Fistula
- Thread starter lj3
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I went on remicade to get rid of mine....nothing else worked.
yea i was thinking that was an option my gyno is the one who initially dx them and said um this is crohns and you need to be on remicade! guess the gi wanted to go with the lesser of the 2 evils first but that didnt so much work. is that your baby? if so wondering how you felt while pregnant i know meds during pregnancy arent really an option
yes- that is my daughter - she is now 6....I was on 6-Mp and had just gotten out of the hospital when I got pregnant, and was still on 6-mp for most of hte pregnancy (until I found out I was pregnant).....
I actually felt AWESOME while I was pregnant - crohns' was in remission, I did have a flare a couple months or so after having her though - which helped with the decision to go on remicade.
I actually felt AWESOME while I was pregnant - crohns' was in remission, I did have a flare a couple months or so after having her though - which helped with the decision to go on remicade.
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Hi Ijl,
Welcome! I've done the Cipro/Flagyl rounds for fistula/abscess, eventually having surgery. For me the cipro/flagyl seemed to help the abscess from getting too large (may work better for others.) Eventually mine ruputered internally and landed me in the ER. Soon after I had a abscess/fistulectomy. The surgeon did a layopen (i believe)and cut it out without damaging the muscles. It was a painful recovery though. I take Apriso daily, along with a host of other meds. This forum contains a plethora of info on fistulas and rx's. My fistula tract seems to be coming back, however, not 100% certain yet. (keeping fingers crossed..)
PS.. Sulfasalzine was hard on my body. So was levaquin.
I hope things look up for you!
~Mon~
Welcome! I've done the Cipro/Flagyl rounds for fistula/abscess, eventually having surgery. For me the cipro/flagyl seemed to help the abscess from getting too large (may work better for others.) Eventually mine ruputered internally and landed me in the ER. Soon after I had a abscess/fistulectomy. The surgeon did a layopen (i believe)and cut it out without damaging the muscles. It was a painful recovery though. I take Apriso daily, along with a host of other meds. This forum contains a plethora of info on fistulas and rx's. My fistula tract seems to be coming back, however, not 100% certain yet. (keeping fingers crossed..)
PS.. Sulfasalzine was hard on my body. So was levaquin.
I hope things look up for you!
~Mon~
Hi there!
I had fistulas for years with no response to cipro, flagyl or anything else my doctor tried. I finally got on to remicade and it was amazing while it lasted. Cleared up my fistulas and got me as close as I've been to remission. Eventually I lost response and my fistulas came back. I dealt with them again for a couple of years then 2 years ago I went on a clinical trial for stem cells. Although I didn't have much success with it, it did clear up my fistulas and I haven't had a problem with them since. If remicade is an option for you, I highly recommend it.
I had fistulas for years with no response to cipro, flagyl or anything else my doctor tried. I finally got on to remicade and it was amazing while it lasted. Cleared up my fistulas and got me as close as I've been to remission. Eventually I lost response and my fistulas came back. I dealt with them again for a couple of years then 2 years ago I went on a clinical trial for stem cells. Although I didn't have much success with it, it did clear up my fistulas and I haven't had a problem with them since. If remicade is an option for you, I highly recommend it.
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Ditto what Girlygirl said. Do you have an abscess? Cipro and flagyl usually are used to keep and abscess from forming or from filling up. I do not believe that they are an effective means of closing a fistula. Remicade is the gold standard for that. If it fails (as it did with me), then the next step may be surgery. But many people choose to live with them as long as there is no abscess and they are not causing too much of an inconvenice.
thanks for all the info. I did hear that about pregnancy too so hopefully when the time comes it will be a pleasurable period of remission! i dont know if i have an abcess im basically an idiot and bc i had a dx of food allergies for years thought the things were a hemmorrhoid all this time till i finally went to the gyno when they were flared after switching to a new gyno and he freaked and said these are fistulas and you need to be on remicade. the gi said the ct showed they are not attached to the bowel i think just to the rectum let me tell you the "probing" the gyno did to find that out was not pleasant!!! they are still inflamed though and draining as well. the gi is gonna get a good look next week when he scopes me i just kinda want to be prepared for what may be to come!
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It sounds to me like you might have an abscess, especially if you thought it was a hemmorhoid because a fistula itself does not usually "swell", it just is an incorrect passage way. The Cipro and flagyl may still be able to help. The usually dosages for me were pretty high and took them for a month to get things cleared up. The trouble is, when you stop the antibiotics, the inflammation returns soon after, so you have to stay on them for extended periods of time and the side affects can be problematic. i really think you should talk to your doc about Remicade.
yea i put a call into the office right after i finished a 2 week course that made me feel like hell but no call back yet and i will see him next friday so i have kinda let it go. on entocort for now but have a feeling after he takes a look it may mean remicade. now these are infusions correct?
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Yes, they are infussions. But don't let that scare you. They are really not that bad. I usually went back to work right afterwards. You may want to check out the remicade club thread...lots on info there that should give you an idea of what to expect. Good luck with it and keep us posted on how you are coming along.
BTW, I noticed that you are in Cinci as am I. If it ever comes down to surgery, I would highly recommend the surgeon that did my second surgery. Feel free to PM me if you want her info.
BTW, I noticed that you are in Cinci as am I. If it ever comes down to surgery, I would highly recommend the surgeon that did my second surgery. Feel free to PM me if you want her info.
well its def crohns and im def going on remicade. gi thinks remicade and b12 shots so waiting to hear as i just had the scopes on friday. hoping i will tolerate the remicade and it will clear the fistulas and ofcourse help with other sx such as the ulcers that were found!
I'm with ya! I had a resection in March and haven't been able to heal and no one knew why. Three weeks ago I had an abcess on my incision site so had another surgery to get rid of that then was on a wound vac. I was almost healed and sure enough I had drainage this time from a fistula. Just got out of the hospital on Monday and sent home with a bag just for drainage. I'm on cipro and flagyl and got a Remicade infusion yesterday. Hoping and praying that these dang fisutla's will leave me alone!! They took out 2 in my March surgery and now this one. It totally amazes me how this disease can come back that quickly 
..... I'm confused on what happens to the fistula, does it just break off?? My GI said that I will have another infusion in 6 weeks and then a colonoscopy in 3 months to see if the infusions are working. What a spring it's been!! I guess I can only think "it could be worse......" Good Luck to you!!!
..... I'm confused on what happens to the fistula, does it just break off?? My GI said that I will have another infusion in 6 weeks and then a colonoscopy in 3 months to see if the infusions are working. What a spring it's been!! I guess I can only think "it could be worse......" Good Luck to you!!!
