Male new to Possible Crohns (anal fistula advice)

[BlueCat]

As title says, I may be new to Crohns and am getting tested in 2 weeks.
-Have been having crook gut for 12 months, on and off.
-Feeling weak (I'm 38, feel like 78) (I used to be fit)
- 3 perianal abcess, with one into a fistula.

My last fistula was in February.
The surgeon left Seton in for one month and just took it out in office.
Said I shouldn't have any more issues.

Since then...it took 2 months to heal and stop draining (not 2 weeks as he said)
Then since then with sudden movements at work it will open up for a few weeks and weep a lot.

The wound itself doesn't hurt, it just weeps,clear yellow and sometimes bloody discharge.
I called 2 different surgeons.
1 said. It's normal and carry on, the other said infected and get antibiodix.

It deffinetly does smell today (doesn't usually) so I'm getting antibiodix today.

I take 3 sitz baths a day and wear a pad so it's always clean

I was using manuka honey on wound, and coconut oil.

Any advice will be great.

I share a quick description of my whole ordeal in next post.

 

[VictorViega]

Not diagnosed w chrons, but I’m building an interesting case. Had what I thought was hemorrhoids in January for a painful week, May they thought it was a “Pilonidal cyst”, week later CT scan said it was an “abscess” that communicated deeply. I jumped the boat and lucked out and got the fistulatomy by June. 7 rounds of antibiotics. No big complications.

Yeah, I’m slowly realizing that they’re back… itchy anus, no mater how much I clean I leak poop.

My advice - do whatever you can to get diagnosed correctly and quickly. Be it IBS or IBD. Not sure if diarrhea causes anal inflammation or IBD causes anal inflammation…

I got my CT scan DVDs and got a second interpretation, which shows what I suspected. Last loop of ileum may be “enlarged” but limited findings. If true, this explains why I’m getting harder to diagnose.

With caring of my fistulotomy i think sitz baths are complete BS, that’s more of a hemorrhoids remedy. Keep dry, clean and your bowl movements in the snake form (Metamucil is magic). I changed my pad hourly first few days, then after each trip to the bathroom. Healed nice, but used antibacterial cream at one point due to smell. It helped. Never used any other cream or topicals. Best to stay away from antibiotics unless you have the infection-flue symptoms. Keep safe. Don’t give up - the seton is a good choice if they placed one.

 

[B sal]

As title says, I may be new to Crohns and am getting tested in 2 weeks.
-Have been having crook gut for 12 months, on and off.
-Feeling weak (I'm 38, feel like 78) (I used to be fit)
- 3 perianal abcess, with one into a fistula.

My last fistula was in February.
The surgeon left Seton in for one month and just took it out in office.
Said I shouldn't have any more issues.

Since then...it took 2 months to heal and stop draining (not 2 weeks as he said)
Then since then with sudden movements at work it will open up for a few weeks and weep a lot.

The wound itself doesn't hurt, it just weeps,clear yellow and sometimes bloody discharge.
I called 2 different surgeons.
1 said. It's normal and carry on, the other said infected and get antibiodix.

It deffinetly does smell today (doesn't usually) so I'm getting antibiodix today.

I take 3 sitz baths a day and wear a pad so it's always clean

I was using manuka honey on wound, and coconut oil.

Any advice will be great.

I share a quick description of my whole ordeal in next post.

For me I had fistula on-off for years, when I went low carb and more toward carnivore in 2020, it disappeared.

 

[Lynda Lynda]

@BlueCat
When I was 36 years old, I was tired all of the time. Went to my Primary Care Physician and said...."why do I feel 96 when I am 36 !"
I am now 62 years old and was diagnosed with Crohn's in 2018. I finally found out that tired wasn't the right word, but instead "fatigue"

1992 Anal Fistulectomy
2002 Rectal Abscess
2009 Rectal Abscess
Told I had IBS in late 1990's
Diagnosed with UC in 2006
Diagnosed with Crohn's 2018
Haven't worked since 2008
Still "tired" every day : - (

 

[VictorViega]

@BlueCat
I finally found out that tired wasn't the right word, but instead "fatigue”…. Still "tired" every day : - (

I’m not diagnosed, I’ve kept IBS in mind and have very carefully watched my words, too.

I said “lump around anus” and kid you not, the docs think I have hemorrhoids each time. I joke about it too with my doc “god, please let them be hemorrhoids, then those can be treated”. And to this day, I have have a very healthy anus, and colon, apparently.

I was very careful with fatigue… as I have adhd, I asked for a mental coach and ran my own iron studies…. Then gave those to my doc, “I felt really fatigued and out of breath” because I did. His first words were “why didn't you come to me? it’s not anemia, do you have a history of depression?” And of course “oh let’s run these again”.

I feel better since I got my own blood work drawn, but still feels like a roller. It’s not mania as I provided enough evidence for him to look elsewhere. No wasting my time.

 

[Lyza]

If it is Crohn’s disease then Remicade (Infliximab) might work.
i had an (open) fistula for 1 year before my specialist gave me the prescription.
within 14 days the fistula was gone.