Aa
4th surgery for Anal fistula, may need 5th. help
I am so over these surgeries. I just had my 4th surgery for a fistula and this one did not work. The Dr. did an extensive flap repair and stiched the flap over the tract. Went yesterday for follow up. Infection settled in the flap area and he is talking about a seton placement. This surgery was one week ago. I am getting very depressed as he said the tract is way up in the rectum. I have had the 4 surgeries in 4 months. Can ANYONE help me with this or direct me to a web site for me to look at.
I don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with this. Thank you
I don't want to spend the rest of my life dealing with this. Thank you
Feel terrible about even complaining, but somehow maybe my comments can help someone or your knowledge help me. Had anal abcess (large) in October. Drained under general anethesia. Never did feel right or heal and shortly (6 weeks) after developed fistula. Doctor did fistulotomy in late Nov and put in stitch (seton?) Still drains like crazy and stitch (knot) is uncomfortable as can be. Doctor has never spoken about tightening, or as some have posted, being a long term thing. He mentioned that after eight weeks it would be removed in surgery. I feel, like most everyone else here like I am completely lost and that this is never going to get better. Anybody with any insight? Hope all are well as I know many are worse off than me.
Hello everyone. I'm a 44 yr old male recently diagnosed with a peri-anal fistula. This is all new for me. I've been reading as much as I can, and stumbled upon this gem. I've had ulcerative colitis since 1995 - mild to moderate, and mostly under control with immuno-suppressives (Imuran) and mesalamine (Asacol). I just experienced a UC flare up in Oct., and had bad hemmorhoids over the last year (lots of sitting in traffic and at work). (I'd bet that all this has led up to the abscess/fistula...) I feel better now except for this fistula/abscess. The fistula drains, but it's manageable. The pain is minor, mostly just uncomfortable - only bad when the abscess gets enlarged, but then it drains and doesn't hurt so much. I'm scheduled for surgery at the end of the month for a fistulectomy. But I'm wondering, after reading other's situations, if I should even bother with surgery at all? What would happen if I didn't have the surgery, and just decided to live with the thing? My doctor (a general surgeon) was very up front, and told me that with my UC disease and the meds I take, that there was a good chance the fistula would return, and that healing could be tough. I'm really wondering if this is something I want to do... As long as the abscess can be kept under control, maybe there is no need for surgery?
Hi Everyone,
I am a 43 year old Male and was recently diagnosed with an anal abcess. This was after going to several doctors over several months with recurring rectal pain. He lanced it in his office (very painful) and told me it would take several weeks to drain, and then perhaps a fistula might develop. A week later the pain was unbearable and he reopened it, (VERY painful) and that lasted about a day. At least every other day it blocks up and becomes very painful until it opens back up. It has been almost three weeks since the initail procedure and I am at wits end. I feel crummy most of the time, and the pain is very uncomfortable when the abcess stops draining. The doctor is scheduling me for surgery and I have to tell you, after reading what you poor folks have gone through I am scared to death. :( I don't know what to do now, god this is frustrating and kinda scarey.
I am a 43 year old Male and was recently diagnosed with an anal abcess. This was after going to several doctors over several months with recurring rectal pain. He lanced it in his office (very painful) and told me it would take several weeks to drain, and then perhaps a fistula might develop. A week later the pain was unbearable and he reopened it, (VERY painful) and that lasted about a day. At least every other day it blocks up and becomes very painful until it opens back up. It has been almost three weeks since the initail procedure and I am at wits end. I feel crummy most of the time, and the pain is very uncomfortable when the abcess stops draining. The doctor is scheduling me for surgery and I have to tell you, after reading what you poor folks have gone through I am scared to death. :( I don't know what to do now, god this is frustrating and kinda scarey.
I am so glad I found this discussion board and in response to "fistula friend" if you are still out there, I'd definitely be interested in a dedicated discussion board to the wonderful topic of chronic fistulas.
I'm a 39 year-old woman who has had a fistula for almost 4 years (it's rather depressing to keep track). I have had 5 surguries, setons, failed flap repairs, etc. I have seen 4 colorectal surgeons that tell me that complex fistulas are difficult to treat (no kidding!).
In the past year I have held off on surgeries since they didn't seem to be getting me anywhere. I had the seton removed after 3 months (that was about 2 years ago) because I found it very uncomfortable and it was really never clearly explained to me how it would help me heal (it certainly didn't seem to do much good and I hated all that draining).
I currently have had some success with healing on my own - I no longer leak from my fistula after bowel movements, and my infections seem to be much smaller and less bothersome than ever before. I don't need to where pads but I do use baby wipes etc to clean after I go to the bathroom.
Like another person on this discussion, after several surgeries I am not incontinent thank god, but I do tend to have less control over passing gas...It makes me very reluctant to have more surgeries.
I don't have Crohn's but this all started from constipation and a fissure - which one of my surgeons can't seem to grasp. I also felt that my first doctor, who was a colorectal specialist, was incompetent, but then I learned after several second opinions, that either they all are incompetent or modern medicine doesn't have much to offer the fistula sufferer.
I definitely have struggled with depression, frustration, etc. but I actually have learned to live with this and be grateful for any of the progress I have made. I, like another commentor, wonder if I would recognize my life without the fistula. It sure has been "fun" sharing about it with my coworkers, boyfriends (I am now married) over the past few years (it's hard to come up with stories to explain all the surgeries, lost time at work, etc.)
I finally have a follow up appt with my doctor after 2 months of antibiotics which I thought were helping but now I really don't think made a difference (infections come and go, antiobiotics or not).
I let you know how things go. I hope people are still following this discussion board thread because it is so wonderful to know that there are others out there who truly understand what this is like. I guess it isn't all that common...
Thank you all for sharing.
I'm a 39 year-old woman who has had a fistula for almost 4 years (it's rather depressing to keep track). I have had 5 surguries, setons, failed flap repairs, etc. I have seen 4 colorectal surgeons that tell me that complex fistulas are difficult to treat (no kidding!).
In the past year I have held off on surgeries since they didn't seem to be getting me anywhere. I had the seton removed after 3 months (that was about 2 years ago) because I found it very uncomfortable and it was really never clearly explained to me how it would help me heal (it certainly didn't seem to do much good and I hated all that draining).
I currently have had some success with healing on my own - I no longer leak from my fistula after bowel movements, and my infections seem to be much smaller and less bothersome than ever before. I don't need to where pads but I do use baby wipes etc to clean after I go to the bathroom.
Like another person on this discussion, after several surgeries I am not incontinent thank god, but I do tend to have less control over passing gas...It makes me very reluctant to have more surgeries.
I don't have Crohn's but this all started from constipation and a fissure - which one of my surgeons can't seem to grasp. I also felt that my first doctor, who was a colorectal specialist, was incompetent, but then I learned after several second opinions, that either they all are incompetent or modern medicine doesn't have much to offer the fistula sufferer.
I definitely have struggled with depression, frustration, etc. but I actually have learned to live with this and be grateful for any of the progress I have made. I, like another commentor, wonder if I would recognize my life without the fistula. It sure has been "fun" sharing about it with my coworkers, boyfriends (I am now married) over the past few years (it's hard to come up with stories to explain all the surgeries, lost time at work, etc.)
I finally have a follow up appt with my doctor after 2 months of antibiotics which I thought were helping but now I really don't think made a difference (infections come and go, antiobiotics or not).
I let you know how things go. I hope people are still following this discussion board thread because it is so wonderful to know that there are others out there who truly understand what this is like. I guess it isn't all that common...
Thank you all for sharing.
I am so glad I found this discussion board and in response to "fistula friend" if you are still out there, I'd definitely be interested in a dedicated discussion board to the wonderful topic of chronic fistulas.
I'm a 39 year-old woman who has had a fistula for almost 4 years (it's rather depressing to keep track). I have had 5 surguries, setons, failed flap repairs, etc. I have seen 4 colorectal surgeons that tell me that complex fistulas are difficult to treat (no kidding!).
In the past year I have held off on surgeries since they didn't seem to be getting me anywhere. I had the seton removed after 3 months (that was about 2 years ago) because I found it very uncomfortable and it was really never clearly explained to me how it would help me heal (it certainly didn't seem to do much good and I hated all that draining).
I currently have had some success with healing on my own - I no longer leak from my fistula after bowel movements, and my infections seem to be much smaller and less bothersome than ever before. I don't need to where pads but I do use baby wipes etc to clean after I go to the bathroom.
Like another person on this discussion, after several surgeries I am not incontinent thank god, but I do tend to have less control over passing gas...It makes me very reluctant to have more surgeries.
I don't have Crohn's but this all started from constipation and a fissure - which one of my surgeons can't seem to grasp. I also felt that my first doctor, who was a colorectal specialist, was incompetent, but then I learned after several second opinions, that either they all are incompetent or modern medicine doesn't have much to offer the fistula sufferer.
I definitely have struggled with depression, frustration, etc. but I actually have learned to live with this and be grateful for any of the progress I have made. I, like another commentor, wonder if I would recognize my life without the fistula. It sure has been "fun" sharing about it with my coworkers, boyfriends (I am now married) over the past few years (it's hard to come up with stories to explain all the surgeries, lost time at work, etc.)
I finally have a follow up appt with my doctor after 2 months of antibiotics which I thought were helping but now I really don't think made a difference (infections come and go, antiobiotics or not).
I let you know how things go. I hope people are still following this discussion board thread because it is so wonderful to know that there are others out there who truly understand what this is like. I guess it isn't all that common...
Thank you all for sharing.
I'm a 39 year-old woman who has had a fistula for almost 4 years (it's rather depressing to keep track). I have had 5 surguries, setons, failed flap repairs, etc. I have seen 4 colorectal surgeons that tell me that complex fistulas are difficult to treat (no kidding!).
In the past year I have held off on surgeries since they didn't seem to be getting me anywhere. I had the seton removed after 3 months (that was about 2 years ago) because I found it very uncomfortable and it was really never clearly explained to me how it would help me heal (it certainly didn't seem to do much good and I hated all that draining).
I currently have had some success with healing on my own - I no longer leak from my fistula after bowel movements, and my infections seem to be much smaller and less bothersome than ever before. I don't need to where pads but I do use baby wipes etc to clean after I go to the bathroom.
Like another person on this discussion, after several surgeries I am not incontinent thank god, but I do tend to have less control over passing gas...It makes me very reluctant to have more surgeries.
I don't have Crohn's but this all started from constipation and a fissure - which one of my surgeons can't seem to grasp. I also felt that my first doctor, who was a colorectal specialist, was incompetent, but then I learned after several second opinions, that either they all are incompetent or modern medicine doesn't have much to offer the fistula sufferer.
I definitely have struggled with depression, frustration, etc. but I actually have learned to live with this and be grateful for any of the progress I have made. I, like another commentor, wonder if I would recognize my life without the fistula. It sure has been "fun" sharing about it with my coworkers, boyfriends (I am now married) over the past few years (it's hard to come up with stories to explain all the surgeries, lost time at work, etc.)
I finally have a follow up appt with my doctor after 2 months of antibiotics which I thought were helping but now I really don't think made a difference (infections come and go, antiobiotics or not).
I let you know how things go. I hope people are still following this discussion board thread because it is so wonderful to know that there are others out there who truly understand what this is like. I guess it isn't all that common...
Thank you all for sharing.
Hi! Why us! I never even new what a fistulas was and wonder if this is pay back for all the times I was a pain in the arse!
This is my story in brief. In April this year a pain started and it was an ischiorectal abscess. This had led to septecimia and the abscess was lanced under general anaesthetic with one nights stay. Over the next few weeks the area was packed daily but a new infection set in despite many rounds of anti-biotics. About 7 weeks after the previous surgery a fistulotomy was performed and a seton put in place as the fistula went through the anal muscle. This fistulotomy was deep and large and was packed daily for six weeks with the seton being left as a draining one. It was done under general anaesthetic but again only needed one nights stay. Then two months ago the seton was tightened, again under a general anaesthesia but I was home within hours. I see the surgeon in December but the fistula is just the same as it was and both the surgeon and my doctor are talking about muscle flap surgery if this seton tightening fails.
Now it has just become a part of me. People have asked about what the seton feels like. The one I have in place is a nylon thread
This is my story in brief. In April this year a pain started and it was an ischiorectal abscess. This had led to septecimia and the abscess was lanced under general anaesthetic with one nights stay. Over the next few weeks the area was packed daily but a new infection set in despite many rounds of anti-biotics. About 7 weeks after the previous surgery a fistulotomy was performed and a seton put in place as the fistula went through the anal muscle. This fistulotomy was deep and large and was packed daily for six weeks with the seton being left as a draining one. It was done under general anaesthetic but again only needed one nights stay. Then two months ago the seton was tightened, again under a general anaesthesia but I was home within hours. I see the surgeon in December but the fistula is just the same as it was and both the surgeon and my doctor are talking about muscle flap surgery if this seton tightening fails.
Now it has just become a part of me. People have asked about what the seton feels like. The one I have in place is a nylon thread
You are reading content posted in the Digestive Disorders / Gastroenterology Forum
Learn which OTC medications can help relieve your digestive troubles.
Is a gluten-free diet right for you?
Discover common causes of and remedies for heartburn.
This common yet mysterious bowel condition plagues millions of Americans
Don't get burned again. Banish nighttime heartburn with these quick tips
Get answers to your top questions about this pervasive digestive problem
