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Seton tube causing problems. Help? :(

hey crohns forum.

im 19 years old and have a couple of anal fistulas. i have one major one that is being treated with a seton tube. i had an EUA (examination under anesthetic) where i had an anal dilatiation and a seton tube replacement. i also have an anal skin tag.

things havent worked out as well as id like them to. im having alot of sharp pains, like needles and pins around the anus and the skin tag AND the seton. the seton is placed coming out of a small incision underneath my labia and then going into the anus.

i had a look down there, and i found that the seton tube is alot smaller in size and alot tighter then it usually is and its cauing alot of pain when i get off a chair or spread my legs. when you look at it its about 2cms long.. when its usually double that and i have room to move it a little. this time i cant move it to releive the pain.

does anyone have any suggestions as to what i can do for pain? its killing me and have commitments that i cant keep missing because of this :(

thanks in advane! xo
 

sawdust

Moderator
Location
Pennsylvania
Hi Reid. I had a seton in for the first half of the year for a perianal abscess. Sorry you're going through this.

I can relate to the seton being tighter at times. My seton was fastened with a sort of (not all that) "soft" set of staples, and at times, it would seem that it was longer or shorter than other times. I never really figured out why this was, taking it as a clue to take it a little easier and better adhere to the sitz bath schedule.

Some activities would "move" the seton into uncomfortable placement, which it sounds like you already discovered that you can move it back where you want it.

For a while, I tried to be a little more active than my seton was ready for, and it cut a pretty decent-sized trench in my flesh. I thought it was sore until this happened! Ouch. I encourage you to call your surgeon as soon as possible to see what can be causing this and what you can do to remedy it. I hope you find relief really soon.
 
i used to have setons but no longer do, i also have anal skin tags & fistulas. seton drians did not work for me at all, they did nothing to help the fistulsa heal they only caused more pain and more irriated skin. my drians where very easy to move around at first but then the fistulas became more infected and the drians became harder and harder to move, very painful and very uncomfortable. when i went to see my dr she actually said "oh shit" a new skin tag/abbsess was starting to form over the drian itself and it needed to be removed ASAP....which honestly was not painful at all. maybe i have a higher tolerance for pain but i have honestly taken the drain out myself at a different time. please dont feel like you have to have these drains you dont and it is your body YOU make the calls, drs can tell you what they think or want to do but you dont have to take their advice. it took me along time learning this...i would tell drs that i dont want this or that and they would pretty much say well you have to! NO i dont have to do anything that i dont want to and neither do you.
 
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