Pain relief for setons?

[annak87]

As I've said in previous posts, I had my first seton placed in a perianal fistula last February. Then I had another put in, October of this year. The surgeon took one of them out in November. And last week I had a second one replaced. So I'm currently with 2. After the first surgery, I was given oxycodone for the first 2 weeks, then vicodin for a few weeks, and then I was fine. I still had discomfort, took sitz baths, but it was bearable. After the October surgery, I was given oxycodone and had been taking it fairly regularly on and off until December. My parents talked to the surgeon after last weeks surgery and they said he made a comment about this one probably not causing much pain and gave me a prescription for a few vicodin. Well, I've been basically just using them at night so I can get rid of enough pain to sleep. I take 3 - 4 sitz baths a day (depending on number of BMs). But I'm still finding to have a lot more pain than I did last year, sometimes to the point of my heart racing and starting to run a temp from the pain, and I'm almost out of the pain medicine. I feel bad calling to ask for more because he said I wouldn't be in much pain.

Am I just being too sensitive about this pain? Does my body just need to get used to having 2 in there so close together? What has your surgeon done or said about pain relief for the setons? Any pain relief tips or reassurance that I'm not a total wimp would be appreciated

Anna

 

[CrohnsNYC]

I have had several setons and never really had much pain associated with them. A couple days of discomfort the days following the surgery. They only gave me pain meds for three days. I am sure you are not a wimp though. Maybe you can preface the call by asking if everything with the seton is ok because you didn't think you would have much pain. I hope you feel better soon and get some relief.

Beth

 

[PaulsPain]

I assume you have draining setons? I have read the use of cutting setons for the treatment of the fistula itself can be very painful. Not real sure if they use cutting setons with crohn's though....

I have a draining seton since Sept 2010. I had an abscess with a fistula deep in the muscle. In general the seton doesn't cause pain. Although this week it started hurting really bad and I thought I had an infection/abscess again. So I was able to get into my CRS on short notice. Basically, he told me that it had started healing trapping the drainage in the fistuala. He just gave the seton a good yank to get the drainage going. That solved the pain issue and I had a lot of drainage after the appointment. He instructed me to give the thing a yank every week to keep things open.

So are you getting drainage from the setons? It may be the case you are having drainage getting trapped causing pain like an abscess would.

I hope you find some relief.....

-Paul

 

[annak87]

Thanks for the replies! Paul, they are both draining setons and I am getting drainage from (what I'm assuming) is both of them. I'm wondering if because they are so close together they're causing more pain and irritation? A few weeks after I had the first one placed last February I was basically pain free so this is very strange, and no fun haha. I had a long drive to and from a remicade infusion today with 2 hours at the hospital, so I am really feeling it today. Tomorrow I'm going to call the surgeon's nurse and just tell her what's going on/see if they have any ideas for pain relief. Fingers crossed it's just taking me a while to get accustomed to having 2 in there.

Thanks again!
Anna

 

[CDDad]

When I had my drainage setons last year, they did not hurt after the initial 1 or 2 week recovery from the placement surgery. They were extremely annoying and would hurt like crazy if pulled while going to the bathroom.

That's my experience, I hope you get relief soon.

 

[Canadacrohns]

Not all setons are the same

If the seton traverses the sphincter then it can get painful. I have two, one isn't too bad but the second, which is longer nearly always causes pain, the seton is loose and drains, but i need pain meds (5 mg oxycodone) to get through a busy day. One or two a day takes the edge off the pain, not perfect, but livable. I will be going in for a colostomy , defunction, which can be reversed when the fistulas heal.

 

[beth]

This is an old thread Canadacrohns. How about you introduce yourself in the "Your Story" forum...