# I had fistula surgery



## My Butt Hurts

So - I finally did it.
I had a perianal fistula drained about 3 years ago, and hadn't had any problems with it until recently.
About 2 months ago, it became painful, so I went to have it drained again.  No such luck.  The Dr. said it was draining on its own, and put me on antibiotics cipro and metro.  That didn't help, and it was filling faster than it was draining.  I was in so much pain, I actually was soaking in the tub, then pushing as much puss out of it , then covering it with calmoseptine (a menthol/zinc combo) 2 or 3 times a day.  They FINALLY got me in for surgery, which I didn't want to do, but the pain led me to it.

So there I am at the surgi-center with my butt up in the air.  I think my favorite part was when they taped my butt cheeks apart.  IV was no problem, but the 6 or so shots of novocaine was not enjoyable.  Only about 10 minutes after that, and I was done.  30 minutes to check my vitals, and I was out of there.

What a shock when I got home with a mirror!!  It looks like he carved a tunnel from my anus, a 1/2 inch wide, three inches up my butt cheek.  WHAT?  I was NOT ready to see that!  Good thing I don't wear a thong bathing suit!!

What I am confused about, is that I was supposed to have a seton placed, and he didn't do it.  He explained why, but I think I was a little out of it.  My husband said that the fistula was in fat, not in muscle, so that was the reason.  I don't get it.  

So now I'm home, changing gauze pads every so often by soaking in the tub (they stick to wound otherwise).  Let's do some math:  fresh wound + water = OUCHY STINGING!!   I'm on day 4 now, and just stopped having quite so much pain, and being so sleepy.  I now understand why I needed 2 weeks off of work.

So, I don't know if it worked yet, and I don't know how long I have to use this gauze, but that's my fistulotomy story.  (Hope you made some snacks - it was a long one...............)


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## Kev

Hey MBH, Hope all goes well. hows that proverb go 'Be careful what u wish for'. I haven't had any fistulas (yet - knock wood -skip that- pound wood heartily). I dunno y about the seton thingy... wouldn't care to hazard a guess.  Someone else on here is sure to have either an answer, or opinion.  One thing I will say is re the bit about soaking the guaze pads off in the tub...  u r using some sort of anticeptic (sp?) or something to sterilize the tub and water u r using 1st, right?  Otherwise, aren't u leaving yourself open to some form of secondary infection?  That could be a rather nasty complication..


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## jjs16

Greetings,

I have had the same surgery 25 years ago, I think it's called "lay open" surgery. The theory is to have the fistula heal from the inside out, along with the flesh. It did work for a long time (20 years?) but the fistulas came back. 

I had setons placed about 10 months ago and they are working fine.

Good luck with the healing process.

J


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## vickyoddsocks

I got fistulas and setons too! 
The first time they 'layed open' my fistulas and i was having the wounds packed with gauze by the district nurse every day, then they decided to put setons in, im not sure why. I had them in for 18 months then they took them out, one of my fistulas healed but the other one never did and always drained - but it never really bothered me too much. Then a couple of weeks ago i was in hospital because of a flare - and they put ALL 3 setons back in!! And i dont really know why, i wasnt complaining of any problems with the bum, it was all normal to me! They said this time i shouldnt have them in as long, i think they just want to doublely make sure theres no infection because im having infliximab again - so fingers crossed! 
Its all soooo confusing, ESPECIALLY trying to explain to people what fistulas are - let alone setons! lol! 
Hope that helps a bit!


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## Cog

The infliximab/ remicade actually put my fistulas into remission. Interesting to hear that they can raise their ugly heads years later. Thanks for the information


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## kpratte

I still think there is nothing worse than a pain in the arse (pun intended) :tongue: 

I had the wonderful lay open anal fistula surgery many years back.  Got completely knocked out for it and when I woke up I had a butt plug of gauze.  Took a couple days and then I just had to go and finally pushed that plug out, talking about pain, ouch!  

Took many weeks for my butt to not be tender.  That's when I discovered baby wipes.  Boy do they work well.

- Ken


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## My Butt Hurts

Update -
At my 2 week post -op appointment, they suggested coating the gauze with a thin layer of hydrogel (toothpaste tube type clear jelly.  Thicker than glue, thinner than vaseline.)  Much easier to get the gauze off, and not sure why they didn't suggest that in the first place.  Still draining quite a bit at 2 weeks.  Had to quit the vicodin (pain reliever) after day 6.  It made me feel feverish half way throught the dose, and like I had the flu on day 6.  Stopped taking it, and all symptoms went away.  Been taking alleve instead.

Three weeks tomorrow, and I'm still in quite a bit of pain.  Walking gingerly, and at the pace of a 90 year old woman.  Much less drainage, but still using gauze.  Doctor's office called yesterday and said add neosporin after the hydrogel on the gauze.  Been back to work 3 days.  Very exhausting.  THought I was getting better a bit each day, until Monday - seems the same.


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## My Butt Hurts

Wow.  I guess I forgot to update this.
I eventually healed up well, but at 9 weeks, I noticed a little soreness in that area.  I went back to the surgeon, and he said it was back. I don't kow if he didn't get it all in the first place, or if it just came back in the same place, but that SUCKS!  That surgery was SO NOT enjoyable, I couldn't imagine going through it again.  He put me on metro and cipro for a really long time - 4 months maybe, and it hasn't gotten any worse.  Now I'm on Humira, and Humira is supposed to be good for fistulas.  I haven't  noticed any change in it for good or bad 7 weeks, so I guess that's good.


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## BWS1982

Same here, so far no fistulas (like Kev, pound on wood)...at least that I know of....but I will say I get pain down on the arse...not as bad as fistula pain I'll bet, but from the lovely Hemmorhoid fairies that sprinkle their hemmorhoid dust on flaring Crohns patients....


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## Rosemarie

I had a similar surgery about 2 years ago... went back to the hotel to sleep off drugs and when I got in the tub I was washing myself and felt a big round chunk missing from my butt. I WASNT prepared at all and almost had an anxiety attack... You would think the docs would try harder to mentally prepare you for things like that.


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## TammySue62

I had setons yrs. ago also.It did wotk for a while but they always come back with vengeance.Remicade did slow down the drainage but buy the sixth week they came running down my leg untill the next infusion....then the process would start all over again.

To be honest I have come to the conclusion that there isnt a darn thing that you can do about them.it just comes with having crohns for some people that is.
I refuse to get lanced while awake ever again. Thats twice they  lanced them without NO freezing and 2 setons.
After al that I still have 3 and one up inside me.Talk about yuck big time


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## Ben99

I just had surgery the other day.
Was shocked to find an open wound when i got home. Hard to believe that this will eventually heal.
I was given painkillers and antibiotics (Metronidazole) but the antibiotics is making me vomit so much and giving me diarrhea. Can i stop the antibiotics?
I've been drinking just glucose for the past 2 days as i will puke up any food.
Any advice please?


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## SumCiA

OMG i just has a resection and i still need surgery to lay open my fistula. I'm going to discuss this with my surgeon when i see him next. I don't think my body can take anymore abuse. 

Ben99, i had perianal abscess surgery a couple of months ago that left me with an open wound. Like you i found it hard to comprehend it ever healing. It has now healed and all i have left is the fistula opening with the seton stitch in place. My surgeon is some genius radical nutcase who doesn't like prescribing antibiotics even in cases such as this where infection is the predominant cause. I never had a problem not being on the antibios so it may be worth discussing this with your doc if they are causing you problems.


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## D Bergy

Can you get IV antibiotics or a different kind?  They are probably not doing you any good if you are puking them up.

Dan


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## Digits

i had several fistula surgeries when i was younger, and they always seemed to work, but the best miraclulous invention ever was the "Sitz bath" its a tub thing you put on your toilet with the seat up, hook it up to the bathtub faucet, and sit in it, and it gently sprays warm water on the bottom. medicaid paid for mine.

a year ago, i had a fistula occur in my surgery scar, under the scar, and it was draining into a healed scar,so they lanced open the scar with just freezing and novacaine, and i screamed and hollered and cried so hard. never ever doing that again. 

when taking your antibiotics, make sure you have some kind of food stuffs to take them with! it really really helps.


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## Ben99

Its been 10 days since my Fistula surgery and i havent taken any Anti-Biotics for 7 days now because of the vomitting and diarrhea.
Do i still need to go ahead any take these? The wound is slowly healing.
I dont wanna spend another 2 days puking up and runing to the toilet after taking Anti Biotics.
Thanks


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## BWS1982

Ben99 said:
			
		

> Its been 10 days since my Fistula surgery and i havent taken any Anti-Biotics for 7 days now because of the vomitting and diarrhea.
> Do i still need to go ahead any take these? The wound is slowly healing.
> I dont wanna spend another 2 days puking up and runing to the toilet after taking Anti Biotics.
> Thanks


What's the dr. say?


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## Ben99

I havent seen the doc yet as i do feel better since stopping the Anti-Biotics.


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## Wiles

Ben99 said:
			
		

> I havent seen the doc yet as i do feel better since stopping the Anti-Biotics.


If you talked to your doctor they might have an alternative to the antibiotics you were taking.

After reading this thread, I think if a doctor told me they wanted to operate on my fistulas I'd tell them hell no! It doesn't sound very pleasant.


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## Kev

Stopping a course of anti biotics w/o consulting a doctor is a risky proposition.

Stopping anti biotic treatment before finishing is extremely risky, as it can lead to an anti biotic resistant strain bouncing back... even worse than ever before, and the strain may then only respond to even stronger anti biotics.. if at all.  The reality of it is that things like flesh eating disease or MRSA came about as folks played fast N loose with a/b treatment, AND dr's prescribed anti biotics for things which didn't really benefit from anti biotics.


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## Cookie

MBH, do you remember exactly what they did for your surgery?  I just had flap repair surgery on Friday.  They cleaned out the abcesses and sewed a "healthy" piece of tissue over the internal opening of the fistula...at least that's how I understand it.  I had this same surgery 3 years ago and let me tell you, the healing part of it was not the same!  Last time I took 2 weeks off from work and thought that was way too much.  This time I figured to return next Monday...There is no way!!!

I am a hundred times more sore.  I still have a considerable amount of blood.  And I have only had one bowel movement, Monday evening, with the aid of Citrical, Kondremul, AND Milk of Magnesia (all as prescribed by my surgeon). I have finished half a bottle of Oxycodone(last time I only used 2 of my pain pills), and I am still in so much pain!

I was just wondering if I should call my doc or if this is normal and last time was a fluke (maybe that's why the surgery didn't work, huh?).  The doc told my husband that I should not take any baths for 10 days because of the material she used to reinforce it.  Oh, how I would love to soak in a nice warm tub right now...

Anyway,  sorry for the rambling...just looking for some wisdom and advice.


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## My Butt Hurts

Shadycat said:
			
		

> MBH, do you remember exactly what they did for your surgery?
> 
> Anyway,  sorry for the rambling...just looking for some wisdom and advice.


Well HA!  If you are looking for wisdom, you certainly asked the wrong person!!
Never be sorry for rambling silly, that's what we're here for.
It sounds like my surgery was very different than yours.  Mine was on the outside, like the butt cheek near my anus.  Yours is on the inside?  Anyways - it was very very veeeeery painful, and wept (weeped?  seeped?) for well over 3 weeks.  Going back to work after 2 weeks really sucked.
Glad your surgery is over, and I hope this is just part of the healing for you and it's better soon.  I would still call the doc if I were you just to ask.  If it's the supposedly the same surgery and it feels so different, that is a valid question.
Good luck, feel better!


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## Cookie

The stitches are on the inside...up in my butt.  That is where it hurts the most.  She left the outside part open (vaginal), so that the abcesses can drain.  Eventually they will stop filling up because there is no internal connection and that external opening should close over.  Right now I have drainage from both ends, but I guess I am mostly concerned about the blood from my butt.  I don't remmeber this much last time.

Anyway, I gues our surgeries were quite different.  Thanks for your input though.  I think I will put going back to work on Monday out of my mind and shoot for Wednesday instead.


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## Cookie

Well our surgeries may have been different, but it sounds like the healing is the same.  I am back at work (as of Monday) and it sucks, sucks, sucks.  My butt is in pain, it is seeping everything from blood to green pus to stool (slight incontinence? not sure) and I just feel like I want to go lay down.  Being at work when you just don't feel well is the worst, anyone agree?  The worst part is, I'm not sure if this is normal healing or if there is a problem. I am mostly concerned because about a half hour after a BM (2-3 per day) I am getting a soreness/pain in my groin area and it kind of feels like another abcess, although I don't feel any lumps. I have an appointment with the surgeon on Friday, so I guess I'll see then.  Mostly just wanting to vent...thanks for listening!


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## My Butt Hurts

Awww.  Sorry Shady, that's the worst.  
Is the soreness in your groin like a pulling almost??  Like your vajayjay is gonna fall out?  I know that sounds crazy, I get that pain sometimes - but I didn't know if that's the type of pain you meant.  (Umm... probably not, I think I might sound crazy now.  That's the first thing that popped into my head.  *tiptoes away quietly hoping no one notices*)

Hope you start feeling better soon.


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## Cookie

My Butt Hurts said:
			
		

> Awww.  Sorry Shady, that's the worst.
> Is the soreness in your groin like a pulling almost??  Like your vajayjay is gonna fall out?  I know that sounds crazy, I get that pain sometimes - but I didn't know if that's the type of pain you meant.  (Umm... probably not, I think I might sound crazy now.  That's the first thing that popped into my head.  *tiptoes away quietly hoping no one notices*)
> 
> Hope you start feeling better soon.



He, he.  You crack me up.  But now that you mention it....well, yeah, kind of!  I have had vaginal abcesses in the past and that is what it feels like.  It kind of pulls, like something is under your skin, yanking. (ok, now I'm the crazy one quietly tiptoeing away...)

At any rate, it doesn't feel pleasant and I want it to go away!


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## My Butt Hurts

Well THANKS A LOT!   Quote me so I can't get rid of that foolish talk!  (kidding)
I find mine is the most sore when I am standing still.  Danman mentioned it too I think (well,lacking the vaginal part of it, but the same kind of pulling sore feeling in the butt area when he stands)  I actually went to the gyno about it cuz I thought I was having a prolapse or something.  She said she didn't think so but we could remove it anyways.  WHAT?!?
I did some kegels and it helped a bit, but still gets sore sometimes.  Not as often.  Try it - it can't hurt right?


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## CrohnsHobo

My fistula surgery sounds like Butt Hurts (lol, great name). Mine was on the outside near my Anus and they actually lanced it once as an outpatient, then again a second time at the hospital with an overnight stay. This was about 15 years ago, so I don't remember what they actually did. I do remember it was insanely painful. I remember using maxi pads in my underware to pick up the drainage. They left it open to heal on it's own. I remember it took a really long time to heal. 

I am sure they have a better procedure for it now, or at least I hope so. It was not fun and was pretty embarrassing as a teenager.


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