Anal Fistula Option & recommendation

[kennyjohn123]

Hello,
I've a anal fistula I'm assuming can't remember exact but about 3 and a half to 4 years by now. Just recently my anal fistula have closed, I notice I don't feel pus like I usually would feel so I went ahead an saw my local surgeon but their knowledge is not mainly into the rectal & colon category, but He've done anal fistula from what I was told. But yeah what I was told is that, it seems that my anal fistula is closed, so there is no way I can get an surgery or any treatment option since its closed, so he said my only option is to wait however long it is, 3 month, 6 month, 1 year or even 5 years and over, until it fully healed as I was told the inside haven't healed yet that why I can still feel the rock of how an anal fistula is suppose to feel like. But I don't know if that's really should be the option I should be doing, which is waiting for miracle of healing on its own after 3-4 years later. But yeah his rating from other patient isn't that good and going to see the rectal and colon surgeon are too much more expensive and is kind of out of my budget. Yeah and I really don't know what to do, because I've got tons of people telling me different story and keep me in different mood everytime. Like previously, I was told the longer the fistula is treated, the more problem will form. But now on this visit, my surgeon is telling me since my fistula have been on for so long, there no need to rush for surgery treatment, as maybe time can form an healing on its own miracle, even if it doesn't there no further harm. And I've always though that the longer I wait is if the fistula reaches that dangerous muscle where it affect my stool control and others, but this surgeon is telling me that is only caused when doing the surgery, so its really depending on who does the surgery.

So I decided to go online and post on forums hopefully to get some good recommendation, or if anyone know any forum that surgeon go on where I can actually get good answers.

 

[amrycrohns]

I have not had any surgies to date, hopefully someone will chime in soon with their experience.

I do recommend however try to save up and see a colorectal surgeon, instead of a random general surgeon who may very well know very little about this disease. Do you currently see a GI doctor? What does he say about this issue? Are you on any medicine's to close the fistula or aid in it's healing?

 

[AlliRuns]

I agree, see a colorectal surgeon, not a general. I have had surgeries by both, unfortunately, neither surgery was successful. The general surgeon just cleaned out the fistula tracts, they healed and came back two weeks later. The colorectal surgeon placed setons. This prevents the fistulas from abscessing. Unfortunately, as soon as he removed the setons, I was back to square one.

 

[Jaano711]

Hi Kenny
Just because the skin opening has healed doesn't mean the fistula has. What can happen is the skin surface heals over, the fistula tract remains a pathway for faecal matter, but instead of it being able to pass out to skin, it builds up inside the tract and often a deep abscess can form.

I know it can be expensive but a colorectal surgeon can do so much more for you. Another option is to find a general surgeon who is fairly experienced with bottoms.

Trust me, you don't wont to end up with a wrecked rear.
Let us know how you get on.
Cheers
Janette.

 

[Jo-b1]

They evil things them fistulas I've had numerous surgerys for draining them,can you have Epsom salt baths they good for relief and cleaning(don't stay in to long or skin gets enlarged from the water)also try and boost your immunity so you can fight the blighter.wish you well.

 

[kennyjohn123]

Hello,
Yes right now I'm very stubborn with what to do, as what's my next step. I have people telling me to wait for results as its closed? but with clueless details as to how long? as it can possible be 5-10 or even 20 years. I'm also told that since the fistula is closed, no surgery can be done so seeing an rectal surgeon might get me the same answer as an general surgeon, but on top of that, cost me $450-600. I mean there are cheap rectal surgeon in my local area, but the reviews on google.com is just telling me, I will get false information. But as jaano said, it being closed on the outside doesn't mean its closed on the inside, the fistula can go deeper and something worst can formed while im hoping for miracle, instead turns out negative, so im really clueless as to take my action where or even to take action or not, I'm like stuck at an dark hole.

 

[zazasnana]

Hi Kenny, in my experience i battled a fistula for about a year and a half with setons, and a fistula plug, setons were placed and removed about 5 times. Finally My CRS suggested a fistulotomy. I had heard you can have incontinence with this procedure but ive had no issues with that. Im so glad i went ahead a did this. Its healing nicely.I know it doesnt seem likely that this will take care of the problem, but i sure hope it does. Everyone has different issues, this might not be the right form of treatment for you. But i definitely would see a colorectal surgeon.

 

[AlliRuns]

Hi Kenny, in my experience i battled a fistula for about a year and a half with setons, and a fistula plug, setons were placed and removed about 5 times. Finally My CRS suggested a fistulotomy. I had heard you can have incontinence with this procedure but ive had no issues with that. Im so glad i went ahead a did this. Its healing nicely.I know it doesnt seem likely that this will take care of the problem, but i sure hope it does. Everyone has different issues, this might not be the right form of treatment for you. But i definitely would see a colorectal surgeon.

I had a fistulectomy, they healed up and came back within a week of healing over.

 

[MikeinBklyn]

I had two fistulotomy surgeries. It took going on Humira to close the fistula.

Don't put your head in the sand, this must be addressed, see a doctor.

If you are in NYC I can give you the name of a good CR surgeon in Brooklyn.

Good Luck

 

[kennyjohn123]

Somehow, just yesterday all of an sudden my anal fistula started to feel a little pain. But today when I wake up, I felt even more pain and I work through the computer, so sitting the whole day. And now my everytime my anal fistula touches anything, especially the chair I'm sitting on to work on the computer, the pain is pretty serious that it hurts pretty bad, but my anal fistula is still closed since the date this thread is alive, but this pain is pretty bad today and it seems to get more and more serious. And when I feel my anal fistula it seems like the hard rock of my anal fistula seems to pop out more, usually I remember it stays inner.

 

[Sailorluna]

sounds like an abscess. Do you have a CR surgeon to see for it? Heat (hot bath or heating pad) may help too

 

[Sailorluna]

sorry - read further up the string. You need to have it drained at least. It can even be done in the docs office often - dont know if I would want to be awake for the draining myself though.

I wouldn't let anyone but a CR surgeon cut me.

 

[kennyjohn123]

So fa today, the pain remains but it doesn't seem to be as bad as yesterday, but its still pretty bad. Its as bad as when I sit, I can only sit with one side, meaning the fistula side is hanging in mid air, while my other side is on the chair because if will hurt so bad if so the fistula side touches the chair. The fistula is also still closed, the lumps remain, I also haven't see any surgeon yet just hoping this pain will go back to normal by itself soon, as back then I remember when I have pain like this, after a night of warm sleeping, the pus comes back and the pain goes away but since my fistula have been closed for about month or two, and since this pain just started, not sure how it would go away. As I'm hoping for the hole to open so pus can come out to stop the pain, at the same time I hope it doesn't as if the hole opens up then that means I have no hope in letting it heal by itself.

 

[Sailorluna]

heat( hot bath or heating pad) may draw the infection to a head so it can drain

 

[kennyjohn123]

What you mean by drain is that, to get the anal fistula hole opened back up? so the pus can come out? but that means I'm back to position 1 where I will have to deal with treatment such as surgery, which is an nightmare to me. I just notice that its getting worst and worst, as I'm typing at the moment. I thought today have gotten better, but it actually got so much worst and I felt my closed hole, it seems and looks like it about to pop back open, I feel the heat within the closing of the hole and the layer feel so thin. I actually memorized this feeling, it feels like when I just grewed and had the abscess, no anal fistula was involved yet. My butt was also in deep pain like right now, where I can't even sit at all, I don't know if I should setup an appointment to see an rectal surgeon, as this seems to be the same situation where it seems to likely open again, and go through that pus process. Do you think taking antibiotic will work, as I'm about to take it right now since it seems to be in its abscess process and it might go through miracle.

 

[MikeinBklyn]

Kenny,

This is not going to go away by itself. You need to see a doctor. From what you are describing I'd say you need to have the "lump" drained and get on to anitbiotics.

Good Luck

 

[kennyjohn123]

Hello,
What you guys mean by drain, is getting the hole back open, so the pus can come out like what I've been with the past couple of years right? lastly I'm about to take antibiotic, but I remember 1-2 years back I tooked about a month or 2 of antibiotic, no effect, not sure if I should go back to it or not now. I know its no harm, but I remember my general surgeon telling me that taking too much antibiotic can making it no effect in the future to your system when you really need it.

 

[Sailorluna]

It has to be opened, drained and likely a seton put in. If the fistula closed again it may just form another abscess. My surgeon does not give me antibiotics after draining but I think some do.

 

[kennyjohn123]

Wait so you saying i have another abscess in me right now? because the fact that I'm still in deep pain, what i did yesterday was eat my meal and took an antiboiotic from about a year ago which i stopped taking due to them saying was it pointless, but i just wanted to retake it because my fistula is closed now. I'm going to take antiobiotic for 2 more days, see if the pains get better, from what I'm seeing it looks like the skin is about to open very soon by itself, and the pain was really serious yesterday I feel the internal pain inside.

 

[Jo-b1]

Hi kenny,please go to your doc,I don't think that taking antibiotics just for couple days will help, you need to take a whole course to be effective,all the best.

 

[kennyjohn123]

wow i just found out that its an new abscess or fistula, because i just had somebody look at me, so i didnt find out until now, and their saying this one is right above my closed fistula, what should i do? how come another one formed, i have been healthly.

 

[Sailorluna]

I think those thing form when they feel like it and I dint think being healthy stops them. At bare minimum you need to see a gi or cr surgeon and get antibiotics . They only ever delayed the draining process for me but may be worth a shot. But you would need a full course of them. My surgeon gave 10 days at a time I think.

 

[Sailorluna]

Also it could be from your closed fistula . Mine made additional tracks and abscessed even with a seton in.

 

[kennyjohn123]

I have antiobiotic at home right now that Im taking, they're from 1-2 year ago when i requested from my family doctor. So far I went through 3 antibiotic, 1 yesterday and 2 today, and i took a picture of my new abscess or fistula, it is very very close from popping from what I see, and I'm still taking antiobiotic and my pain is pretty aweful, basically that part can't land on anything, or else the pain is aweful. I was on hot/warm water, it didnt seems to do to well like it did on my fistula when it was still open. Should i continue take the antibiotic that i'm taking from my own request?

 

[kennyjohn123]

My new abscess/fistula just popped, red/yellow pus came back, my pain feel alot better not, since it popped but i still feel pain jut not deeply,

 

[Jo-b1]

Well at least it's draining now,can you have nice hot Epsom salt bath they great relief,how long before you can see your doctor,your old antibiotics might not be working

 

[kennyjohn123]

I dont even know if I want to see the doctor, its tomorrow, its either i go outstate to work and come back again on friday or see doctor thursday, this thing just grewed on wednesday and popped yesterday, and ever since yesterday night it popped, today i feel better. Im reading the tag from my antibiotic it says amoxicillin/clavulan date wrriten 9/8/12, so ist really only about 9 months ago, I just dont want to waste the money to see the surgeon and get the same antibiotic, because I dont get enough answers when i see them and i always feel money wasted.

 

[Jo-b1]

:goodluck:Some docs just don't understand I'm afraid,have you got a crohns support group near you,maybe they can put you onto a crohns friendly doc,I really hope you can get on top of your infection they bloody awful things,

 

[kennyjohn123]

But I don't have crohns disease, im disease free but somehow I grewed this thing, very unlucky I guess.

 

[Jo-b1]

Oh,well that's one good thing not having crohns,so did you go to your doc

 

[kennyjohn123]

nope, and i think it might be pointless, my doctor will just ask me when you going to take the surgery or answers that aren't even helpful. I mean as of right now good news is that, it popped and dont hurt much anymore.

 

[kennyjohn123]

and i've been taking antiobioctic for 7 days, still taking daily.

 

[kennyjohn123]

should i keep continue taking antiobiotic? today is the 10th day, currently still taking not sure when to stop.

 

[Jo-b1]

I've just fin course of antibiotic 3x day for 14 days,just depends on what your taking to what dose you take,is it still draining,

 

[kennyjohn123]

My antibiotic is 1 tablet twice daily, after meal. The model is amoxicillin/clavulan.
Today is my 11th day, it looks like i dont see any draining since wednesday which is 4 days ago, but my pain doesnt really hurt much anymore too. But i dont think the hole is closed, as i see the scar on it, i remmeber my closed one was my meat covering it instead of scar. Lastly i dont think if this is an new fistula or abscess or the same one as its really in the same spot, and it popped open.

started from today, im also taking an new type of antibiotic mainly for my teeth because it looks like the abscess inside mouth have been forming/disforming on/off for awhile.

 

[kennyjohn123]

any ideas guy? I've already switch antibiotic, its some religion antibiotic that's made by my culture people and they believe its good. So I stopped this amoxicillin and taking some antiobiotic agent atm.

 

[Sailorluna]

The best thing you can do since you are not willing to see the doctor is keep it clean and take frequent hot baths or sitz baths. I think you may have a hard time getting further advice about this from users because none of us are doctors and we don't want to lead you astray with bad advice.

The problem is that it is pretty likely to reinfect and abscess again without the surgery. Fistulas that close over are not necessarily healed. My understanding is that they don't heal on their own. I don't love my seton but I have to have it to keep it draining and prevent constant abscessing. You can't live on antibiotics long term either in a hope of never having it come back - they are not meant for that.

So, I guess the last I will add is that you should watch for fevers. It can go quickly from fever to being septic and that can be deadly.

Good luck, I hope you find a route to healing that works for you.

 

[Neko76]

Kenny, first you don't need to have Crohn's disease to get a fistula, but sometimes it is the first sign of having/developing Crohn's disease. Second, I know medicine is expensive and it's tempting to use antibiotics that you already have, but they expire quickly and lose their effectiveness over time. Starting and stopping antibiotics, taking one for a few days then stopping and taking them here and there is only going to lead you to develope a worse infection over time. Third, antibiotics are rarely effective against anal fistulas, especially without it being drained and cleaned properly, since yours has opened up that's actually a GOOD thing. When they close over, like yours did it forms scar tissue at that Site. The tract is still there inside and basically the bacteria/infection just eats away at your tissue to form another pathway out, so it can open and close repeatedly sometimes in the same spot or sometimes in the surrounding area, you can eventually end up with a network or little pathways out to your skin. I had a fistula for 10 years that would open and close regularly, I generally tried to Keep it open, b/c whenever it would close up I would get another painful abscess like you just did. It really sounds like you need some sort of medical professional like a CR doc, or a nurse from a GI clinic to sit down with you and really explain what is going on. I know one fistula may not seem like a big deal, but unless dealt with properly they generally just get worse and worse. Sorry for the looking post or if I seem like I'm nagging. I hope maybe I cleared up some of the questions you seem to be asking. Good luck, I wish you all the best.

 

[kennyjohn123]

Hello,
can my anal fistula cause tooth abscess, I've been having tooth abscess for awhile by now, they just don't disappear, and its always under my big teeth that's in the back.

I've took antibiotic but it doesn't seem to make much or any changes.

I believe its abscess as white/yellow pus comes out from it but very little, then nothing else comes out when I go to my dentist, they just make an hole on it so it can open up and drain.

 

[kennyjohn123]

I've also notice that my anal fistula or anal abscess is no longer or rarely leaks anything out of it, even the fact that its opened up, it does hurt every once in a while like every couple days.

 

[kennyjohn123]

any ideas people?