound is healed they will take out the seton and they might use fibrin glue to help close off the remaining tract. I was reading that the long term success rate for fibrin glue is pretty poor, but they think it has a good chance of working in my case because I don’t have crohns and the fistula tract has been significantly shortened. The whole thing is an awful experience really but I feel like im finally getting somewhere with the healing process. Last February it felt like the whole world was coming down around me. I got really sick because the infection from the abscess had spread to my blood, so I had to be admitted to hospital to drain the abscess and be put on IV antibiotics. Its great that your having surgery soon to correct the problem, its another step in the right direction. Did they tell you what procedure they are going to do?
Emma - October 15, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Emma, thanks for the reply. Surgery procedure is subject to the ultrasound I had done recently to check how much muscle is covering the fistula. Appointment with surgeon next week to find out result. I suspect that a lay open will be done like what you have had. Your experience up till surgery is very much like mine except infection with abcess did not enter the blood.
You seem to coping well, seton and packing to me seems very inconvenient. Interested in how long you will take to heal as I am pretty busy and cant stay off work long. Healing is individually variable I suppose. Fibrin glue placement is something I wonder about too in that if it does not last long can they remove and reinstall or is full tract lay open surgery only option after glue? I will ask surgeon when I see him if he tells me he intends to inject glue also. I don’t have crohns but after a endoscopy they found I had a heliobacter stomach infection/ulcer which caused urgent diarrhoea a few times a month. I have taken treatment for this and I think it has been successful. endoscopy only done same time as seton placement after my insistence.
Illikai
Illikai - October 16, 2013 at 11:48 am
I asked the doctor how long it would take for the wound to heal and he told me it would be packed for 10 days. Going from past experience on listening to doctors I would definitely double that figure:) When I was getting the abscess packed that took 8 weeks, but it was a very very deep cavity. This by contrast is much smaller, so im guessing it should be almost there within 3 or 4 weeks, I think the nurse said the wound is about 2 cm deep. I can’t look myself, but I took the wick out of it the other day and the amount being used is miniscule to be fair. I hope you won’t be in too much pain, but from my experience pain was minimal. I had the operation done on monday and I was back in college for the full day on wednesday sitting down at a desk for the day. It only hurt me while sitting down on impact with the seat, but to stay sitting down it was really comfortable so I hope its the same for you. The only thing is getting the wick changed. Ive had to miss numerous classes this week because I have to go to the day hospital to let a nurse change the wick, If you have someone at home that could do it you probably won’t miss to much work.
Emma - October 17, 2013 at 10:13 pm |
I’m so tired of dealing with this! I am a 25 year old female. I shouldn’t have to deal with this! I have been dealing with this since February of this year. I have had 3 surgeries since then. This first was a seton placement and then my second one was a LIFT procedure and that failed within 6 weeks. I went back in for my third surgery and had another seton put in. My surgeon was hopeful that I wouldn’t need a 4th surgery and she would just take the seton out and let it heal because the location of the internal opening was right on edge of not being internal anymore. At my appointment on Friday she did an exam and found that that internal opening is larger that she would like and there is a lot of scar tissue so she now doesn’t think it will close up on its own….she isn’t comfortable with doing a cutting seton because the tract goes through a lot of muscle…so now I am scheduled for my 4th surgery and I know that is nothing compared to some people but still its not the most convenient thing in the world. My 4th surgery is going to be the advancement flap. Surgery is not until December 12th. November 4th I am going in for a second opinion with the Chief of Colorectal surgery at a teaching hospital in Wisconsin. So maybe he will have some more information or another option.
But my question for everyone is what are the things I need to do to increase my chances of the advancement flap being successful? My procedure is same day surgery but have read that some people stay a few nights in the hospital, how long should I be on bed rest do I need to be on full bed rest? I really need this to be my last surgery….any advice would be appreciated!
Alyssa
Alyssa - October 17, 2013 at 5:46 pm |
Hi Alyssa
Yes it’s very frustrating isn’t it. I had advancement flap surgery in July and currently it’s all looking good, although I’m having an ultrasound soon to confirm this. My surgeon said there was nothing I could do to increase success, but I followed some advice from this site. The main one is rest. I was in hosp for 4 days as the surgeon had me on nil by mouth to allow the flap initial time to heal. Then I had 3 weeks at home. Dull but it’s gives you time to heal. I then went back to work but with hind sight another week would have been better. Eat easily digestible foods. I was on antibiotics for two weeks. After a month the wound was quite red so I went back to surgeon and had another round of ABs.
I didn’t exactly do sitz bath but after each bowel motion I had a little soak in a sitz bath just for a min or two to clean the area. My surgeon didn’t recommend sitz baths but see what yours says.
My main advice is stay vigilant and if something doesn’t feel right call your surgeon. I also stayed away from dairy but not sure if that had any effect. I also took zinc and vitamin c as these are great for healing.
So the main thing is rest and no exercise.
I really wish you well four ops is a lot and you have had a rough yr. prepare fir surgery by eating well and exercising.
All the best
Jane
Jane wicks - October 18, 2013 at 10:26 am |
My surgeon said its same day. Am I able to request my surgeon to keep me overnight a few days?
Alyssa - October 18, 2013 at 11:33 am
So when you say your doctor kept you in the hospital and gave you nothing by mouth were you able to drink anything or do you mean literally nothing and you just had IV? Were you on bed rest or were you able to get up and use the bathroom?
Alyssa - October 26, 2013 at 5:52 am
It was no food for 2 days then light fluids and then light diet. Then home. But I was up and walking/ showering the next day.
Jane wicks - October 26, 2013 at 10:45 am
Hello Pals,
I would like to share that I have been consuming the following foods since 3-4 days and it seems that going to washroom is not a nightmare.
Dinner and Lunch:
Wheat Bran
Flax Seed
Yello Split Peas
Apart from these, whenever I am hungry, fruits and juices. It seems its working. Do try and let me know if it works for you as well.
chirag007mehta - October 18, 2013 at 1:46 am |
Hi Every1,
My name is Max, i have had 18 hospitaladmition and 14 seton drainage operation in melbourne and sydney in public and privat system, all crap it was just an absses but 2 and half years ago they turned it into high compex anal fistula which failed pig plug and waitint to do the fibre glue, but it has to dry off infection before doing the glue, now the actual track has 2 or 3 branches upword, meaning it will never dry cause they have not addressed it, sick of australian unpro surgeons whom think it will fix it self.
if anyone dealt with high complex fistulas with 3 side traks plz let me know i am willing to travel anywhere i just have to rub the sergeon my monies back i spent back and forward in privat hospitals and bills they send me afterwards 3900 plus without giving me estimate or choise, basicly thivery,
this is after putting me on morphine for 2 years, obviesly if they canot fix it they make an addict out of you. can not even detox cause undergoing operations so offen.
hope no one goes throu what i am going throu
i feel like naming the sergeons but i have to wait to find one before i do that i bet they go to hell.
Max - October 20, 2013 at 4:14 pm |
Hey Max,
I am also in sydney. Have seton installed but no surgery yet. Interested in what you mean by ‘they turned it into a high complex fistula’? I am very afraid of what surgery is available to rid the fistula condition as alI I am reading on this site is that what ever is done it is very unsuccessful !!!!
Max, you have had 14 setons installed? What happened to them? did they come loose?
God, I am not looking forward to any surgery,. while the seton is very inconvenient I have no pain and would after reading your case leave it in for as long as possible >
Illikai
Illikai - October 20, 2013 at 6:47 pm |
smone help me out , i have fistula frm last 6 years nd it has opening in the way of human waste …. Cn someone tell me is there any chnce tht fistula become a cancer
mohit yadav - October 20, 2013 at 7:12 pm
Mohit, You need to see a Doctor if you havent already. Your condition re human waste. do you mean a discharge or faeces? Fistulas when open do discharge. Cancer question is for the specialists but fistulas if not free to discharge may branch out and turn into a very serious infection (sepsis).
Illikai - October 20, 2013 at 8:02 pm
Hi Illikai,
every 2 to 3 month the track got reinfected and they had to readjust or redo the whole Seton business, also some surgeons had enough and could not fix such high complex fistula, so knock me back and I had to go different hospitals and they did the same thing so each case is differs from other. try Germans apparently they are fixing it with temporary bag to allow the fistula to heal.
good luck
Max - December 12, 2013 at 6:53 pm
Hi All,
Good day to all of you guys! I’m from Philippines and I just want to share my experience about this awful disease. First, I noticed that there was a small pimple near in my anus last August 2013. I didn’t care much about this because I thought that it was a simple pimple, after two weeks it began to cause me pain and I immediately seek an internal medicine assistance. The doctor gave me an antibiotic and advice me to return after two weeks if my problem still occurs. The pain relieves me during my medication but after I consumed all, the pain returns. So I return to my doctor, he introduced me to his colleague which is a Surgeon. The Surgeon immediately recommended a surgery which he found that my small pimple creates a track called Fistula. I went to a surgery on September 26, 2013 (Fistula-in-ano). The first 3 to 4 days after my surgery was very painful. The cleaning progress, bowel movement and all my regular activities was affected. I’m lucky that my wife is nurse and knows how to take care of my disease. She patiently clean my wound (even there is a poop and puss, YUCK!) and I think this is one of the key for immediate healing of my wound. Another thing is, after my operation, I took sitz bath twice a day using boiled guava leaves which is known as the best cleansing agent for all wounds. As of now, my wound is I think, less than 1cm deep and we could no longer put a gauze inside the wound. I’m still in the healing process and praying that this disease would leave me soon and would not re-occur. I hope everyone out there would still conquer this awful, painful and traumatic illness. Just remember, sitz bath with boiled guava leaves, proper care after surgery and mostly PRAYERS!
God bless to all you!
Regards,
Vinusa
Vinusa - October 21, 2013 at 2:11 pm |
Forgive me for my bad grammar I’ve got terrible dysgraphia/dyslexia. I had surgery on a fistula around six weeks ago. My wound is no longer “draining” but occasionally it will bleed a tiny bit and it hurts not like it did before surgery ( a deep throbbing pain) but now its like a sharp burning pain and it’s not longer constant. With occasional throbbing. what should I do? My doctor doesn’t care (another story for another time) and I don’t want to go back to the Er again.
Nik - October 22, 2013 at 12:11 pm |
My husband has a Anal Fistula, and he is very scared of surgery, do you think instead of surgery Ayurvedic treatment will help him in curing it without reoccuring. and also we were planning to have a baby is it safe for me and my baby if i plan to have a baby from him at this point of time, Kindy reply.
Nandini - October 24, 2013 at 5:02 pm |
Best to talk to a doctor nandini, but I am a female with a active fistural, I have a seton in place, and my doctors have cleared me to get pregnant. They said there is nothing health wise that will prevent me from getting pregnant or any risk to the baby, only issue is I will need a c-section. But that is not a issue for your husband as he won’t be hAving the baby :)….good luck.
Rachel - October 24, 2013 at 10:42 pm |
Lovely to see a site dealing with fistula problems and a general support system for all us suffering from this nasty problem
alison burness - October 25, 2013 at 11:39 pm |
Has anyone had a cutting seton? I go in once a week for the fun filled experience of having it tightened. I was toold it would comwe ou2out on its own in a month. Its been 6 weeks now and its still holding on. Is this normal. And the pain from it is pretty uncomfortable.
Adam - October 29, 2013 at 2:04 pm |
Hi Adam. I’ve had a draining seton before and a rectal advancement flap procedure which failed. So, on Thursday the surgeon wants to put in a cutting seton. I’m very nervous about it because I have zero tolerance for pain and not looking forward to the tightening in the office. They say the same thing to me that it should come out on it’s on in 4-6 weeks. So, I definitely can understand and am about to go through the same thing as you. I would like to stay in touch and share updates to see how we both progress and what works and doesn’t work. The doctor says I’m supposed to be able to come back to work after a week but not sure how that is going to go. We shall see. Hang in there buddy and message me anytime.
Tony
Tony Smith - October 30, 2013 at 10:56 am |
Hi there. I had a cutting seton inserted 2 weeks ago, I was told that it was the most painful part of this whole process but honestly, I just had 2 paracetamol the day after surgery and nothing else, and believe me I have NO tolerance when it comes to pain. I’m booked in every 4 weeks until its over but I don’t know what comes after this step. Any ideas anyone?
smcookie - October 30, 2013 at 11:21 am
Hi everyone. I’d left a comment on here a few weeks back bc I had been told I had an anal abscess & fistula and had it surgically drained & a draining seton placed. I appreciate this site and the support, at the time I was in a lot of pain & depressed. The seton is much more tolerable now and I’m waiting for it to drain and then will have the LIFT procedure.
Anyways, I’m wondering if anyone is familiar w Hidradenitis suppurativa. In the past I’ve had painful bumps in the crease of my leg. I was told by my GYN these were in grown hairs, but I knew it was more than that. They would start as small bump, get larger and swell up and become very painful, the rubbing of my underwear clearly didn’t help. At times they’d form a head and then spill out pus & blood, leaving a small scar. Pretty much like an abscess. Then they’d go away and I get them again every so often.
I recently got 2 very gross & painful ones. The colorectal surgeon who placed my seton was out so I made an appt w a different general surgeon in the office. He told me I have Hidradenitis suppurativa, and that’s what’s causing these painful abscesses in the crease of my leg. So I’ve been doing a lot of research on this disease. It looks like there is no cure, some treatment to eleviate pain & swelling etc, and surgery. It has stages of severity and mentions that these abscesses can form pathways of bacteria under the skin.
So my question is, can this disease, Hidradenitis suppurativa be responsible for my anal abscess and fistula? Are they directly related, does it have the same effect? And I usually get this “disease” in the crease of my leg, can it now be targeting the anus? Or is an anal abscess with fistula different?
Thank you to anyone who may know what I’m talking about.
TB - November 2, 2013 at 6:09 am |
Wouldn’t it be great if colorectal surgeon’s trolled these sites and answered our questions without fear of losing our business?
Just sayin….
meg68 - November 2, 2013 at 10:26 pm |
HI, THIS IS RANJEET JAIN. I WAS SUFFERING FOR 6’O’ CLOCK FISTULA, AND SURGERY HAS BEEN DONE ON APRIL 11, 2013. THE PORTION HEALED TWICE AND OPENED AGAIN. NOW, THE PAIN IS NOT THERE, BUT THE SURGERY PART IS OPEN AND STICKY DISCHARGES IS OOZES.PLEASE HELP.
RANJEET - November 2, 2013 at 9:08 pm |
hi i had n rectum repair on 14th october still got pain on right side the pain plz help is this normal
angel - November 4, 2013 at 5:31 pm |
dear. if pain is severe and not tolerable then it is not normal you get your wound to be checked, if pain is pinch like with itching than it is normal
ayumed - November 4, 2013 at 8:03 pm |
I hve fistula problem from past 4months nd yet to recover..went for an surgery nd felt more pain..consulted 4-5 doc still yet to recover..everyday going for an dressing still finding pain everyday. Plz help me my pain is increasing more nd more…
Ramesh - November 8, 2013 at 4:48 am |
I’m so happy to find help understanding fistulas as I’d never heard if them before my diagnosis . I had surgery 8 whs ago which involved laying open my fistula , it was dressed adult for 3 wks by district nurses who were marvelous . It’s been the most haunting 6 months since I first got the abscess words cannot express how this thing takes over your life . I now go weekly to a treatment room to have my wound checked as it’s now small enough for me to just apply gauze in between my bum cheeks to catch any discharge , it’s been ok until thus wk when u felt done slight discomfort around my bum and passed some blood and pus . The nurse said I may have just strained myself going the loo . I hope so as my first fear was it’s coming back. It’s now 2 days since I had this pain and im feeling possitive again , just hoping and praying for a day when this is fully healed and I can get my life back on track. My thoughts go out to everyone who has been suffering with this awful thing. Let’s hope we all see that light at the end of the tunnel real soon
karensmith10 - November 9, 2013 at 10:24 am |
It was *dressed *daily
karensmith10 - November 9, 2013 at 10:29 am |
Hello Everyone
I had fistula surgery a little over a week ago and I am not sure if its my paranoia or if there is something wrong. I was prescribed 3 different types of medications for my post surgery: 2 types of stool softeners, and 1 painkiller (Oxycontin). For the most part I have been in bed the whole time, no work, and every time I use the bathroom I shower so I am keeping VERY CLEAN. I noticed that I do have pads I put into my underwear to catch drainage….The problem is that I expected see SOME blood and SOME fecal-matter but I did not expect a smell and the amount of leakage. The smell is not that of stool but kind of a sour smell, I am not sure if that is normal? I do not think it is infected because I have no fever, no nausea, no itch, etc. The fistula is on the left side of my anus and now I have a bump on top of the anus..I am not sure if this is from the surgery and is temporary and I am getting scared for nothing or once again if there is a problem…..Thoughts?
Thank you =/
-DeMetrius
DeMetrius - November 12, 2013 at 10:44 pm |
Following surgery a smelly discharge is normal and in large amounts, this will settle and lessen within 2 weeks you should notice a difference. Just keep an eye on the lump as your wound and surrounding area will go through a lot of changes. Sounds like u r doing everything right. Good luck
sandcastle - November 13, 2013 at 10:13 am |
HELP!!!
***I really need to find a colorectal surgeon experienced with doing LIFT procedures somewhere around San Francisco/Bay Area.
Please post or send me a PM if you know of any CRS surgeons experienced with the LIFT procedure in San Francisco / Bay Area.
I am facing the need for a LIFT surgery for an anal fistula and am willing to travel if necessary to get this all behind me.
I don’t think my case is supposed to be complicated. So far, I have had a fistulotomy with seton placed about 4 weeks ago. My scar was maybe 4 inches long, but only about a 1/2 inch deep. It healed up well, but then in the middle a pin-hole developed and it is passing anal canal drainage and gas. This was really a downer that I couldn’t even get the wound to heal properly…makes me worry about the coming success of the LIFT procedure.
So, I am thinking the best thing to do is to re-open the wound tract and let it heal again. (These things do heal, don’t they? Or am I just going to repeat the same problem?)
And then in a second procedure (if the wound heals over correctly) do the LIFT procedure.
My current surgeon – who I think is a good colorectal surgeon – has done fewer than a handful of LIFT surgeries with mixed success. He is suggesting going in to do both procedures together. But, that just doesn’t sound wise from what I’ve read about trying to maximize the success rate of the LIFT procedure by minimizing activity, etc. All the activity of packing and cleaning the open wound would surely unnecessarily complicate the LIFT procedure healing. Plus, the first time I had the wound cut, there was a ridiculous amount of bleeding (soaked through towels) – so, in case of a repeat of that, I would hate to risk a chance at a successful LIFT surgery.
Thank you for maintaining this site. It is such an invaluable resource to those of us going through this ordeal…
jnk - November 17, 2013 at 10:08 am |
My suggestion is to go to another surgeon who has a lot of experience. Sometimes these things never heal. My son has has one for years and nine surgeries. Go to someone who has done a LOT of these surgeries.
Julie - November 18, 2013 at 12:11 pm |
Julie – Thanks for the advice, I hope your son is handing things well! I think you’re right. But, I have no idea how I’m supposed to find a surgeon with more experience. Do I just have to start scheduling consults all over town to ask each doctor how many LIFT procedures they’ve done and how long-term the procedures have been successful? How do I find an experienced surgeon?!?!
jnk - November 18, 2013 at 3:36 pm
My gp sourced a different surgeon with as lot of experience and I am so glad he did as new one far superior.
sandcastle - November 19, 2013 at 10:29 am
Sounds much better! Let us know how you are doing, 🙂
Julie - November 19, 2013 at 1:12 pm
I know this might sound crazy, but this is what we do. I look up the doctors online and see how old they are. If they are young, then I figure they do not have much experience. I usually try and find one about in his 50’s so he is old enough for experience and yet young enough not to be too old. Also, I check online to see how many malpractice suits they have lost. And finally, I ask local nurses and any other person I have met in the medical field about who they would use.. I put it this way, if you needed a surgeon, who would you use and why? Hope all this helps.
Julie - November 19, 2013 at 10:30 am
Julie & sandcastle – Thanks for the replies! Julie, your process sounds good to do as much due diligence as possible given the limited access to information. I am now also looking at the real possibility that another surgeon may be out of my insurance network, so treatment could be COSTLY…but trying to get better is important! Each step forward is another pothole!
Thank you both for taking the time to respond!
jnk - November 19, 2013 at 2:41 pm
I agree. Working your way through the medical system can cause a person to get sick.
Julie - November 20, 2013 at 3:05 pm
Hi all!
This is a very informative site. Here is so info about me:
In 2006-2008 I knew something was going on down there but a gyno and dermatologist were clueless.
In February 09 got sick got a huge abscess that was drained. A week later had a seton placed for about 3 months. It healed after was taken out. Then came back and developed on another side. Because of all the pain I decided to just live with it until end of 2012 when I went to c another doctor.
10/2012 had a seton placed for about a month to prep for plug
11/2012 plug and flap done (failed)
2/2013 had the LIFT which healed half of the fistula and made it no longer pass thru 2 muscles.
11/2013 (two weeks ago) had a fistulotomy but seems like a fistulectomy because I don’t have a gaping hole. The surgeon excised the tunnel from inside which I found out 2 days after surgery when I called the office because I felt gas pass thru. Nurse said it was normal. For the days after I’ve been sitting and taking it easy. Went back to work this past week and since I sit at a desk it’s been uncomfortable. Not much pain until today (yesterday only sitzed once) today just had my first sitz after work. I’ve had pain all day since the opening on outside closed up and seems to be collecting some pus.
Anyone else experience something like this? Feels like will pop and drain since the skin is so thin. Otherwise I don’t really feel the tunnel as I did pre surgery thru the skin. I guess I need some reassurance that I am still on the way to healing. It’s been too long and has ruined my life. I just want to go to spinning again! 😦
How long is this process? I have a follow up in 2 weeks since the surgeon said 1 month after. So I guess it can be timely ?
Thanks 🙂
2muchpita - November 23, 2013 at 12:47 pm |
If you’re really worried, I’d say try and make an appointment sooner (I’d also say go ahead and keep the one that is 2 weeks away too…because by then you’ll still want to know if there is a problem or if things are improving.) I’d say if you feel like it would help to see your doctor then do whatever to go see your doctor if you can.
jnk - November 25, 2013 at 8:33 pm |
Has anyone ever been horribly contipated.after fistula surgery? Its friday and my dr. Office is closed and am wundering if i could use enema or will i tear it more if it eventually passes?
motherof2 - November 23, 2013 at 4:45 pm |
Hi Motherof2, the constipation is caused by the pain medication they put you on. Which pain meds are you taking? It can also be a symptom of the morphine given to you after surgery. It’s best to take a stool softener at the same time, in New Zealand I was told to take one called Movicol – I don’t know where you are, but perhaps ask for the equivalent, it’s a sachet that you mix with water 🙂
fistulasupportonline - November 25, 2013 at 7:17 pm |
If you are on painkillers, it is possible they are causing some constipation. I would not use an enema without consulting your doctor first. You might try stool softeners – but I would be wary of anything that has a laxative in it. ‘Stool softeners’ and ‘laxatives’ are different things, but sometimes they are mixed together in medications. If you’ve just had surgery, a stool softener should be ok – but you might want to avoid a laxative that might keep you on the toilet repeatedly for hours.
jnk - November 25, 2013 at 8:28 pm
My Dr put me on Oxy and 2 prescription stool softeners, Polyethylene and Docusate Sodium stating that pain killers does/will cause constipation. I would not use an enema because that will make you go in a way that is not that norm where as the softener will help the process go smoother.
DeMetrius - November 26, 2013 at 4:17 pm
Hi all. I have good news. Southern General Hospital think my LIFT in September was a success and have discharged me. Hole where seton was has closed and no pus or blood for weeks. I truly thank God that after almost 7 years this has healed. I prayed for healing of this condition and he has answered.
There were 4 LIFTs done that day and I was the first back and they were extremely happy with the result.
I seem to be starting to get the old me back. My self confidence has increased and my general well being has been good.
Kel, hope your appointment goes well on Friday and they offer you good options. Please post on how you get on.
Thanks to everyone who has posted as you have helped me and I will still follow this forum. Forums like this do help you and you don’t feel alone with this condition.
Andy - December 3, 2013 at 12:29 pm |
Hey Andy
Woooow great news Mr, bet you have a spring in your step 🙂 plus it’s reassuring to hear that this LIFT procedure has success…..I’m well happy for you!!! Hopefully one day I’ll be typing a similar message. My appointment for December has been rescheduled so many times. My seton been in place since sept 11 and no one has checked it since then, my appointment is now 30 jan. I’ve not been too bothered as I have no pain now and if I don’t have alcohol and good diet it feels like it’s drying up. Hence I’ve returned to work full duties and collecting sick days in case I need it for The next Op
so my plan is to have a fab festive season and get straight on the case in January. Once again I’m well chuffed for you and fingers crossed you’ve beat this monster 😀
Take care
Kel
0buttcheek0 - December 14, 2013 at 3:30 am |
Please read this all the way threw, I’m desperate and I need help!!!
I’m a 22 year old female from New York. About three years or so ago I started dealing with an anal fistula. I had a seton placed, then the plug surgery which failed, then another surgery to remove the plug and place another seton. Irritating and so uncomfortable! Every two weeks or so the seton knot would shift into my body which is insainly painful and I’d have to go back to my surgeon for her to move it.
I had to keep the second seton in for a really long time because my home was being renovated and I couldn’t recover from another surgery in comfort. But finally about a year after the second seton I was able to have the flap surgery on July 2nd 2013. I was told time and time again this surgery was better, would be more invasive, more recovery but more successful. And it was, it was incredible invasive and the recovery was about 6 weeks. I stayed in bed or on my couch for 6 straight weeks. Then when I was able to move I had to keep it to a minimum. My first time out with friends in about 2 months I somehow contracted MRSA, a terrible infection on my leg because my immune system was so low. So then I spent another 3 weeks recovering and staying far away from everyone, even family because MRSA is contagious. But whatever…
The flap surgery seemed to be successful, I would go back to my surgeon every 6 weeks and she was very positive. I was in no pain and I felt positive about my future!! Until I saw her on Oct 28th, a day before my 22nd birthday I might add… She advised I get an anal MRI to check the progress, but she still sounded positive to me.
So I got the MRI which was uncomfortable. And then made an appt to see her to discuss the results on December 2nd.
Terrible news, the flap failed. So here I am again at step 1! I have to get another surgery to place another seton and then eventually another surgery to hopefully finally end all this fucking misery!
I don’t know how any of you stay positive!! This has been the worst experience I’ve even had to deal with. I feel sad and angry and like I’ve failed again.
I can’t do what other twenty something’s do, I can’t just up and go on a road trip with friends because I need to take 3 baths a day. I can’t work out like I used to so I’ve gained a disgusting amount of weight. I’m scared to plan for my future because who knows what will happen next!!
Are all there surgery hurting my nerve endings in the area? Wreaking my sphincter? Will I become incontinent at 22?!? Why do theses surgeries keep failing?!
What have you all heard or experienced with the LIFT surgery? That’s what my surgeon has suggested next.
I don’t trust my current surgeon anymore because she’s failed me twice, I understand that even the greatest doctors make mistakes sometimes and sometimes it’s not even something they did it’s just what happens, but I’m hurt and disheartened and I don’t trust her anymore…
I don’t know what to do! I don’t have time for another surgery!! I’m still in school, I have one semester left to graduate I can’t postpone it. I don’t want to postpone it!
This just isn’t fair!! Why me?!
I’m angry and upset and frustrated! I know I’m lucky I’m not dying but this whole thing sucks…
So basically, sorry for my freak out but I don’t know what else to do…
Should I try the Lift procedure?
Thank you all. Goodnight ❤
Deirdre - December 4, 2013 at 7:45 pm |
Deirdre,
I feel your pain, I am 32 and was diagnosed 2 years ago on my second seton and a failed flap. Have you looked into the diet options this site provides. In April I was so frustrated to have to start all over and for my husband and I ment postponing family planning which neither of us are getting younger. I started the gluten free, dairy free, soy free and very limited corn. And it has made a huge difference. I still have a seton in but this is a personal choice as I want kids before another major surgery. However no pain, limited drainage no baths, I exercise 5-6 days per week including spin class now. I also went from oxycoine and larasapaine daily and Ibprophine 2 times per day to no meds now in 4 months cause I have had no pain.
I always in courage second options but in my case my second option doc told me I was crazy to not use my original doctor. He reinforced fisturals are difficult to heal. My current doctor has insured she will heal it but she can’t say how many surgery sit will take. But she has said she has yet to have one that did not heal eventually.
As for the seton, I have one in that freely moves around so every time I use the bathroom I just pull on it a little bit to make sure the knot comes back externally. Keep a box a gloves next to the toilet if you don’t like touching it with your fingers directly. My doctor did not tell me after the first seton I could move it myself, what a world of a difference it made with the second one.
I do wish I bought stock in always pads when thus first started cause I do use 2-3 daily makes me feel cleaner and makes drainage easy to deal with….
As for staying positive it was hard at time, my poor husband dealt with so many emotional roller coaster. But connecting with others who could relate was. A big help this site helped me a lot….
Good luck
Rachel - December 5, 2013 at 1:42 am |
Hi !
I am suffering from this problem almost 11 months now. I had Anal Fistula Plug surgery. I have draininage 24×7 since 11 months day or night.
Only advise I can give is the diet plan I am following:
I am taking good meal only 2 times and that too with too much fiber.. I take flax seed almost 5-10 big spoons in my meals.
http://www.hollandandbarrett.ie/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=1893&prodid=2071&cid=20
After the meal if I feel hungry, I take mostly all vegetables and fruits raw this helps to buy some time.
Also after each meal, I am not consuming water at least 1 hour, this will enhance digestion process of our food.
After each meal I am taking capsules of slippery elm bark casules.
http://www.hollandandbarrett.ie/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=417
By having above regime into my diet, I can at least have happy face after bowel movements each day.
Good Luck to all…!!
Wish you all a speedy recovery..!!
Regards
Chirag
chirag007mehta - December 5, 2013 at 3:23 am |
hi you poor sufferer,
I am from Australia and dealing with all this shit for past 3 years and 12 Seton and pigs-line plug the last 4 ops in private hosp where he did not even give me estimate and it cost me over 10 grant. it was just an abbesses to start of but then you know how it goes, no proper investigation so they just diged in and put me on all sorts of addictive meds for pain management which was just the shop with lots of side effects. The main problem in my opinion is that the bloody surgeons in capitalist countries don’t have proper indemnity insurance
to cover them for astorma (hartman) operation or colostomy where they put temporary bag so the shit does not push through fistula track every time opening the bowl and reinfecting time and time again. long story short I have been in touch with German surgeons and guess what? they will fix it once for good, get in touch with any hosp in there and they tell ya that they never allow it to get that bad and once you are admitted you will not be discharged before you good, cause apparently they work for a set wage and the main goal is to heal people unlike our countries whom see the dollar the more operations they make so go there for visit and get your self checked out. I try to keep updating once i manage to borrow enough cash to get there, after that they will make payment plan to pay it off as you go once you fixed.
good luck
Max - December 12, 2013 at 6:30 pm |
Hey
I am scheduled to have an advancement flap procedure done on Thursday 12/12. I am very discouraged that it probably wont work. I really want my doctor to keep me in the hospital for at least 24 hours but she wont. She said that there is no medical evidence that suggests that staying in the hospital increases your chance of success. I have been reading peoples stories online and a lot of people with successful flap procedures stayed in the hospital. How can I get my doctor to keep me in the hospital?
Alyssa - December 10, 2013 at 7:20 pm |
Hi Alyssa, I had an advancement flap, and it was successful. I stayed in hospital over night and then stayed in bed at home for 6 weeks. I think that the key is little movement, and you can do that at home. I’m not sure what country you’re in, but in New Zealand we have district nurses, I had one visit me every day for the first week and then every few days. I also made sure I kept on top of my pain medication and stool softener, and gave myself plenty of time to heal with very little movement before going back to work. 6 weeks! And even when you’re feeling better, keep resting!
Good luck for your surgery, let us all know how you get on. And be positive! You say that you are very discouraged that it probably won’t work… why? Who says it’s not going to work? Think positively and be strong 🙂
fistulasupportonline - December 10, 2013 at 7:37 pm |
I’m discouraged because it’s my 4th procedure this year. I am from the United States and I got a second opinion from the chief of colorectal surgery at a teaching hospital in Wisconsin and he basically said that it’s not going to work and he would never do it. My internal opening is very low almost external and that makes it difficult to do a flap. The second opinion doctor wanted to cut muscle. I’m not at that point yet. I kept my surgery date because of insurance issues and financial issues. I think the doctor is going to do a flap going from the outside to the inside instead of inside and pulling the flap down. I’m only 25 years old I don’t want to deal with this anymore but I have no choice. 😦
Alyssa - December 10, 2013 at 7:44 pm
Hi Alyssa, the fact that you’re 25 is a good thing, it means you’re more likely to heal faster 🙂 I had 7 surgeries, the advancement flap being my last one, and that worked, it was 2 years ago now and I’m still fine. I’m 35.
You have lots of things on your side… your youth, and the fact that your fistula tract is low… that probably means they could lay it open. I had two fistulas and they were both very high and complex, so harder to treat. You’re going to get better, and you’ll be ok, it may be a long road, but you’ll get there. The best thing you can do is change your diet, get yourself into the most healthiest condition you’ve ever been in, lots of vitamins, supplements and vigilant hygiene… and you’ll get better 🙂 I have my fingers and toes crossed for your advancement flap – be positive 🙂
fistulasupportonline - December 10, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Thanks everyone for your advice. I had my surgery they did an advancement flap and a rotational flap (comes from the side) yesterday. I’m am in quite a bit of pain but that’s to be expected. Did any of you who had the flap surgery have a lot of gas after surgery? I haven’t experienced this with my other surgeries so I’m wondering if anyone else has dealt with this
Alyssa - December 14, 2013 at 4:26 pm
Hi
I had flap surgery in July and so far it seems to have worked. My surgeon kept me in hosp for 3 nights as he kept me nil by mouth for two days then just light food. Don’t know if this contributed to my success (thus far as still may fail) but it’s his practice and he has a very high success rate.
Failing that just take time off work and have rest for at least a month. I think sometimes it can just be the luck of the draw. But my surgeon recommended rest, light diet and no exercise for at least a month. Good luck and try to think positively!
Jane wicks - December 10, 2013 at 8:02 pm |
Hi,
I wanted to put a positive story up as when I was first diagnosed I came to this site and really panicked after reading lots of the anecdotes.
I have been suffering from fistulas approx 14 years having never sought treatment being 14yo when it started. January of this year I got another (very large) absess and was forced to see a doctor. He passed it off as an ingrown hair and prescribed antibiotics – these didnt work. I returned and was given more, these also didnt work. The absess then burst through rather dramatically. I then asked to be referred to a specialist.
With one look from the surgeon I was immediately diagnosed with 3 fistula (positioned at 01:50 on a clock) and was booked in for him to have a look inside. The surgeon insisted I had surgery as soon as possible saying I was running the risk of another absess which could burst and give me blood poisoning. As you may be able to tell I was initially reluctant for surgery, he insisted nothing else would work.
It was June by the time this came about and being self employed and a fitness fanatic I was very concerned about the whole press and the impact it would have on my life. There wasnt much discussion initially to the surgery plan as it was all dependent on what was found. Which only lead to endless nights on the internet searching for possible outcomes, being the eternal pessimist these were always worst case scenario.
Unfortunately there were 2 tracts and BOTH were high so I came round thinking I had had them layed open. Sadly not, I had had 2 drainage setons put in the tracts (silk thread passing through the tract into and then out of the anus and then tied in a loop). The next day I launched a new business into which I had invested my life savings.
Looking back THIS was the worst time throughout the process. I had 1 weeks worth of painkillers, very little after care from the hospital and had LOTS of questions which again lead me to the internet. I was then convinced I had chrone’s disease and was facing a lifetime of drainage or even cutting setons and multiple surgeries.
Cutting a long story short I had repeated trips to see the surgeon, where he was essentially assessing how I was coping. Living with the setons was very difficult, with them being on opposite sides of one another, when I stood up they rubbed together. Sometimes the knots would enter my anus and would be extremely uncomfortable. Sitting was impossible unless on a blow up ring. I had to have a shower everytime I opened my bowels which made maintaining a ‘normal’ lifestyle difficult let alone an ‘active’ one. I had had 2 painful bouts of infection where each opening became very angry and swollen and was spening 99% of my time lay down. I was pushing my surgeon for at least an ‘end goal’ date as the lack of finishline was really getting to me mentally. i was also stuggling running my 2 business and keeping my head in the game.
An MRI scan showed the tracts were making progress but one was still relatively high, so my surgeon was reluctant to go in for a few more weeks.
Finally 5 months after the setons were put in I was put under for him to have a look. There were 3 possible outcomes. 1. tracts still to high to lay open (involving too much sphincter) setons removed and replaced 2. 1 tract layed open 2nd tract having the seton replaced. 3. Both tracts laid open. To me this was the only ‘good’ possible outcome.
So I woke up from the op and my first question was ‘did he do both sides?’ to which they answered ‘yes’, doped up on morphine I practically threw a party – ‘but we are keeping you in overnight as it was a the wound is very deep’, I didnt care the setons were gone!
So when home I was having nurses come to my house daily to change and ‘pack’ the wound so it would heal from the inside out (they didnt want it closing up and risk having a pocket). The wound was VERY deep, I had a few nurses say ‘Oh my God, this is DEEP, I mean really DEEP’ which surprised me as I expected theyd have seen much worse in their time and these werent young nurses.
TRAMADOL is Awesome
I was keen to know how long it would take for me to be at least back on my feet, but they were reluctant to give me a timeframe as everyone heals differently. I wanted to be better by new year (aprox 1 year from the absess and 7 weeks from my op) but they were sceptical telling me to expect 8 weeks and at least 6 of dressings.
I am now just over 4 weeks since that op, the surgeon has advised not dressing the wound to get oxygen to it and the nurses have said it no longer needs packing as it has filed in nicely. Its not fully healed and I still wear a pad just to catch any leaks.
My biggest worry in all of this was becoming incontinent, I cant imagine how life would be with such an issue and my heart goes out to anyone suffering. It may be the fact Im Male, young (28) and weight train/have a good diet that I have healed so fast and my sphincter has been able to take being cut in two places. Its in the back of my head that this may come back….but my surgeon insisted that being a non smoker and there being no bowel issues that the odds are good and I was just unlucky in the first place.
Sorry for the wordy story, I just hope if anyone is reading this like I was initially they can take this from it.
Setons are NOT the end of the world and the longer you can get on with life with them in the better. Its seems having the tracts laid open is the best procedure for stopping them returning and so this is your end goal. Setons are what will get you there.
Today I drove my car, sat in a shopping centre with my girlfriend for something to eat, wandered around some shops and saw my nephews and niece. All thing I have struggled to do for at least the past 6-12 months. You will get there. I did.
Sam
(fingers crossed for you all)
Sam - December 15, 2013 at 2:17 pm |
Hello
i have had Crohns for 25 years, I’m now 54.
Four years ago I developed a fistula which my consultant advised to have surgically repaired.
After reading up on the surgery I decided not to go for that option.
Over the next two years I was forever taking anti biotics to clear up infections which kept reoccurring.
Then I started taking Garlic Capsules , 4/5 each day and I have not suffered any infections since!
Because of no more infections my fistula has completely healed.
I continue to take 2 garlic capsules a day and this option has completely worked.
I thought that by sharing my story this may help someone out there.
Alan
alan - December 16, 2013 at 9:37 am |
Hi Alan,
Thanks for sharing your story. I have started taking garlic capsules as well as doing a garlic enema after bowel movements, but still there is persistant drainage.
Can you please provide the timeline regarding how much time does it start to show some kind of effects.
/Chirag
chirag007mehta - December 27, 2013 at 9:30 am |
Garlic is not the permanent remedy for fistula. Body always try to heal any wound. In fistula it happens many times that it get healed partially. Most of the time external hole gets closed & the discharge stops. Many people ( even quacks/ fraud doctors) get convinced about the cure of fistula by their miraculous remedy. My friend don’t live in assumption. Its OK that fistula is symptom-less. Do’t assume it has cured permanently. Keep watching. If it started collecting infection then you have to treat it. Also you should conform fistula cure not by symptoms but by MRI or fistulogram. Best of luck…
Om Ayurvedic Clinic - January 29, 2014 at 4:50 pm |
Hi All! My Name is Jay, i had my op to for a fistula 3 months ago. in my post op visit to my Doctor i was told the op was a success, but i still suffer
a bit, although it is more discomfort rather than pain, i from time to time still feel a bit of ache in the lower back and still a degree of loss of bowel movement control and the inner area still remains sensative towards the cleansing process, would you Guys know of any ointment or cream that can be used ( rhe lack of bowel movement control is a real nuisanse
James - January 4, 2014 at 12:57 am |
I have a question about the fistulotomy, which I’m scheduled to have on Friday. I’ve heard people talking about nurses coming to “pack”, but when I brought this up to my CRS, he said that I wouldn’t have that? Is this typical? I have a superficial fistula, have had it a long time. Am very nervous about the surgery!
Joseph - January 7, 2014 at 7:02 am |
I was packed after 7 surgeries and it was an awful experience. I changed surgeons and they did not pack the wound and the healing was better probably because I didnt have to suffer daily packung. So dont b questioning his decision. Take care
sandcastle - January 17, 2014 at 8:53 am |
my question is that my friend unwent an operation of anal fistula on 30 dec 2013 and now he’s under the healing process, but sometimes blood comes out, and it is cut open without any stiches. He always scared and thinking how wil it heal. He is losing hope.
Can you please tel me how wil it heal and sometimes he’s not even having motion!
What diet chart should he follow?
Please help!
nikita tiwari - January 13, 2014 at 5:03 am |
The open wound heals surprisingly well. Pl tell your friend to be patient and keep the wound clean.
Krish - January 22, 2014 at 7:39 am |
hi fellow sufferers 🙂
i was operated for HIGH FISUTLA IN ANO on 25-4-13.
Laid open from lower back to anus ever since my 22 stiches were cut open ( read my experience which i had posted earlier in July 2013)….but to my relief i have been almost cured so far after a long recovery of 9 months to be precise.
Thanks to my Surgeon (Dr. Chandarana – Kandivali West, Mumbai) He has been a angel…..always kept my spirits high when i was low mentally.
All i suggest to everyone is….Fistula is something that doesnt happen to every 3rd person…its just our bad luck. Keep a very high self hygiene….The only cure to my open wound is taking Sitz Bath for 15-20 mins. morning & evening (Or on Passing of stool). HydroHeal Am Gel for initial 4 mnths & later Oxoferene drops for dressing my wound helped me a lot. as i share my experience i have been not yet stopped my dressing as there still exists a small anal fissure which is being cured if not aggrevated further.
i hope my suggestions & experience with medications helps some of you all.
If you are in INDIA..Mumbai….consult Dr. Piyush Chandarana…..as you never know…..help & cure is in front & we search the world for answers to our agony.
Regards,
Miheer Desai
GET WELL SOON….TAKE AMPLE REST.
MIHEER DESAI - January 23, 2014 at 7:50 am
Hi I had fistula surgery back in sept 2013 which is 4 months ago I’ve been healed for 5 wks now but the last few days I’ve felt some slight pain snd uncomfort on the side where it was. Has anyone had this happen to them , I’m terrified of getting it back .
karensmith10 - January 13, 2014 at 10:03 am |
I’m in so much pain, I can barely type. Every time I poop it gets clogged and then bursts, then seeps pus, then clear/ blood. I can’t take this pain. Right now it’s clogged and will bust soon (poop)
I’ve had no surgeries … I want my life back!
PainInTheAsk - January 18, 2014 at 11:57 am |
I went on a full liquid diet for about 2-3 weeks until I can manage pain.
Manuka Honey, Garlic Capsules, Neem powder, Yoghurt, Oregano Capsule, turmeric and Slippery Elm Tea capsule are must for daily intake.
Take Milk and clarified butter at night before sleep.
After each bowel movement if possible do garlic enema, salt enema at your convenience. This will remove the clogged particles in the rectum and you will feel good.
Hopefully all will get healed of this monsterous devil disease…
Good luck, have faith…
chirag007mehta - January 19, 2014 at 12:50 am |
I have an anal fistula which I’m getting removed Thursday. I developed another large lump in the crease of my leg and groin. It popped and leaked tons of clear fluid with a little blood, with a tiny amount of pus. Now it keeps filling up painfully with fluid and leaking. Is this just a nasty ingrown hair/pimple, or is a cyst/something I should contact my doctor about? Could it be connected to my fistula?
Jenni - January 21, 2014 at 6:20 pm |
I had an operation for a fistula on 28 December 2013. I saw the dr on 3 Januarie 2014. All was fine. But then on 16 January it started draining again. More than after surgery. He gave me antibiotics again. I feel a hard place again. Is the fistula growing again. I started my period as well, so I do not want to go too the dr right now. I have been on atibiotics since 19 Desember 2013. I feel like a pill!!! Can they only make a small cut? Can’t they remove it completely? I don’t want to go for this surgery every year, which I understand is possible.
Nanda - January 21, 2014 at 9:44 pm |
As far as I know, a hard lump is an indication of possible pus collection again. Yours look like a complex fistula and MRI should be done. I got MRI only after my 3rd operation which revealed a complex horseshoe fistula. Thanks to Perfact operation….i m fine.
Krish - January 22, 2014 at 7:37 am |
sir i am ajay ahuja from kota rajasthan in india i was laser opration fishtula 23 dec 2013 today 25 jan 2014 how many time pain after 4 week i went daily bathroom in the morning after bathroon sloly pain 3 hour and after 5 hour no pain . i want to now that how many time sloly pain and no pain in walking . but sleeping and sitting on chaire.
ajay - January 25, 2014 at 7:40 pm |
Pl sit in warm water for 5 minutes 3-4 times a day especially after passing motions. Has the wound not healed in 4 weeks after laser operation?
krishgupta1945@gmail.com
Krish - January 30, 2014 at 2:24 pm
Hi
I just had a Seton surgery,for my fistula. Dies anyone know how long it,takes to heal fully and when bowel movements will,stop hurting? I’m,pretty much a week in and it,still hurts pretty bad…just looking,for,some peace of,mind that it will get better
thanks
noel - January 28, 2014 at 4:29 am |
Hi Noel, I started feeling better after 2 weeks, and then much better after about 4 weeks. It takes time, lots of rest and be vigilant with hygiene so you don’t get an infection. It takes a while for the general anaesthetic to wear off, let alone the swelling etc to come down. You should have been given some sort of stool softening medication to help ease the pain of bowel movements. Hang in there, you’ll feel better, take it easy 🙂
fistulasupportonline - January 28, 2014 at 7:26 am |
thanks appreciate the response…ya definately having a lot of sitz baths at the moment…just more annoying than anything right now
Noel - January 28, 2014 at 7:41 am
Hi Noel
I had a seton placed in sept 2013. Due to the operation and pain relief meds I didn’t have a BM for one week, however when the time came I didn’t have much pain, an occasional stabbing pain in my buttock going down my thigh, it was more burning/itching afterwards that irritated me most! After a couple of weeks this stopped. I still have the seton in, but I can’t stress enough about hygiene and good diet! I know when I have had fatty foods or alcohol the burning comes back. Invest in lots of flushable toilet wipes and square gauze to catch any drainage. At first my seton controlled my daily life, now 4 months in I control the seton and do everything I did before apart from swimming, chin up, Kel
0buttcheek0 - January 28, 2014 at 2:01 pm |
Did it bleed ever?, like were the gauze ever covered in blood?
sheldon soares - January 28, 2014 at 7:13 pm
Also how long till you were able to sit down for a period of time. I can’t sit in a chair without it incredibly hurting, been a week since the procedure
noel - January 29, 2014 at 1:48 pm
I never even attempted to sit on my bottom for at least 2 weeks, lie down or stand up for a while, rest as much as possible. I definitely wouldn’t be sitting, it will be putting pressure on the tissue and wound. If you have to sit, I would suggest getting a donut pillow and have a walk around every 10 minutes.
fistulasupportonline - January 29, 2014 at 1:55 pm
Hi guys
I had fistula laid out last year however after three months it relapsed,now another fistula developed on the other side of my anus, I was admitted in hospital coz it was swollen and painfully, I had a surgery to drain and two seton placed in,I am having nightmares opening my bowels, also the seton irritate the muscle and causes pain me bottom is all sore…(pain in the ass) I spoke to surgeon and he told me he will send me for MRI to see if the two fistula are connected or how deep they are involved in the sphincter muscle, inshallah I am hoping with the Grace of GOD not to have another surgery,,,,,,,I would like to ask can fistula be signs of IBS diseases?
Gerow - January 30, 2014 at 10:50 am |
I have been getting perianal abcess for the last two years a total of 13 and 22 operations and am sick of them. I just want to know if this is common! Mine are quite deep so require surgery each time. They have tryed drains, setons and are about to stitch a flap over internal opening in my bowel? I am only 23 and am hating all of this! Any advice I would love!! Thanks.
Emma - February 5, 2014 at 2:25 am |
Hi !
try garlic capsules , turmeric daily in meal.
Take Slippery Elm Tea and clarified butter after each meal.
Daily enema after bowel movements until the water is clean is quite a boon…
It will remove all debris and hence lesser the infection.
This needs to be done for at least 2 months to see significant improvements.
Have faith..
Chirag
chirag007mehta - February 5, 2014 at 11:29 am |
Ok thanks so so much! mine are very deep ones though will this still help? trying the power of positive thinking for this flap operation to fix it all!!
Emma - February 6, 2014 at 6:18 pm
Hi
Had an anal abscess cut open 6 weeks back which has practically healed. My problem is – every time the anal abscess heals there is considerable bleeding – noticeable fresh blood when I pass stools.
Is this a sign if a fistula? My GP has still said it’s not a fistula ? Can anyone guide me..
Norman - February 5, 2014 at 10:38 pm |
I’m not a doctor, but usually if there’s fresh blood when you pass stools, it means there is a slight tear on your rectum… so maybe you have a fissure? Or it may just be a little scratch that reopens because of the pressure of having a bowel movement? Surely your GP can check to see if you have a little tear. It doesn’t mean you have a fistula, but I would go back for another check.
fistulasupportonline - February 6, 2014 at 8:14 am |
Hi all,
I don’t see my earlier post so here is the solution to your problem once again.
One table spoon of Ghee (try any Indian store around or try youtube to learn how to make it) and a glass of milk twice a day.Once in the morning on empty stomach and once before going to bed.Its a 2 week course.If it worked with my acute problem I don’t see why not with yours.Pl believe me and you will stand to lose nothing.I know many who got rid of their fistula/abscess.For ease of consumption add a spoonful of honey.I also added a table spoonful of husk seeds (at night) to soften the stool.
And now GOODBYE to this exquisite inconvenience after 9 days of use.For any more details pl write mail.
amnoguru - February 6, 2014 at 5:42 am |
Hi Amnoguru,
I am trying this since almost a year now. Ghee helps to pass the stool easily but everytime after the bowel movement, there is infection which creates pus for 2-3 hours.
Hence I am doing an enema to get rid of extra debris in anal channel. This enema seems to have reduced infection but I am not sure for how long should I do this.
Pl advise
chirag007mehta - February 6, 2014 at 8:52 am |
I wouldn’t do an enema. I would get a sitz bath though. Use that instead. Add a small bit of bleach, or eucalyptus oil to the hot water in the sitz bath (careful, eucalyptus oil on your testicles is not pleasant). Sit for 20 minutes. Do this twice daily. Stop eating foods that cause diharrea. Stop eating greasy foods. Don’t drink coffee so much. Drink a lot of water. Eat more fibre. You can and will get through this.
J - February 13, 2014 at 6:26 am
I’ve been dealing with a fistula for about a year now, it all started with a abscess….in which we drained then. The fistula.appeared, I underwent a fistulectomy and the initial pain is gone, however I’m still left with the.gas and discharge. I was wondering how.long I.should expect this, and is this natural.
Chase - February 6, 2014 at 5:39 pm |
It’s natural. I’m going through it as well. Your body is telling you something. From what I gathered about my own experience (and having the surgery done twice), your body has been telling you something, since before you had the surgery, and before you experienced the fistula in the first place.
Before I noticed the fistula the first time, I was smoking heavily, drinking a lot, eating a lot, just downright not taking care of myself. Since having the surgery the second time, I have gone from eating greasy, meaty foods without a proper balance inclusive of fruits and vegetables, to a diet almost void of meat altogether, and a lot more fruits and vegetables. I also exercise more.
Change your diet to start with. What kinds of foods are you eating that cause the gas? Keep a record of when and what you eat, and how much of it you put into your body, then keep record of your flatulence (I hope that was stated appropriately). Your body will need time to adjust.
I am not a doctor, just someone who understands wholeheartedly where you are coming from.
J - February 13, 2014 at 6:23 am |
chirag,I really can’t answer your query as I am not qualified to do so.All I know is that my own suffering started about a month ago and a good person advised me to try out milk/ghee concoction.After 7 or 8 days the pus and blood discharge stopped and the abscess shrunk.A day or 2 later even the painful discomfort disappeared( I just hope I am not saying it too soon.)As I said before I added husk seeds(isabgol) in my milk to soften the stool motion.
On a little investigation I found out that ghee contains some healing bacteria,enzymes that help the recovery.However,reading about all the surgeries on this blog and the torture that follows,a simple trial with milk and ghee is worth it.In fact I just learned that 100’s of sufferers got rid of this dreaded problem with this magnificent mixture.(by the way I used home made ghee).
best wishes for a quick recovery.
amnoguru - February 6, 2014 at 7:10 pm |
I wld like 2 start a support group 4 people who r in south africa gauteng province, I leave with his pain daily so I need people who share the same pain n let’s support each other n share remedies that helps to deal with the pain. I had two operations done but it has not helped
thabo - February 11, 2014 at 6:58 am |
DECEMBER 2013 I m suffering from abcess then done operation on 6 december 2013 by surgeon doctor , after 10 day submission from hospital.they discharge me and told for dressing and I gonna for dressing about 4 week almost wound heald then suddenly disharcing pus from wound. then , after2 months I visit to same doctor then he told me its make FISTULA. now he told me for again surgery.
I am in tense . help me out what I do. its in perianal region.
DEEPAK KUMAR - February 13, 2014 at 6:42 pm |
I have had 3 operations in last 7 weeks. The last one they saw its a horseshoe absess. This was 2 weeks ago. It still drains and dr told me last week that I must massage it when Im taking my salt baths. How long will it drain. When I poo it is very sore. So I would like to know when will it back to normal. I do drink stuff to keep my bowls soft. Even when I pass gas it feels like the wounds tear open again. Dr said first dr that operated made mistake in cutting the draining holes, so 2nd dr opened those holes bigger and deeper than normal otherwise he had to make a 5cm cut and then I would have had a open wound for 3 months. I drink pain pills every 5/6 hours
Nanda - February 13, 2014 at 9:08 pm |
When I had my first operation, the doctor DELIBERATELY left the procedure incomplete so I would come back to have it again. He told me that I would not have to come back but sure enough, four months later, I was back in his office and he was like “oh, my, well, it has come back, you need another procedure.” I know how you feel about this, it’s frustrating. What I recommend is that you drink only fruit smoothies for the next two weeks, and take protein supplements. IF your doctor is telling to you massage the wound? I don’t know about that. I’m not a doctor. I wouldn’t do it. I would however, use a sitz bath. Best invention ever (for this condition). Use it twice daily.
J - February 15, 2014 at 4:50 pm |
My fistulectomy done on14.9.2013 in Apollo hospital,chennai.still i have suffering from pus discharge and pain.what should i do?
Sanat Paul - February 18, 2014 at 6:21 am |
I tried to wait for mine to dry up. It did. But another one came back. My first fistulotomy surgery was in 2011, another in 2012. I didn’t have one in 13 because I waved to see if it would dry up. Today I had my second surgery along with a colonoscopy finally. They put in a seton and said that they’re sending me to a butt specialist. But I hope that the seton works so I won’t have to do that.
Craig Bryant - February 20, 2014 at 3:59 pm |
sir,
I have been suffering from fistula -in-ano for the last 5 years. Initially when it appeared it was really painful.Intially i was given some antibiotics but it did not heal.Later i took the shelter of homeopathy.Somehow, i am not so sure it relieved me off burning pain and pus formation to an extent. Daily it does not so nagging but at times it is painful and irritating. I am a very active person as i am in armed forces. Please let me know a painless and short recovery treatment may be a surgery .I will be very thankful to you for this kind help.
arvind kumar - February 21, 2014 at 4:40 am |
Hi Arvind,
I would recommend to go for AFP Anal Fistula Plug if you want to go for surgery or place a seton till the fistula are healed from inside out.
AFP or seton will help in passage of pus/drainage infection smoothly with minimal pain.
The actual healing is still quite tricky. Use garlic enema/ sanitised water enema after each bowel movement to make anal channel clean and then apply some antiseptic ointment gel not cream or antibiotic cream. This will provide some buy in time for your body to get rid off the fistula.
Take ghee+turmeric+milk before sleep one glass and one in the morning before any breakfast.
Be hopeful..!!
Regards
Chirag
chirag007mehta - February 21, 2014 at 10:55 am |
I need help , I am 17 and I developed a rectal abscess I had it drained 4 days
ago and it felt good on the first day , ( drainage was the worst pain I’d had in my life ) I had the drainage , after the next few days the pain got worse and worse and I felt a burning and aching feeling every couple minutes . I fel some kind of a sore lump close to mu anus which hurts . Is it normal for me to feel pain after a few days of the drainage . Is it normal to have painful bowel movements becaud of the drainage . Should I go to th hospital? I’m so stressed right now and in pain . I take sitz baths every day three times a day . I don’t no what to do , I’m scared If they are going to drain it again if I go to the hospital it was so. Painful. Please help
sam shams - February 21, 2014 at 10:00 am |
You probably have a fistula. And you should go to your primary doctor so he or she can refer you to a specialist. I had to have surgery on mine. Yesterday was my 3rd surgery. Good luck
Craig Bryant - February 21, 2014 at 2:12 pm |
It’s totally understandable that you are scared, but you need to go and see a doctor. If you have a fistula, or there is an abscess in there that needs to be drained, you need to see a professional. It’s much better for your health to go and deal with it, rather than to leave it. You’ll be ok, and you’ll feel so much better after you’ve spoken to a doctor/specialist and know exactly what is going on.
fistulasupportonline - February 21, 2014 at 2:57 pm |
I agree
Craig Bryant - February 21, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Hey i just ca me back from er, and the doc checked m’y swollen abscess and Saïd it needs more time to heal so he gave me pain medication and stool softener . I was just wondering instead of using gauze can I use cotton medic balls . Also is it normal for me tobe in this discomfort after my drainage. Finnally is it Normal for ny wound to get a bit swollen cause the doc said it’s still healing
sam shams - February 21, 2014 at 5:46 pm
No you can’t use cotton balls. The whole point of using gauze is so it doesn’t stick as much. If your abscess is still draining, and you use cotton balls, all the little fluffy stuff will stick and it’s very difficult to get it out of your skin once it starts healing. The professionals give you gauze etc for a reason – so it’s best to just do what they say. What did they do initially? Did they lance it? In which case, yes you will have swelling and pain. The pain medication will make you constipated, which is why they have given you stool softener to combat the constipation. Next time you go to the doctor, please make sure you ask him/her all of these questions, write them down if you have to. I’m not a doctor, I’m just speaking from my own experience, but you should ask them these questions to get accurate answers. Make sure you eat very healthy, rest a lot, drinks loads of water, get your body very healthy and pure, and make sure you clean clean clean, especially after every bowel movement, and you may be ok. Good luck, and keep us updated!
fistulasupportonline - February 21, 2014 at 5:56 pm
Listen you need to try not to panic, clean yourself up, get in the bath, and go and see the doctor again. If you live with your parents, that’s great, they can help to look after you.
fistulasupportonline - February 22, 2014 at 6:09 am
Update I just came back from the emergency after my rectal abscess bursted open with blood and pus waking me up .The doctor cleaned it up and said it needed more draining . So he stool in some gauze and sent me home . Me being in so much shock I forgot to ask him some questions that u guys might have the answer too. First do I take out the gauze that he packed deep into the wound when I try to take a sitz bath, and do I take the gauze out when I poo? Was it normal fir my already drained abscess to Swole up and burst open like that . I feel better but rather in shock thank you .
sam shams - February 22, 2014 at 7:39 am
Sam, my plug came out the first day because I crapped on myself. (Embarrassing but happened) and I had to clean myself up. The plug came out as I removed my plug. I have had 3 surgeries and it freaks me out every time. And yes its normal for them to burst. He may end up doing the seton placement on you. It keeps the wound open so that it can drain. Good luck
Craig Bryant - February 24, 2014 at 5:00 am
Hi, had seton drain placed in Feb 13 following perianal abscess thru sphincter muscle. Thought, naively, it would b in n out in few weeks n all cleared up!!! Wrong!!! 12 months later had a plug fitted to replace drain. Surgeon v negative about procedure n within 48hrs plug has come out??? How? Why??? Very upset n disappointed. Has the last 13 months been for nothing?!?
AJx - March 23, 2014 at 8:54 am
Hi AJx, sorry to hear your plug has come out, that’s terrible. I guess it means the operation has not been successful, and your surgeon will probably put a seton in again for a while until you’re ready for a different procedure. I’m not surprised you’re upset, it’s a horrible thing to go through. Unfortunately fistulas seem to take a long time to ‘fix’, and sometimes the surgeon will try a few different methods before something works. Why was the surgeon negative about the procedure, do you know? Did he basically tell you that he thought it would fail before the plug fell out? Perhaps you need to go and get a second opinion? I went to three different surgeons before I made any decisions. It’s totally not naive to think that it would have been over in a few weeks, everyone seems to think that, because that’s what the surgeons say for some stupid reason. They all seem to say you’ll have a seton for 6 weeks, and it really does give a totally false perception of what’s to come! The last 13 months definitely weren’t for nothing, I had setons in for 2 years before I was able to have a different type of surgery, because the tissue has to be ‘ready’ and healthy, and sometimes that takes a long time because there’s been infection and inflammation in there. You’ll get there, keep your chin up, and ask lots of questions to your surgeon! Go in there with a list! 🙂
fistulasupportonline - March 23, 2014 at 12:53 pm
so glad I found this site..I feel so alone. In Oct had a large abcess that was drained, then surgery 8 wks later for a high complex fistula. I have a cutting seton in place that I need to rock several times a day to keep it draining and to cut through the muscles. I have been in constant pain..can not sit etc…..I have been on antibiotics non stop as the dr feels I have ongoing infections. Skin tags around the seton suture are always inflamed. I take Epson salt baths several times a day….I don’t know what else to do? Has anyone else experience this type of setoN
tracy - February 23, 2014 at 5:56 pm |
Hi I took baths every 2 hours in coarse salt. My parents bought me a round pillow with a hole in the middle. I also used a bean bag that you heat in microwave and placed it under round pillow. I also massaged the area while in the bath. Hope this will help you. I heard that a infrared light can also help
Sent from Samsung Mobile
nandasandenbergh - February 23, 2014 at 8:49 pm |
I am from South Africa I used a cream Viodor. Its a S1 so you should be able to buy over counter. Antiseptic cream. Read about this on internet
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nandasandenbergh - February 23, 2014 at 8:52 pm |
TRACY I’m new to the Seton placement. It’s way less painful than the track removal that I’ve had twice already. The rocking the seton is new to me and it makes sense. I have been told that the antibiotics dont help with fistula because it’s too deep.
Craig Bryant - February 24, 2014 at 4:46 am |
hi i am nishant
i had anal fistula from last 6-7 years , initially it used to ooze pus and blood but being scared from operation i never got it done. after 3-4 month it healed completey and never pained . now again it has started giving one drop pus and one drop blood once in 15-20 days
what should i do?
should i go in for surgery and heal this thinf for ever
can this happen… i avoided surgery reading all above experience but now i want to get rid of this fistula thing..
NISHANT - February 26, 2014 at 12:04 am |
what drug can be use to stopped pains from fistula
abiodun saheed - March 1, 2014 at 5:22 pm |
i m a female patient from india , 24 year old with urovaginalcloacal fistula and extremly short colon… surgery done for creating separate anus. i have small anus with fecal incontinence. n urine incontinence because of urinovaginal fistula. i lead difficult life which is gettin worse everyday. i develop blister and rashes. around anus and over all area.. i have metabolism problem bloating gas, acidity, loose motion. i. can never clear bowels properly. n urine continously flow out.. that do in speed. m helpless.
dips - March 4, 2014 at 11:55 pm |
Hi .. I am in pain .. severely
I had 2 fistulas operation 3 days ago , and i do warm bath from 6 to 9 times a day in warm water with some salt .. and i do the pooping in the warm water .. i repeat it several times until i make sure that the area is clean. then i apply the cream he gave me called .. after i am done with the pooping .. it hurts so bad .. i am a male 37 years old and i cried today in the morning . doctor gave me pain killer and i called him asked him to give me higher dose but he said its not good for the kidneys .. The poop comes out like a little tube .. and i cant take it all out in one shot it has to be done on several baths .. is this normal ? ? and what can i do to reduce the pain ? Pls help me .. as i am tying now i have this ugly pain
Raed - March 7, 2014 at 6:36 am |
Hey Raed,
I don’t know exactly what surgery you’ve had and what’s going on with you but I know how you feel, I’ve lived with the pain and shed many tears. Have you had ops to eliminate the fistulas or do you have setons???? If we know more then us fellow suffers can give you tips to make it slightly easier! Everything I know and how I now cope I learned on here. Chin up
Kel
0buttcheek0 - March 8, 2014 at 4:34 am |
Hi kal
I don’t know what seton is .. But I had two fistulas and they were removed .. I feel there are stitches down there and it’s swollen .. Today the pain is less but when I poop it hurts badly specially if the poop is not soft enough and I am doing my best to make it soft through food and meds . I keep doing the warm bath as frequent as possible i feel it Helps
raedali2018 - March 8, 2014 at 10:10 am
You use salt? My doctor advises me to not use any salt at all
Wolfy - March 8, 2014 at 5:45 am |
Hi wolfy
Yes that’s what the doctor instructed me to do to add a table spoon of food salt to the warm water then set in it
raedali2018 - March 8, 2014 at 10:12 am
I think he probably meant Epsom Salt…? I’ve never heard of anyone doing it with food/table salt?
fistulasupportonline - March 8, 2014 at 10:52 am
No of course no table salt lol but I was just surprised cause my doctor advised against that
Wolfy - March 9, 2014 at 3:41 am
sitz bath is best, press your butt while taking sitz bath
ayumed - March 8, 2014 at 8:53 pm |
Hey hii,, i also have fistula and from last 03 months m taking medicine of electro homeopathy… it reduses the fistula and amazing thing is that there is no pain …. so i advise you to to ask doctor about electro homeopathy
Mohit - March 11, 2014 at 6:57 pm |
Hi everyone! Back in August I got a terrible pain between my anus and vagina, kind of on my right buttcheek. I would press on it and it hurt terribly. Couldn’t sit down on the toilet because the pressure was immense. I went to see my OBgyn and he took a look, poked around, did an anal exam and felt nothing. One day I was giving my daughter a bath and felt liquid fill my underwear. It was a yellow, thin, odorless liquid. Immediately, all the pain and pressure went away. The liquid had come out of my anus. After that the pain would come and go, being released periodically through my anus. A couple of months later I was sent for an MRI, and on this day it didn’t hurt. The MRI said I may have a Bartholins cyst. I went to see a surgeon who felt the lump. He also said Bartholin cyst and sent me on my way. A week later (January 23rd, 2014) I was in my Ob’s office begging for surgery. The lump had grown to the size of a grapefruit and I was in agony and running a 104 fever. They sent me to surgery right away. My OB said when he pressed on it, all of the liquid came out of my anus so he called in a general surgeon. When I woke from surgery, I was told I had an abcess and fistula. The surgeon went into the abcess and scraped it out, and left a drain tube in place for 12 days. Over those 12 days I was in pain and draining a lot of puss. He pulled the tube out and said to let it heal, do sitz baths, etc. Well I am now nearly 2 months post op and am having some issues. The wound was doing great for a while. It healed well and now there is a teeny opening left that drains. Size of a pin head. Sometimes I will feel a little pressure build up on the surface of it, and if I sit on the toilet it will start bleeding bright red blood. Not a ton, but enough! Other times when I wipe there is a small dot of blood. I am having some yellow drainage from my anus every once in a while. Can anyone tell me what it sounds like is going on? I saw the doctor last week and he said red blood is good? I figured at this point I would be healed! What concerns me more than the blood is the yellow drainage from my anus. The yellow drainage does not come out of the wound however. Please help!
Stephanie C. - March 11, 2014 at 3:56 pm |
Hi Stephanie,
I’ve had a perianal abscess incised to release the pressure. It took 4 months for the wound to heal after that operation however I was left with what your describing a pin hole near my anus.
Every 2nd or 3rd day the area around the wound would tighten becoming very painful and then leak poop, pus, blood to which pain would ease off and the cycle started again, hence my fistula! So in September 2013 I had my seton drain/suture put in to keep the fistula open and drain all the gunk out. I’ve had this in for 6 months so far…12 days sounds a very short time. My fistula runs from the pin hole near my anus, high up through both sphincter muscles and to the wall of my rectum, so I also have leakage from my anus as well as the pin hole. I’m not a doctor but the symptoms suggest the fistula possibly still there…….get back to the doctor. Don’t shower before you go let them see the dirty gauze you have in place between your buttcheeks, I was frantic about showering before hosp appts and hosp said I was healing fine, but when I explained that things were leaking and messy the nurse told me not to shower and come back next morning…….whole different scenario, I know it’s disgusting but they need to know what’s going on.
Hope this is helpful to you
Kel
0buttcheek0 - March 12, 2014 at 2:16 pm |
Hi All,
After having scanning my doctor told that need to go for fistula surgery.
I have already has one in 6 months back. Now my question is , did you know how long we can post pone the surgery? what will be consequence for delay of surgery? as of now I don’t have any pain or discharge , Did any discussed about delay replications ?
sekhar - March 11, 2014 at 4:04 pm |
I dot know about anyone else but hen I delaye mine( doctor said I could) I had no external opening and after a few days my skin litetly tore open and a hole about the size of a nickle was there gushing blood and yellow, and not only the external consequence but internally my fistula became all sorts of twisted around my colon internally from waiting because before going to doctor I was embarised and thought was just cysts in my ass and waited far too long to go
Wolfy - March 11, 2014 at 8:30 pm |
I think you can wait till there is no pain or pus discharge. But once the pus starts coming….you should not wait.
krishgupta1945 - March 26, 2014 at 3:06 am |
hi..my anal fistula surgery had done on 31st july 2012…i think its almost 2 year dis coming july after surgery.bt still i hv same problem..the area become swells up n pus discharge n sometime blood comes..i wnt to know is fistula again occur..is it a dangerous disease??is it may causes cancer..i m vry much afraid….can i get rid from it
tarannum.. - March 20, 2014 at 1:16 am |
Hi, I have had these problems for about two years now and have had about 20 operations trying setons, cutting a tiny bit of muscle, packing, drains everything! I currently have a seton in and am trying the skin flap treatment next? Is this very successful and how painful is this? Also embarrassing but when I need to have a bowel movement I can’t hold for very long at all! Will this get better or are there drugs I can take? Anything!!! Thanks and please advice!!!! 🙂
Emma - March 23, 2014 at 9:38 am |
Hi Emma, you’ve had 20 operations in 2 years?? That’s a lot! Have you been seeing the same surgeon for each one? Normally they leave a longer amount of time in between each operation. I had the advancement flap surgery, and mine was successful. I was told that it has about a 50% success rate. I took 6 weeks off work afterwards, and I definitely needed that long. It was painful for the first couple of weeks. Once you’ve had the operation, you generally get a bit constipated from the general anaesthetic and all the morphine and pain medication, they will give you pain meds. I had morphine in hospital, then sevredol (morphine in tablet form), tramadol and paracetamol. And on top of that, you’ll be advised to take stool softeners to help you have bowel movements. In order for the advancement flap to work properly, the tissue around the fistula needs to be ‘ready’, so no infection, and healthy tissue. If the tissue is not ready, then the operation has a higher chance of failing. And apparently, you can only really do an advancement flap twice, so you really want it to work the first time. This means getting yourself as healthy as possible leading up to the operation, get yourself into peak physical health, take 6 weeks off to heal, and while you are healing, do nothing. I lay very still for 6 weeks, drank loads of water and only ate very healthy food. That’s the best advice I can give you! 🙂 Also, if you’ve had 20 operations in 2 years, it might be a good idea to go and get a second opinion from another surgeon, because that sounds very excessive to me?? Good luck, and let us know how you get on!
fistulasupportonline - March 23, 2014 at 12:47 pm |
Hi thank you so so much for all this advice it is very very helpful! How long after until I can fly? I live in Australia and my parents are coming over but would love to go home for some of the recovery with them so they don’t have to stay too long! Yes 20 was a lot I have been to a few surgeons but feel like I with a goodie now they took along time to find the internal hole and no matter how healthy, how many baths and how much resting I did the abcess came back in shorter periods of time! They said the cavity that I have is very large and deep so am hoping the seton has allowed the cavity to fully shrink around the seton! Will find out next week when I have an ultra sound done! Any advice on not being able to hold a bowel movement for very long? As this is worrying me! Thanks!
Emma - March 23, 2014 at 12:54 pm
Do you have Irritable Bowel syndrome? Or crohns? Could be why you’re having lots of bowel movements? I have Irritable Bowel Syndrome, and I take a prescription drug called Loperamide which really helps me… maybe talk to your doctor about it. Depends on how long the flight is… I’m assuming you mean to New Zealand? Personally, I wouldn’t have flown for a couple of months after the surgery, because I didn’t sit on my bum at all in those 6 weeks that I was resting. It was so sore to sit down, and I wanted to give my advancement flap the best possible chance of working, so I didn’t sit down. If you went on a flight, you’d have to be standing most of the time in the aisles I’d say, as your bum would get really sore. Also, I had a malecot drain in for 4 weeks, so it was quite a thick drainage tube coming out of the external hole, and it was quite hard, so there is absolutely no way I could have sat down on my bum. Good luck with your ultra sound….. you would want that ‘cavity’ to be completely shrunk before you have an advancement flap, I’m sure they’ll tell you that, I had to wait 2 years for mine to shrink, until the tissue was ready. I didn’t mind waiting though because I just wanted it to work the first time! 🙂 Glad you’ve got a good surgeon now! I heard that in Australia, the surgeons will often give advancement flap patients colostomy bags for a few weeks, so that their is no waste going past the surgical site, giving it a better success rate. Something to ask about maybe?
fistulasupportonline - March 23, 2014 at 1:05 pm
Hi emma, I thought I was bad with 9 surgeries, poor you. Its great uve found a surgeon u r happy with it really helps. I have two setons in longterm and it is helping the tissue heal as every month is easier. Sometimes I still need antibiotics but rarely, whereas I was permenantly on them for about 9 mths previously. If you are planning on sitting long periods consider getting a roho cushion. They r expensive but I couldn’t sit long without them. I have a low profile one for work and bought a ltv for travel which was great for a recent flight.
Re your movements, I have the same issue as alot of the sphincter muscle was damaged during the surgeries which is probably what happened to u also.
Have u also been assessed re perianal crohns I was tested for crohns and came back negative, however they did specific tests and clarified I had perianal crohns. Also try to eat some binding foods to stop it being runny as lessens the urgency. I try to be regular also with meals amd foods as helps to regulate everything.
It is an awful disease and it can get you down at times but you do learn to live with it as long as you dont let it define you.
good luck
sandcastle - March 23, 2014 at 10:19 pm
Hi, thankyou so much for the kind words and all the advice! My seton has only been on about three months and with scans this week I was hoping the op would be approaching but by what people are saying sounds like I’m dreaming? Longer the seton in the better? I have been tested for chrones and was negative also I didn’t know there was such thing as perianal chrones so I should ask! Thanks so so much!!
Emma - March 24, 2014 at 9:20 am
I have an anal fistula since 2 years.now a days the pain is going unbearable.I am using humdurdbhamdtoid cream along with marshal mapping but there is no relief.what can I do now?
bhagbat - March 23, 2014 at 6:12 pm |
I asked the surgeon if I could swim and he said “I dont see why not”. I have trusted his actions and decisions to date I suppose im just anxious, but would love to take may daughter swimming.
has anyone else been swimming with setons or had advice.
thanks
sandcastle - March 23, 2014 at 10:28 pm |
I was told I could swim in the sea definitely, but not in a spa pool because of the bacteria. I think a pool would be ok, as long as it’s really clean!?
fistulasupportonline - March 24, 2014 at 6:22 am |
Thanks for that. Have u swam and how did u find it. I’m worried I won’t know how clean they r, u know what its like u get a bit obsessed about hygiene.
sandcastle - March 24, 2014 at 8:54 am
I don’t think I have ever been swimming with a seton (but that’s because I never had a seton for more than about 2 weeks), but I have been swimming in a pool often with a draining fistula. There are already so many bacteria inside the fistula, that I can’t imagine a swimming pool could ‘hurt’ the fistula any more than it already is. Just rinse it well afterwards, and if it doesn’t feel good to you, don’t try it again (it’s still your own body). I don’t think it can do much damage. I have Crohn’s disease and swimming once a week just feels really good for my stomach, probably because of certain movements you make during swimming).
Mascha - March 26, 2014 at 11:22 pm |
Hi there
I have a seton in, I was advised against it, reason being infection risk. However my seton leaks a lot so I wouldn’t go in. I know how you feel though I lost lots of weight swimming and walking prior to this, now I’ve put it all back on and more. 😦 if my seton didn’t leak so much I’d prob be tempted as people go in pools all the time with tiny cuts on hands elbows etc that’s what chlorine is for 🙂
Kel
0buttcheek0 - March 27, 2014 at 7:25 am |
Thanks for your supportive comments.
As I said, my surgeon was very negative about using the plug, he’d always suggested that it had a high failure rate and that it wasn’t his preferred choice of treatment. Problem was, I was seen by a Jnr whilst my consultant was away on military duties, this Dr gave me false hope, suggesting my drain was almost ready to be removed after just a few months, but at my next consultation, when my original consultant was back, he apologised for his “straight from university” understudy who should not have said this as the drain was far from ready to come out as it had not moved through the muscle enough. At that appt my consultant told me to come back a few months later, but that if I knew the drain hadn’t moved enough (and hadn’t loosened) to reschedule my appt for another 6 months. I was going to reschedule as suggested but just before the appt I started to get what appeared to be a second abscess so I went to the appt. Unfortunately my consultant wasn’t there (again) and I was seen by yet another Dr who was very blarzay about it, saying if I’d had a drain a year and I was still having problems then it needed to come out. He was quite abrupt and when I challenged that my original consultant had said the fistula went through my muscle and I don’t want to be left incontinent, he suggested that worst case I would pass wind without knowing and would have seepage….great…just what a 37yr old female wants!! So I was very reluctant to have the drain removed but was booked in for surgery in Feb. After working myself up (I’m needle phobic!), I attended for surgery, only to be examined, at my request, fortunately before being put under general anesthetic, by my original consultant who agreed the drain now needed to be removed, but sent me home as our local hospital doesn’t stock supplies (ie the plug). So 3 wks later I went back in for surgery, had the drain removed, apparently the fistula was scrapped, and the plug inserted and stitched in place. I was sent home that afternoon with very little information. My consultant peered through the cubical curtain at me and told me again of the failure rate and then said “prove me wrong”!!!! And as I said before, within 48hrs the plugs coming out! I called and spoke to the consultant and have been given an outpatients appt to see him this Friday. I really do wonder if he would have opted for the plug had his colleague not arranged the procedure. That’s a question I will defo be asking him. Watch this space!!!
AJx - March 24, 2014 at 10:01 am |
I have gotten the abscess removed , it’s been 8weeks but I still have constant puss everyday draining off due too a T stitch in witch I was told I have to hsve in for 6months but I’m scared cause sometimes I’m getting blood when I wipe and a heavy drain everyday
Tone - March 27, 2014 at 1:14 pm |
Hi! I need help!! I have a seton in at the moment has been in for about 3 months. I can feel an abcess coming mine are deep so can’t see them just know the feeling all too well! Have had about 15 abscesses before and 20 operations so know the exact feeling, is it even possible to get an abcess with a seton in??? Please help!!! Thanks!
Emma - March 31, 2014 at 9:22 pm |
Hi emma what signs are you noticing. Yes it could be as there could be a further fistula tract developing, that happened to me and I needed a 2nd seton. But it is unlikely if on the same tract that the seton is in, when healing it can blister at the seton entry and then settle again. I remember being worried about that but rung my surgeon and he had a look at it for me to put my mind at rest.
If you are unsure ring surgeons secretary and explain if you have a good relationship with surgeon he might see you.
Good luck x
sandcastle - April 1, 2014 at 8:27 pm |
Hi Emma, I had that feeling several times, and once it was a new fistula tract forming so I had to have a second seton. But every other time is was an infection, for which I had 10 days of antibiotics and it went away. As soon as you get that ‘feeling’, go and see your surgeon. Hopefully it’s just a minor infection in the existing fistula tract and you can just have some antibiotics to clear it up. Let us know how you get on!
fistulasupportonline - April 1, 2014 at 8:58 pm |
Hi Emma
Really moved by knowing that you have had abscess 20 times and been operated 15 times. ….now again perhaps developing an abscess. I really empathize with you. I would recommend that you press the surrounding area as hard as possible (may be after sitting in warm water for 5 minutes). This would facilitate exodus of collected pus…giving you relief.
I am not able to understand as why the surgeons at your place are not doing any definitive operation to treat your fistula. Seton at the best are used to mature the fistula…and prevent abscess formation. They (unless they are cutting types) are seldom the permanent cure in themselves.
Seeing and sharing your agony, I would sincerely advise you to consult Dr Pankaj Garg in India. He is not only an international expert in Anal fistulas but a wonderful person as well. Please go through his profile…..you would be realize that he is the person who can cure you….as he cured me.
http://fistulacure.com/About_us/Dr_Pankaj_Garg.htm
Thanks
Krish
krishgupta1945 - April 2, 2014 at 2:52 am |
Hi Krishna,
I went to surgeon today and he said he doesn’t think it will be an abcess maybe just a bit of infection so I have gone on antibiotics so will see what happens. Yes I know it’s tough each operation is trying to get tissue etc ready for the big op but it’s not working. The seton I have in at the moment they say hasn’t worked as I healed too fast so there is a second external hole and a cavity with puss behind that. So have been booked in for another operation in a month, therefore pushing back the big op again. I had one operation a year ago laying it open and cutting a small amount of muscle this worked for 6 months the longest out of anything but has made my muscles weaker I think. I will read that doctors profile thanks!! But I’m all the way in Australia! Thanks again everyone! Such lovely support!
Emma e - April 2, 2014 at 7:10 pm |
Well it’s been a while since I have been on the this site as thing had been going pretty good and life been going well, until this weekend. My last loose seaton placement was just about a year ago (may 3rd) and I have been gluten and dairy free since April last year. On and off I would have some drainage or discomfort but could normaly pin point it to cheating on what I ate or having a little so much sexual intercourse (yes ladies there is hope, I went about 18 months with not wanting my husband to touch me and the thought of sex caused pained and Now my husband and I have been trying to be pregnant for the past 7 months now and most of the time no issues) but this month my period was 4 days late which we got all excited for then my fistural started to act up and I would have bleeding each time I had a BM, then I got what I am assuming was my period but only lasted two days, felt ok for 3 days and now I have bright red blood again with every BM I have and I have been having some sharp cramping. I have not have any real pain to speak of, I use to have constant rectal pain and took oxycode and larasapaine daily. Planning on calling my crs in the morning, but so discouraged and frustrated at the moment. I was so hopefuly things were stable and I have not had to call her since she cleared me in Aug 2013 to start having trying to get pregnant. Guess life with a fistural is never stable
Any thoughts or insights?
Rachel - April 7, 2014 at 2:28 pm |
Rachael, I know its hard to not b disheartened after a period of stability. But try not to be so fed up about it. I see these things as bumps on the fistula road lol. Mine would bleed bright red blood sometimes when to much pressure on area and then settles again. Talk to ur surgeon though to put ur mind at ease.
sandcastle - April 7, 2014 at 7:38 pm |
Thanks, I know it’s just a bump in the road just frustrating and I know it will turn around again. Sometimes just good to hear some one else to say it. I keep thinking maybe I should attempt a second healing surgery but we really wanted the family so decided to hold off now I just get frustrated when I am not getting pregnant and having issues with the fistula. Its the worst of both worlds…..got to just suck it up, lift the chin up and be happy it’s not life ending. Would have felt better if my crs office actually call me back today but guess its good if they did not return my call.
Time to re look at my diet and make sure too much sugar has not been sneaking in and just eat very clean. (I feel so much better when I eat very clean and low sugar but some times I just want to eat a giant pasta dinner with meatball topped off with a ice cream brownie sundae, those days are gone though cause I think I would be in the fetal position for a week afterwards).
Rachel - April 8, 2014 at 12:09 pm
Hi
I have posted on here a couple of times however with no reply. Not sure if my posts aren’t sending through I find this forum hard to use.
I had a drainage seton inserted on Monday 7th April 2014 for a fistula. Since then I have been experiencing so much pain. I don’t know if this is normal. How do I know if I have an infection when I have never experienced this problem prior as this is my first ever seton.
I feel like I’ve been left in the dark. Surgeon didn’t even discuss anything with me after the surgery. He only told my mum I need to keep the seton in for two months. He had a surgery right after mine so couldn’t talk and I have to wait until the end of the month for my follow up appointment. I’m a female 20years old and I don’t know what will happen after the two months.
I can feel the seton digging into me. I have now formed a bad nappy rash I keep wearing long sanitary pads to soak up the drainage but I really can’t handle the pain from the rash. My skin looks really tender and somewhat bruised. It’s day 5 now. I take 2 sitz baths a day or after every BM and I just add a crap load of sea salt in it. Is that bad? How much should I be adding to a sitz bath – the plastic like bowl that fits in the toilet? I heard oil of oregano is good to use?
My main concern is the pain. It feels so irritating. What can I do to make the rash go away? I can’t walk for long let alone sit as I can feel the itchy painful feeling. I’m confused with the pain now. Whether it’s purely from the nappy rash so on each side of my inner butt cheeks or from the seton itself as it feels like an overall painful feeling. I was not prescribed with antibiotics either and I have a feeling I have an infection. Even though it’s been five days there is an ugly odour from my anus possibly the wound is this meant to happen?
I tried speaking to my surgeon by calling the office he wasn’t in. The secretary said unless I don’t have off looking pus/discharge a fever or severe pain then she can’t fit me in earlier and to just see my GP and if he feels I need to see my surgeon he can call.
I do have discharge which is off white / light green looking and still heaps of pain. I don’t want to go to my GP and trust a set of antibiotics which I reckon he will give me coz I feel that my surgeon will truly know as he operated on me.
I took panadol for the first few days. Refused to take my prescribed panadine forte as it causes constipation and I can’t afford constipation now. I had a mini heart attack during/after my first BM. I try my best to keep the area dry which is so hard. I use tissue to pat dry it a towel then I blow dry the area with the setting on “cool”. Then maybe 2 hours later I’ll take a look and it would look moist again. Is that coz of the draining?
How do I make the rash stop? Also after day 1 I took a look and noticed the red seton clamp and what looked like a black thread. When I looked today it seems to be prodding out more. Is this normal?
Should I stop wearing pads? What’s another alternative. Any creams I can apply or powders? I have sensitive skin and tend to get random rashes by the way.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
jham5993 - April 12, 2014 at 2:53 am |
Hi, I’m sorry you find this website difficult to use. Please note that I have to approve every comment before it is published. There are a lot of comments/posts that I delete as they are inappropriate or spam.
My advice to you is go and see your GP. Every time I had weird pain or wasn’t sure what was happening, I would go to my GP. If my GP thought I needed to see my surgeon, she would then call my surgeon and set up the time. That’s generally how it works. So go and see your GP as soon as possible and put your mind at rest.
For the rash, you can use a ‘barrier cream’ – ask your surgeon to prescribe some to you. The barrier cream will protect your skin so that you don’t get that harsh rubbing, which because of the constant discharge, causes a rash. I used to use barrier cream all the time for that.
Instead of pads, I used to use thick hospital dressing gauzes. The ones I used were called Propax Combine Dressing 20cm x 30cm. Again, ask your GP to arrange to get you some, you can get them from the nurses at the hospital, they just give them to you. I used to go every week to the nurses and pick up a bag full of them. This is in New Zealand, I’m not sure where you are. The reason I found these better than pads, is because they are softer, and you can actually push them up into your bum crack, so that your bum cheeks are not touching at all – which completely stops any rash and is a lot more comfortable.
Your GP will do a swab of the discharge and get it tested to see if you have an infection there or not. If you have an infection, there is nothing wrong with taking a course of antibiotics to clear it up. Your surgeon will do the same thing – prescribe antibiotics. That is the only way to get rid of the infection if you have one. I got infections every 4 months or so, and went on antibiotics every time to clear it up. Unfortunately, it’s just part of having a fistula.
Another reason why you may be feeling more pain than usual, could be because the seton has turned slightly, so that the ‘knot’ or the ‘join’ of it (where you see that black thread) is scratching your wound. It could have turned so that the join is inside your wound opening, which would cause a lot of scratching and pain. This used to happen to me ALL THE TIME. When it happened to me, I would go to my GP, or my nurse, and they would gently turn the seton back around so that the knot/join (where the black thread is) was back OUTSIDE my body. After it happened a few times, I learnt to just gently turn the seton around myself.
You can take your prescribed pain medication, just take a stool softener/laxative at the same time…. most people have to do that. Again, talk to your GP about what stool softener you can take.
My advice would be to write all this down, and ask your GP, go as soon as possible and get sorted. I was in my GPs office every 2 weeks asking questions! That’s what they are there for….. there is no point worrying yourself and trying to work out what is wrong by yourself.
Good luck, and let us know how you get on 🙂
fistulasupportonline - April 12, 2014 at 1:06 pm |
Hi I also use to get a rash from
My seton! I used a gauze pad and placed it in between my bum cheeks that way the seton doesn’t rub on anything and also the discharge drains better! Hope this helps! Emma
Emma - April 12, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Hi thanks for the reply.
I have to wait until Monday to see my GP as he doesn’t work on weekends. I’m from Sydney, NSW in Australia.
Is it possible to have an infection only 5 days after?
So must I wait until my end of the month appointment with my surgeon to prescribe me with this barrier cream. He is a professor so he teaches as well as performs surgeries so he is only in on Wednesdays. Can I call the office and ask the receptionist if he can prescribe me with anything now as I don’t think I can deal with the pain for that long.
The hospital nurses didn’t give me anything. Only a pad to put on before I left. I guess I have to check out a pharmacy and see if they have any gauzes I can’t handle these pads anymore I feel like that is partially causing the moisture down there. Do they move out of place? That’s my main concern.
How long did it take you to recover? I’ve been stuck at home I can’t function and my surgeon expected me to go back to uni the day after surgery!
From the last time I checked. The join or “tied” part is still out it just seems like the black part which is the thread seems to be more visible then usual and I feel that it’s causing more irritation.
I feel really scared to take my prescribed meds prior to this i had a haemorrhoidectomy (excuse the error) and I can’t bare the pain again of constipation. I’ll probably check which stool softener is reasonable to use. Since Monday I have had a BM every day except for yesterday twice. Should I be having more regular BM?
I’m a bit iffy about using Epsom salt. After my haemorrhoid surgery I was told to use rock salt as Epsom salt wasn’t as natural. Even if I use rock salt can I still add the oil of oregano?
Another thing. May the 23rd me and my friends have planned a trip to qld. So it’s a 1hr plane flight or so. Is it safe for me to go?
I’m sorry for all the questions
jham5993 - April 12, 2014 at 1:30 pm
Hi! That’s okay setons can be so uncomfortable! Yes if your in Australia go to chemist warehouse and they sell a pack of 100 gauzes for about $25 they are amazing and not fluffy either so nothing sticks!
Emma - April 12, 2014 at 1:49 pm
Thanks Emma. I really should do that. Hopefully today I can go to a pharmacy. Just so hard to walk long distances -.- do you take sitz baths? If so do you prefer Epsom salt or rock salt? I’m curious to know what has a better effect
jham5993 - April 12, 2014 at 1:58 pm
Hey! To be honest I use what ever salt is in the cupboard my seton has been in 6 months now and I havnt discovered one salt is better than another! Here’s the link for the gauze matts!
http://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/product.asp?id=64590&pname=Handy+Gauze+Swabs+10cm+x+10cm+Sterile+100+Pack
Hope that works!
Emma - April 12, 2014 at 2:12 pm
When I first join thus site when I was having a lot of pain, people pointed me towards the deit to decrease inflamtion, ended up being a life saver, this past week was my first bad week in 8 months and it ended up being hemrroids my surgon said it was just a complication of the seaton.
Go see your doctor though don’t be afraid of the antibiotics and get rest. Also double check the seaton placement mine use to get so pain full and I did not know until a week later I could move the seaton around.
Rachel - April 12, 2014 at 2:16 pm
If I give you my email would you be able to google a pic of the gauze so I purchase the correct one please?
jham5993 - April 12, 2014 at 1:59 pm
Just get your GP to prescribe you some barrier cream on Monday. Or you could just go into a chemist and ask them what barrier cream you could use on your bum. And get some of the gauzes while you’re in the chemist to stick up in between your bum cheeks to stop the rubbing.
Normally the nurses won’t give you anything unless you ask… so next time you see them, ask them if you can get a whole bunch of dressings, and whether you can keep going back and getting them when you run out.
Pads don’t really work to be honest, you need a soft (non sticky) gauze that you can stick up between your bum cheeks to collect the discharge before it causes any rubbing rashes. If you have it stuck right up between your bum cheeks, it’s not going to move… try it 🙂
If you’re having regular BM’s, that’s great. But if you’re in intense pain and need something stronger than Panadol, then ask the chemist what stool softener you can use. I used one in New Zealand called Movicol. Perhaps they have something similar there, it was basically a box of sachets, and you mix one sachet with water and drink it a couple times a day.
Yes salt and Oregano together is fine.
May 23rd is a good 6 weeks away from now, I’m sure you’ll be fine by then… maybe take a donut pillow on the plane with you, or just don’t sit down while you’re in flight…. walk up and down the aisles. And don’t sit in a spa pool… they’re full of germs.
To be honest, learning to live with a seton is the best thing you can do. Study it with a mirror, understand what it looks like, and where it should sit – where the knot/join should be placed, and the best things you can do to keep infection at bay, and rashes away. There are a lot of tips on this website – on the Tips page…. being as healthy as you can be is your best bet at getting rid of that fistula.
fistulasupportonline - April 12, 2014 at 2:05 pm
I think I can cope with this until Monday and I’ll get what I need when I’m there. Movicol doesn’t go down well for me. I was forced to drink 8 cups after surgery for my spine (I had scoliosis) and didn’t have a BM for days. I took coloxyl and senna during my last surgery which is pill form and works pretty well might purchase that again. Thanks so much for all the advice I really appreciate it. Don’t know what I would have done if this site did not exist!
jham5993 - April 12, 2014 at 2:18 pm
And yes, Oil of Oregano is good, a couple of drops. And you should be using Epsom Salts for your sitz bath. Have a read of all the comments on this website as a lot of other people talk about this. Cheers.
fistulasupportonline - April 12, 2014 at 1:07 pm |
Hi, I have anal fistula for over 3 years. I had like 4-5 operation all unsuccessful as they could not find the opening. I live in uk and I recently went for my operation on 10th April and however the surgeon didn’t perform any surgery saying my fistula was deep and smthg like it was upto my rectum. They said it is smthg tht I might have to live with. I am totally depressed. I am still at my early 20’s and this disease has taken my over my youth. I can’t do anythg or socialise as I want to. Pls if anyone has same problem as me or anyone had similar to the rectum problem pls tell me as I am visiting my doctor in 2 mths
Rahul Gurung - April 12, 2014 at 3:13 pm |
Sorry to hear you’re not having much luck in having your fistula repaired. They are notoriously tricky things to repair and sometimes , they just don’t heal and you will have to learn to live with it. Try to remember that there are worse things you could have to live with (although it often feels like this is the worse thing ever)
Don’t know where you are in the UK , but the leading hospital for fistula repair is St Marks in London. You may be able to get a referral there . In any case I would ask for a second opinion from another surgeon as very often , what 1 can’t fix , another 1 can .
Good luck x
Sarah Byrne - April 13, 2014 at 8:05 am |
Hi Sarah,
Sadly it is st marks hospital that I have been going to. The appointment take ages and it’s been pretty disappointing. I am meeting my surgeon on June 9. Does anyone have fistula related to their rectom then pls share.
Rahul Gurung - April 16, 2014 at 3:08 pm
Hi! So I went in to get seton checked and hoping to book in the big op, the skin flap thing. But they have said I have healed too fast and it is not perfect behind my scar because I healed over too fast. So have now been booked in for another operation in a month to start all over again with packing and hope it heals from the inside out. Is this normal? Should I get a second opinion very frustrating when I thought was all going well and now
Back to the start again!
Emma
Emma - April 13, 2014 at 9:13 am |
How Frustrating! Seems to be the way with fistulas, one step forward, two steps back. You’ll get there eventually but there are lots of bumps in the road. I felt like I was constantly starting over again. So they’re saying that the outside has healed quickly, closed over and left a hole inside still? I guess that could happen easily… But I think you should go and get a second opinion, just to put your mind at rest. If you have to have the packing done again, at least it might work better this time because you’ve already done some healing? I know exactly how you feel, it’s another set back… but think of it as another step forward to getting fixed 🙂
fistulasupportonline - April 13, 2014 at 12:13 pm |
Does anyone know where I can purchase Oil of Oregano. Im from Sydney, NSW, Australia. I have looked in a few pharmacies but none sell them. Also, do I need a prescription for this? Would Tea Tree Oil be a good alternative until I can get my hands on Oil of Oregano?
jham5993 - April 13, 2014 at 3:29 pm |
You don’t need a prescription to buy Oil of Oregano…. you would be more likely to find it in a holistic health store… even better, just buy it online – google it 🙂 Tea Tree Oil is not an alternative, as far as I know. I’ve only ever used oil of oregano.
fistulasupportonline - April 13, 2014 at 4:44 pm |
I used tea tree oil with epsom salts in all my baths and sitz baths, it really helped to clean and dry the area.
sandcastle - April 14, 2014 at 7:03 pm |
https://www.vitaminking.com.au/Oil-of-Wild-Oregano-25ml-by-Solutions-4-Health.html
Could someone take a look at this link for Oil of Wild Oregano and tell me if I should buy it. Thanks!
jham5993 - April 13, 2014 at 8:06 pm |
Hey. I had a baby 1.5 years ago. A normal delivery. Unfortunately I ended up with a low ano fistula. Went to see my gynecologist and she said I had a boil. Gave me antibiotics. I suffered in silence. I finally did more research and met a good surgeon. Went through 2 surgeries and I healing well. A month now. Howe long should one wait before having a baby/sex? Advice please. Thanks
nixam gacheri - April 14, 2014 at 10:30 am |
Hi Nixam. Where is your fistula exactly? A month is probably a bit too soon to have sex….maybe give yourself another few weeks? It’s really a personal thing, and only you will be able to tell if you’re ready for that or not. Just be sensible about it I guess. And as far as having a baby goes… I’ve had a baby, post fistulas, and even though I was totally healed, I was told by my surgeon that I would need to have a c section. I had a c section, and I’m really glad I did. Might be the best way for you to deliver your next baby… to prevent you having any more fistula surgery.
fistulasupportonline - April 14, 2014 at 7:35 pm |
dear Fistulasupportonline,
First I would like to thank you for making such a wonderful website.This site has given lot of awareness about fistula.
I have read all your post and feel so happy that you are cured of this disease.
I have undergone quite a handful of surgeries and waiting to see if this time it works.
I would like to know how long did u have discharge after your flap operation and how was your wound sinus treated.
Also i would like to know from others who had fistulomy or LIFT about their recovery time and how long was the discharge after the surgery.
Thanks in advance
riaraj - April 16, 2014 at 3:58 am
hi there, I need to know is it common for a seton to drain though the vigina or should I be worried and go to the doctco, the surgeons didn’t tell me anything and I have only had it in for 4weeks……I need advice on this from anyone
taraflynn123 - April 16, 2014 at 10:27 pm |
Do you have an R-V fistula with seton? If so, yes, you can drain through the vagina with a seton. You are still in the process of heaing, this will take some time. The drainage should lighten up in time. Take sitz baths, and if the drainage just does not seem to lighten up in another month or so, let your doctors know. I have had a J-Pouch-Vaginal fistula with seton for almost 2 years, and still drain from time-to-time. The more physically active I am, the more drainage there is. (But I do not let this stop me from physical activity.) Best of luck to you in dealing with this.
queenie - April 20, 2014 at 11:40 pm |
thanks so much Queenie, for answering me, im not sure what you mean by R=V fistula, you have put my mind at rest, one other question I do have. as my husband has asked it, (typical Male) what about sex?????? I guess its out till its fully heald ? or whats your advice on this ,,, im out of my depth on this lol 🙂 once again thanks heaps
taraflynn123 - April 21, 2014 at 9:01 am
do anybody here try soya milk?
francis - April 17, 2014 at 5:09 pm |
am glad to know that am not alone
zay - April 18, 2014 at 6:16 am |
Hi, just found this sight in the dead of night and depths of despair and although I’m not from New Zealand I’m obviously able to relate to almost everything being said.
I’ve been suffering now for a very long time. We’re talking just over a year and I’ve lost count of the number of operations (I havent, it’s 9). I’m very impressed by the strength that many of you are showing. I have to be honest, as a 21 year old man, it has completely transformed my life. My life now consists of a combination of work and doctors, no social
Iife, certainly no sex life and a severe impact on my work and career.
One of the themes on here seems to be misdiagnosis…has anybody successfully brought a negligence suit against their family doctor for continued misdiagnosis. I too was diagnosed with piled for al’ost ten weeks and had more suppositories than I care to mention inserted, it just strikes me that this is a common problem and sufferers are being really let down by a lack of care and attention.
Anyway, enough ranting from me, I don’t even know why I expected to achieve from posting on here but having the space to rant is welcome. As you know it’s not the easiest thing to talk about,
Argh my ass hurts - April 20, 2014 at 1:16 pm |
Hello folks
Well that’s my seton been in 6 months, I’ve been lucky and had no issues or pain with only the usual leakage that a seton causes, which with good hygiene I’ve managed so far.
Tomorrow I head to hospital for LIFT procedure so I’ve been reading up again and as to be expected the pre op nerves have returned! Apparently my MRI shows a simple linear fistula so fingers crossed!
So folks I’ll prob be on here Wednesday looking for tips as to how to cope with this next stage…. After all you’s lot helped me through the last 2 ops.
Take care
Kels x
*Andy* if you still read this site how’s you, has the LIFT op worked for you?
0buttcheek0 - April 21, 2014 at 9:27 pm |
Gutted folks 😦 had my op yesterday however my fistula still high, so surgeon carried out partial fistuloctomy on what he could and re-inserted a tighter seton. He hopes this tighter seton slowly pulls the fistula down the sphincter muscle in 4-5 months and then try again and cut it out. The surgeon said this seton will be more painful so was given loads of pain relief and antibiotics plus the usual lactalous and barrier cream.
So here’s to another summer of gauze packed between my cheeks and dark jeans incase of a mishap 😦
I know there are folks on here in a worse situation, I’m thinking of you’s as I’m just holding it together with a minor case although it’s a massive issue to me.
Take care everyone
Kels
0buttcheek0 - April 24, 2014 at 6:30 am |
Hi Kels
Just been catching up as not been on since about March. Not had any problems at all since the LIFT which was 10 1/2 months ago.
Sorry to hear that they couldn’t perform the LIFT. I don’t think anyone understands how this condition can make you feel unless they had it themselves. Praying that the seton will do it’s job. When do you go back to see them?
Andy
Andy - August 11, 2014 at 6:39 am |
Hey Andy
I’m so pleased to hear your keeping well 😀 I noticed you left comments for others and I was well chuffed for you.
Well I had an appointment today with my consultant at wishaw general, that’s been a year since my first seton went in……. The news today is that another operation (no:4) is required. He is hoping to get the seton out and use Permacol paste injection to fill it!! This is completely new to me hence I’m back here for help from the troops lol and googling like mad 🙂
I’m Managing to live life as full as I can though. You keep up the good work of being fistula free, you are a success story now……. Whoopaaaa x
0buttcheek0 - September 6, 2014 at 9:49 am
Hi, few questions am
Just coming up to two years of this going on with over 20 operations now and am struggling to hold in a bowel movement very long? Is there an operation or drugs I can use to help this? Have never not made it to the loo but am worried one day I might not! Also I am 23, and am having sex every so often with the seton in just wondering if this is a problem? It’s not sore or anything? Thanks!
Emma - April 21, 2014 at 11:32 pm |
Hi again. I don’t think having intercourse is the issue I think your surgeries probably damaged a lot of your spincter muscles. Mine took a good 6 mths after Seton’s for urgency to lessen, but still an issue just not as much. Ask for a referral to address strengthing ur muscles if possible. My surgeon had said if needed in the future he would consider spincter reconstruction surgery you could discuss this with ur surgeon. Also try not eat Too much fibre and eat some binding foods. Good luck x
sandcastle - April 24, 2014 at 5:46 am |
I had a seton band in after I went to see a dr for a flexsigmoidoscopy and woke up with a seton band that the dr felt was necessary to pur in right then. It hurt so bad and I kept it clean, but I had to literally spend the two months on my bed on my left booty cheek, FINALLY the black suture was loosened so I pulled the seton out. Btw always rotate it so it wont heal in place. Those things suck. I begged my dr not to put another band and instead he drilled out the pinhole I had and drilled the whole length of my fistula, and didn’t tell me about that either. That hurt intensely and always oozed out stool and blood, and I take great care of it but it wont heal because I have crohns disease and AIDS and my immune system is low so it can’t heal my fistula. I hate it because I can’t do anything anymore because I wear incontinence briefs and I am 36- male, and I change my gauze and I change my pads and I get stool leakage and I can’t stand that feeling so I have to always be home. I don’t know what to do because I got one of the American elite colorectal surgeons, who is head of his field, and he tells me we just have to wait and see if I’m healed up by then. I wont. I need a miracle , I pray Jesus Christ blesses me and you too. For Gods Glory .
j p N TUCSON U OF A WILDCATS,, - April 22, 2014 at 10:00 pm |
Hi !!
Please try to antibiotic ointment or antibacterial ointment inserted into the problematic area after every bowel movements. This will provide some extra boost to recovery.
Have lots of fiber foods like flax seeds, goji berries having high fiber content.
Drink Milk 2 times one in the morning when you wake up and one in the evening before sleep with 1 tablespoon of clarified butter or ghee.
Eat well, Try to Sleep well.. the road to recovery is long but sure enough.
chirag007mehta - April 23, 2014 at 11:16 pm |
What was the name of the surgeon who did your successful advancement flap surgery for fistula and what hospital thank you
karnie - April 24, 2014 at 12:06 am |
Hi! Firstly, thanks for a fantastic site. I’ve only just found it and it’s been so helpful. My district nurses and GP have been supportive but not one of them had seen a seton before so they couldn’t offer me much help!
Long story short – perenial abscess in December, fitted with a seton drain which was agony, follow up appointment a month later showed that the seton had been put in too tightly so I had a second op and the seton was more comfy this time. Fistula diagnosed, MRI shows I’ve got a high, complex fistula that goes straight through my sphinchter (sp?!) muscle. I’m taking part in the FIAT trial here in the UK (saw a post from Matt in 2012 on it). I’ve been “randomized” to receive a Fistula Plug which I am relieved about as the other surgical options, as I understand it, would have been risky with my kind of fistula.
Apparently the plug is a recognized treatment but NICE won’t fund it on the NHS because it’s expensive. The point of the trial is to prove that the plug, whilst initially costly, is more cost effective long term as there’s no risk of incontinence. Still only a 60% success rate though… If the plug fails then I’m back to either a seton drain or surgeon’s choice.
I’ve had a couple of infections that have been treated with antibiotics, went back to work in March and am having the Fistual Plug fitted on May 14th. Fingers crossed it works!
Has anyone else on this site been on the FIAT trial in the UK? Would be good to hear from anyone who’s had the plug and see whether it fixed your fistula.
All the best to those of you who are still looking for answers. I could certainly have done with this site back in December. I felt very lost and alone.
Ali
Ali Trow - April 26, 2014 at 12:59 am |
Hi Ali, I’m also in the UK, down South. I added a message back in March to this site, detailing my experience so far. In a nutshell, I had a seton inserted in Dec 12 as I too had a fistula thru my sphincter muscle. I lived a pretty much normal life with it! In Dec 13 a different Dr decided that as the seton had not worked its own way thru the muscle that it should come out. Reluctantly my consultant agreed and I initially had a plug inserted, my consultant was very negative about a plug and I felt he only did this procedure as his hand was forced by his colleague’s decision to remove the seton! Anyway, within 48hrs the plug “came out” (it was literally dangling from me!), my husband (bless him) had to cut the excess away (following instruction over the phone from my consultant!). A wk later yet another Dr inserted another seton, but without mine or my consultants knowledge, this was a cutting seton which was bloody agony as soon as I came round from the anaesthetic! I barely managed with regular oral morphine just 5 days before I took myself to A&E and was admitted and was administered morphine hourly until my 3rd op in 2 wks to have the cutting seton replaced with a loose seton! The relief was immediate! However, 3 days later, when I checked myself in a mirror I was horrified to find the seton had disappeared and I was staring at what felt at the time like a hole as big as a £2 coin and as deep as I could see! I was terrified. I thought I was going to spend the rest of my years wearing nappies or a bag! Another trip to A&E and I was offered hopeful reassurance! A wk later I managed to see my own consultant, who didn’t even know I’d had a cutting seton let alone a hospital admission and a 3rd op! Anyway, he too was hopeful that the cutting seton may actually have done its job, albeit very very quickly and at a high pain rate and potential risk of incontinence! My next follow up appt is in 3 wks, but touch wood, it all appears to be healing nicely and I have no continence problems….thank goodness! Anyway, I’ve never heard of the FIAT trial you refer to. How did you hear of it and what is involved? Good luck with your plus, I really hope you’re one of the successful recipients x
Take care x AJx
AJx - April 26, 2014 at 8:42 am |
Hi AJ,
Ew ew ew! What a horrible experience you had. Glad that things seem to be on the mend now.
A general surgeon looked after me when I first got ill in December – he’d heard of the FIAT trial and referred me straight to a colorectal specialist who in turn put me in touch with a research nurse and between them they got the ball rolling. It’s a national trial but I’m not sure whether all UK hospitals are taking part (I’m near Chesterfield).
Basically if your doc things you’re a suitable candidate they sign you up and put your name in a computer and it’s a 50/50 choice of the Anal Plug or “surgeon’s choice” which would mean that the surgeon would do whatever treatment he/she though most suitable. In my case I was pleased to get the plug because any of the other surgeries risked incontinence. If my body rejects it or it fails I’ll go back to the seton drain. I’m used to it now and manage a pretty much normal life with it. Might be worth asking your consultant if they’re involved in the trial?
I get an MRI at 6 weeks, 6 months and a year to see how things are progressing and complete lifestyle questionnaires at the same time to see my continence / pain levels etc.
Anyway, all the best, and fingers crossed that all’s well when you have your next check up.
Ali x
Ali Trow - April 28, 2014 at 5:48 am
Please let us know how you are doing when you get your plug. Those who have the same situation can learn from you. We all hope things work out for the best, truly.
Julie - April 26, 2014 at 2:33 pm |
Thanks Julie, will keep you posted.
Ali
Ali Trow - April 28, 2014 at 5:49 am
Hi all,
Firstly, thank you to everyone who has posted on here. It has been a very difficult few months and a nightmare of an ongoing journey and one that I feel like I’m on alone because of the embarrassing nature of the illness.
I’m currently on operation number seven of god only knows how many and it is beginning to cause me not insignificant mental health issues.
On admission to hospital this time I had a fantastic emergency doctor who deemed that I may have chrons. As far as I’m concerned this is a good thing, it will change the way I’m treated for my fistula and hopefully speed up my recovery.
I am sure tha there are many of you lovely people on here who have Chrons and I was hoping you could provide me with first hand experience of what it is like to live with, what the treatments involve and if I’ll be able to live a normal life with it – I’ve had very little information so far.
Perhaps I sound ridiculous but I feel like the best years of my life are slowly getting away from me as I spend then between hospitals, nurses and my shrink.
Is three a chance I may have to live with my fistula forever?
Jamie - April 28, 2014 at 8:14 pm |
Hey everyone
I’ve posted here before about my ongoing journey. It all started in about 2007. Firsts surgery in 09 then lived with it for year until I decided to do more in 2012.
Now 5 attempts later I am fully healed per my surgeon. What did it for me was the fistulotomy. The tunnel was cut out and it healed that way. Took about 3 months altogether. Before that I had a seton to prepare for plug with flap which failed. Then LIFT then another partial fistulotomy. That was because the doc and I had a misunderstanding of symptoms. (Water under the bridge now but yes I was mad that he didn’t fix it all) and then this past January the fistulotomy.
Not much muscle was cut so no issues
I wish this could have been done in the first place but it guess there were risks. Or maybe that’s the protocol to get money out of your insurance and put u through it all.
But all I want to tell u is that there is light at the end of this tunnel (pun intended) :). There is. I also was depressed, felt terrible all the time and put my life on hold and now that I no longer leak and hurt from my butt cheek I feel like I will get my old life back.
I hope that all of you will get there. Knowing that there is this site is already comforting. Even though I have friends that know of my butt diaries this isn’t something you want to talk about.
Anyways. Yes we are young, I’m 34 now and this shouldn’t have happened to us but it did. It will get better. I promise!
P 🙂
2muchpita - May 1, 2014 at 1:00 pm |
Hi Jamie and all,
I’ve posted here before about my ongoing journey. It all started in about 2007. Firsts surgery in 09 then lived with it for year until I decided to do more in 2012.
Now 5 attempts later I am fully healed per my surgeon. What did it for me was the fistulotomy. The tunnel was cut out and it healed that way. Took about 3 months altogether. Before that I had a seton to prepare for plug with flap which failed. Then LIFT then another partial fistulotomy. That was because the doc and I had a misunderstanding of symptoms. (Water under the bridge now but yes I was mad that he didn’t fix it all) and then this past January the fistulotomy.
Not much muscle was cut so no issues
I wish this could have been done in the first place but it guess there were risks. Or maybe that’s the protocol to get money out of your insurance and put u through it all.
But all I want to tell u is that there is light at the end of this tunnel (pun intended) :). There is. I also was depressed, felt terrible all the time and put my life on hold and now that I no longer leak and hurt from my butt cheek I feel like I will get my old life back.
I hope that all of you will get there. Knowing that there is this site is already comforting. Even though I have friends that know of my butt diaries this isn’t something you want to talk about.
Anyways. Yes we are young, I’m 34 now and this shouldn’t have happened to us but it did. It will get better. I promise!
P 🙂
2muchpita - May 1, 2014 at 1:01 pm |
Update from my latest experience. Drainage seton inserted a few weeks back on Monday 7th of April. Had my post op appointment yesterday. Surgeon said I was lucky because I have a very low in ano fistula. He said he wants me back for an appointment the first week of June so we can arrange for another surgery. He said he is going to be putting me under anaesthetic so he can determine whether the seton is ready to be removed so he can “scrap off the remainder of the infection” I’m assuming this is a Fistulotomy? Or a fistulectomy? What is the difference?
He said the risk rate of the procedure failing and the fistula recurring is 10-15%.
Has any one had this surgery with a low in ano fistula ?
Should I be relieved?
Up until June i am only going to have the seton it for two months. Is this short of a time? Also how long is the healing process after the “scrap off of the remainder surgery”.
jham5993 - May 1, 2014 at 5:41 pm |
Hey there,
I remember Fistul”o”tomy as slicing “open” the fistula completely scrapping out the crap and let it heal on it’s own.
Fistul”e”ctomy is completely “excising” the fistula from the body so no fistula track is left.
I’m not sure of success percentage rates, everyone is different, however taking good care of yourself helps good sleep patterning and healthy eating.
I have a high transphincteric fistula and was scheduled for LIFT procedure on 22nd April but when they operated they decided against it, my previous seton had pulled the fistula down a tiny bit, so they carried out a partial fistulotomy on what they could and re inserted a tighter seton. Think the plan is to keep trying to pull the fistula down with partial fistulotomies until it’s low enough in the muscle to open completely or excise it.
Hope this helps and take care we all in this together
Kels
0buttcheek0 - May 2, 2014 at 12:22 am |
Good day,
I’ve been on this forum before but it has been a while since I posted anything. I’m feeling lonely and afraid as to what my future holds for me.
I’ve had a perianal fistula since 2010 and it has been hell for me ever since. My last surgery was in November 2013 to have a seton placed in me.
Problem is I noticed another two little bumps draining right next to where the seton was placed in and the pain is so bad at times that I have to ask someone to cut them open to relieve pain.
I’m confused as I’m unable to work and have virtually lost my life after not being able to work, the pain is that bad. I’m in bed as I’m typing here.
And also now I’ve realized I might be incontinent as I now leak watery and sometimes solid bits of feces onto my pants, found out the hard way when I soiled my friend’s sofa during a visit that has all but ended the last friendship I had.
I manage my new issue by propping up my butt crack with gauze in addition to having very thin sanitary pads attached to my left buttock for drainage.
This has all been hell. Left in the dark now with regards to the way forward.
Tired of people staring at my lop sided buttock in the mall or wherever I go as I’m a big built guy so it shows more. People make nasty comments or give you disgusting looks.
My confidence is shattered. My wife left me not so long ago and I stay in a caravan at a friend’s place.
Is a colostomy bag an option for me? I mean that means they can go in, lay open the fistula, rid me of pain and allow me to pass stool in a dignified manner that does not require me to worry if I stain someone’s sofa or stink up a public area?
Please advise?
Clinton - May 8, 2014 at 9:10 pm |
Might be TPN can help in your case..TPN..Total Parental Nutrion
Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is provided when the gastrointestinal tract is nonfunctional because of an interruption in its continuity (it is blocked, or has a leak – a fistula) or because its absorptive capacity is impaired.[2] It has been used for comatose patients, although enteral feeding is usually preferable, and less prone to complications. Parenteral nutrition is used to prevent malnutrition in patients who are unable to obtain adequate nutrients by oral or enteral routes.[3]
Gastrointestinal disorders
TPN may be the only feasible option for providing nutrition to patients who do not have a functioning gastrointestinal tract or who have disorders requiring complete bowel rest, including bowel obstruction,[4] short bowel syndrome,[4] Gastroschisis,[4] prolonged diarrhea regardless of its cause,[4] high-output fistula,[4] very severe Crohn’s disease[4] or ulcerative colitis,[4] and certain pediatric GI disorders including congenital GI anomalies and necrotizing enterocolitis.[5]
chirag007mehta - May 8, 2014 at 9:50 pm |
Hi,
Firstly, thank you to everybody that is contributing to this site, in whatever form, not only has it shown me that i’m not the only person going through such a torrid time but also that it does get better.
I’m on operation number 8, and have had a complex anal fistula with a posterior horseshoe and extension to the left ischioanal fossa – not that I know what any of that means, i’m reading from a letter that was sent to my GP.
I’ve discovered recently that I have chron’s which is why they aren’t healing and I’ve been started on a course of infliximab, which they hope will get it under control and allow the two cavities either side of my anus to heal.
Since I’ve been diagnosed with Chron’s (and the ten days before) I had been suffering with with diahorrea and abdominal pains. I was wondering if there is anything that I need to be doing to get this under control. The information I’ve been given from the hospital has been non-existent and I could do with being pointed in the right direction.
Thanks
TJ - May 9, 2014 at 2:56 am |
Hi
I believe, and my Doctors suspect, I have a perianal fistula or sinus, I’ve been going to Hospital under the NHS for diagnosis. I’ve had it for around 4 years and due to lots of travel abroad I’m only now in the country long enough to get it treated. I’m 24 and male
I’m currently waiting for an MRI scan to confirm what’s going on and I’ve been waiting a long time. I’ve had a flexible sigmoidoscopy as well which wasn’t much fun either.
I only have two predominant symptoms:
1. A mucus type discharge that happens intermittently, good days and bad days
2. Bright red blood that can been seen after wiping on the toilet paper. Again intermittently.
I find the mucus discharge particularly distressing simply because of the social implications. Having wet underwear that leaves marks on seats isn’t fun and sometimes the odor that comes with it. It certainly has made me put a lot of things in my life on hold.
Sometimes my anus is a bit sensitive but I rarely have what I would describe as “pain”.
I have been waiting around 14 weeks since I was refereed to a specialist in hospital and I’m fast approaching the NHS 18 week referral to treatment pledge. Yet I’m still without an MRI date. Is this pledge actually adhered to?
Does anyone have anything they can relate to, advice or anything that could make me feel better about the situation.
I’m in central London and work night shifts, if I were to have surgery of some description would I need a lot of time of work? My work is not manual but involves sitting, standing and concentration. Although I do get plenty of breaks.
Thanks
Edd
Edd - May 13, 2014 at 4:30 am |
Hey Edd
We all in the same boat here. Firstly to help cope with your symptoms ask your GP for a prescription of gause 10×10 4ply squares and tuck them between your buttcheeks, this saves wet underwear and embarrassing moments, plus skin irritation because it’s wet. Also keep it as clean as possible.
Secondly I’m in Scotland and also NHS, you want to have the MRI before any further appointments with consultant as this is the best way to identify whats happening. So chase this up. I was reaching the 12 week deadline and I phoned up and swiftly the ball started moving.
Now work, I do a physical job, rarely sitting. So I’ll set out what sick leave I’ll had. Abscess started, rushed in to theatre, had abscess incisied and drained – off 8 weeks due to large open wound needing packed ( if I done a desk job would have been back prob at 4 wks). After fistula diagnosed and loose seton inserted – off 4 weeks however 3 months light duties (doing a desk job wouldn’t need the light duties) and I’m currently off sick, if you’ve read prior to this I’ve stated I’ve had another seton reinserted – been off 3 weeks this time and go back to work Friday full duties as I know how to cope this time round.
Hope this helps and you get hospital appointments soon. 4 years is a long time, it needs sorted you are too young as you probably putting life on hold when you should be living it!
Take care
Kels
0buttcheek0 - May 13, 2014 at 11:22 pm |
Hi, slightly embarrassing question but I have had a seton in for about five months and had sex about a month ago and has been a lot more sore than usual since then. I had had sex with the seton previously and no problems. Could I have ripped something or hurt it during sex? Thanks!
Emma - May 13, 2014 at 2:02 pm |
Hi,
I have a high complex fistula going through my sphincter muscle (following a perenial abscess) and for the last 5 months I’ve had a seton drain.
On Wednesday this week I had an operation to remove the seton and replace it with a Collagen Fistula Plug as part of the FIAT trial here in the UK.
I was treated as day-surgery and was home within 6 hours of the op. At my pre-op appointment the specialist said that they would clean the fistula track with a wire brush (when I paled at this my surgeon said it was a different kind of wire brush to the one I had in mind!), remove the seton and put the plug in. I would have dissolveable stitches in my rectum to keep the plug in.
There was no pain immediately after surgery – apparently they put some heavy local anaesthetic in so that I’d be comfortable for the journey home. The pain hit at 3am, just over 12 hours after the op. And boy did the pain hit! Red hot pokers spring to mind… I’ve got codeine and paracetamol and for every dose of codeine I take I have a glug of lactulose to try and prevent constipation.
I read somewhere on this site that the first bowel movement would be like sh**ting a hedgehog and whoever posted that wasn’t wrong! Deary me it hurt. BMs are still tender but not as bad as that first one.
I’ve been told that there is a 60% success rate with the plug and I’m resting for two weeks. I’ll see the specialist in 6 weeks and get an MRI in 6 months so see how things are. If I get any symptoms of a fistula between now and then we’ll know that the surgery hasn’t worked and I’ll be back to the drawing board.
Fingers crossed it works eh?
Ali
Ali - May 16, 2014 at 9:12 pm |
Help! After feeling so positive post-op on Friday I’ve developed another abscess overnight. It’s in exactly the same place as before and the white head is where the seton drain was taken out. I’ve seen an out of hours nurse today and I’ve got some antibiotics but she said to head up to the hospital on Monday.
Is this common? I’d anticipated the plug failing but not getting another abscess!
Cheers
Ali
Ali - May 18, 2014 at 3:08 am |
I
I started to have annal pain in November 2012. GP missed the diagnosis. And when I saw a Colorectal surgon in Feb 2013. He diagnosed abscess, operated. There was huge amount pus and a few fistual down to deeper layer.
In May, the pain started again. Went back to the Surgeon, he found a lower fistua, burnt it off. did not touch the orther fistuals down to deeper layer. July, the pain started again, went back into hospital. The surgeon said it was a sinus, he did debribement, told a seton would not help in my case. Also did a MRI, showed two tract down to muscle layer persistent. but the surgeon said there is nothing he could do about.
The pain did improved over time though fluctuating. Recently the pain came back, though not sevre (My pain was nevere sevre even at the start) it was annoy and affects my sleep. wake me up when I roll over it. Doctors said it just wound pain, the other say may be a fissure on it. The nefidipine gel did help. The surgeon could not find anything on exam so he suggested another exam under Anathetic, possible another debridement. I guess it would just give me move wound pain afterwards.
Anyone has any experience in similar situation? Is another operation worthwhile?
Stephen - May 21, 2014 at 3:36 pm |
Hi, I am sadly back in hospital and waiting for yet another surgery (number 22) they are considering putting in a second seton I didn’t know this was possible? Will this be a lot more painful? Please let me know need some positive advice and as feeling pretty gutted!
Emma - May 25, 2014 at 7:04 pm |
I have 2 setons in and I am that used to them. They are a nuisance regarding keeping them clean and comfortable but they are doing their job. I started s drug imuran and it helps keep the symptoms manageable. Ask if you have perianal crohns as does not show up in normal tests, take care x
sandcastle - May 25, 2014 at 11:41 pm |
does anyone here try VITA MILK? its help a lot on the healing process based on my personal experience iam now 1yr recurrence free
francis - May 27, 2014 at 1:14 am |
I have fistula in ano for 6 months two times operated and three times leak out first I have perinal abbscess operation and then leak out then opearted and then two times leak out every three months its happen four times it happens I am suffering this problem and still facing same problem please advise me what I have to do I live in dubai
irfan - May 29, 2014 at 8:14 am |
Hi,
I had a fistula operation. My wound has healed up but there are 2 flares at the top of the wound. My doctor says its nothing but I’m worried. Can someone please help?
And other than this if my wound is completly healed can I have beer? Because people say beer is not good for this thing.but if wound is healed then can we drink?
ed - May 29, 2014 at 4:11 pm |
Hi I have had 3 surgeries I had a perianal abcess which started about. Year ago my most recent surgery was a cleanning and it was 4 months ago,I still leak a lot of fluid greenish in color and today I suddenly burst with a lot of blood. I was wondering if this was normal ? Is it possible if you have an open abcess if a new fistula would form? My doctor said my tunnel was closed an half way healed last surgery but I don’t understand where all this blood and fluid could possibly be comming from
Wolfy - June 3, 2014 at 11:38 am |
Hello my names is heidi I been done a surgery for 4 years later is bout fistula on my butt but recently I notice dat I have a lil blood I thou is was my period but noo nd I have a lil pain wat does mean nd wat us dat cause dat I have a lil blood on my operation .. but dat was a while talking bout 4 years back later ????? Can u tell me plzz thank you
heidi - June 14, 2014 at 9:39 am |
Hi, I am having the plug put in soon for my lucky 21st operation so would love any advice, tips and information I can get? Has been going on three years now so need it to all be over! Thanks!
Emma - June 18, 2014 at 7:55 pm |
Hi Emma,
Use Manuka Honey and insert it into the problematic area after every bowel movement.
This will provide antibacterial properties directly to the infected area as well as provide some hygienic environment towards the problematic area, thereby giving body a chance to do a recovery for the same.
chirag007mehta - June 18, 2014 at 8:43 pm |
Hi,
I saw a General Surgeon today (as was referred from my GP). He spoke with me for about six minutes and wants to lay open my fistula and do a Lateral Sphincterotomy on an Anal Fissure I have also.
I haven’t had any MRI or further tests done, he just said he thinks it is very low and should not pose any problems as far as harming the sphincter muscle goes and would rather just book in to get it done rather than make me wait for further tests. I did question him about what he will do if for some reason he is wrong and he said he would stop the surgery and do what he could without harming the muscle.
The only side effect, which he said was a very minor chance, was the possibility of reduced gas control due to the Fissure operation but he went on to say that in all the time he has done this surgery the chance of this happening is in the single figure %’s.
I have always been sceptical about laying open the wound but this doctor was very convincing and has told me he can get me done within 3 months, which is miraculous here in Australia when going through the public health system.
I did ask about the plug and advancement flap techniques and he said my fistula would be better served by the lay open technique and he personally has stopped using the plug and fibrin glue as the recurrence rate seemed very high and the lead up consisted of an average of 5 procedures which became too expensive and was causing too much distress to the patient, that is only his personal view though.
Has anyone else had the lay open procedure? Have you had it done with a lateral sphincterotomy to treat and Anal Fissure? What did you think? Also was the scarring a problem afterwards, I had always imagined it would be but the doctor said I would not even notice it?
All advice is appreciated, thanks.
Ez
Jez - June 28, 2014 at 12:17 am |
Hi there , I had my fistula laid open in april . This was my 5th operation. I really couldn’t tell you if there is much scarring as I can’t see there and to be honest , it doesn’t bother me if there is scarring or not.
I will be honest and I have been left with a slight continence issue , but nothing more than the occasional escaping fart and sometimes (but not often) I get a small stain in my underwear.
However , this minor inconvenience completely weighs out for me as I am feeling fantastic . No longer in constant pain and feeling ill. My energy level is back and after more than 2 years of illness I am more than happy with the result .
You say you have a fissure , which is different from a fistula so I don’t know if the surgery is the same . i had a high intersphincteral fistula involving quite a substantial amount of muscle . My surgeon gave me a 3 in 1 chance of suffering slight incontinence issues afterwards , but he gave me an almost 100 % guarantee of getting rid of the pesky thing once and for all , so I agreed.
Best thing I’ve ever done , got my life back and I can manage the small side affect I have been left with .
Hope that helps you , I wouldn’t worry about the scarring …. who is really going to be looking down there 😉 . The choice for the surgery is yours , just don’t agree to anything you’re not happy with .
I wish you luck
S x
Sarah Byrne - June 30, 2014 at 8:04 am |
Thanks for the reply.
Sorry, I probably wasn’t very clear in my post. I started with a fissure which my new GP thinks lead to the fistula. I am having the surgery to nip the muscle to stop the fissure coming back and he is going to lay open the fistula at the same time.
The scarring was only concerning me mainly due to the location. If the scarring became hard it may cause discomfort in the area, but if you are having no problems with that then I am probably worrying over nothing.
If you don’t mind me asking, what were you’re other operations for?
My fistula can be felt all the way from the outside so the surgeon thinks it will be really easy to lay open (He doesn’t think it will interfere with the muscle much if at all) and just said a slight chance of gas incontinence is all I should experience if anything. Just reading all the horror stories online about people becoming incontinent had me worried is all.
I have had my fistula for about three years and it has usually been pretty good except for a slight discharge occasionally, the last six months have been worse though where I have had one week good and a week with significant pain which is why I decided to look into getting it fixed as it really stuffs up your life when it is causing pain.
Thanks again for the reply, will post how it goes when I get it done (Probably about 3 months).
P.S. Out of curiosity, and if you don’t mind me asking, how long were you in hospital for after the operation and was bandaging the area after the op difficult?
Thanks again
Jez
Jez - June 30, 2014 at 10:34 pm
I cured a fistula twice naturally-please read.
I suffered for a long time initially with perianal abscesses, which were packed. These developed into a complex fistula and my life was miserable for 3 years. I had 8 operations and the surgeon was about to do a cutting of my sphincta muscle when I thought ‘enough is enough of this man attacking my bottom!’ There must be another way…..
There was….
I devised a 9 point plan to kill off the nasty fistula and it worked. The reason I am so confident is after being free of it for 5 years it dared to come back!! (Bad diet and life style again). So I tried my plan again and it has worked again!!!!
The plan was aided by a medical herbalist who said my immune system was rubbish and my digestive system had virtually given up with the stress and inflammatory responses! So we focused on internal healing and external healing…
Here we go…
1. Vitamins and probiotic supplements in case there are deficiencies
2. Gluten and dairy free diet (might feel tough at first but it is worth it) and it makes us eat more healthy foods.
3. Digestive enzymes to help absorb the vitamins- often when we are stressed we are not digesting much at all
4. Do NOT strain on the toilet- whatever happens just let it all happen naturally
5. Bath, bath and bath again and keep that rectum as clean as possible (without irritating the skin)
6. Use baby wipes (internally too) to get rid of any faecal matter as soon as you’ve been to the loo
7. Manuka honey!!!! Stick it up that rectum after everything. This is what turned the corner for me most. It is AMAZING. And £20 is worth every penny
8. Manuka honey on the outside of the fistu head too. Might seem weird but it stops you touching it. I have a nurse friend who was trying the notion that the very sensitive nerve endings respond to touch and make a new ‘bum hole sensation’
9. Don’t touch it- don’t look at it. Don’t give it your thoughts except to kill the nasty little blighter.
Please let me know how you get on with this. It worked for me honestly and I know there are a lot of folks out there with miserable lives because of this condition.
GOOD LUCK😀
Lisa - June 30, 2014 at 8:35 pm |
Hi Lisa,
Thank You so much for the information. I have been doing the same since last around one month. I would like to know around how much time estimated it may take.. I have undergone Anal Fistula Plug surgery since Aug 2013..and it has improved a lot.. I am a bit anxious now how much time I have to wait..
chirag007mehta - July 1, 2014 at 7:16 pm |
To be honest, that is too much trouble. I would rather take the risk with surgery, and if that doesn’t work I will change doctors and try again.
I don’t want to live the rest of my life having to think hard about what I can eat and my procedure when I go to the bathroom, I enjoy food too much 🙂
I’m glad it worked for you Lisa, but it is too much trouble for me.
Jez - July 1, 2014 at 7:41 pm |
Hi, I live in uk and I have been suffering fistula for 3 yrs. the doctor says it might be smthg tht I have to live with the rest of my life. I have been consulting with other doctors and they said tht one of the option is opening up my stomach and cutting the infected part. Then for 6 weeks I will be discharging from my stomach. Then they will place the bowel back. I really need help. Does anyone had similar experience?? If so please. Idk how my life got to worse
Rahul Gurung - July 2, 2014 at 4:31 pm |
Hi !
I have a query about my fistula recovery.
Whenever I have bowel movements, there is fresh rectal blood not much but some and some pain since last 4 days. The bleeding stops after some time estimated 1-2 minutes..
I have undergone Anal Fistula Plug surgery since almost last August 2013.
I am wondering if this bleeding is a sign of healing ? I have never experienced such bleeding since the fistula which happened in Jan 2013.
Any comments/suggestions welcome
Thanks for reading..
chirag007mehta - July 3, 2014 at 7:31 am |
Hi all.
I m frm mumbai India and my doc told me i m having anal fistula n require a surgery
I have heard abt the anal fitsula plug and also abt the homeopathy…
What would u suggest should i go… A AFP , homeopathy or surgery
Nirav - August 3, 2014 at 10:47 am |
Hi Nirav
Go for AFP..its th least intrusion method when compared to surgery. I had undergoneAFP surgery last year Aug 2013..Currently I am almost OK.
chirag007mehta - August 3, 2014 at 7:11 pm
Hi Im Greg. I am 37 y Male , and had Seton /lay open surgery for 2 fistulas 2 months ago in Perth Australia by a colorectal surgeon.
Surgery started with a colonoscopy to rule out Crones Disease and cancer.
I have 2 bands in place, have been tightened once , (10 minutes of awkwardness and a little discomfort , nothing to worry about)
Daily salt bath is great, but hard to keep area clean with shower.
Still discharging fluid daily. Not too much but knocks your confidence at work. ( Do I smell?) Hmmm.
I had 7 days off work after surgery , and needed it. 10 would have been a luxury. In hindsight wish I had moved a bit more earlier, ie walk around the block, climb some stairs etc.
Doc thinks 2 or 3 more tightenings, about 5 weeks apart, so hope this can sort it.
Hope this helps someone out there, all the best,
Greg
Greg - July 6, 2014 at 3:09 am |
Hi Greg,
I’m having lay open surgery in the near future for my fistula. I have no worries about work as I have postponed starting my new job till about a month after the surgery.
My question is, How easily could you move around after the surgery? I may be winding down some business dealings at the time and was just curious how much discomfort would there be a few days after with moving around, sitting and driving? I generally have a high pain tolerance but don’t want to do anything that might hinder my recovery or cause this problem to reoccur.
Also, how long were you in hospital for? I am having it done in Regional NSW and can’t help but feel that the longer I stay in hospital the greater the chance I have of getting Staff or something.
Thanks heaps,
Jez
Jez - July 16, 2014 at 3:15 am |
I have a rectovaginal fistula. I had a seton placed in April, but upon getting the opinion of a second surgeon he did a lift surgery. I’m still having discharge a couple of weeks after, which seems normal, but I am also having stool come through the front opening. Thus, I think the fistula tract is still open in spite of efforts to close it. Is it possible that it will close on its own once (if) the inflammation goes away, or am I doomed to have another surgery?
Val - July 7, 2014 at 12:59 pm |
how long will it takes a woman who undergone fistula operation to have a baby?
faith kamanga - July 15, 2014 at 9:03 am |
Hi i have bowel to bladder fistula caused by diverticulotis, i aw due to see colo rectal sergeon in 4 weeks been given anti biotics but wondered if there was anything for pain relief?
gaz - July 16, 2014 at 8:39 am |
I had fistula op yesterday under general anaesthetic however I’m in no pain whatsoever … is this normal or should I just count my blessings.
scoobydoobydoo - July 24, 2014 at 9:12 pm |
Which op?
Jez - July 25, 2014 at 11:54 am |
Hi I’m going for a lift procedure in a month! 22nd operation so need all the tips I can get please? Thanks!
Emma - August 5, 2014 at 7:15 pm |
Hi Emma
I had a LIFT last September and it has been great. See some of my posts earlier in this forum.
I didn’t have any problems post op but did need painkillers for about 2 weeks. Keep topped up and don’t do what I done at first, wait too long.
Just ensure you have plenty of rest at home to let it heal. I have an office job and was back after 2 weeks off. Has been amazing to feel normal again after 7 years, which 3 I had a Seton in.
Hope it all goes well.
Andy
Andy - August 11, 2014 at 8:51 am |
Hi guys me again ok so I had a second surgery 4 days ago to fill the track with collagen which all went fine but the hospital didn’t give me good enough pain relief to begin with so what was meant to be an in and out same day procedure ended up being a 3 day stretch! But I’m finally home keeping topped up with the painkillers. Turns out I have a horseshoe fistula because of the shape, it curves round, and they have apparently stitched the outside opening, going to the loo the first time after this was excruciating but have been again since which was more cope able. This should be the last surgery for me so I’ll keep you posted how it goes!
Sam - August 9, 2014 at 8:47 pm |
Hi my name is jessica im 27 yrs of age and have been diagnosed 8 years ago with corhns I now have 1 anal fistula and about 5 fistula all on my labia but now I have 2 new ones on my bikini line and 2 next to my bikini line right where my inner thigh starts it hurts soooo bad I cant wear any underwear walk or close my legs help what do I do im desperate
Jessica - August 10, 2014 at 1:13 pm |
I’m getting tired of being in pain and having surgeries. What else can I do..
Jacki Dean - August 11, 2014 at 2:02 pm |
Hi im al… I realy need your help guys..
2years ago ive undergone an incision and drainage surgery. And yesterday the doctor said I need to go again on a surgery to put a seton to drain the pus and the blood on may fistula.. I can’t decide if im going to have it.. because im the only one taking care of my 2kids( a 2year old and a 1yr.)
I think I can’t move normally after surgery.. and the thing is my fistula didn’t hurt since last month and the wound looks like healing by its on.. help me.. do I need to have a seton? Or any recommendation whats should I do for ny fistula..
Diagnosis yesterday: probably fistula in anu
al - August 20, 2014 at 6:28 pm |
I would get the seton it at least prevents further abscesses. I have 2 in for iver a yr. It takes time to get used to but after the surgery u r up in a couple of days. U just need to keep it clean I got a sitz bath on amazon for 7 pounds and it has been a life saver. Also the setons have knots were they r tied, u just need to move them so they are outside of the skin but that does not hurt and u do get used to ur own. I also got a diagnosis finally of perianal crohns so I started imuran and that helps settle the inflammation. Also once every 3 mths I need antiboditics and that helps. I to have a young daughter and whilst my symptoms can fluctuate it is manageable. I hope this helps good luck
sandcastle - August 20, 2014 at 7:12 pm |
I had seton for some time and it was not comfortable, so went for Anal Fistula Plug. Its almost similar to seton, only advantage is the plug will be consumed by body into muscle development on a gradual basis and it will also provide path for drainage if there is an infection.
I am also taking Movicol for laxation so that I do not strain the muscles when bowel movement happens.
With AFP, I can move freely and no pain while sitting, walking , playing, cycling, skating so life is almost near to normal with AFP.
chirag007mehta - August 20, 2014 at 8:06 pm |
I had a seton for 3 years and had it’s plus and negatives. The plus was no more abcess as the infections drained. Wasn’t off work at all after healing from the op. Negative is it could be uncomfortable at times, irritated skin if gets too damp and I did feel self concious with it. Make sure if you do have ghe seton that uou get some small pads or gauze to put between your cheeks to absorb as much of the moisture.
The best thing is to talk all the options through. I had a complicated fistula and went for the seton as advised it was the best option at that time.
Andy
Andy - August 21, 2014 at 6:56 pm |
Hi everyone!! I recently has the LIFT procedure done just wondering when I can swim in a chlorine pool and also when I can have sex? Thanks!!
Emma - August 30, 2014 at 12:52 am |
Sorry also it has been a week and a half since having the LIFT procedure and am really wanting to go back to work? I am praying this op will be my 24th and last ever though so am I better to give it a bit more healing time? Also the surgeon didn’t tell me much about movement etc. I have pretty much been bed resting since the operation and have been having salt baths is this all okay? It’s feeling great and am hardly having painkillers any more! I really really want this to work!! What should I do? I’m a primary school teacher so am moving around quite a lot during a day. Any advice welcome. Thanks in advanced.
Emma
Emma - August 30, 2014 at 1:36 am |
Hiya , I had a LIFT procedure and took 4 weeks off work , however , mine is a sitting down job for 10 hour shifts. Initally my LIFT was successful but after about 3 months I felt “something give” following a big poo.
On examination by surgeon a month later it was discovered that the internal part of the fistula had healed and closed but the exit part into my buttock had reopened and part of the fistula was back.
Basically I am saying , don’t do anything too quickly and certainly don’t do any big poos! Its quite difficult as I expect , like me , you are feeling really quite well compared to how you’re used to feeling. Don’t rush and listen to your drs and your body.
With regards to the bleeding , it could well be normal blood from the wound mixed in with healing discharge (some discharge is good discharge) . I had lots of discharge for about 3 weeks after surgery . If it doesn’t slow down , or if it gets worse check with your GP. They’ll take a look and be able to see if there is anything to worry about .
I wish you luck , as I.m sure you already know , getting rid of fistulas relies on a fair bit of luck . Take it easy for a bit longer and don’t lift anything heavy and certainly do not strain for a big poo!
Love S xx
Sarah Byrne - August 31, 2014 at 9:44 pm |
HEEELP! Sorry to post again, but had the LIFT procedure one week ago and am having a lot of blood draining tonight? What’s going on?? Please help!!
Emma - August 31, 2014 at 12:55 am |
Hi Emma
I suggest go for a total liquid diet like milk shake ,juices etc…don’t strain the muscles… And ask your doc to give you Movicol.which is a laxative and its very effective…
I had quite a relief from above recommendations… It was like a message from GOD…
chirag007mehta - September 1, 2014 at 4:26 am |
hi iam francis i had anal fistula and the only operation that i undergo is incision and drainage, now for about 1 and a half year it never reappear again, sometimes it hurts like hell and the next day it disappear i think there is something in my diet that help to heal my fistula (not sure if it cure it totally) i drink vitamilk (i preferred choco milk) its soyamilk just try it! http://www.greenspotco.com/interbus/default.asp?topic=product&dataid=106 iam not here to promote this product but i think its help me a lot
francis - September 1, 2014 at 4:35 pm |
Hi everyone, I would like to share something.. Hope it will be helpful to the people who are suffering from fistula problem..
Few years ago my uncle discovered a small swelling on his lower hip. He consulted a doctor and the doctor said that its a fistula and he should under go surgery.. The procedure was like doctors dont know how deep or how long the fistula is, so they will insert a tube or something they said.. my uncle was ready to under go surgery..
one day accidentally he met a friend’s son who works as an assistant in a hospital and my uncle told him about the situation.. That guy said that surgeries may not be a permanent cure so he reffered a ayurvedic doctor.. My uncle started treatement there.. first thing that doctor did was, he applied some ayrvedic medicine around the fistula swelling and within some hours the skin cracked till where it was affected so it was so easy to find out the condition of the fistula.. and the treatement lasted for about 1 1/2 months and my uncle is fully alright now. No pain of operation nothing.. He just had to keep his body cool and away from heat.. Its been more than five years now.. And he dint face it again.. Ayurveda treatment takes time but heals to the best and that too permanent….. So, early treatment is best.. Dont neglect.. Hope you all overcome it.. 🙂
Ritu - September 3, 2014 at 4:47 am |
Hey Ritu where can i recieve this treatment? Can you please send me details gwensalt@live.com
Thanks 🙂
gwen - September 7, 2014 at 2:34 pm |
I go in for a Fistulectomy and Lateral Sphincterotomy in a week and a half. Hopefully it will mean an end to this annoying and painful discomfort once and for all. (Fingers crossed for no side effects too)
Even though I will have an exposed chunk out of my behind for a time I am actually looking forward to this procedure so I can get on with my life and get back to a healthier self without the pain.
One doctor has told me I will be out the same day, a nurse told me three days and the surgeon has told me one or two nights. If anyone who has had a fistulectomy can offer a more accurate timeframe it would be greatly appreciated.
I will post and let you know how it all goes.
Jez
Jez - September 3, 2014 at 6:41 pm |
Kels
Glad to hear they have another option for you. I think this sounds like one of the newer treatments my consultant spoke to me about a few years back where they use a paste to plug the fistula which then lets it heal. However, I may be wrong but sounds familiar. Ask lots of questions including success rates before deciding.
Glad to hear you are getting on with life as much as possible. Would be great to hear how you get on with this.
Andy
Andy - September 7, 2014 at 3:30 am |
I had my surgery a few months back and have recovered well. The surgeon conducted the procedure to correct the chronic fissure I had but decided not to do the fistulectomy. He thought the fissure may have been feeding the infection and that by healing the fissure the fistula might close and heal itself.
It is now a few months later and I am in very minimal pain. There is still a lump where the fistula exited but there is only a mild discharge of blood occasionally, nothing more. So it sounds like I have been very lucky with this (so far, fingers crossed). I sincerely hope that you can all find a suitable remedy for this horrible horrible affliction.
My best wishes,
Jez
Jez - January 22, 2015 at 3:25 am |
My partner has had anal fistula operation 9 times. Just dont know what to do? We are now in australia but if theres somthing better else where i am willing to travel.
gwen - September 7, 2014 at 2:29 pm |
Hi Gwen
I to live in Aussie (Brisbane) I am only 43 and have had at least 9 operations on my fistula’s. I currently have 3 different Seton’s and have had my bowel defuntioned (ileostomy). I have not hardly left the house in nearly a year due to pain and constant sickness. I have lost 40kg’s and currently weight 48kg. I have a mouth full of ulcers due to my declining health making it even harder to put weight on? I have been told that my only option is to removal all of the anal passage and get a permanent colostomy. I have been looking for a long time for something but have had little luck.
P.S I do not have crohn’s much to my doctors amazement?
If anyone has any other answers please let me know
Ian - November 16, 2014 at 10:23 pm |
Hi! I have now had the 25th operation on my very complex fistula! The last operation was the LIFT procedure which sadly has not worked. They have now placed a seton drain in but another cavity I have they could not find tracts that led to an internal hole so they left it hoping it will heal. However I can already feel an abcess and build up and worried for more surgery. I want someone to tell me there is an end to this? Please.
25 operations and they have tried laying it open, LIFT procedure, seton and other drains, packing! Nothing seems to be working. I am eating a high fibre diet and drinking pro biotic yoghurt. I feel I am doing everything right but can’t get any positive news ever. Please I need help I’m just so gutted and am only 24
Emma - October 21, 2014 at 1:23 am |
Emma that is awful. I had 9 and thought that was bad enough. I would definitely get a second opinion. I did and difference it has made is day and night. Have u been tested for perianal crohns as tests differ from normal tests. I had always tested negative until I saw new surgeon and now have a diagnosis. Started me on auto immune drugs and life very different. Still 2 setons in but tissue not so inflamed and more manageable. Take care x
sandcastle - October 21, 2014 at 7:46 am |
Hi Emma,
I too think its a long road to recovery and quite a lot of patience is needed. I am following the Tactical Approach since last 12 months and life is manageable. However, will go for Strategic Approach next month.
Tactical Approach:
After every bowel movement, the stool passage area needs to be cleaned via diluted dettol or tea tree oil or any such anti-septic cream to minimize the infection
Strategic Approach:
I have heard about KSHAR SUTRA method of healing fistulaes, and has 98% chances of getting normal life back. I am planning to undergo this in India. There are positive signs seems since in this method they place something like a thread i.e seton but this seton is coated with antibiotic medicines which needs to be replaced on a weekly or bi weekly basis to expedite healing process..
chirag007mehta - October 21, 2014 at 11:13 am
Thanks so much yes I’m at my third surgeon and I think he’s really good it’s hard to know though I guess. I had a colonoscopy and was all clear but have never heard of or been tested for perianal chrones? So will definitely ask thank you!! Jane its nice to know it’s not just me going through it! I don’t mind setons so if I can get another one through my second cavity I could live with that if I had to I guess?
Emma - October 21, 2014 at 12:24 pm
Emma
I have also have crohns – this was confirmed after my 10th op! It may be a good idea to ask your consultant about this – I have a infussion every 6 weeks where I go into hospital for inflixmab. This has really helped. Are you in the UK? X
Jane - October 21, 2014 at 6:18 pm
Thanks so much very helpful! I have been tested for chrones and don’t have it but didn’t reslise perianal chrones was different maybe I should be tested for this? I’m in hospital at the moment waiting for 26th Op so will ask them! Can’t see an end in sight at all, very depressing!
Emma - October 21, 2014 at 6:36 pm
Also make sure your consultant is not a general surge I n with an interest in this area, u want a colorectal surgeon who specialises in this so ask definitely. As there is a big difference. When I saw the colorectal surgeon after all my previous surgeries and being told no crohns. The surgeon said he could tell by the skin tags I had and their shape, the colour of my back passage and how I was healing and did faeces tests which is the only way to confirm and I had it. Alot of gory stuff to hear but thought it would be helpful. This was the first time someone had tested my faeces and apparently thats the only way to clarify for definite. Hope this helps
sandcastle - October 22, 2014 at 9:31 pm
Hi Emma
I too have just had my 25th operation (30th Sept) I have had all the procedures like you. I had 3 seatons in and then tgey removed them and I have just had 2 put in! I now beleive that these fistulars will never heal – think we are going to have to learn to live with them. Chin up and think posative.
Jane - October 21, 2014 at 8:03 am |
After about four months is it normal to still have drainge from a fistultomy/ flap procedure? I cannot get the usual silver nitrate treatments because I am very allergic so does this leaking just mean it’s taking longer to heal because of my allergy or should I be worried about needed a 7th surgery?
Corinne - March 13, 2015 at 5:33 pm |
Hi Emma,
Drinking diluted Cabbage juice helps to recover from Gastric problems and Ulcers like Fistula.
I have been drinking Cabbage juice and it seems to do well..!!
Chirag
chirag007mehta - October 30, 2014 at 10:07 pm |
Hi,
My wife undergoing treatment for fistula by an Ayurvadic doctor. He has placed a medicated thread between the two fistulas and replacing it weekly. When he tighten this, pain is unbearable and now it is about 6months. She may have to give up this treatment as we are not sure of the process. Can somebody who can advice on this.
asoka_j@sltnet.lk
Asoka
Asoka - November 9, 2014 at 9:53 pm |
a month ago I had surgery to fix the fistula tunnel I had.the doc told me it had been successful.
however, im still producing puss on the area and experience mild pain/discomfort after visiting the toilet.
is this part of healing or something has terribly gone wrong.what needs to be done now?
tonderai sengweni - November 13, 2014 at 7:39 am |
Hi Everyone,
Im probably gonna piss you all off, but i’ve been diagnosed with a fistula. So far I seem to have been 1 of the very lucky ones. An abscess burst on my way to the hospital in China when i finally realised the pain and swelling wasn’t going away.
Anyhow, its been nearly two years since then and apart from some little nodule or something right next to my anus, I am asymptomatic. No puss, no mucus. A drop of blood once or twice – but thats just from abrasion (I often have the runs, living in the far East.
Anyhows, the NHS quack says it is a low fistula and it WILL recur someday, maybe 5, maybe 20 years from now ( surely by this logic, i could die of natural causes before too)
He said there was a chance of incontinence. From what I’ve read, probabilities vary wildly but likely only loose stool if it’s a low fistula. (However, I live in the Far East and the runs are pretty standard there. (no probs here in UK)
OP is day after 2moro. So what do you reckon folks? Wanna just ignore it and go back East, but terrified it will come back and make new, worse fistula. If its just the same as last time. It was mega-painful, but I can deal with it, only needed 1 day off.
Dom - November 19, 2014 at 12:21 pm |
I had a fistula plug surgery two weeks ago. I am experiencing pain and blood and pus STILL draining out of the fistula hole and rectum. Is this normal? Is it healing? I continue to have fresh blood and small blood clots coming out too. Any direction would be much appreciated.
Mike Langley - January 15, 2015 at 2:19 pm |
So has anyone else been told by their CRS that treatment is optional, that you should undergo surgery if the fistula bothers you, but if it doesn’t, it’s just not that big of a deal? I’ve been to three different CRS’s in three years, and two of them said it’s important to get it fixed and one said it was optional, that I should do it if it’s bothering me, but that leaving it alone is an option. I’ve had a fistula for 16 years. It can be bothersome sometimes, but overall, it hasn’t had much of an impact on my quality of life. I had an ultrasound done today – holy s#*! that was painful (they had to inject a dye, no anesthesia; I admit, I was shouting and crying) – and the CRS said he would probably do a partial fistulotomy with a cutting seton. Of all the comments I’ve seen, I’ve seen NONE that were positive re: the cutting seton, so I’m thinking: is it worth it? This particular CRS also has a knack for saying how things aren’t going to be painful when they are, in fact, excruciating (e.g. the ultrasound).
It should also be noted that in the sixteen years I’ve had my fistula, I’ve never had an abscess. There’s just a lump there that drains blood and pus every once in a while, which is gross, but nothing too problematic. So what do you think? I’m very thankful for this forum.
Jim - February 21, 2015 at 12:46 pm |
Jim, I had a fistulectomy two weeks ago with a seton. So far so good. Living with a fistula, in my opinion, was NOT an option. Painful first three to four days but feel better each day. Have the surgery a go back to quality of life! I’m tired of wearing maxi pads everyday – I want to be normal again! 😃. Hope that helps
Mike - February 21, 2015 at 2:59 pm |
Thanks for your comment, Mike. The fistula hasn’t actually affected my quality of life much, and I’ve never worn a maxi pad. I’m just worried that surgery could end up complicating things that don’t necessarily bother me all that much.
Jim - February 22, 2015 at 5:00 am
Do you have crohn’s disease?
julie - February 22, 2015 at 8:14 am
I don’t have Crohn’s disease.
Jim
Jim - February 22, 2015 at 12:13 pm |
I had a fistulatomy/ flap done simultaneously about 5 months ago and I am still leaking I was wondering if this is okay? Iv already had four failed surgeries of diff kinds. So I am always a little worried but doctor is not covered by insurance so I figured if ask if this is anything to be worried about and if not when did other people’s finnaly stop leaking and heal completely?
Corinne - February 22, 2015 at 7:40 pm |
Will laying in Ned bottomless, to get fresh air, help with the healing process of a Seton placement? And what do I do about the awful itching!? Help with itching!
Keturah - April 9, 2015 at 11:50 am |
Sitz bath with Epsom salts and tea tree oil
sandcastle - April 13, 2015 at 5:57 am |
I’m sorry I can’t be of much help but I do remember relying heavily on a cream to stop the itching that a doctor gave me. It numbed the area a bit. They’re a bit cagey about giving it out, I think it thins the skin in time but let’s face it when you’ve got a fistula it’s the here and now that counts. Definitely, see your GP. There’s cream out there that will help, just wish I could give you the name of it.
Jan - April 12, 2015 at 6:53 pm |
Fucidin!!! I remembered.
Jan - April 12, 2015 at 7:43 pm |
Hello
10 months have passed since i .ve been operated on fistula. But till now sometimes i have discharge from anus. I was operated on abroad so at thus time I cannot go there to visit a doctor for some reasons. Pls tell is it normal to have discharge from fistula during 10 month after operation.
Pls help Thanks in advance.
Mirsattar - April 17, 2015 at 12:42 am |
Hi – yes it is I have suffered for 3 years and recently had the advanced anal flap operation – this have worked thank god but I had discharge for 3 years until this operation. Try to keep the area clean and dry and I used a 100 cotton pad (like a small square) and put this in between the cheeks of my bum and it drained onto the pad. But change this often to avoid infection. It worked for me- if you are concerned see your GP – good luck
Jane Tate - April 18, 2015 at 9:53 pm |
I am patient of fistula before three days dr operate the fistula kindly inform me that after how many days are required for recovery and also inform me about the diet. Thanks. Idrees zahid from Pakistan
idrees zahid - April 25, 2015 at 4:36 pm |
I had also a FISTULA for sixteen years now since my first operation. I’m a bit worried if for the coming years of having it would lead to a CANCER? There’s just a lump there that drains blood and pus every once in a while, which is gross, but nothing too problematic. Is there anybody out there who could give me advice about my fistula for 16 yrs now? I’m very thankful for this forum.
B1loy - April 29, 2015 at 6:53 pm |
Hello Pal,
My advice shall be go for an operation and consult your doctor to get rid of the same.
Even if its not too problematic, its reduced capacity in life. I wonder it always happens in life with a fistula that one images and dreams to do something but your best friend your body shall not have a buy in from you.
Its best to get rid of this to have a normal human healthy life.
I suffered from this for almost 2 years, had a couple of operations done , first did not worked, but 2nd did worked !!
So be pragmatic and all will be fine..
Take Care !!
chirag007mehta - April 29, 2015 at 9:45 pm |
I had a feeling of not to be a perfect operation again?You know how hard and painful to undergo the said operation and the time needs until the healing process.I’m currently working from Mon to Sat. that’s why, I don’t have enough time for my operation.Is there any remedy aside from operation?How about herbal med?Honestly, I’ve learned just to live with it after 16 years of having it until now. Thanks for the advice…
B1loy - April 30, 2015 at 7:32 pm
But I don’t have enough time and courage to undergo again the said operation because you know how hard.Also, we’re not sure enough if it is successful one?I had a feeling of that kind of scenario again.That’s why, for 16 years now, I’ve learned to live with it.Just wanna ask if there’s other remedy aside from operation to help me get rid with my fistula?Or any, herbal medicine?
Thanks!
B1loy - May 5, 2015 at 2:49 pm |
Try homeopathic remedy it has cured me I suffered for 10 years
faz81 - May 12, 2015 at 10:09 am |
What does homeopathic remedy do?How to cope with it?Thanks!
B1loy - May 14, 2015 at 7:47 pm
Basically they give you a remedy that is suited for you, I was given nitric acid which I had to mix one cap full in 1.5 litre Evian water and drink that water all the time and also I was given hypercal cream to apply.
When I started treatment I did get tiny abscess coming out everyday for the first month which was painful but I was getting it every couple weeks anyway so I just had deal with for the 2nd month of taking the homeopathic remedy I was getting abcess coming out every week and the 3rd month it stopped and the actual wound started to heal and thank to god all mighty I’ve been cured their has been no abscess I had a healthy baby since then natural birth but I am still taking the remedy I don’t no why just to be on the safe side I guess. If I can help you in any other way or any questions feel free to ask.
Faz - February 28, 2016 at 4:51 am
Does anyone who has Crohn’s know the best Crohns medication to help stop fistulas from growing? Or any other suggestions to stop fistulas from developing?
julie - May 14, 2015 at 1:41 pm |
Hi Julie – I have the inflixamab infusion every 6 weeks that controls the chrons and fistulas – however I have just had big anal construction operation as I had a fistula that gave me so much pain and I had so many operations previous to the anal construction and it seems the op has helped as I am pain free for the first time in almost 4 years. However the operation kept me off work for 8 weeks and involved 48 stitches! I saw my consultant yesterday (seen him every 2 weeks since the op 16th Feb) and he was happy with the healing and will see me in 3 months – however he did say it could come back and if that’s the case it will be a stoma bag!!! So good and bad news!!! Not sure where you are in the world? But good luck and look after yourself x
Jane Tate - May 15, 2015 at 5:51 am |
does anyone know what’s a good health insurance in CA that helps cover a vaginal fistula operation ?
Sapphire - June 9, 2015 at 6:27 am |
Hello,
I have had a tough time of it of late. I started getting pain 9 weeks ago, and after 4 GP visits, 2 Out of hours Doctor visits, 3 A&E visits I was finally admitted on the last one. At this point they had to give me introvenous morphine for pain, I was in bad shape.
What followed was the draining of an abscess and 4 surgeries. They drained a pint in all over the surgeries! I have a fistula and a seton which is draining well. After a dreadful first week at home I am now very settled.
Glad to say I am off the morphine since last Saturday and just taking Diclofenic. I am taking a salt bath morning and night and showers also if needed. Not sure when I will be back at work as just sitting around (yes I can finally sit!) Exhausts me. Onwards and Upwards!
John - June 10, 2015 at 2:20 am |
Hi my name is Emer, and I had a collagen plug put in last week. This is my second time having it done as it didn’t work the first. This morning a small bit of collagen came away? Has anyone had this happen to them but still gone on to have a successful outcome and the fistula tract healed?
Emer - June 19, 2015 at 3:06 am |
Hi All,
I am from Sydney Australia, firstly thanks to people who are adminstirating and looking after this site. Great Work.
I had three absecces so far and two seton done in one best private hospitals in Sydney.
now is three weeks after the last surgery and I am discharging a lot via seton which i think is normal as is this is the whole idea to drain the area. I am not concern about draining matter, as I am keeping myself very clean with 3-4 times hot shower a day and keep using adult disposable nappies and pads. after each BM there is a painstarting about 15 minutes after and last to 2-4 hours, some times i use pain killer. Life is certainly changed but I beleive on power of brain and mentally with positive thinking we can help things to change. I am a senior engineer and manager and like to think and analyse things logically. There is a merit to lots of points that i read in this web site but we need to be practical and that not only one thing like diet can fix every thing. There are problems that only can be fixed by surgeries. Certainly a healthy life style is a good thing to have, so to me is given to get rid of all junk food, alcholol, smoking, coffee, red meat, fatty food, lots of vegetable and fruits etc buts lets not put all our hopes in one basket.
Identifying the right procedure for you is the key, which means a good expereinced surgeon to start with. then good diagnosis helps like CT, MRI. Then good hospital to look after you after surgery. follow up with a routine check up and also things to do at home.
Although the site is great but everyone talking about failure here, would be good to talk about sucess stories too.
Any medical procedure has a risk factors and success rates, so if a procedure medically proven has a sucess rate of 70%, then yes there are 30% that unfortunately failed, but lets not forget 70% sucess.
For me I am ok to handle the pain and discomfort of seton for another 2 months and to be reviewed with my surgeon then and see which procedure is fitting my situation the best, my very high fear is to get incontinent or fitsual keep coming back.
Anyway, I also a big fan of second or third opinion in most things i do in life, i am organising to see some more surgoens in Sydney to make sure i have done my homework.
Anyone has any suggestion for excellent Colerectal Specialists in Sydney ?
Cheers,
AdrianSydney
AdrianSydney - June 24, 2015 at 7:39 am |
Adrian
If you look back you will see my story. Nearly 2 years since I had a LIFT and no problems since. This was after 7 years with a seton in for 3 of them. I’m in Glasgow, Scotland so can’t recommend a surgeon but listen to all the options. My surgeon was very honest with me that there were options for surgery but due to the fistula going through my sphincter he was concerned that I could become faecally incontinent as some of the muscle would have to be taken away. I decided that I didn’t want to take that risk. Only when his colleague started doing LIFT and had success, they thought I would be a good candidate.
Andy - June 26, 2015 at 1:48 am |
My GP believes I have a fistula but CT scan showed nothing. My symptoms are white smelly discharge, air coming out of my vagina while urinating, pain in lower stomach, I’ve lost quite a bit of wieght, I have low iron since my first baby (13 years ago). My GP has eliminated thrush, stds, etc. I have a referal to see a Gyno but waiting, I’m freaking out and want info. My doctor said to google info and prepare myself. Can anyone please help. Will I get a coloespy/ilosepy bag? Will I have a stoma? Whats a tract from fistula? Can I get more after a fistula is fixed? Will I be fixed? 😦
Tracey - June 24, 2015 at 2:07 pm |
Hello friends. I am getiing treatment of ayoverdiv for fistula.. I am having more den 15 cms fistula.which contain 4 tunal. Right now I just finished my first tunal and I a
m feeling ok. Not so awesome coz still to whatch but yes during treatment I got a confident this is,right one. I want to say this is really painfull but with the time and treatment you will able to handle the worst pain my doc name is,vishwamitra patel his hospital is at gandhingar sectore 26 harjeevan hospital
kamlesh tewani - July 8, 2015 at 8:05 am |
Hi guys first of all im feeling everyones pain and hope everyone gets sorted. I first discovered perianal abscess 5 months ago now and was in extreme pain. Eventually i had op to drain this and it caused a fistula. So now ive just started recovering from my 2nd op ive had seton put in only been 3 days im very sore and discharging alot . Hopfully pain will go soon so i can get bk to work. Does anyone know roughly how long ill be in pain for ive also been told i have to have a third op for the seton to be removed. Im drained from this now i really do feel for those who have numerous encounters over a long period of time with these fistulas\abscesses
sean craig - August 3, 2015 at 12:23 pm |
Hi
The pain is dependent on the seton location but the discharge and pain does lessen alot after the first 2 weeks u will start noticing the difference. It is an awful illness but you do get the energy and fight back and it does become more manageable. Good luck x
Sandcastles - August 4, 2015 at 5:47 am |
Hi
I had a seton for 3 years. The pain was away within a few weeks and was better tha recurring abcess. Try and keep the area dry as any discharge can irritate the skin. I had absorbant pads prescribed by my GP.
Andy - August 5, 2015 at 5:37 pm
Hi !
Seton/Bioplug are Fistula Management Techniques rather than Fistula Healing ones.
They assist to make the Fistula Draining Channel open for a longer time so that intermittant/acute pain does not happen since the drainage happens regularly.
I had both of these techniques for a span of 2 years. I had to undergo a https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fistulectomy which recovered my fistula fully within 2 months of operation.
Regards
Chirag
chirag007mehta - August 4, 2015 at 8:20 pm |
Apparently I didn’t get the fistulectomy because I’m still have discharge. But it’s good that you’re doing better.
cbb313 - August 10, 2015 at 4:36 am |
Hi, I had advancement flap surgery yesterday (for a complex fistula going through my sphincter) after 18 months of both seton drains and failed fistula plug surgery. My CR surgeon is very good and patient with my endless questions but I forgot to ask this: how will I know if the AF surgery has worked? Will I just stop draining out of the external opening? Or will getting another abscess be the sign that AF hasn’t worked? Any answers gratefully received! Thanks, Ally
Ally - August 13, 2015 at 10:49 pm |
Hello,
As it’s internal I think only way you’ll know if you get an abscess again.
How did you get on with saetons for 18 months? I’ve had mine for 3 and it has been fine.
Thanks
Er1n85 - August 22, 2015 at 10:57 am |
Hi, can anyone please help? I’m so blue…
I had my AF 10 days ago and within 3 days it was obvious I was having problems. I have muscular control with poo and wind but I’m seeping a liquid, mucous poo. It’s not so bad in the morning but late afternoon and early evening its a real problem.I was initially upset but then figured it could be a whole lot worse, pulled myself together. ordered myself some proper pads and looked at what I could do to help myself.
Yesterday evening I went to the loo and there was poo on my pad – judging by where is was on the pad it must have come from the external opening and not my rectum. Do you think I can now assume that the AF hasn’t worked and that the internal opening hasn’t closed properly? I was just beginning to accept that I was going to have to cope with a mild incontinence but if the op hasn’t worked and I’m back to square one, that’s hard to take. If anyone can offer assurance or advice I’d be really grateful, Ally x
Ally - August 21, 2015 at 8:43 pm |
Sorry to hear this Ally, but I have had over 4 procedures and I still have discharge and sometimes bloody like puss. But it sounds like you need the procedure where they cut the tract out. Have you been having any discomfort?
cbb313 - September 2, 2015 at 1:04 pm |
I am just living with it without surgery. Over the past five years I have had some close, others open. They get smaller and smaller each time, farther from the rectum, and are now completely painless. I am still preoccupied, always examining the latest one and wash all the time, but now I am thinking about travelling and getting back into life.
Any suggestions about travel bidets? I find baby wipes irritating. I am planning an overseas trip in two months. Wish me luck!
Marina - August 30, 2015 at 10:52 am |
Hi Sue – I carry a perianal squirt bottle in my purse. Since they aren’t convenient to fill in the washroom, I carry them with water inside them, and put the whole bottle in a zip top bag. It rarely leaks and does the trick. When travelling, I carry a small makeup bag that contains all my things – squirt bottle, cotton rounds, sanitary pads, wet-wipes … Hope this helps.
Queenie - November 1, 2015 at 9:43 am |
Are you all using a squirt bottle when you are out? I can’t believe it never occurred to me to use that after so many years. I’ve just been staying home because I am afraid to not be able to clean. I still need to stay home in the morning until I am done, but now I can feel more secure if there is some more to come out at a later time.
Can anyone give me some advice on how to use it as a woman in a public lavatory?
Marina - August 30, 2015 at 11:54 am |
Marina
Don’t let having a fistula stop you going out. I have found ways to make life easier. I sometimes carry saline tubes you can get from a gp on script to squirter over setons and keep them clean. I use also Andrew toilet wipes, non woven sterile gauze 7.5×7.5 between my bottom cheeks and I use a thick sanitary towel to cushion when I sit or a non adhesive dressing like activities heal. I keep it all in a small puch in my bag. Hope this helps
Sandcastles - September 20, 2015 at 10:51 pm |
I have been living with my fistula and managing it for 6 years. I just tried Stem Cell treatment, but it did not work to cure my fistula. It burst 19 days after the Stem Cell treatment and then again about one month later. Now, the external opening is closed and I dread the day it becomes inflamed again and bursts again. I am very worried about the risks from the traditional colorectal surgery and especially the risk of incontinence. I am trying to raise funds to get to the Om Ayurvedic Clinic in Pune, India to get Kshar sutra treatment for my anal fistula. I am in USA and would like to know if anyone has any knowledge of grants to individuals for such an endeavor or any ideas besides crowd-funding for raising funds. Thank you for reading.
Gabrielle - October 19, 2015 at 3:11 pm |
MUST READ. THIS REALY WORKS..Hi im Sue. I suffered from peri ano fistula. Constantly draining for about 7months. Went for surgery twice. After both surgical procedures it just kept persisting. . I then decided to try homeopathic remedies. I read up that i must try sulphur capsules 200CH. I cudnt find the capsules anywhere but i found the tissue salts. . After a week it totally dried up and vanished!!!! And today three yrs later im still taking these tissue salts simply because it also keeps me acne away as well😆
Sue - October 22, 2015 at 2:04 am |
Interesting! Can you please provide more information on the sulphur capsules 200CH and/or tissue salts that you use? Is this something similar? http://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-Formulas-Sulfur-1000mg-Capsules/dp/B0001TNVEM?tag=duckduckgo-ffsb-20. Thank you!
Queenie - October 30, 2015 at 11:07 am |
Hey Queenie
I couldn’t find sulphur capsules 200ch
But I found the tissue salt and thought ill try it you never know. And it really worked in a week. Tissue salts is a small white tablet that dissolved under your tongue. U can take from 3 a day to 10 a day. It wont harm u. i actually took eight a day splitting it up through out the day. Tissue salts can be found at any pharmacy. U get different types.Try to get the 200ch one otherwise any other sulphur
capsules or tissue salts.
Sue
Sue - October 30, 2015 at 11:37 pm |
Thanks Sue. I think I will give these a try because as you say (and from my research), they are not harmful.
Queenie - November 1, 2015 at 9:44 am |
Hi all i just had seton thread and laying open of two fistulas yesterday,,,so far I have very little pain,,,my really big fear is,as of yet i have not had a bowel movement and im so terrified of the pain im afraid to eat,,,have taken 3 senna last night and another 3 this morning ,but still no movement,,,can someone please reassure me and explain what to expect Many thanks Maria
Maria - November 13, 2015 at 10:47 am |
Hi,
You will be absolutely fine. The drugs from the up slow ip bowel movements business after about a week it will be back to normal.
teddy - November 16, 2015 at 8:59 am |
Thank you so much Teddy I went to loo and like you said ,not as bad as i thought,,,some tenderness and dragging pain but nothing major,i really appreciate your reply and its good to know i can ask questions on here when i get scared,I have 3/4 more ops ahead of me so am sure i will be on this forum constantly,Good Health and best wishes to you xxx Maria
Maria - November 16, 2015 at 12:33 pm
It will be a wee bit sore but nithing like you are imagining. Drink plenty of water, even slightly cooled boiled water to help keep everything soft and try to move around abit as will all help. It will just rake u abit if time to famarilse urself with ur setons, and remember everything is swollen from the surgery u will notice a big difference in a couple of weeks.
The trick at the start is keep them clean, sitz bath and epsom salts are fab especially after a bowel movement. For the 1st couple of weeks i either showered or used sitz bath after every bowel movement to minimise infection and also helps with pain.
Good luck. I have 2 now for over 2 yrs and whilst manageable, i am more scared of them not being there.
X
Sandcastle - November 16, 2015 at 9:38 am |
Thank you so much Teddy and Sandcastle,,,I did go to toilet and wasnt as bad as i feared,im doing the baths and shower after bowel movements ,im doing better than i expected,some tenderness and a dragging pain but nothing major,I have 3/4 more operations ahead of me as sergeon said its a slow process,,,am back to see him after christmas,he thinks i may have crohns but hasnt confirmed anything with me yet,,,thanks so much for taking the time to reply to me ,it means a lot knowing im not alone on this journey Best Wishes and good health to all going through this xx Maria
Maria - November 16, 2015 at 12:25 pm
Thanks Sandcastle for your reply and good advice,I find the baths good to ease the pain and i shower after ive been to toilet as im scared of infection,I have 3/4 more operations ahead of me as the sergeon said its a slow process and will b done in stages,Im back to see him after christmas,he has mentioned crohns to me but nothing has been confirmed yet,Again Thanks for the advice,will try anything,I hope your road to recovery will go smoothly for you,Good Health to you xxx Maria
Maria - November 16, 2015 at 12:41 pm
Hi Maria,
I have done the same, first of all, Senna not very effective, i am on ACTILAX syrup, 10ml a night and morning after all easy. Actilax or like which you can get from any chemist with no prescription.
i had bleeding for 7 days very little and all gone ok. but now i feel all signs of another abcess developing again after 5 weeks of open laid fistolotomy by one of best surgeons in Sydney Australia.
M - November 16, 2015 at 1:44 pm |
Hi everyone,
I’m Harpinder from British Columbia, Canada and wanted to share a little about my experience with a Fisutla.
I have had Ulcerative Colitis for the past 9 years and about 3 years ago developed a “Fistula-in-ano”. My fistula was all internal, with no external opening which made life very difficult. Pain, Bleeding, Fevers, Weakness, a fear of using the toilet because of the pain that accompanied… and much more.
I looked long and hard, near and far for treatments… I used many painkillers and medicines prescribed by the doctor, and at my weakest point was told by a GI specialist that I’d “have to learn to live with it”. Later surgery was suggested but I was told there’s a 90% chance it would reoccur within 2 months and that incontinence is common side effect of surgery.
I tried a natural Chinese therapy, after hearing horrible experiences of those who went through surgery… however, this natural treatment lasted 1 whole year and after loads of $$ spent… there was no difference.
Finally, I came across the Kshar Sutra treatment in India, and thought I would give this a try before resorting to surgery. I consulted many doctors in India, but I thank god that I was able to find Dr Prasad Bapat of Om Ayurvedic Clinic in Pune. He assured me I could be cured and much easier and faster than I thought.
Within a month I was at Dr Bapat’s clinic… had MRI and blood reports done and started my treatment. My treatment lasted 8 weeks. I was afraid of the pain or problems that would come with inserting the medicated thread through the fistula tract, but my fear was put to rest after my first treatment. Dr Bapat used local anesthesia and with that I had no pain at all. Surprisingly I was up and walking, feeling normal within 5 minutes of the thread being placed!
Every week I had the thread changed at the clinic, and the rest of my time I was up and about touring India… WITH NO PAIN! After my last treatment I felt 100% pain free, no blood, no discharge. Its been 8 months since I have been back in Canada and I can say thanks to Dr Bapat, I am Fistula Free!
Some positive points of the treatment in Pune:
Minimal to no pain
No antibiotics were used
Dr Prasad Bapat was very understanding and caring,
his focus is CURE not controlling symptoms
It is a Permanent treatment!
I would be more than glad to answer any questions! Also please visit Dr Bapat’s website to find more info and experiences of those who have been cured.
http://www.omayurvedicclinic.com/
Harpinder - December 9, 2015 at 10:02 pm |
Hi
Im also from Surrey British Columbia Canada. I’m interested in the procedure you did. Please email me anytime at shreyanaidu@yahoo.com so I can ask more about this
How much does the Kshar ayurvediv treatment costs?
Riya - November 17, 2018 at 11:17 am |
I’ve had over 8 surgeries to try and get this under wraps. Well currently I’m going through Chemo for my breast cancer and my fistula is really bothering me. Is it because of the chemo. I’m sure it is?? Has anyone else been through this?
Jacki - January 26, 2016 at 5:27 pm |
Hi.
I had my fistula surgery about 6 years ago. I had often wanted to describe what I went through so as to hopefully help others as this particular ailment and the surgery to correct was so stressful to me. I am sorry it has taken me 6 years to report back.
So 6 years ago I was 45 years old. I am male. I am 6’5″ and at the time of my fistula surgery I was around 225 pounds. I have been in very good shape all my life. Decades before the surgery and to this day, I workout regularly, I eat a diet that my family finds impossible (I eat very healthy and actually love it). So discovering I had a fistula was quite unnerving. How could I, with all the healthy habits I have, develop a fistula? (I say that sarcastically, as we all know fistulas don’t seem to target anyone over another.)
I actually had the fistula for around 10 to 12 years before I finally decided to have the surgery to correct it. I just sort of lived with it for years. When a doctor first told me that the occasional bleeding I had was due to a fistula, I just kept thinking: am I taking too many supplements or am I eating too much creatine or is my diet too rich in protein.
Oh yes, and just to fully disclose everything: I am gay. And I have had anal sex. Not a lot. I mean, to me, it didn’t seem like a lot. But I share that because, heck, maybe that had something to do with me getting a fistula. I really don’t think it did but like I said, I want to fully disclose everything as I am not sharing what I went through to give false/bad information to any of you.
Something else about me and I often think, “could this be something many fistula patients do, ” I am a clean freak. So when I showered and this was every since I can remember, I clean every body thoroughly. And because I plan to live to I am 110 years old, I always use moisturizing soaps…Dove being my favorite. Stay with me now, please.
When I would have bowel movement, I wiped not with regular toilet paper but with Scotts wipes. You know, those baby wipe like wipes sold these days right next to the toilet paper in the store.
Now I have to tell you, even after my fistula surgery (I got a fistulotomy where the surgeon “fillets” open the fistula to expose the embedded fistula track so it can heal), the surgery didn’t seem to be healing. I mean, it didn’t heal for about a year. And while maybe I am just a slow healer (which I don’t think), here is what I ended up doing, rather accidentally, to heal: I stop washing the crack of my butt with Dove soap and I stopped using Scott wipes. I started, honestly, only washing the crack of my butt with Safeguard soap–I figured it would not keep that area of my body as silky smooth and I started wiping with, gasp!, toilet paper. Now, I am a sensitive sort of person, skin wise, so I went through a couple days (or was it weeks) were I had ease myself off wipes and Dove. So i literal shower with two bars of soap: one bar like Safeguard or Dial for the crack of my butt and another bar, Dove, for the rest of my body. And, full disclosure, I continue to use Noxzema to wash my pretty little face. 🙂
And guess what, my surgery finally healed up. Perhaps just coincidental but I joke with my sister (one of very few people that I told about my surgery) that I want to keep the crack of my butt clean and dry and tight…not clean and moisturized and soft.
Another thing: while not allergic to anything else that I am aware…I have found I am allergic to MINERAL OIL. Now, I can use products with mineral oil in them (just about any skin lotion has petroleum products it them), but if I continually use them, after about 3 days, I break out in a rash.
As far as my surgery went, they gave me something before the surgery to calm me down as they could tell I was sort of high strung. In a matter of minutes I felt so good, I even had to tell the doctor, “Wow, I feel so calm and good right now.” So, I can see how people can get hooked on drugs…whatever he gave me made all my stress vanish.
Post surgery was painful, yes. But I felt that at least the issue was behind me. But then, I didn’t realize it was going to take some special measures by me (Safeguard and toilet paper) to make the surgery heal.
The doctor told me he wanted me to have a bowel movement with 48 hours (I think he said 48 hours) after the surgery. This, I presumed, was to make sure I didn’t forcibly hold off pooping for fear of the pain. But here is something that scared me that the doctor didn’t tell me: I pooped out this white tube of silicon. I was freaking out. “What the f**k” I remember thinking, this damn surgeon left some surgical matter inside of my body. But alas, finally, when I ask him about it, he explained that the the silicon injection in my anus was to provide support? during my surgery/recovery. The expectation is that I would indeed just poop it out. But I wished the doctor would have told me that I would be pooping that out…cuz I was cursing him until he explained to me that it was intentional!
So that is my story. Now I must tell you that whenever I have a tough bowel movement (which is rare), I often think that I am going to start another fistula. Crazy, right? Fortunately, that one fistula was all that I have had…I hope to never have another.
So I wrote this thinking that perhaps there are other people out there that go to the lengths that I did to keep clean: the Scott wipe, the Dove soap. And, could it be, that those things are actually part of the problem and not the solution? I am not knocking Dove soap–I still use it. And while I don’t use Scott wipes at all, I am not saying they are a horrible product. I am just saying, I am fine without them.
Oh, yeah, another full disclosure item: Sometimes, i find myself having had a bowel movement where I wipe and wipe and wipe (with toilet paper only) occasionally thinking how much more quickly and efficiently some Scott wipes could do the job…but that thought quickly fades as I envision developing another fistula. So, after one of those types of bowel movements, I just end up taking my next shower sooner, rather than later.
I know I have rambled. But I hope this helps someone find peace. I am not a doctor and I might not be typical and perhaps my advice is just clinically wrong. But it is what happened to me and I am only sharing it.
Jon
Jon - February 24, 2016 at 12:12 pm |
Love the honesty. Rare these days. Congratulations on your healing. May you never get another fistula.
Julie - February 24, 2016 at 1:43 pm |
Great story, and glad your fistula has healed – how wonderful for you! I would only suggest looking into bidets. They are cheap on Amazon, easy to install, and OH MY how wonderful, quick, thorough in the cleaning department.
Queenie - February 25, 2016 at 7:26 am |
Enterocutaneous fistula does anyone know more about it.My father is suffering with this for past 5 months
Dr told he can’t be operated as he underwent 3 major surgeries back to.back to.remove his cancer tumor
Geetha - February 29, 2016 at 7:26 am |
I had a fistula surgery three months ago I still get some blood in my bowels is this normal?
Maria - March 2, 2016 at 7:14 am |
I had luckily all healed within a month. Blood is not normal please check with your doctor.
chirag007mehta - March 2, 2016 at 9:58 am |
I had fistula for 7 years before I had it seen to at homerton hospital in London under Dr Lunnis ,who was head of that field,since then had 4 operations under Dr Giordanno of Whipps Cross hospital in London .
The initial operation was seton two then the others were collegn which did not work,but the left me in teribble pain.
Today I am completely healed it’s been a year and four months since seeing Dr Devendrabhai Shah in Ahmedabad who cured my reoccurring problem.
Mayank Patel - March 31, 2016 at 2:44 am |
Hi my name is William I am 34 years old and I was diagnosed with an anal fistula when I was 27, after 5 attempts with fistulotomies over the course of 5 years, the only thing that worked was a fistulectomy, I noticed noone ever post after they’ve had a successful surgery so I wanted to tell everyone searching for answers to not give up, the only advice I can really give is make sure you know exactly what kind of procedure your surgeon is performing, trying to plug the track and other methods like that alot of the times fail, removing the track in its entirety called a fistulectomy totally different from fistulotomy, and to keep your spirits up, I suffered for almost a decade and finally got the job done once I educated myself and found the right surgeon
Capricornn1982 - April 3, 2016 at 4:55 pm |
Hi Nishant.I have undergone kshar shutra treatment 2 days back only the last thread was removed.now their is a wound left from which the puss gets discharged every few hours.is it normal?in how much time will the puss stop coming?how much time it takes the wound to disappear completely.though I don’t have much pain but I can’t sit normally.
Pls let me know.
Vikas - April 11, 2016 at 10:14 pm |
Hi this is Riya
Please let me know how you’re feeling now. Did the procedure work?
Riya - November 17, 2018 at 10:19 am |
Hello, my mum has had a rectal/vigina fustula for a yr due to diverticulitus. She is suffering from dreadful burning mainly in the morning but it can last all day she is on a low does antibiotic to help prevent infections but her stools are mainly lose and mainly leak through the fistula. She is waiting for surgery. Has anyone else experienced this dreadful burning? Any suggestions that can help greatfully received.
maree cullen - April 30, 2016 at 8:53 pm |
Hello,
I developed a perirectal abscess last November, I initially thought it was an internal hemmroid and my doctor even did a rectal exam and agreed it was a internal hemmroid that would likely go away on its own. 2 days later I was running a 103 fever , vomitting and Experiencing shortness of breath . I wet to the emergency room where they rushed me back right away due to my heart rate being 160 . I found out I had a severe access that was spreading quickly so they had to do emergency surgery. I ended up having to have 2 blood transfusions and went into kidney failure because of the high doses of antibiotics they were giving me. After the surgery they put in a pinrose drain that actually didn’t hurt at all I didn’t really experience any pain from it and it was in about 4 weeks. I have been having issues with one of the holes that the drain came thru it never healed and at times drains and bleeds really bad . I had a colonoscopy to see if there were any underlying issues since I have never had any issues with an abscess and everything came back normal. My surgeon said that it was possible I had a fistula but he would need to do an exam under anesthesia. The exam confirmed I had a fistula and a seton was placed. This is only my 2nd day having it in and it hurts like he**! I am not seeing any draining at all coming from the site. Is that normal? How long before the pain goes away? I read in some of the comments that some ppl say to move the seton around and that will help only I’m not sure how they are able to move it there is no way I can get mine to move.
Felicia - June 29, 2016 at 12:09 pm |
Hi Felicia
I had a seton in for 3 years. It was uncomfortable at first. Sometimes where the seton was tied would catch in the hole it was keeping open so had move it back to a comfortable position. You will get to know how to manage it. Keeping the area dry was my biggest problem as drainage would cause skin irritation. Drainage didn’t happen all the time. Would sometimes get pus and blood coming through then nothing for days.
Andy - July 5, 2016 at 9:03 am |
i found hot baths eased the pain,i had a seton placed in one fistuala and they layed open the other,both inside my rectum,i found it most painful with a bowel movement,pain was awful,hobbled into a hot bath and sat there until the pain eased,after 4 wks my seton fell out and thank god i have been great since,,my op was in november 2015,,,just try hot baths when it really dose help and give it time,hope all goes well xxx maria
Maria - July 5, 2016 at 9:46 am |
Hi my mom just got a fistula placed in her left arm like 3 weeks ago. She calls me sometimes with like pain and stiffness on her left hand and her hand gets too cold. I told her to use the exercise ball they gave her at the hospital. Im scared will all that go away after they start using that hand for dialysis? Right now they do it thru the chest catheter. Is there anything else she can do for the pain and her hand getting cold? Any tip or info will help
Ana Tovar - June 30, 2016 at 12:54 am |
Sharing the web site address of Ayurvedic clinic where I underwent Kshar Sutra Treatment for benefit of others.
http://www.omayurvedicclinic.com
Chanda Maheshwari - July 28, 2016 at 12:58 am |
Yes there is treatment and very good one. This treatment will save u from surgery and fix u in 2- three weeks. I had this problem for five years. I went to a specialist for my anal fissure for five years but it didnt get heal. Because of this anal fissure i got polyp and extra skin tag. Polyp really bothered me. But still I was trying to tell myself that everything will be okay. The only one thing I was scared of a lot and worried was fistula cuz this means surgery. However, I prayed to God and it was a miracle wen my friend all of a sudden in some paper read about a clinic where they treat anal fissure and fistula. I went to that place and they told me that i have fistula too. I was shocked and scared. But they said I will get fix in two to three weeks and I did get fixed!!!!!
I COULD NOT BELIEVE!!! many people out there are suffering. I will post this message to everyone I could.. Go to this place and get well soon before you go through surgery and all…. SURGERY IS NOT SOLUTION BUT HORRBILE MISTAKE….Here is the place and address!!!
N.A.T.C.M. (Hermorrhoids treatment centre) They fix: Hermorrhoids, fissure, fistula and anal itching abcess, Crohnès disease, and Constipation
Telephone: 905-415-1777
Fax: 905-415-3777
C: 647-818-1788
natcm@hotmail.ca
http://www.natcm.ca
Address: 351 Ferrier St. Unit 1 Markham ON L3r 5z2
Maria - August 5, 2016 at 5:06 pm |
What herbs or creams were used in the treatment. And what exactly did you do to cure yourself? Please write the specifics. thanks you
700Series - August 15, 2016 at 7:39 am |
G’day,
I have been getting treatment
successfully, it’s on going and all I can say is after 5 years and
18 attempt in Australia and Germany as well as consultations with USA, Canada and Iran, this was the ONLY CURE for High Complex multiple branch Fistula.
http://www.proctocure.com/dr_mukulpatel.php
Max A - August 15, 2016 at 6:19 pm |
Hello pple, where can i get this ayuverda treatment in South Africa.
Memory mandiringa - September 16, 2016 at 8:40 am |
Shar therapy ,it’s an ayurvedic treatment,the doctor is in Ahmedabad
Mayank - September 21, 2016 at 12:59 am |
I underwent plug treatment for rectovaginal fistula 2 months back and it failed…again now am done with glue treatment.. now 3 days after which am getting some fluid discharge and am scared if this wil be success or not. Going thru hell with pain. Plz suggest if anyne wit same issues here
Chavi - October 15, 2016 at 5:42 am |
Hi Chavi, I also am suffering from same condition after my childbirth. I have consulted a general surgeon here in Delhi and he replied surgery is mandatory for curing Recto-vaginal Fistula. Well, I red so many things online and also decided to take second opinion from Ayurvedic Doctors because I do not want any critical surgery. I am in the planning to visit best Kshar Sutra doctor for Recto-vaginal Fistula. I would like to suggest you same thing.
mailrachanasharma - November 17, 2016 at 7:00 pm |
Has anyone of you got your Kshar Sutra from HYDERABAD, India?? If you did, this would be a great help if you can share the doctor’s details. It’s been 6 months I am suffering from Fistula in Ano. I want to get Kshar Sutra treatment once in for all. Thank you so much in advance!
Raj - October 15, 2016 at 11:37 am |
Hi, I’m Rob and I live in England. I am hoping this site is for both men and women.I had bowel cancer in 1993, I had a bowel resection . The tumour was attached to my bladder so I was referred to an oncologist who recommended radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Over the years I’m told the radiotherapy keeps working over the years. This has caused me to have radiation cystitis. 2 years ago I had horrendous diarea which was caused by a twisted bowel this starved part of my colon of blood which caused part of it to die. This was repaired by surgery. When I was discharged after 2 weeks , when I got home I found out I had bladder incontenance and had a lot of blood clots and bleeding . I have had my bladder cauterised about 3 times since. I am left with an in dwell catheter for now. I found that during the night my night bag fills with urine and gas. Because of the gas being present I have been told this is because of a fistula. The urologist says he can’t repair my bladder until the surgical team repair the fistula. The surgical team have carried out an endoscopy which has revealed nothing. I have also had 2 ct scans 1 with a full bladder and one with it empty. I am now waiting for an outpatient appointment to find out the results of scans and to find out if it can be repaired. They say the problem finding it is because it is probably just as big as a pinhole.
Robert Sutherland - October 20, 2016 at 10:49 pm |
Just had another seton stich put in on Monday now Thursday and no bowel movement don’t even feel the need to go despite me taking laxatives is this normal David
David Laurence - October 21, 2016 at 2:36 am |
Thanks for letting me join . Is there an easy way to find out if anyone has commented on my situation ?
Robert Sutherland - October 27, 2016 at 11:37 am |
Hi I have a fistula between bowel and bladder. My problem is that they can’t find it . At the moment I have an in dwell catheter . In my urine collection bag as well as collecting urine it also fills with horrible smelling gas and blows up like a balloon . I had bowel resection in 1993.The tumor had joined onto my bladder so I had to have chemotherapy and radiotherapy . I have been told that I have radiotherapy cistiss , but all my urine problems began when I had an operation for a twisted bowel and also part of my bowel had died . I have had 2 ct scans one with a full and an empty bladder . I recently had an endoscopy which revealed nothing. As now I am wating for an outpatient appointment to find out if the scans have revealed anything. Has anybody had anything similar?
Robert Sutherland - October 27, 2016 at 12:01 pm |
Hi, I have a perianal fistula, and I can most of the time cope really well with it, but lately it started to hurt a lot again, and i think for some reason is because i need to fart and it’s “going up the wrong tube”. I’m in a lot of pain cause of this, do you have any advices or solutions? (Btw, I’m getting surgery on December)
Santiago - November 1, 2016 at 10:11 pm |
Hello I am writing for my husband who has a horseshoe fistula he has had 3 surgerys and they did not work the doctor told him there is nothing more they can do. He is in constant pain and dealing with the constant draining. Does any one know what he can do to ease the pain. any information would really help thank you
JOANN SANSERVINO - November 7, 2016 at 9:37 am |
Hello, I was resently diagnosed with a fistuI and I am scheduled for a fistulectomy. I can’t help but feel depressed about the situation. I feel that I am no use to anyone, where they can’t depend on me to do something or be some where on time. Because once I use the resteoom, I have a constant feeling of pressure and I can feel my sphincter muscles close up that can last for hours.
My question is about how long after the surgery did you feel some kind of relief. And when using the restroom did you feel the same constant pressure?
Thomas bradford - November 18, 2016 at 11:51 am |
Hello!
I had fistulectomy on 25th Nov 2014.
I felt that the hole in my colon since I cannot pass gas through that channel anymore.
I had another abscess in 3 weeks which had to be removed after minor operation.
Thank God !! it worked !!
The only success criteria I was given is good food and after bowel cycle hygiene. I know its difficult. A nurse had helped me to maintain this for at least a month on a daily basis to recover myself fully.
Good Luck !
Have Faith in Yourselves !!!
Regards
Chirag
chirag007mehta - November 21, 2016 at 9:37 pm |
Hello!
I had fistulectomy on 25th Nov 2014.
I felt that the hole in my colon has healed since I cannot pass gas through that channel anymore.
I had another abscess in 3 weeks which had to be removed after minor operation.
Thank God !! it worked !!
The only success criteria I was given is good food and after bowel cycle hygiene. I know its difficult. A nurse had helped me to maintain this for at least a month on a daily basis to recover myself fully.
Good Luck !
Have Faith in Yourselves !!!
Regards
Chirag
chirag007mehta - November 21, 2016 at 9:37 pm
Hi everyone
I’m based in New Zealand. In October I had a perianal abscess incised and drained, and this turned into a fistula. I’ve had a seton in place for 6 weeks and was told my fistula is superficial, however after having an MRI scan my surgeon has told me that the fistula has another track and is more complex, and I have been referred to a colorectal specialist. Feeling quite depressed because I am an otherwise fit and healthy 25yo female with no Crohns!
Wondering if anyone else in NZ has had surgery for a complex fistula, and how did it go?
Victoria - December 3, 2016 at 7:59 am |
Hi Victoria,
Yes I’m based in Auckland, NZ and I created this website. Are you in Auckland? I can give you some good advice based on my experience
fistulasupportonline - January 7, 2017 at 8:40 pm |
Hey Victoria!
I am also 25 and otherwise fit and healthy! I had a fistulotomy at the start of last year and have felt great ever since! I went through 32 surgeries trying different ideas and getting setons in etc and was a nightmare! Mine was really complex also and was proving to be a tricky one to fix with numerous tracts etc. I saw an amazing guy in Wellington who did the fistulotomy and fingers crossed it’s been a year with no surgery! Where are you based in NZ? I highly recommend this surgeon in Wellington! Hope this helps!
Emma
Emma - January 7, 2017 at 8:44 pm |
I have fistula andmy scanned report says “there is a 0.3cm thick linear hypoechoic area linear tract,extending from the cutaneous plane at 7 oc clock position and extending for a length of approximately 1.5cm,into the superficial inter sphincteric plane .
No evidence of collection is seen in the intersphincteric plane .
Rest of the anal sphincters appear normal.
no evdience of perianal collections is seen.
Impression:
Thin Hypoechoic tract in perianal region at 7o clock position -could represent fistuous tract suggested clinical correlation.”
above is my medical report could some suggest me whether I need go for surgery or not.
currently I don’t have any bleeding and pain
Karthikeyan B - December 10, 2016 at 7:00 am |
I have a enterocutaneous fistula, with total abdominal defect, the fistula goes from the peritenum sac of the small intestine to opening in the skin. There is a canal running down my midline incision, where green pus leaked out through hole in the skin. In January a surgeon told me that I was TERMINALLY I’ll. Out of nine surgeons, none wanted to have anything to do with me. I have crones. They act as if they are taking that diagnosis back. My abdomen gets bigger everyday. I have gained 55lbs in a eight month span. There is fluid in my abdomen. It’s so bad that the fluid can be heard audibly. The surgeon who did these surgeries says he will not take care of me. The medical world doesn’t care about me. I am in a lot of pain and have become so weak, I can’t walk. Why are they not helping me? Is there any body out there that is going through what I am?
Sharon Eifler - December 23, 2016 at 3:44 am |
I am seeing a top London colorectal surgeon about my fistula which I have put up with two years. It all started with a huge abscess on my inner buttock and kept recurring in same area after draining many many times. However I am keen to proceed to a one step op, the LIFT procedure, but absolutely will not have a Seton Drain placement as I have nursed patients with these and 99% say they are just awful, so uncomfortable, and smelly and I will not accept one. So why put miyself through pain and misery when I have no symptoms at all at present. I am hoping my new referral to this colorectal surgeon will agree to a one step procedure without Seton placement as I have no drainage from anal canal or the fistula site on my buttock which is just a little hard lump at present. I will keep you updated .
Polly SHORT - January 7, 2017 at 11:55 am |
Seeing my new colorectal surgeon in London in two weeks and cannot wait to see him about my fistula. It is still just a small red bump which itches a lot and drains blood frequently in small amounts but no other symptoms. I also have a second condition called recto-rectal intussusception which does not help! I will keep you updated on how it goes when I see my colorectal surgeon who is one of the best in London.
Polly SHORT - January 18, 2017 at 2:54 am |
Before you go to aNY doctor regarding your fistula. Take a enumun and clean out your anus colon area. Afterwards start using distill water daily before it gets worse. Your anus colon area is comtaminated. I have one and I went to a doctor, read all the threads and seen that surgery more than likely includes more surgery. My pus and drainage has decrease over 99 plus percent ever since I cleaned my dirty colon walls. I am not saying I am healed but it appears I’m not feeding it near as much
R. Biggs - February 4, 2017 at 8:38 pm |
I had an horseshoe abcess which lead me to have a fistula. Now when I have see I bleed from my reveal area. Why is this?
Please help
Shamira - January 23, 2017 at 2:16 pm |
Hi all, just like to say I have a Fistula I’ve never had an abcess the fistula appeared out of the blue about 4 months ago in the perineum. I’ve had a probe under general and had a seton drain put in on 4th Jan so a few weeks ago now. The stem goes into the sphincter muscles so will need further surgery or live with the seton and hope it heals it self which would be my preferred method. The gash I have has healed up nicely, I’ve been using coconut oil and turmeric paste around the wound and sure this has had a good effect. The seton isn’t hurting and not much puss is coming out now, fingers crossed it heals itself. I don’t want to go through another op unless last resort.
Paul - January 24, 2017 at 1:40 am |
Hi Paul,
I have lived with the Fistula for more than 2 years, no doubt with Fistula Management techniques like seton, bio plug , there will be a somewhat ease. However, to restore the life back to normal, I had opted for another operation which resulted into somewhat success. Had another abscess in 2 weeks so had another operation since I was sick of Fistula.
Finally After Gods blessings, its cured and am living a happy and healthy life.
I would suggest you to embrace another attempt to heal rather than manage this fistula daemon.
chirag007mehta - January 25, 2017 at 10:26 pm |
Hi,
So you cured all your fistula with operations? I’m worried that I will have leakage, no control as my sphincter muscles will have to be cut. It was my first operation too first time in hospital. I have read that some fistulas heal themselves but I suppose it could be years for that to happen. If I have another opp it will be very deep incision and now I know what it’s like pretty scared as at the moment I feel normal.
Paul
Paul - February 8, 2017 at 1:59 am
I discovered I too have a fistula. I used an enemum the first time and my drainage decrease 99 percent immediately. Lots of chunks of feces came out. I guess that’s what created it and was feeding it. I am going to use coconut oil and next time use distill water with sea salt to further clean m5y anus area inside my colon. Instead of having to change a thick piece of toilet paper every three hours after it being soaked. I am now just changing a few tear drops. I have realize that we must clean our colon out also because we are still feeding it and it’s also living on what’s in there from the past.
R. Biggs - February 4, 2017 at 8:15 pm |
I I am looking for a support group for a friend with a bronchial cutaneous fistula would she be able to find that type of support in this forum?
Lisa kullack - January 31, 2017 at 1:40 pm |
Tell them to do one enumun and then use water for a few days to clean down there. I have one too and I was leaking very bad. I used an enumun and the leakage stopped by 99 percent. I don’t think it will ever heal completely but it is absolutely under control. Do this before gettight cut on.
R. Biggs - February 11, 2017 at 12:16 pm |
Hi,
I have been suffering from fistula since 2013. I diagnosis it and my doctor suggest me to surgery. But I did not go for surgery as he told me I had to take rest for 3 weeks. Since then I frequently suffering with this.
My question is that is it dangerous ?or is it going to be cancer or other harmful disease?
Regards
Palash Ghosh
Palash Ghosh - February 13, 2017 at 12:50 pm |
Hi
Better take the pain to do fistula removal rather than managing it. I had mine operated twice to get it fully cured.
chirag007mehta - February 14, 2017 at 6:12 am |
Hi please can you give me any advice ?back in August last year I had emergency bowel operation for a burst anal abcess,which caused a fissure in ano,I had a seton stitch placed in to drain the abcess,I’ve had regular visits to hospital to tighten the stitch which I was told if it didn’t fall out with the last tighten
In January I would need another op ? Can you give me any advice on why I have to wait on the stitch cutting through the fistula ? Also any info on what the op will entails..thanks
Paul mandale - February 15, 2017 at 1:39 am |
Hello all
I have been living with abscess and fistula problems for many years and yesterday I received the amazing news that I am all clear – without surgery! I’m so happy and I wanted to share my experiences and treatment plan in the hope that in some way I might be able to help others who are dealing with the same thing. A few caveats – I’m not a doctor (or a homeopath) so I can’t recommend people follow what I’ve done! People always need to check with their own doctors and other experts to find the right treatment for them. And, I’ve done so many things that I couldn’t actually say which thing, or combination of things, was the answer. But it can’t hurt to describe it all and if it works for someone else – great! 🙂 The only thing I will say is keep an open mind and be prepared to try alternative therapies as these are so much less invasive than modern medicine and no less valid, in my opinion.
So a little history… I am a 38 year old female. I do not have crohns, colitis or any other disease that make you susceptible to abscesses, I’ve been tested for everything many times and there’s definitely nothing like that going on. However, I’ve always suffered with constipation and have had multiple anal fissures, some of which have taken up to a year to properly heal. I think that possibly these have been the root of my abscesses, along with stress, being a workaholic and not always taking care of my diet. The abscesses have always occurred at times of great stress in my life where I’m not eating/ sleeping well and my immune system must be really low. One thing that really helped with this side of things was going on FODMAP diet and identifying the foods that make me constipated. For me this is onions, garlic, leeks etc and to a lesser degree, wheat and some other grains. The diet was hard work but it was worth it – cutting out onions and garlic has made a massive difference!
I had my first perianal abscess in Aug 2009. I don’t think I’ve ever been in so much pain before in my life! I went to A&E and they told me what it was and gave me antibiotics (metronidazole and co-amoxiclav) and sent me home. A few days of agony and then it burst and drained via the back passage on its own. It seemed to have gone away but from that point on sex was too painful, to the point that it ended my relationship – I did not have a very understanding boyfriend at that time! I had this checked out and in the end the doctors concluded I had ‘Vulvodynia’ which is an unhelpful term effectively meaning ‘it hurts’ and nothing more was done, but I suspect now that it was potentially due to fistula.
Second abscess June 2010. Same routine with antibiotics and it bursting on its own after a week.
Third abscess Dec 2010. This time it got so bad that there was no way oral antibiotics were going to hit it alone. I was admitted to hospital for 2 days and given intravenous antibiotics. They also took an MRI and found the abscess was 5x3x2cm – they couldn’t believe the size of it and even brought all the medical students round for a look! Anyway, the morning I was to be taken down for surgery, the intravenous meds must have done their job and it burst on its own, draining via the back passage as always. They had been planning on incision and drainage but thankfully decided to try and aspirate only. Couldn’t find anything there as it had already drained, and sent me home. The problem was now I was getting air passing through from the back passage to the front passage and it was very painful. They suspected a recto-vaginal fistula but the air thing went away after a few days and they never really followed up on it.
Cue 6 years of painful sex with no answers. I spent 4 years unable to even think about starting a new relationship as guys did not seem to be very understanding about it. I spent a year cutting out wheat, dairy and sugar etc which did wonders for my health generally, and didn’t have an abscess during this time despite several chronic fissures. Eventually after 4 years I did FODMAP diet (mentioned above) which mostly cured the fissures and sex became manageable, if not always comfortable. I met a new guy and we were together for a couple of years.
So now to the point of this essay! I promise there is a point…
My boyfriend got rough with me and really hurt me during sex. We ended. Within 6 weeks I started getting pain again and realised that I had another abscess. I had to wonder if it was triggered by what he had done, because ‘trauma to the area’ is always cited as a potential cause. This was Sept 2016. It started at the back but seemed to move further forwards to the front as well, the bigger it got. I was admitted again to hospital, intravenous antibiotics as usual, and as usual it burst before surgery. But the air passing through had started again and was agonising. I told the surgeon and when they took me for surgery they looked for a rectovaginal fistula and couldn’t see one, but were certain there was one there.
This time the air passing lasted for a while after I got home. I had been told I would need multiple surgeries to fix it and that these were not guaranteed to be successful. I got referred to a specialist in rectovaginal fistula repair. Also, as soon as I came off the antibiotics the abscess came back and I had to go on another course. I felt really ill from all the antibiotics and even had thrush in my mouth! And the abscess, though smaller, didn’t seem to want to completely go away.
I decided to take matters into my own hands, I was sick of being on antibiotics, and started doing extensive research. I started doing the following:
1. A teaspoon of manuka honey 400+ twice per day. This stuff is expensive but worth it. It is a natural antimicrobial/antibiotic/anti-inflammatory.
2. I replaced my one cup of coffee a day with a cup of ceremonial grade green tea. For eliminating toxins and waste. I completely cut alcohol for several months and now only have it in moderation.
3. I made a tea once per day of lemon, ginger, (normal) honey and most importantly a teaspoon of turmeric. I reduced the turmeric to half a teaspoon as I started to improve as apparently you shouldn’t have too much of it. Turmeric is anti-inflammatory and a great healer.
4. I took a vitamin c and zinc supplement every day, for general immune system support.
5. I tried also grapefruit seed extract, olive leaf extract and a few others but didn’t really stick to these – they might work for others though so mentioned them here..
6. I bought a portable sitz bath and took 3 per day for 20 mins, and always after a BM. I put one or two of the following in the water – epsom salts, wild oregano oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil. Over time just always the tea tree oil and lavender oil in each bath. I used as hot water as I could stand without it being painful.
7. I bought a little step to put my feet on when going to the toilet (BM) to make sure I was in a better position.
8. I used a healing hypnosis app on my phone to go to sleep to every night.
9. I ate better – fruit, veg, cutting out processed foods
10. I cut the ridiculous number of hours I was working and avoided stress at work. I started meditating again where I had lapsed for some time.
This all helped a lot, but things weren’t totally better. And then, best thing I’ve ever done in my life – I went to see a kinesiologist! Now this might not be for everyone but I put my full recovery completely down to her. Kinesiology will help to find the right combination of cures for your own body, as everyone comes to their illness from a different place. But I will describe here exactly what she directed me to take, as some of them I believe are quite standard in cure of abscess/fistula. There have been other remedies she prescribed me, but these were geared more towards my own personal emotional wellbeing, and I think these have been equally important in my recovery but were specific to me, and everyone would need their own combination. Please excuse spellings as I’m not sure I have everything right!
Oct-Nov
• Phosphorus 30c 2x per day for anxiety and also for clearing debris from the body
• Tuberculinum 30c 1x per week to combat self-destructive miasm and drive bad stuff out of the body
• Cut carbohydrates almost completely as these have an inflammatory effect and eat lots more protein and fat to aid tissue repair. ½ tsp of salt each day to balance (not good for those with high bp though so careful!). Switch from cow to goat dairy and avoid really sugary fruit. I did also maintain steps 1-10 of my diet supplements as described above. Lots of vegetables especially leafy greens and less carb-y ones. Plenty of water.
• Digestive enzyme (I use Hydrozyme) to aid food digestion and help make sure I was using the protein I was eating
Note: the diet is close to the New Atkins diet. It works for me but may not be right for everyone… Some people find meat exacerbates things for them. You should check against your blood type (metabolic type diet) and/or check with a kinesiologist, dietician or other expert about what would be right for you long term. Some people I’ve spoken to have recommended YinYang diet which is the total opposite with loads of grains, and it worked for them. However I think amino acids from the protein for tissue repair would make sense short term for anyone with this condition.
Nov-Dec
• Staphysagria 200c 2x per day for trauma resolution
• Tuberculinum 200c 1x per week as above
• Silica 6c and Thiosinamine 9x – 2 pillules of each 2x per day for breaking down/reabsorption of scar tissue
• Continue diet and Hydrozyme
• Also adding another enzyme (Intenzyme Forte) but taking it away from food to allow it to digest other debris/ scar tissue in the body instead of food
Dec-Jan
• As above but without the Staphysagria and adding ½ tsp of magnesium in water per day to supplement diet and help with sleep.
• I started doing kundalini yoga
Jan-Feb
• As above for Dec-Jan
In October I had had an MRI and then in January I had my first appointment with the recto-vaginal fistula expert. He said there were a few things that showed on the MRI but which were not conclusive. He performed an exam and said he couldn’t feel anything that would make him think there was a fistula there. He actually had trouble believing I’d ever had an abscess until I had all my old medical records and scans sent to him and he could see the evidence. He sent me for another MRI using the best protocols to make sure. Yesterday I had my follow up appointment and he said there are literally no traces of anything showing on the most recent MRI. He said this makes me a bit of a medical anomaly, because possibly if someone had 1 abscess it might heal without leaving any traces behind, but no way would he expect that to be able to happen after 4 abscesses as there would always be scarring and evidence left behind. He can’t understand how I’ve managed to have 4 abscesses and a probable recto-vaginal fistula and now my body is as if it never even happened!!! You should have seen the look on his face when I suggested diet and homeopathy as being the cause…
So, although I wouldn’t necessarily recommend following my exact treatment pathway as it might not be the right one for you, I would definitely recommend being open to seeking help and advice from alternative sources along with your regular physician/surgeon, as there may always be something that can help that they won’t be in a position to recommend. I would have had surgery if it came to it, but I was determined to try and avoid it if I possibly could. I’ve learned it’s important to feed your body the right things, and that managing your emotional wellbeing and stress levels is just as important as healing physically. I wish everyone out there who suffers from this condition hope and strength to get through it. It’s a horrible thing to live through and I plan on sticking to my diet and managing my stress levels in the hope that it never comes back. There are no guarantees of course, but I’m optimistic that I know what to do if it ever does!
GLR - February 15, 2017 at 6:32 am |
Hi, good on you, thanks for posting. Are you in Nz? If so would you please give me your homeopathy’s contact details? Thank you.
Claire - May 2, 2017 at 2:13 pm |
Hi GLR where are you and who is your Dr? US? Thank you for your story, hope to hear from you
700Series - June 23, 2017 at 2:57 am |
Hello my fistula is 5-6 days older
But it already leaked..
So is it realy bad or nothing major ??
I am gonna visit doctor. Again today i think he is gonna surgery it..
What do u say??
Is it not that much problem to worry??
soumen mondal - February 18, 2017 at 2:58 pm |
hello everyone, i came across this site as i was searching about fistulas. i had a perianal abcess back in 2009 and from then on have had a few operations for fistulas my last op was in nov 2016 since then i have had a MRI scan done and the dr are saying that there is a small fistula showing but my concern is that i have had no follow up appt or consultation and i am in pain i have phoned the surgeon secretary and she just saids she will pass on my file to tge surgeon who looked at my MRI, but in the meantime puss is coming out of my anal and i am in pain.
omer zia - February 22, 2017 at 12:40 pm |
I got a fistula surgery 15 month before and every thing is going well but today I feel it back again, what can I do , please have a any suggestion for me ? And what I have to do next?
lila gautam - February 26, 2017 at 7:42 pm |
i had my fistula surger on dec.5, 16. after a week infected and abcess drainage surgery.done. after a week i felt exhaustness and unable to take some sort of food and medicine. doctor advised to take so many blood check up including cag test. all goes negative. on 20 feb. 17, again open fistulotomy and ceton thread removed. now iam on rest. during 3 months, i lost 9 kg. also i am frustrated. now, doctor gives only vitamin tablets. pls. advice . my problems are all related surgery.
padmakumar - February 28, 2017 at 7:16 pm |
Saw my colorectal surgeon at UCH today in UK. He has organised an MRI scan as he always does this to map the fistula track before surgery and check there is only one track, as there can be more than one and thus it makes things more complex. So after the MRI he will call me with results and put me on his operating list for the LIFT PROCEDURE. He listened to my thoughts on Setons and Fistula Plugs and said that if I did not want these first he is more than happy to proceed to surgery but did say there is a 50% failure rate, but that he can perform a 2nd surgery if this were the case, which often works much better. He was an absolutely lovely man and I am so happy I rejected treatment at local hospital and feel safe in the hands of this surgeon at UCH. So MRI next then we will see how long I have to wait for my surgery. Want this thing removed forever!
Polly SHORT - March 14, 2017 at 10:55 am |
Got my MRI results which showed NO FISTULA AT ALL but a SINUS My surgeon called me this morning to discuss this result which he said is 99% accurate and that I only need to go in for a day case surgery where they will cut out the sinus on my bottom cheek which runs deep but does not affect my sphincter at all (thank goodness) and this will be left open to heal naturally with daily dressings (no baths) for up to six weeks by my local GP practice. Allelujah, best news ever.
Polly SHORT - May 14, 2017 at 1:18 am |
having fistula with multi track twice operated suffering last 3 years
raja - March 15, 2017 at 12:03 am |
Hi i am Amit frm india my son suffering fistula in ano but son is only 15 months old. last year we had done Surgery in 5 month old..
But today again it seen in my son..we are so worry plz help me
My email id is amitchettri441@gmail.com
Amit Chettri - April 10, 2017 at 5:06 pm |
Is the kshar sutra treatment available in Nz? Thanks.
Claire - May 2, 2017 at 1:34 pm |
Hi! I have had fistulas for the last 4 years and over 30 surgeries and am finally fixed!! My muscles are pretty weak though so am doing a trial for SNS Sacral Nerve Stimulation. Does anyone know anything about this or has had it?? Thanks!!
Emma - May 21, 2017 at 7:32 am |
Hi,
I have recently gone through fistula treatment (kshar sutra) for over 6 months. Doctor has suggested it’s done, but still I feel the itching sensation at the hole, the hole is healing but it is so much itchy like i had it before starting kharsutra. Please suggest me did I get the fissures again? Or it’s part of healing process??
Sangappa biradar - May 30, 2017 at 3:44 am |
Hi I am gyan, 31 year old have gone through kshar sutra insertion process on 31/05/2017. I do not no how the kshar sutra broken down,kindly suggest what to do as OT of Aiims is colsed on sunday.
Gyan - June 4, 2017 at 2:31 pm |
My name is Eric. I had a fistula for 2 and half years. Fortunately I got rid of it completely now.
From my experience, the most important factor in fistula treatment is the doctor and hospital. You need to have an experienced doctor to perform the operation, and a good team for post-op care.
In September of 2014, I was diagnosed with a complex anal fistula in the United States. During the following more than two and half years, I visited a number of doctors. At a nation’s top medical institution in northeast of US, I have done 5 major operations including LIFT, FLAP, and fistulotomy, numerous debridement surgeries, even with the aid of ultrasound and nuclear magnetic resonance (MRI) detection, doctors had not been able to find the fistula internal opening and root it out. It was so painful. I visited this web site many times.
After a comprehensive review, I planned to change course, and did a research for other doctors/hospitals. In Beijing, China, there is a specialized hospital: Beijing Anorectal Hospital (Beijing Erlonglu Hospital).
Late last year, I went to Beijing for treatment. The doctor was able to locate the fistula internal opening with her finger examination. Ultrasound diagnosis can clearly and accurately locate the fistula track and internal opening. The doctor performed Video Assisted Fistulotomy on me with a high definition probe/camera imaging system. After 2 months of surgery, the wound healed. Now nearly 5 months, the wound healed completely. In this hospital, I quickly found that I was not alone. There are so many patients like me. Some patients had more complicated and multiple fistulas. I had a roommate had 4 fistulas; the doctor performed 3 operations in a month and had all 4 removed and healed. The doctors are so experienced. The Surgery Ward II (department) have 4-5 doctors, do 12 operations each week day; about half of the operations are fistula or perianal abscess.
I will stop here today. If you need any information or help, please let me know.
Eric - June 12, 2017 at 2:01 pm |
Have been diagnosed with 0.5 cm RVF post my second child’s birth. Please let me know of any kshar sutra doctors in Bangalore with who you have been treated for fistulas.
Vibha - June 21, 2017 at 8:45 pm |
I know Dr. Ramesh Bhat who is a Kshara Sutra expert in Bangalore. In fact, at some stage during my anal fistula treatment which was initiated by Dr. Shivji Gupta at BHU, Varanasi, I contacted Dr. Bhat over phone and told him my condition and that I wished to visit him for my weekly thread changes using air travel mode so that I could start at Visakhapatnam by morning flight and return by late evening. He said it would be difficult for me. Instead he suggested to me to go to Dr. K. Vijaya Kumari at Rajahmundry, who was his classmate at BHU, Varanasi. Till then I didn’t know this facility at Rajahmundry because Dr. Vijaya Kumari works in a district government hospital which does not have a website.
It was very nice of him informing me about her. Rajahmundry is just about 200 km from Visakhapatnam so that I could easily commute by road.
Dr Ramesh Bhat’s mobile numbers are:
094485 52851 and 098450 89261.
I wish you will get rid of the fistula very soon through Kshara Sutra treatment.
With best wishes
K. Nageswara Rao
Kakani Nageswara Rao - June 22, 2017 at 3:03 pm |
Is there any ayurveda clinic or centre in Nigeria or any clinic where traditional medicine can be accessed for the treatment of fistula.
Kehinde Mustapha - July 28, 2017 at 1:11 am |
Hi! I have had 30 ish surgeries for a perianal abbess and now have a few incontinence issues. I am looking at getting SNS (sacral nerve stimulation) and would love to hear from anyone who knows about it!? Thanks!!
Emma - July 28, 2017 at 7:53 am |
I had an anal fistula in the lower anal area since one and half years. After going to 2 colorectal surgeon’s and 2 general surgeons in the US and 2 of them recommending Fistulectomy and 1 asking for colonoscopy (which is about $1500 plus) and not knowing what is the outcome, I decided to go to India to get Kshar Sutra (Ayurvedic method of seton that drains the tract and heals it with the internal medicine). I am a little less than a month and the tract has been cut through and almost healed. I am hoping the thread falls out soon and this anal fistula is history for me.
With Kshar Sutra, there are lower chance of recurrence and incontinence. I met many patients that had complex fistula with multiple tracts getting Kshar Sutra done after multiple failed surgeries with western medical methods. For those that are frustrated and don’t know what to do, please consider Kshar Sutra method. I can give details if needed and would be glad to help out in whatever way I can.
Jason Brown - September 13, 2017 at 3:36 am |
I am so happy i found this site! After reading through, it has made me feel better. Just knowing I am not the only one suffering with this is reassuring.
Here is my story.
My name is David (33yr) and had my first perirectal abcess visit to the ER on the 16th of April 2014. I developed a complex fistula and have surgery on it 5 times now.
My newest Colon Rectal Surgeon inserted a cton back in June 14th of this year. I went in again 90 days later to switch to a smaller cton and thank goodness. The last one was like a giant zip tie!
I am doing better now and will have surgery again in November or December. Doc says it is the longest track he has ever seen, but we should get it completely laid open in the next surgery. I sure hope so.
I’m recently divorced as well. I have my first date coming over to the house tonight and I really like her. Any tips on how or when to bring up my condition? We have been going on dates about once a week for a month or so.
Any tips from someone that knows what I am going through would be very appreciated.
Thanks
David
David - September 25, 2017 at 9:20 am |
Dear David
First of all so sorry your going through this . I went through it for all most 2 and 3 ops . It can really bring you down but you seem to be getting in with life in between this illness which is a difficult & hard one to understand or explain.
How I eventually healed after the 3 rd op was through diet . A few people on here had mentioned a book on diet which I bought on line and followed. Whithin a week I was feeling better and the open wound was healing. It was like a miracle ! 😇 ( I gave it to a friend but I will get the name again and send it in to you) Sudocrem was also a huge help for the soreness especially after the loo and it created a barrier over the wound.)
I hope your next op is successful and you start to heal from inside out! Don’t give up hope of this being gone from your life .. it’s an awful horrible affliction.
As for your date , I would explain ( not to much detail!) that you are at present under going treatment for a would that has difficulty healing and it’s a rather sensitive issue but your on the mend very soon.
Keep positive and the very best of luck to you.
Bernice ( 🇮🇪)
Bernice O Donovan Callaghan - January 13, 2018 at 2:16 am |
hello, i was diagnosed with anal fistula just 3 months ago. before i underwent a surgery 8months ago, i had this tiny little bump like pimple in my right lower buttocks, after 4 months, it became bigger like a boil. i thought it was a boil. i went to a doctor to check, she told me it was just an abcess she will do an incission and drainage procedure, but after that she told me to observe it first because i told her that the abcess comes and go, by come and go, i mean sometimes it will produce a pus and blood and sometimes it will heal. after 2 months of observing, one night i could not sleep because i have this feeling of fullness and pain on my perineal area it was so painful. i checked it on the mirror and saw a large pus build up on the skin. i cannot pop it since im afraid. i went to another surgeon on the morning to have it check, and he told me it was anal fistula the accumulated pus then popped on its own. then after 2 weeks i went to another surgeon for second opinion and he told me the same thing. i was scheduled for fistulectomy and for possible seton placement. my doctor did a new innovation surgery called flap procedure he scraped my fistula tract and laid it open to heal.i was put on antibiotics for 7 days. daily warm sitz bath and pain medications. however on my fifth day of recovery, i felt the air/flatus was coming out from my external opening. i had it checked with him and he told me its normal part of healing. on the 7th day, pus was forming again on my external opening. i went to him and checked it again. he examined my anus and external opening, flushed it with hudrogen peroxide which is painful to check the tract. i can feel the fluid pushed from my external opening coming out to my anus. the surgery failed. after that he rescheduled me for another surgery. so i underwent anal abcess debridement. he lacerated my external fistula and put seton on my rectum to avoid incontinece and laid it open again, now i could still feel that sometimes air comes out through my external opening and that pus is still coming out. i even noticed some stool comes out through my vagina and urethra im not really sure about that since i only notice in on my pads. and also too much foul smelling fluid coming out from my anus. is this normal? i was put on metrinidazole 3x a day for 7 days and sitz bath.
sarah - October 3, 2017 at 5:50 am |
Sarah – Fistulas are very complicated and rely a lot of our diet and lifestyle. I hope the seton works as in my case I got the medicated seton (Kshar Sutra which works not only in draining the puss pocket but also in cutting and healing the fistulous tract) and my external opening has cleared out. I am in the final phase of recovery and the seton fell out in a loop meaning it cut through the fistulous tract. Have you considered Kshar Sutra? It is one of the best way to treat the fistula without having fears of Incontinence and recurrence.
Jason Brown - October 3, 2017 at 10:22 am |
Is that offered anywhere is America?
Julie Seberry - October 4, 2017 at 12:02 pm
Julie Kshar Sutra is only offered in India, unfortunately.
Norma - October 18, 2017 at 2:24 am
Hi Jason, can you please explain how that method works?
Tanya - November 1, 2017 at 1:52 pm
If this is only offered in india then you’re living in india or did you travel there?
Tanya - November 1, 2017 at 2:00 pm
Sarah I don’t know what to say. Mine seems relatively simple. 3 fistulas in 6 months, 2 were only into the soft tissue. This current one is only slightly effecting the sphincter muscle. Im assuming they may put a tightened seton in the heal it but will find out at my appointment in 2 weeks.
Tanya - November 1, 2017 at 1:58 pm |
Hi Tanya,
If you like to know about Kshar Sutra treatment I found this from the website of the hospital where I was healed. I had high complex multi branch fistula which was operated +20 in Sydney Melbourne Germany and apart from double Seton they tried anal plug fibrin glue flap surgery ozone therapy and the final intervention was heartsman procedure or astorma but at the end in 2015 after 5 years I was told to live with it and also advised not to seek treatment in India. Lucky I didn’t take their professional advise which was in writing and went to India for kshar Sutra. Now I am fistula free and I have to say If it Wasn’t for the last option traveling to India for this unique method which is the combination of 5000 years old Ayurveda and modern laser, I would never have dreamt of going to India. I have to admit that it transformed me and healed me from the inside, literally I am moved with the whole human touch and the Loving caring nature of this Culture specially Dr Mukul and his team that I have made a promise in my testimony in hospitals website to help as much as I can to who ever needs this live changing journey in order to heal and cure their anorectal disease, even if it requires me to company and travel with them back to India. I have noticed many people whom worry about traveling and don’t have any one to travel with them, so with this offer no one should have any excuses not to fix the fistula and get rid of the beast permanently because to my knowledge and experience this is the only method without the risk of incontinence and future complications. There are many Ayurveda Drs in India or homeopathic but only few qualified surgeons whom specialise in Ayurvedic surgery, out of those few government selected 5 all over India to train surgeons , out of the 5 Dr Mukul is their Guru.
Max - November 3, 2017 at 10:28 pm
Hi Max, thank you for all this information. I guess Im one of the fortunate ones that of my fistulas (3), 2 of them were very small & in the soft tissue so able to be layed open & healed great. The surgeon just happened to miss the 3rd one just above & it went slightly into the Sphincter. Very much unfortunately I don’t have the funds to travel to india or the treatment otherwise I most definitely would. It sounds like yours was rather chronic. May I ask 2 questions, firstly which country do you live in & secondly, the cost of your venture in India?
Tanya - November 6, 2017 at 9:59 am
I don’t think this is offered anywhere in America
Jason Brown - October 5, 2017 at 5:15 pm |
I’ve had 3 fistulas from a superficial perianal abscess in January 2017. 2 of the fistulas were only into the soft tissue. The 3rd one has managed to be on the edge of the sphincter muscle. They’ve had to put a seton in. Whilst they made the seton round & closed it like a round sleeper earring, the edges of the seton is rubbing on my bottom & caused 2 small blisters. Has anyone had similar problem?
Tanya - October 26, 2017 at 3:16 pm |
Yes 😦 The little ties are very irritating. I had a seton in for 8 months and the only thing that saved me was using coconut oil to soothe the area
norma johnson - October 27, 2017 at 2:24 am |
The 2 things I thought were blisters actually weren’t thank god. Yesterday I went to the ED because the stitch that they pushed into my anus had worked its way almost out & was sitting on the edge of my anus. The Dr pushed it back in which really hurt. The worry is that it will keep coming out when I go to the toilet 😣
Tanya - October 31, 2017 at 10:16 am
Can I ask, how did coconut oil soothe the area & where was it rubbing?
Tanya - October 31, 2017 at 10:24 am
My ties constantly rubbed back and forth and scratched up my anus (I had a drainage seton ). The coconut oil is anti inflammatory and anti bacterial so it kept the irritation down that way and also acted as a barrier between my skin and the stool/pus
norma johnson - October 31, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Wow that sounds very uncomfortable. My seton drain is ok so far. They pushed the knott into my anus. I become tender each time I open my bowels but it settles. I’ve heard that coconut oil is great for many things. Has your fistula healed now?
Tanya - November 1, 2017 at 1:48 pm
I’m currently in India receiving kshar sutra from an excellent doctor to get rid of my fistula 🙂
norma johnson - November 3, 2017 at 6:20 am
Hi Tanya
If you like info regarding permanent cure for fistula please visit the hospital site directly.
http://proctocure.com/ksharsutra_ksharsootra_treatment.php
Max - November 1, 2017 at 7:32 pm |
Gday Tanya
I am in Sydney, regarding the medical cost I can tell you every case is different and I traveled to foothills of Himalayas inbetween my treatment so it really depends and you could present your case to the hospital and get estimate and book hotels accordingly. I borrowed all my expenses.
Max - November 6, 2017 at 8:05 pm |
Hi Max. Having the treatment in India isn’t an option for me…Im amazed that everyone here hasn’t researched other options besides traveling to India or multiple failed operations in their country. I have recently researched another method. From India, a place called “PLANET AYURVEDA”….this Holistic form of healing with positively tremendous results of not only healing the fistula but curing you of it. Im very fortunate that I don’t have any cancer, Chrones disease, colitis, diverticulitis or any other colon/anal diseases. Mine was from 25 years of hard motions, very poor diet, and not looking after myself. Bleeding from the anus, 2 anal fissues because of this, then it caught up with me, leading to an abscess, and the 3 fistulas, Im thankful they have all been small & reasonably superficial. Im having my Seton removed today either by my GP if he will or going to ED & having them remove it.
IF ANYONE WANTS TO RESEARCH THIS HOLISTIC TREATMENT HERE IS THE WEBSITE…AND ITS CALLED A “FISTULA CARE PACK”
http://www.planetayruveda.com
Another place in Sydney where I have an appointment in 1 week is this.
https://naturecareayurveda.com.au/
I wanted to post something positive as everyone has had such horrific stories. I really hope my information helps & brings a light into their dark tunnel…
Tanya - November 13, 2017 at 11:25 am |
Hello norma johnson – Which Dr. are you getting treated with? Hope you don’t mind sharing. Hope you get healed and that you are also enjoying time (forced vacation) in India while getting healed
Jason Brown - November 7, 2017 at 11:25 am |
I don’t mind at all! I got treated by Dr. Bapat in Pune India – wonderful man! I was in India for 7 weeks – home now. The fistula is gone! I feel like I have a new lease on life!
Norma - November 19, 2017 at 10:42 am |
If anyone is interested in learning about Kshar Sutra treatment for fistulas, I created a forum on facebook – it’s a community of people helping people (people who are curious, getting treatment, or who have received treatment). https://www.facebook.com/groups/144543669517599
Norma - November 19, 2017 at 10:43 am |
I am Indian. I had an anal fistula. I underwent fistulectomy but it recovered. After suffering from it for three years for fear of going another fistulectomy with the possibility of incontinence, I came to know of the Ayurvedic technique, Kshara Sutra and went through the process, and got rid of the fistula.
In India, Kshara Sutra treatment is done in some specific government hospitals for free of cost. But some private doctors charge for the treatment. I went through the procedure at the Banaras Hindu University hospital in Varanasi, which is the renowned national Kshra Sutra facility in India. They offer the treatment for free. Most of the popular private practioners in India are the students from this Ayurveda University cum hospital. I began my treatment at Varanasi done by Dr. Shivji Gupta and after five weekly thread changes, my treatment was continued at Rajahmundry governmental hospital by Dr (Ms) K. Vijaya Kumari. Rajahmundry is closer to my place of residence in Visakhapatnam so that I could commute for my weekly thread changes by car against the inconvenience of staying at Varanasi for such a long time. Both the doctors are very experienced and gentle.
Kakani Nageswara Rao - November 27, 2017 at 6:06 pm |
Dear web master,
Sorry in my post above, I wrongly mentioned that my fistula was ‘recovered’ in stead of stating that it ‘recurred’ after fistulectomy. Please correct it before allowing it go on the Internet
Kakani Nageswara Rao - November 27, 2017 at 6:13 pm |
I have suffering anal fistula in an ona, so recently I had visited the hospital, after check up the doctor told me that he will make little opretion and insert a tube from the external apening to internal chanel and thighing to gather, and will be on six weeks, after that he will made an opration.
So right he did and I am little bit feeling uncomfortable since the little tube is on my anal.
The doctor prescripted me only pain killers there is no antibiotics at all and he recommend to take warm water with salt in every four hours.
So kindly Advise me on it.
Mohamed Hassan - December 9, 2017 at 3:36 am |
Hey folks. The only treatment from fistula is Kshar sutra. Basically threads with anti bacterial and anti fungal medicines are inserted which help chemically cauterize the wound. I’ve had ano fistula for two years now. Kshar sutra has helped me immensely. You guys can find really good hospitals in India doing it. They’ve modernized it, and there is massive research going on in it. The success rate is in the high 90 percent. I’ll request all you folks to instead of grinning it and bearing it, research on it online and see for yourself.
Abhyuday Vijay Singh - December 18, 2017 at 7:07 pm |
My son has had a fistula in his arm for quite a few years and it looks like he has a snake in his arm I am very worried is there a procedure that can be done to drain it and make it smaller. It looks like it is about to pop. Very concerned Mom
Debra Hecht - January 5, 2018 at 9:21 am |
I like to crochet. My fistula is 3 weeks old. When I crochet the top of my arm hurts like crazy though the incision is 4 inches below where the pain occurs. Is this normal?
Does this get better with time?
I do not want to take pain killers.
Thanks for sny insight.
Laura
Laura - January 12, 2018 at 11:33 am |
I had a abcess surgery last year and it turned into a fistula it keep burning draining fluids and it hurts bad I have to take oxycodone or ibruprofen all day to stop the pain it smells sometimes it comes out as stool juice,puss or clear fluid please what can I use cream or something to stop this burning pain
Andre mccoy - January 13, 2018 at 7:49 am |
Andre McCoy – Why don’t you try to get the fistula treated? The treatment for fistula is to get it taken care of. I waited about a year hoping that the cream etc would fix it but the only way this is going to be treated is by getting a surgery done. Do you know how long your fistula is? What type it is? If it is a simple fistula, it can be taken care of easily. I got Kshar Sutra treatment done on my fistula and I am so glad I did finally take care of it. No pain, no drain.. back to normal and it feels so good!!
Jason Brown - January 18, 2018 at 11:52 am |
Thanks for this site.
I had a fistulotomy (with a seton inserted) 7 weeks ago and wasn’t prepared for how dibilitating it would be. I was also short of information.
The most shocking thing for me has been the amount of pus and blood that I’ve had to deal with. There’s a constant stream of smelly, nasty fluid seeping from the wound. Even the strongest adhesive dressings become saturated within a few hours. Has anyone found a good, sticky dressing that stays put?
chrisharding - January 19, 2018 at 12:16 am |
I had the same procedure, fistulotomy and seton in December of 2017. I used the Mepilex borders, you can get them online, also I’ve been dressing my huge wound with Acuacel AG. Very expensive in my opinion but worth it. Also sits baths with salt, as much as I hate them, they are very good and also alleviate some of the pain. Do them at least twice a day.
Best of luck!
Maria505 - February 6, 2018 at 6:42 am |
I gave up on adhesive dressings when I had a seton in and ended up using absorbent pads which were just held in place between my bum cheeks. Thankfully I did get a final solution and have been fully healed for over 3 years. Hope they can do the same for you.
Andrew Ellison - February 6, 2018 at 11:39 am |
I have a Fistula caused by an untreated abscess , I’m just awaiting a Seton as the next process the opening(drainage point) keeps healing over. I have had The sealed skin sliced to open the area, my question is I enjoy walking & normally do15000 steps a day , lately my whole left butt cheek feels uncomfortable/sore , I just want to know am I causing any more damage in there or just push through the uncomfortable feeling?
Robyn Martin - January 22, 2018 at 10:53 am |
Help needed… I have been suffering from a fistula since June. It was finally diagnosed as an anal fistula last week.
I’ve had an MRI which I am waiting on the results.
I am also having a flexible sigmoidoscopy in Feb. It’s closed up since last week and a lump has come back (assuming abscess) which is again so painful.
I’m a 35 year old woman who’s single and literally nerves are shot to pieces and well as you can imagine quite emotional.
Do I need to inform the consultant it’s clos s and an abscess has re occurred or do I leave it and see what happens and inform them when back in Feb?
Sorry for all the detail and questions, really need some help.
Kat - January 23, 2018 at 10:27 am |
Kat – It is best to let the consultant (doctor??) about it as the lump will come and go as without a surgery there are minimal chances of fistula healing. I waited for a year and a half hoping that it will resolve but at the end understood that we have to take care of them permanently. I got Kshar Sutra done and the fistula is history for me now.
Jason Brown - February 16, 2018 at 10:25 am |
I agree with what Jason said. I also had Kshar Sutra for my fistula and am so happy to be fistula free.
Norma - February 23, 2018 at 7:07 am
Kat, if an abscess is left untreated it could turn into a fistula. Leaving it allows the abscess to form its own anatomy and can grow through muscle/tissue. Even if abscess is cut out and drained you have a 50% chance of it forming a fistula. If it is a fistula you need to have the entry and exit points located to reduce the recurrence rate. Don’t wait go to a specialist colorectal surgeon and ask for all diagnostic tests to be carried out including mri pre surgery.
Anthony - July 28, 2018 at 12:14 am |
Sir I have undergone ksharasutra therapy for piles last Dec 23on 28 Jan I have consumed brany 1\4 the next day in motion i got burning sensation i went to doctor advised Swiss batth with betadin give me good advice i swear not to drink promise advice me
arajanendra - February 4, 2018 at 12:52 am |
I had sugery for hammoroids after that sugery i developed anal abcess on my left side …i visited my doctor he said we have to do another surgery to remove abscess…it was quite painfull surgery and recovery both i kept a good hygine and regularly got dressings in hospital ..since it has been 2 months ha wound has healed but tiny space is still remainig there it discharges small amount of liquid please can any one tell me what is it ?is it fistula or its just normal
Zubair ahmed - March 7, 2018 at 6:16 am |
It’s possible that it could be a fistula, but you really should visit your doctor to find out what it is.
Norma - March 27, 2018 at 1:14 am |
Hello everyone. Thanks for the site. I’m from Colombia in South America. I have had a fistula for 4 years, 3 months ago I started a homeopathic treatment and now the fistula has an outlet (I did not have it before and created abscesses), I did not want to operate because the coloproctologists here use the old techniques with the problems that you know . I want to ask them for advice if I continue with the homeopathic treatment or if they recommend something to me? thank you very much!!! and it’s good to know that there are many like us
Pedro Mauricio Acosta Castellanos - April 27, 2018 at 12:03 pm |
Pedro – I think you will need to get this taken care of by some other way than homeopathic medicine. The only way I know this can be resolved is by a procedure. You can try to get Kshar Sutra therapy which is minimal invasion and it is very low risk.
Jason Brown - June 9, 2018 at 9:25 am |
How long does Kshar sutra treatment takes? What’s the costs? Thank you
Riya - November 17, 2018 at 10:27 am
I have a fistula with a draining seton that come out of my peer out and then oops through my anus. My fistula gets really swollen above and to the right of where my seton come out of my perenium, on my vulva, when it gets swollen it turns red….no where it used to be just swollen and red there are two red soars almost like skin is being squished out of two holes but it isn’t skin coming out of my seton opening this is like half an inch above and to the right of y seton opening. And they were bleeding for a day now whenever I go pee it burns so bad. Why could be happening?
Amy - June 12, 2018 at 6:01 am |
It’s there a support group in Perth?
I have a rectovaginal fistula
Carolyne Harris - September 6, 2018 at 9:30 pm |
I have a fistula since 2013 initially started Abscess , I have got operated
(Operation was not success)After the operation with in month time anal become swelling and unbearable pain visited doctor and doctor done Incision and Drainage pus removed doctor told i had problem of Fistula , i had tried Homeopathy for 3 months no improvement , in 2015 again under went operation hoping that my problem will be cured , After fistulotomy operation no improvement continuously pus was coming and pain.Totally waste of money and pain.Again i have tried for Ayurveda medicine for 2 years there was improvement but the problem not cured , finally in 2018 jan i went for Kshar sutra treatment , before starting treatment doctor told me my case is challeging because of horseshoe fistula he given confident he will cure 100 % my fistula, after 8 month treatment fistula track got healed. I feel ok now still monthly once i have to visit doctor for checkup this treatment little pain full treatment but the result we can expect 99 %.
pl any one need support you can call me 9179686548 venkey
venkey - September 22, 2018 at 12:13 am |
Sir how much did it cost you on kshar sutra treatment?
John - January 23, 2019 at 11:50 pm |
Where did you get the kshar sutra treament
reiko29232003 - January 24, 2019 at 12:21 am |
Im still in pain after 2surgery from a anal fistula from my left & right butt. Still there are many pus coming out. Can i receive any comfort or help? Many thanks & God bless
Mario Bondoc - October 2, 2018 at 9:12 pm |
Im still in pain even after 2surgery of anal fistula the left & right butt. There are many still release pus in my wounds the pain is tough. Can i receive any aid or support? Many thanks. God bless
Mario Bondoc - October 3, 2018 at 2:26 am |
Does anyone know how long you can go when your seton has fallen out ?
samthepir82014 - October 25, 2018 at 9:36 am |
Hi
I have a seeton that is stuck in my anal sphincter my specialist says I will have to have a stoma..vdoes anyone know please any other way?
Viv - November 15, 2018 at 10:48 pm |
Hi is kshsar sutra avaible in New Zealand
Chad - November 27, 2018 at 10:43 pm |
I am a 40 year old woman from Massachusetts that has had an enterocutaneous fistula for year. Just looking for support
KERRI ST ONGE - December 11, 2018 at 10:21 am |
Hi there
Not sure if I have an fistula or not but it’s near my anus in the skin , if I press on it sometimes it would drain other times it would not , it’s very small , does not cause me any pain or problems at all .
Can I leave it be ? Not sure how long I had it could be more then 3 years but it doesn’t cause any problem
Christopher - January 5, 2019 at 12:47 pm |
I am from England I have had a transphicter Fistula recurring for 9 years it has gone through my incontinense muscle I have got 30% incontiense muscle left When I was 30 I got told by a proffesor that I could either imagine it as a piercing or have a permanent colostomy bag.
Natalie - January 9, 2019 at 11:37 am |
Hi. I did not understand your comment
They did surgery?
Pedro Mauricio - January 16, 2019 at 3:16 pm |
Chanda maheswari may u know how much is the cost of the treament on dr bapat prasad thks for the reply
John - January 23, 2019 at 11:47 pm |
Thanks for the site. I won’t go into the backstory right now, other than to say that Colorectal Surgeons/hospitals have a vested interest in keeping Kashar Sutra / Filac Laser / Bioletiic Laser from being utilized and made more mainstream…how else can you charge $42,000 to the insurance companies, require multiple surgeries, usually make the matters worse, and often lead to incontinence. When all along, there is a VERIFIABLE method, used for millennia, and costs under a $1,000. But will the FDA approve it? Not a chance. The BUSINESS of medicine is blight on civilization. I’m all for doctors being monetarily rewarded for their specialty and service to their patients, but the lucrative nature of medicine has stifled viable procedures that actually HEAL the fistula, instead of cutting you multiple times, pump you full of meds (pain/antibiotics), only to have it fail and repeat the procedure. It’s a conflict of interest and should not exist.
Had a fistula for about two years. Look every week for a practitioner of the Kashar Sutra in the United States, but nowhere to be found. I have found FiLac laser in two locations in California, the Bioletic laser, nowhere in the US…BUT, you find ALL these alternative modalities in Europe and Asia…but not here.
I am NOT going under the knife to have layers of health muscle sliced away to find the tiny tract (and hope the surgeons hand is steady as not to destroy my sphincter), on the chance that it will be successful (it’s 50/50). Eventually, a breakthrough will happen or the FDA (Fraud and Death Administration) will allow proven methods that work, and not subpar procedures that simply line other peoples pockets.
James - March 13, 2019 at 5:21 pm |
Hi, I had perianal abscess treated 5 weeks before, now I have fistula growing on same place suggest me the best treatment.
Swati Mishra - March 25, 2019 at 1:00 am |
I had done ksharsutra for fistula in 2016 and after 8 month it got healed .After ksharsutra the healed part become so tight and i think adhesion occur in that area. I checked with doctor where i had done my ksharsutra ,he said all ok. Again i consulted with other ayurved doctor ,he also said all ok.Then i consulted allopatheic doctor, he also said all ok.But i still find one side of my butt near to my anus is so tight.When I sit for long tym that part of my butt pain.Is this OK? What should i do?
Chandan - July 12, 2019 at 12:33 am |
This may be due to dryness of the area. Apply ghee inside the anal ring
Dr. Prasad Bapat - October 26, 2019 at 5:28 pm |
Hello, I have a cutting seton since july 23, after an abscess surgery. I don’ t feel confortable to ask my doctor how long after the seton removal I will be able to have anal sex again. I am 34 years old, male. Can anyone help me? Thank you.
Gilbert - August 19, 2019 at 5:21 pm |
Hi I hope have had an anal fistula Forbes 18 months . My surgeon fitted a seton drain 6 months ago . It USB extremely uncomfortable and he says I may have to have it for life . I have read about Kshasutra treatment in India for this and wonder if anyone can recommend this and a Ayurvedic Dr and any idea of cost I am based in Australia
John McManus - August 24, 2019 at 5:44 pm |
HOW much was procedure, i have anal fistula with seton in place and fistulectomy with no success.
Shamira - August 27, 2019 at 12:32 am |
Hi, it cost between $25 to $50 depending on how much work it requires for each kshar sutra change. But for me it was priceless because I was freed from not only physical pain but the fact that it was healed after 6 years of disappointment where in Australia they told me to deal with it and it was permanent disease. Now almost 3 years fistula free, thanks heaps to Dr Mukul and his professional team at proctocure.com
Max Aryana - October 24, 2019 at 2:02 pm |
Hello!
I am really looking into going down this path after I try to heal it with diet, juicing infrared saunas and hyperberic chambers. Wondering how long you were there for and where you decided to stay for the course of the treatment?
Marie Laurette - December 27, 2019 at 1:27 pm
I have an opening 6 o clock position near anus. Doctor told me fistula in ano.then doctor advised me an mri fistulogram.report negetive and no fistula track found.then he again made drs and anoscopy.he found nothing. No track.everything normsl.only the opening wound near anus.he found noghing to operate.severe rectal pain.prescribed medicine.what should i do now?
Suman ghosh - September 2, 2019 at 11:56 pm |
i have anual fistula for the past 20 years please help me
Cathrine - September 19, 2019 at 2:28 am |
Proctocure.com
I had high complex fistula for many years but Dr Patel fixed it with kshar sutra method.
Not only I recommend it, I can say that it is the only permanent cure I know which works.
Max - October 9, 2019 at 1:38 pm |
Kindly share Dr contact details
rajesh - February 27, 2020 at 5:30 am
Hye sir I have also problem pilonidal cinus in my back.. I have operated many times but don’t recover it… Plz guid me… Am from Pakistan
Varun - November 2, 2019 at 5:44 pm |
I have an anal horseshoe fistula for 8yrs now no insurance and wondering how long until this kills me? No joke
Joe - December 2, 2019 at 1:04 pm |
I was the same, high complex multi branch fistula and in Australia and Germany after 22 surgeries I had to look for permanent fix and now almost 3 years free from the beast, Dr Mukul Patel healed it with laser and kshar sutra, visit
proctocure.com if you want permanent fix.
Good luck
Max - December 16, 2019 at 11:15 pm |
Kshar Sutra is an ayurvedic parasurgical treatment used to help manage Anorectal disorders such as hemorrhoids, fistula-in-ano, anal fissure, and pilonidal sinus. Kshar Sutra is performed by first coating a surgical linen thread of gauge number 30 with Snuhi Latex 11 times, snuhi latex and Apamarga Kshara 7 times, and snuhi latex and turmeric powder 3 times. The patient is anesthetized and a malleable probe with the surgical linen thread (called the Kshar Sutra) in its groove is passed through the external opening of the fistula to its inside and the probe is then carefully taken out with the Kshar Sutra intact. After this, both ends of the Kshar Sutra are tied together and replaced with a new one after a week. Because of this procedure, the tract is eventually cut and healed by the removal of unhealthy tissue. This controls microbial infection and facilitates drainage of pus in the tract aiding in healing.
The therapy for Pilonidal Sinus is done in a similar manner while for hemorrhoids a patient is first sedated after which the pile mass is brought out of the anal orifice using forceps and then the mass is given an incision at the mucocutaneous joint after which the pile mass is pulled and transfixed with Kshara Sutra at its base. Finally, the pile mass in the rectum is replaced with Yastimadhu Taila or ghrita.
Pankaj maurya - February 27, 2020 at 8:28 pm |
True. Kshar sutra has high success rate than surgical methods. World should accept this technique to make people healthy.
Dr. Prasad Bapat - November 13, 2020 at 4:27 pm |
Having my 5th surgery for this tomorrow. Super nervous. Never expected this life ruining thing to happen.
Mitch - March 6, 2020 at 8:52 am |
Hi I’m 20 year old and I have been struggling to poo for most off my life it been on and off and now it gone bad again I haven’t been for poo in while and I just started taking movicol now I’m leaking poo a lot and still haven’t been for poo what can I do I’m scared last time this happen it got really bad and I couldn’t wee so I was in hospital please can u help me
Jordan - March 27, 2020 at 3:58 am |
Looking for help and support have an anal fistula. again in lots of pain feel like its never ending,
Waiting list is so long on NHS
how am I gonna cope this time round!!!!!!
katie - July 30, 2020 at 7:41 am |
Hi, I recomend to go a MD, really I don’t know any medicine fo the pain. I understand you, so go to the hospital
Pedro - September 7, 2020 at 10:24 am |
Has any one had an experience in treating a recto urethral fistula.
It’s between rectum and urethra.
I need help on treating this the alternative way other than surgery.
Please help.
Naveen - September 1, 2020 at 8:44 pm |
Hi,
I have had a seton inserted a couple of days back and I panicked today when I saw a rubber band hanging out from my rear and called my doctor. He advised it is okay as long as it is not completely out. I can see the knots but just terrified knowing there is already something hanging out of my butt and it’s been only 2 days since surgery. I have been asked to see the doc in 4 weeks and once that thing ‘mature’ they might do an mri. I am really scared right now. Is anyone in the same boat. I have been told that there is a huge muscle involved and not sure what that means. It’s not painful and even though I have a sanitary pad on for the entire day there isn’t much coming out. Not sure where is this heading. I am a 35 year old male
Iamanewbiee - November 13, 2020 at 2:13 am |
Hey hey you gonna be fine just be patient ive been dealing with it since July, i got very upset but now accepted it. Im 31. Had a complex fistula first got seton then Flap then back on seton again now hoping that the track moved lower cause mine was quite high. Its long process and mentally was challenging but remember be patient and keep the mind busy all the best.
Jose
Jose - November 24, 2020 at 5:42 pm |
I need help with a peri anal fistula…I am from Cape Town South Africa…I have a Seton in place…I have chronic pain…
Nehemia - December 21, 2020 at 3:18 am |
Hi I had a fistula in ano for more than one a half years. I am now healed. I used neem & triphala powder for a month, followed by septoguard(natural antibiotic) & pilex tablets for an additional 3 months at the same time applying ozone olive gel on the outside of the fistula. My whatsapp no is +27631406233. I am in South Africa.
Munya - January 30, 2021 at 10:01 am |
Hi I had a fistula in ano for more than one a half years. I am now healed. I used neem & triphala powder for a month, followed by septoguard(natural antibiotic) & pilex tablets for an additional 3 months at the same time applying ozone olive gel on the outside of the fistula. My whatsapp no is +27631406233.
Munyaradzi Chirowodza - January 31, 2021 at 6:38 am |
Fistula can not be cured by any medicine. Please don’t misguide people for business. Controlling the spread of infection and symptoms and curing the disease are totally different things.
Om Ayurvedic Clinic - February 7, 2021 at 5:26 pm |
My mother-in-law recto vagina fistula and they told her to just live her life. She is 87, and has a pacemaker She has had 2 heart attacks already. She is incontinent as the bowel empties out through her vagina she is wearing adult diapers. Because of her age and heart health issues there is nothing they can do. Can she live long with this condition. Is it likely to lead to infection. She looks great, sounds great and seems to be thriving. I just want to be prepared and help her through this. Knowledge helps .
Brenda Jackson - April 25, 2021 at 6:16 am |
Hello,
I currently am dealing with a rectovaginal fistula due to ulcerative colitis. Actually, I’ve had my large intestine removed, except for the rectum which was great for awhile, but eventually I did get UC of the rectum. I have a doctor that says if I can get rid of the inflammation I can potentially get it fixed without a permanent illiostomy.That’s a bit of my background.
My question is, 3 doctors have told me it’s ok to have sexual intercourse while I still have the fistula, but a fourth doc who is a plastic surgeon said he disagrees and that sounds like a terrible idea. I am worried sex could worsen it, make it bigger or whatever? Seems like that makes sense. The plastic surgeon has nothing to do with my care, I was there for Botox and we got to talking about my situation! Anybody know what the safe protocol is for sex while dealing with a rectovaginal fistula? Thanks so much for any input.
Carolyn Newcomb - June 10, 2021 at 4:54 am |
Greetings everyone, my name is Rohan , i am a 25 years old and currently a student. I have been suffering from recurrent haemorrhoids and fissures since the past 5 years. About two years before my doctor who practises ayurveda told me that one of my fissures has converted into a full blown fistula. He also told me then and there that fistula cannot be cured by any medicine , its only solution is a surgery . He then counselled me about th success rates and the advantages and disadvantages of different procedures and i too explored quite a bit thanks to google and ncbi research articles. Finally it has been a week since i got a kshar sutra primary threading done and the experience has been painful. On a scale of 1-10, the pain after BM is about a 7. I need to immediately have a sitz bath after BM and also take painkillers which i am not very proud of. I chose kshar sutra as my preferred method of getting rid of this horrible confition because of many factors , most importantly its high success and low recurrence rates, low cost and minimum invasiveness. Kshar sutra as far as i have read is the only permanent cure for fistulas. The pain factor is however horrible and is not for the faint hearted. Lets see how this turns out.
Thanks everyone, praying for your better health.
Rohan - December 5, 2021 at 8:42 pm |
Hii Rohan! Yes I was in exact same position as you a few years back. Kshar Sutra cured me! Yes it’s not comfortable but not nearly as painful as you may imagine… but it works! Do contact if you wanna talk!
Harp D - January 28, 2022 at 11:55 am |
Does anyone had a good out come with fistula treatment (only 1 surgery required, only weeks, not 4 months +, of healing, no complications like incontinence)? Or is it as awful of a condition as the internet makes it out to be?
Sophie - January 22, 2022 at 1:06 pm |
Yes, one flap surgery in 2014 and then life back to normal after 4 weeks.
By God’s grace till now 2022 no issues.
Three important things to highlight
1. Skilled Surgery Doc
2. Daily hygienic clean up by Nurse till its healed
3. Taking 24 hour soaked Chia seeds Daily before bed.
chirag007mehta - January 28, 2022 at 11:58 am |
I am just a new victim for this Vistula need help
SACHIN AGGARWAL - March 19, 2022 at 2:49 am |
I grew up being beat and abused by my mother. She hated me and I felt like a disease nobody wanted.
Since I got this fistula I’ve suffered daily shame, humiliation, embarrassment isolation and depression. I’ve prayed begged and after five years with it finally lost hope. No doctor is going to do surgurys. They just want to show me how to put ostomy bag on. Shocked expected to live with intestines hanging my stomache never ending trail of goo I honestly want to die. I’ve always had lots of compassion for other people but when I life or death need something I can’t find a soul that cares.
Brenda - April 6, 2022 at 4:43 pm |
Where do you go? How do I find a doctor that will deal with this? Willing to do surgurys? Where must I go and who must I see? I live in small town nobody will deal with it let alone fix it. I would travel across the earth naked pushing a pencil for a chance, to have a surgurys or something to fix it. The pain is unbearable and I have never felt so alone and without hope.
Brenda Barton - April 6, 2022 at 4:49 pm |
Hi Brenda! Saw your post and had to reply. I myself had a horrible experience with a fistula a few years back.. but I am totally cured now. I’m not sure if my experience can help you or not but if you would like to chat or ever need to talk to someone who has been in a similar boat please don’t hesitate, my email is harpinderdeu@gmail.com, send me an email any time!
There’s always hope!
Harp - April 7, 2022 at 6:04 pm |
Try to find a homeopathic Doctor. I used the remedy that the homepathic Dr. recommended. Surgeries do not work. It took me a long time to heal because i am older . But i took sits bath every time i had a bowel movement with dettol and water. Used plant based diet, no oils. and Dr. Dooley from CA. His remedies and my perseverance to be strict with diet and cleanliness and patience worked. it took me 6.5 years to heal but my friend Faz healed in her first year with homeopathic remedies and she was much younger then me.
Happy - April 8, 2022 at 4:48 am |
Hi I’m Robert I have a fistula that is bleeding how much is too much bleeding should I be worried?
Robert James - April 16, 2022 at 12:51 pm |
Hi all…my name is George…last year I came down with pancreatitis,acute that is.. straight in a medically induced coma.Had 15 seconds to decide either don’t get out into a coma and die or get out into one and Maybe I may live…no time to even say I love you to my entire family, including my handsome son Owen.So 2.5 weeks later I wake up 63 pounds lighter…195 when I went under..4 monthst icu almost died twice..6 pumps and dialisis…and a traciotomy..took it out 3 days later..don’t know was wired.came out 134lbs,fistula right side,left side a stint/drain bag and a acordian pump also right side…would love some insight or chat ,something
George - April 24, 2022 at 10:27 am |
Thank You for sharing this information, after reading your blog. Dr. Mukul Patel is the best Ksharsutra treatment doctor in Gujarat – India to visit https://proctocure.com/ his site for more information
Thank You
Proctocure - May 22, 2022 at 1:12 am |
I have been diagnosed with an anal fistula and my appointment to see a colorectal surgeon is still 2 weeks out and I have never experienced this much pain. I have been to urgent care, an emergency room and a gastroenterologist since March 5. Is it normal to have to wait this long for possible relief?
Ann - June 1, 2022 at 1:19 am |
I have an enterocutaneous abdominal fistula and am undergoing chemotherapy at the same time for lymphoma. I would like to talk with someone about the uncontrolled draining from the fistula. Thank you
Guy Geleerd - September 1, 2022 at 12:53 pm |
Hi
I got the MRI done on 26th January 2022 and the kshar sutra treatment is taken by me on 5 August 2022.
The doctor didn’t ask me to go for another MRI just before the treatment. How to ensure that the treatment is going right?
Gunjan - September 3, 2022 at 12:43 am |
Hi Everyone
I have enjoyed reading your comments and taken comfort from the fact that there are other people out there like me! I have a complex fistula that has entered my sphincter muscle. A seton has not worked and my fistula has got bigger. I am having a bigger seton put in this week. My surgeon wants to take it out after 2 weeks then do an MRI after 6 weeks. He says he may have to do a temporary stoma if it doesn’t work then an advancement flap. I am not happy because if I have a stoma there is no guarantee the abscess will return so why put myself through all that. He has not mentioned glue o plugs or laser surgery. Does anyone know anything about them? I feel so in the dark. There is so little info out there. Does any Have any info or advice?? Thanks so much and warmest regards to all of my fellow sufferers x
Louise - October 23, 2022 at 10:56 pm |
Hi Louise
I had a LIFT procedure which is the one using the laser after having a seton suture in for 3 years. That was around 2012 and completely healed. Hope all works out for you.
Andy - October 25, 2022 at 6:01 am |
G’day Louise,
Its No fun what you are going through, since 2011, I had over 20 operation under anaesthesia in Australia and basically they tried all methods that you mentioned, they kept changing the seton and passing me around, ended up seeing best of them professors and coloractal surgeons in Melbourne, Sydney, Waga Waga, Albury Wodonga, Frankfort, Mumbai, Surat, but the last one I should have seen from the get go, now all healed to the point that it could be healed after digging up so many times scar over scars but since 2017 no more surgery, so if you don’t want to end up to the point of having a permanent fistula, you can have it fixed permanently if you start the right and only Proper way to heal it. Here is the address for the clinic where Dr Mukul Patel cured thousands of people, they are very professional, you can contact me or any of the many references in the testimonials, this is your way to beat this beast.
proctocure.com
Good luck with everything
Max Aryana - October 25, 2022 at 7:03 pm |
G’day Louise,
I’ve already replied either but not sure if you got it, I’ve had similar experience, it’s no fun, but if you want it fix permanent, then Dr Mukul Patel is your go, please read the testimonials in his website and contact them, they go to him from all over the world.
proctocure.com
Goodluck
Max Aryana - October 25, 2022 at 7:18 pm |
I’m from Kenya…I have a relative with fistula for over a year but not treated I need help
Luy otieno - November 15, 2022 at 8:31 pm |
Hi I’ve had a fistula after my crohns surgery I have a wound management bag over it it’s still draining 3 months down the line How long do fistulas take to fully recover any advice would be great.Thank you
Antonia Thomas - December 28, 2022 at 1:38 am |
Hi I had surgery on 2 fistulas 6 weeks ago is it normal to s.be in a world of hurt and if so when does it stop?.
Secondly is it normal to leak puss and blood this long after the surgery?
Bronco pignone - December 29, 2022 at 3:21 am |
Good day. I’ve recently had fistula surgery and 6 weeks after surgery it has re-occurred. I am wondering if anyone in the support group has had the laser (FiLaC) procedure with any success.
I have a blond fistula which means it only has one opening – on the skin.
Redford Muir - December 31, 2022 at 10:08 pm |
Good day. I’ve recently had fistula surgery and 6 weeks after surgery it has re-occurred. I am wondering if anyone in the support group has had the laser (FiLaC) procedure with any success.
I have a blind fistula which means it only has one opening – on the skin.
Redford Muir - December 31, 2022 at 10:09 pm |
I have a history of diverticulitis causing infection, intestinal bleeding, pain in pelvis and gas from time to time since 2010 (affected colon by sexual abuse); developing the disorder with antidepressants. Also I got an Anal Fistula and non cancerous polyps removed in 2015 and 2018. The last time I got intestinal bleeding was terrible. I don’t have those episodes for four years. But a few times, my stool is black with smelly gas. Now I got low abdominal cramps (intestines) with tremendous cold chills, fever and the sensation of having a movement. Nothing coming out for the whole night until I released a large amount of gas. Continued with gas, constipation, stool pellets and clear secretion with a foul smell.
Several months ago I discovered a small cyst or pimple in my intestinal cavity (rectum) towards the internal canal.
Lui-Antoni Comans - February 4, 2023 at 3:38 pm |
Hi,
I was diagnosed annal fistula two years back of stage 3 type. My first procedure place Feb 2022 by placing Seton and I am due for my 2nd procedure(unknown when it will be done). Recently, I have spotted second opening near first fistula opening and now I am scared as it’s blooding and passing fus like first openning(Seton place opening). I lived in New Zealand and it will take months to reach out my surgeon what is happening with me. Any recommendations is it something turning serious ?
Hassan Abbas - February 5, 2023 at 12:58 am |
I had colon surgery 4 yrs ago 2 times didn’t Wake up on life support both times I’m 78 Drs says no more surger I have a fishula in my stomach it is pouring.Is it dangoud
Mary Miles - February 9, 2023 at 12:10 am |
My son has a fistula on his stomach he is dealing with for 5 years and he really needs support and how to deal with it please someone reach out to me thank you
Cynthia Hamilton - April 13, 2023 at 12:08 am |
I have complex anal fistulas. The doctors are recommending a temporary colostomy to increase healing time. Does anyone know of a cream or natural treatment to help them heal? I have had several surgeries and have Seton drains in place.
Jan Millehan - April 22, 2023 at 1:22 pm |
Betadine plus honey
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7951016/
Tim - September 11, 2023 at 8:01 pm |
I have nine abdominal fistulas, I am struggling with abdominal distension from a parastomal hernia. I look about 7 months pregnant! I have an underlying diagnosis of Inflammatory bowel disease.
I have spent two years in hospital which I am finding really hard. I need to find support from people who understand.
I was a colorectal nurse but had to give up work due to the illness.
Liz - May 7, 2023 at 2:35 am |
Hi I am 41 years old female. I used to exercise everyday ,riding bicycle, rescuing animals, trying to keep up with my teenage boys, until I was diagnosed with invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the anus. Immediately started chemo and radiation. I completed Treatment a couple of months ago.I had no idea the unbearable constant pain I was going to be dealing with after treatment. I now have a humongous hole from radiation burn and fistula. Is not healing and the pain seems to get worse. I am on enough pain medications to put down a horse and I’m still hurting.The pain it’s constant , horrific burning sensation,uncomfortable and scary. With mucus discharging from affected area and the constant pain that I am in, my entire life has been put on hold. I’ve been put in the hospital s couple of times and all they do is treat me with antibiotics and pain medication and send me home a couple of days later. But the problem is still there .no one will help me. I feel like I’m going crazy.I would you do anything in the world to feel better and be pain free .It’s like I’m just going in circles. Please can anyone help me
Dana Robinson - May 31, 2023 at 3:52 pm |
I’m so so sorry you are going through this, I remember being in a similar place a number of years ago. Are they packing the area or have they discussed placing in setons. I had a surgeon who just kept cutting with no recognition of me a s a person, mum, wife and employee. Then I found another surgeon who said I needed my life back and placed 2 setons in, that was in 2012 and I still have them in. I regularly have discharge and wear pads every day,but period pants are amazing. Also some gauze between the bum cheeks help and salt sitz baths. It will take a bit of time to all settle, but you will learn to live around it, rather than it dictate everything. Here is a fab Facebook page for women https://www.facebook.com/groups/AbscessFistulaSupportforWomen/?ref=share
I wish you all the best, I know it feels overwhelming and dark sometimes but that will change xxxx
Lou fau - June 3, 2023 at 7:37 am |
Dana, I had my fistula for 6.5 years, I healed mine with homeopathy treatment and a strict diet gluten free, oil free, vegan. Lots of fresh fruits veggies and grains and brown rice. Get a good homeopathic Dr. It took me a long time because I am older. It finally healed when I was 64. Sits baths 2 times a day in dettol and warm water. So sorry you’re going thru it. It is very painful, I thought it would never end. I had a peri anal abscess that was pierced and drained in the ER and it never healed and turned into a fistula. Good luck. Hang in there!
Happy - June 4, 2023 at 5:18 pm
G’day Dana,
Sounds like you’ve had it real bad, only part of your problem was my whole problem, I’ve had high complex fistula which after 25 odd surgeries and tried all methods in Australia and Germany, I went to India and if I was there earlier it would have never got there, anyway kshar sutra was the method combined with laser so I haven’t had any Seton or surgery w
Since 2017. In the Web pages look for testimonials and find my full story there, Dr Mukul Patel didn’t invent this but combined 5000 years old method with modern technology.
Good luck with everything and don’t hesitate to contact any of the references.
proctocure.com
Max - June 8, 2023 at 12:46 am |
Hi, I have suffered from obstetric RVF (intersphincteric) fistula for 18 years. I recently had a LIFT surgery I am 2 days post op. I had my first bowel movement which was diarrhea I have a history of extrem constipation or diarrhea. I am on stool softners as per prescription. I am worried about healing…
Sally - July 10, 2023 at 4:16 am |
Just initial stage of Fischula. Some times pain in that space and some fluid seceration also happening
Need suggestion for Antibiotics and guide how to cure without surgery..
Atindra mohan Sarkar - July 11, 2023 at 5:46 am |