Fistula surgery help!

[coco1691]

fistula surgery help!

:frownkay so this is my first time on here. im a 21 yr old female. i had a fissure 2 years ago now (most painful thing ive ever experienced and never wish to again). i had a cyst removed from near my bowel in december. but the wound kept leaking and pussing. so it was determined i had a perenial fistula after the surgeon felt it. what are my options for this? do i have to have surgery? and if so what will they do and how dangerous is it? and whats my recovery time? do i have to stay in over night or can it be day surgery? and will the pain be as bad as my fissure?:frown:

by the way. im hardly in any pain if ANY at all currently. my wound just weeps and occasionally hurts just a little. but doesnt bother me and i hardly notice.

what happens with a seton? is it 1 surgery or 2?

 

[sawdust]

Hi coco, and welcome to the forum. Sounds like you're having a rough time, so I wish it were under better circumstances. I see that you're undiagnosed. Are you having or had tests to see if you have Crohn's disease? Do you have other symptoms of Crohn's besides your abscess, fistula, and your fissure? I think it will have a bearing on how your doctors decide to treat you.

 

[sawdust]

I would encourage you to take a step back, take a big, deep breath, and resolve to take this one step at a time with your doctors and surgeon. I can relate to some of the concerns you expressed, and I assure you, I have more grey hairs than you do. :hug:

Most of what you see here in the fistulas sub-forum is for patients who have fistulizing Crohn's, so while some of the experiences you read here might ring true for you, and some will be different for you. I'm not a doctor, and while I have some patient experience in this regard, I really just have just hugs for you.

All of the questions you asked are not only appropriate to ask of your doctor, but I would know and feel comfortable with the answers before deciding with your doctors what's next.

Here's a link with some information "down under."

http://colorectalsurgeonssydney.com.au/?page_id=415

Again, your doctor should sort your case with tests and make you comfortable with the course of action, IMO. It's important to get this addressed, but it's also important to be reassured at the course of action. :hug:

 

[CrohnsNYC]

Hi coco,
I have lots of experience with fistulas and if you have one it is best to have a seton put in. This keeps it open and draining so an abscess doesn't form. The surgery is fairly simple and easy. It only takes about an hour and you can go home after you recover from the anesthesia. Your butt will be a little sore, but it is not (or at least it shouldn't be) terribly painful. It is a simple proceedure.

If you think you might have Crohn's you should definitely begin the process of going through tests, including a colonoscopy. This will help answer a lot of questions, hopefully put your mind at ease and set you on the right path to getting better. Being undiagnosed and having problems is really stressful and hard. Try not to worry too much. Also, try not to read too much on the internet. It can really freak a person out. I don't always follow that rule myself, but there is so much information out there. Hang in there and good luck. You came to a great place.

Beth

 

[coco1691]

thankyou sawdust and beth i really appreciate both ur input. my mind is a little more at ease now but its the waiting that gets me. i tried asking my doctor all these questions but all i got in reply was an "i dont know u will have to talk to the surgeon". so im seeing the surgeon on march 1. its sooo long away though and the waiting is terrible. im very impatient. but thankyou so much both of u i really appreciate it!

 

[heameljon]

Coco I agree with sawdust, you need to find out if you have Crohn's disease, it will impact heavily on your course of treatment. I have a fistula with 3 seton's. Last year I tried two different versions of a plug, these are made with fibrous tissue that gets absorbed by the body. In non- Crohn's patients the success rate with these devices is very high but in cases with CD very low. So a diagnosis would maybe impact how you proceed with treatment.

I hope you get resolution soon, it is very painful to live with.

 

[Gabismommy]

I agree about not reading much on te internet (says girl typing things to read on the Internet. -_-) I freaked myself out..