Fistulectomy - Does the pain ever go away?

[Grouchy]

I'm new to the forum. First post. I was diagnosed with an Anal Fistula just this year and I had a Fistulectomy on Feb 20th. This is where the CRS slices open the Fistula and cleans it out and leaves it open to heal from the inside out. My first really big question is if the pain during a BM ever goes away? Normal BM for me is 1 or 2 a day. Maybe 3 to 5 if flaring. These BM (of course) have been very painful during the development of the fistula and especially after it broke through the skin. Now after the Fistulectomy, my BM are still painful - especially diarrhea when accompanied by a lot of gas. I try and keep my stools soft and am keeping a food diary to see if I can eliminate or minimize both the gas and the diarrhea but it's been difficult. I think the Crohn's-Collitis is flaring some causing me more problems here.

I just would really like to know if there is any hope for the pain during BM to go away. I have just minimal pain otherwise. CRS says I am still healing and he cannot tell at this point if the Fistula was part of the Crohn's or something else (?).

Any comments or advice is appreciated.

________________________
2002 DX: (Mild) Ulcerative Colitis
2012 DX: Crohn's-Collitis
2013 DX: Anal Fistula

Meds: Since 2002, Asacol 400MG

Actively looking for a knowledgeable doctor to treat my Crohn's-Colitis

 

[AlliRuns]

My first surgery was like this. My BM's were painful too, though otherwise it wasn't any more painful than the fistulas themselves. Sitz baths really helped with the pain. What was more painful though was when the fistula came back, it hurt way more than it had ever hurt before.

Are you on any meds to control the Crohn's symptoms?

 

[Grouchy]

It came back? Who-boy, now there's something to look forward too. The doctor I have at this point does not seem very knowledgeable about treatment for Crohn's, so I have some feeler's out looking for someone with related experience.

 

[AlliRuns]

Yes, they are complex fistulas though, and the first surgeon told me afterwards he wasn't sure it was going to work, he was just a general surgeon. I then same a CRS, he placed setons in my fistulas, but they came back again after the setons were removed. Many people have had success with setons though.

 

[AlliRuns]

You're luck that you got it operated on right away. I saw so many different surgeons who told me that fistulas were no big deal. Took 5 years to find a surgeon to do it, that was over 2 years ago.

 

[Grouchy]

Wow. I see your in the Exercise and Fitness Group. For the last 10 years up to and including Nov/Dec I was doing fairly well, walking 4 miles a day (I'm 70 years old) felt healthy and fit, then things just went downhill. This whole Fistula thing zapped my strength, I became really weak and shaky. I couldn't even sign my name when I checked into doctors office and into the hospital I was so shaky. The CRS seemed to think my loss of strength and shakiness was related to the abscess which was infected. But no doctor ever gave me any Antibiotics either before or after the operation. We'll okay then, I'll consider myself lucky to have been referred to the CRS so quickly. Thanks for the response. I wish you well going forward.

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

Hello,
I had this operation on 3rd Jan this year and it has been a success!
The majority of the time I don't feel any pain when I go to the toilet. But sometimes I do.
Overall I think I have less pain than before the surgery.
They told me about a month ago that it was healing but not yet healed and it would take more weeks.
So I'm not sure if it is all healed up yet or not.
I did used to dread going to the toilet after surgery so I know how you feel. Fingers crossed it all works out for you.
And I agree sitz baths help. I'm still doing them daily. Also use wet wipes to clean yourself up.

 

[Grouchy]

Thanks for sharing, I'm about 40 days behind you. This is day 28 of recovery for me (4 weeks). But I now have complications of gassy diarrhea for the last 4 days - that's very painful. Trying to kick it. You give me hope.

Holy: I read your blog and it brought tears to my eyes. I'm enormously happy you graduated. Good luck on finding employment and soon. I wish you well.

 

[Grouchy]

FWIW, I'm now starting week 6 of recovery from my Fistulectomy. Still have pain with BM, and now it burns like heck as well until I get cleaned up. I saw my CRS yesterday, he said: "it's very slow in healing". I only have 1 or 2 BM a day and 95% of the time it's gassy diarrhea. He put me on two medicines: Questran - which he said should help thicken the stools, and Flagyl - which he said should help it heal.

I also asked if he could tell if my fistula was related to my Crohn's-Colitis or something else? He said it does not appear to have originated from Crohn's, Apparently, there's certain things he can tell by the way it heals, appears or progresses during the healing process that give him clues about this. He's an older guy and seems to be very experienced. I'm not sure what this means in the long term - that is if I will have more or less issues with fistula's as time goes on.

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

Sorry its taking a long time to heal! I was also using some cream twice daily to increase the blood flow - Cant remember what it was called but I can try and find out.

I wonder if that would have helped?

 

[Grouchy]

Thank you. I think I'll just tough it out for now and wait to see what happens to me with these meds. The good news is my strength is returning. Last night for the first time in several weeks we went out to dinner and the theater with a large group of friends. That was so great, it boosted my morale quite a lot.

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

The weekend after my operation I went to see a friend from uni I hadn't seen in months. I didn't really want to go but my parents were driving coz my sister was going to stay with her for a few weeks (another story). I was really anxious, but in the end so pleased I saw her, it definitely cheered me up! Feels so good to act normal!

 

[Grouchy]

Just a follow up to say the answer is YES - there can be an end to the pain. For me, it was Flagyl. One week after I started taking Flagyl I began to have pain free BM's. I am still healing (slow) from the fistulectomy, but I am in heaven. I take Flagyl twice a day.

 

[xX_LittleMissValentine_Xx]

This is good news! I'm glad you are finally getting some relief