Pregnancy AFTER setons

[justbreathe8]

Not sure if anyone can help me but I figured Id give it a shot! I know most of these stories are active stories but Im hoping someone out there comes back to the forums every now and again like me even after all is well. Soo…

So in July 2014 I had my last of 5 surgeries to remove my 3 setons and have a fistulotomy. Fast forward to now, about a year later and i just found out Im pregnant. Which is super exciting for me because when I had all of my problems I saw no end in sight that though I might not be able to get pregnant at all because of all of the inflammation and setons and everything. I haven't really had any issues since the setons were removed and I do not have Crohns or any active fistulas since my surgery last July. I do however have some irritation occasionally and still wear gauze between my cheeks after a BM and when I feel irritated. Not sure if this is more of a comfort thing or if the gauze really does help me feel better.

ANYWAYS. So now I am faced with the decision to have a c-section or a vaginal delivery in December which will be almost exactly a year and half since my last surgery. I would love to do a vaginal delivery but am scared that with all the pushing it would cause fistula or abscess (Idk if thats even possible) and I would like to avoid the two years hell I went through with abscsesses and setons and fistulas.

Has anyone has successful vaginal deliveries after having setons removed and after being "healed" from fistulas and abscesses? Any advice or input would be fantastic. Thank you all!!

 

[24601]

Congratulations! I don't have any experience with fistulas or pregnancy but wanted to bump your thread in the hope that someone else does!

I did find this thread on a quick google search http://community.babycenter.com/post/a21274145/questions_about_fistulating_crohns_and_vaginal_births.

And this page on Mayo Clinic's site which says that injuries during childbirth are the most common cause of rectovaginal fistulas. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rectovaginal-fistula/basics/causes/con-20034033

Best wishes for your decision and your pregnancy

 

[justbreathe8]

Thank you! I am excited!! I appreciate your response. That google search helped! And I just did my own again with different words then before and I got similar answers. I see people saying that their fistula was fine and then after child birth it reopened, or they got another abscess. After reading these just now I think I will most likely do the c-section (which is what my husband is encouraging me to do). I can't imagine having to go through more butt surgeries again esp while caring for a baby. Thanks again for the response!!

 

[sam357]

Hi

Congratulations on your pregnancy!

I have had multiple setons and fistulas and have always been told that I would never be able to have a natural birth.

Have your doctors said what they would prefer?

 

[justbreathe8]

Hi! Thank you!! My doctors said it was up to me and i should be able to have a normal birth. But then again they also told me after my first surgery that that should fix it and Id never have any more problems…. then I had 4 more surgeries, lol. I have decided on a c-section though. It seems like the most safe route

 

[lgpcarter]

I didn't have my setons placed until a few years after I had my daughter, but have had my fistulas over 10 years...

I chose a vaginal birth and it was great! I had a slight bit of tearing up the front (one internal stitch) and the birth didn't make my fistulas angry at all. I was actually surprised at how well it all went.

I wanted to avoid a c-section if possible - thinking I didn't the possible adhesions that it could cause and really wanting to avoid surgery generally if possible. I had a high-risk OB and he recommended a vaginal birth to me.

Good luck! When are you due?

 

[justbreathe8]

thank you @igpcarter! my doctor did say if there are no active fistulas I should be okay. It just scares me that even after I use the bathroom sometimes, I can have irritation down there and Im terrified to have to go through everything again. :/ I am due on December 5th.

 

[AliCool]

Can i just ask a question, im suffering really bad with fistulas for the past 2 and a half years and there seems like there is no end in sight, i now have a rectovaginal fistula and have a seton in at mo but my consultant has told me he wants to put in a fistula plug now in the next operation. Have u had the same procudures with your fistulas? I dont know anybody thats ever had these fistulas and just thot i would join this fourm. Thanks.

 

[justbreathe8]

Sure! Ask anything!! This forum was super helpful when I was going through all of my problems. I went through it for about 2 years. And it seemed like there was no end in sight. I myself didn't have a fistula plug, but I had the flap surgery when my setons were taken out to close up the fistulas. Is that why you are getting the plug? To see if it will close up the fistula? Do you have multiple ones or is it been this fistula that is causing problems?

 

[AliCool]

Sure! Ask anything!! This forum was super helpful when I was going through all of my problems. I went through it for about 2 years. And it seemed like there was no end in sight. I myself didn't have a fistula plug, but I had the flap surgery when my setons were taken out to close up the fistulas. Is that why you are getting the plug? To see if it will close up the fistula? Do you have multiple ones or is it been this fistula that is causing problems?

Yeah my consultant said he wants to try this procedure to see if it will work for me, tissue is suposed to form around the plug for the fistula to heel up. This consultant im with now thinks that this vaginal fistula has been here from the very start but my previous consultant had failed to see it so he reckons thats why i had the other fistulas forming in my back passage they were all coming from this one. Its just a bloody nightmare alltogether. Has that flap surgery worked for you?

 

[justbreathe8]

OOh okay, well hopefully that the plug works then!! I kind of had the same thing, one fistula that didnt heal correctly kept on tracking farther and farther. Yes, the flap surgery was successful and I have been pain and fistula free since july 1 of last year. I have my story under the "fistula success stories" heading if you want to read it. When is your surgery?

 

[bathroomhog1]

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I developed a low fistula after the birth of my first baby in 2011 after a slow labour, forceps delivery and 4th degree tear. It took ages to get diagnosed on the good old NHS but decided to wait until after my second baby last July to have anything done. I opted for a section last July and i felt so much better throughout pregnancy knowing I was having a section. I also recovered from the section quickly afterwards and was driving after 3 weeks! I wish I had a section the first time round. I hope this helps. I recently had a LIFT (?flap in U.S.)procedure but I'm still getting stool leakage a week and a half later is this normal? I'm going to read your success story as I want some hope!! Enjoy your pregnancy my babies keep me going when feeling low xx

 

[justbreathe8]

Thank your or sharing your experience and congrats on your two babies!! Your story definitely helps! I have decided on a section and my doctors know that too. Like you, it has made me super relaxed knowing that I am going to have a c-section and that I wont have any trauma down there. Im happy to hear you recovered quickly and drove in 3 weeks! I hope the same for me! I think the lift is similar to the flap surgery. I think they do the lift here too in the US. I dont remember the difference between them. But yes, it is definitly normal to still have leakage. I had leakage for a little while after the surgery. Its documented in my story I just dont know exactly how long. I was worried when I still saw leakage but the surgeon said that was completely normal. I hope the lift works for you and you can get back to your "normal" life!!

 

[AliCool]

OOh okay, well hopefully that the plug works then!! I kind of had the same thing, one fistula that didnt heal correctly kept on tracking farther and farther. Yes, the flap surgery was successful and I have been pain and fistula free since july 1 of last year. I have my story under the "fistula success stories" heading if you want to read it. When is your surgery?

Just getting to reply now to this. Awww it is so good to hear from somebody that is fistula free as it feels like there is going to be no end to it. Thank god to hear your story. i was only at my consultant last week so he told me my seton has to stay in for a bit as it hasnt been 3 months then he will call me for the surgery. Im not even scared anymore, almost feels like routine now but hopefully fingers crossed il be back to normal in no time. And listening to all you ladies on here i now know im normal!

 

[justbreathe8]

Yep! what your going through is normal for sure! The longer the seton stays in, the longer your body has to get rid of the infection, so thats good. Best of luck to you! if you have any other questions feel free to ask!!