Weird question

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my.december

my.december

Joined
Jan 6, 2010
Messages
651
Okay, I know this is going to sound really weird, and I may be the only person in the world who feels the need to take a look...

What do fistulas look like? I've had fairly intense pain in the anal area, especially when going to the bathroom. With my history of fissures, I decided to check it out... y'know bending over in front of the mirror. Well, there are two little HOLES on my anus. Yeah, it sounds really weird, but on the left side of my anus, there are two little, circular looking holes. I don't know how deep they are as I obviously haven't tried putting anything in them, but they're definitely unmistakable. It's really strange.

There's also something a little further in... it could be another one or a tear/fissue, but it's really red and inflamed looking.

I know, weird. You may now consider me a freak. I know this will be answered after the colonoscopy Tuesday, but I wanna know what I'm seeing now. lol
 
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I to applaud you for bringing up this subject. I've never had any but its not something that many people talk about. Unless your on this forum. It is something that "normal" people need to know about so they understand what so many CD patients suffer with. Its the only way that we can educate others and is good for new Crohns to be aware of.
 
It is not a weird question! You will find there is no such thing as a werid question around here!
Good on you for having a look. I would too, probably, but many woulnd't. I guess of you are getting a colonoscopy in a couple of days they will take a look at that too. I hope it's not fistula holes, though if it is at least they can start to deal with them.
I've only had an internal fistula so don;t know how external ones work, but I would have thought there would be stuff coming out if that's what they were?
 
:applause::applause::applause: Yay to you for checking AND posting that December! You are gonna fit in right nicely here ;) I have never had a fistula - but it is certainly something I would actually mention to the doctor that is going to be doing the colonscopy BEFORE they sedate you and make you loopy. That way - if it isn't apparent internally - they will be sure to take an extra good look externally before they dig in. If they are - that will get you a diagnosis *for sure*! Hoping it isn't for your sake though - sounds like they can be a bugger to get rid of.

Ok - one more piece of advice before you do your prep. We are all in love with this cream called Calmoseptine. Not sure if you are having chronic diarrhea or not (I think you are if I remember correctly) - but you can put a layer of this stuff on your bum and it will protect it from getting so irritated. Might be a good thing to get before the old clean out on Monday if you can. If your drug store doesn't have it in stock, many of them can get it in by the next day if you ask for it at the pharmacy.
 
I agree with what others have said, amazing to report this, I havent had a fistula but a hemmie from childbirth and yes I checked it out. Only other suggest is get some alcohol free wipes after each bm to keep it clean and like peaches said use Calmoseptine, also get some pantyliners....trust me you'll need them!
 
What a great place this is. . . . . and top marks to you for treating it in exactly the correct manor !!

You could be on the net for weeks and nobody on any chat site anywhere in the world would ever get to know ya !!. . . . . . .but we like to get to know one another from the inside out !!!!. . . . . .hahahahahahahaha

Apart from the sheer encouragement i know you have given to so many other new users i can't actually help you with an answer....SORRY !!


Well done again



Bruscar
 
Hi December...

I don't think there is anything that anyone can say or do that would sound weird to any of us, so no worries. And yes, I have tried to do the same thing with the mirror, but I could never really see my fistulas...they have all been a little further up inside. But I had a rectovaginal fistula and my OBGYN said it looked like an ulcer? Anyway, in my experience at least, whenever I have a fistula I know it because I leak stool and pass gas through it. Good luck on Tuesday and keep us posted. I hope you don't have a fistula, but if you do, knowing is half the battle.
 
Jetta, there you go again with the pantyliner stuff. What about us guys. I have checked around and I cannot find underwear or brief liners. What, they don't make them for men. I hate the thoughts of having to wear "panties". What if my co-workers find out. I'll never be able to show my face at work again. Kinda hard to work with a bag over my head. lol
 
Pirate said:
Jetta, there you go again with the pantyliner stuff. What about us guys. I have checked around and I cannot find underwear or brief liners. What, they don't make them for men. I hate the thoughts of having to wear "panties". What if my co-workers find out. I'll never be able to show my face at work again. Kinda hard to work with a bag over my head. lol
Click to expand...


Ok, this is what you do...get Janis to buy some "long" panty liners, they do exist but they are in the women's section, unless you are brave enough to be in the isle :eek2: . They are next to paper thin and protect anything between you and the panties :ylol2: . Ok shorts in your case!
 
Pirate, your other option is to dye your briefs pink, then the stains from the Calmo won't be as noticeable.;)
 
imisspopcorn said:
Pirate, your other option is to dye your briefs pink, then the stains from the Calmo won't be as noticeable.;)
Click to expand...
Or do like me and wash whites with reds!

Welcome December!!
 
okay, back to December's question.
My son has fistulas (I have not looked at them, but he has drawn me pics). He originally had an abscess that was very painful during bm's and to sit down on. About 3 months later, after being on antibiotics his abscess spontaneously burst and he started draining out of 2 little holes, they were at the top of his abscess - so the abscess would always fill up and then drain out. Then he developed another hole at the bottom of the abscess, the top holes are now dry and closing up but the bottom one still has drainage, even though the abscess is gone now.

Do you have any drainage out of your holes? They sound like a fistula, but. . . who knows. You can also have what is called a blind ending fistula, it doesn't really go anywhere, not attached to an abscess and does not drain, my son's MRI showed that he also had one of those also - no idea if it will ever cause problems.
Good luck at your appointment
 
December, there are a lot of medical sites that have pictures. I don't feel comfortable posting the links because we are not in the lounge, and the pictures are somewhat graphic. A lot of sites show the doctor using a sterile cotton tipped applicator to see if it is indeed a track.
 
As in "doctor" and "sterile" as in don't try this at home right Pop? I'd hate to see you introduce anything in there and get an infection going.....
 
I have only had one and it was right next to my anus. Mine was not open to the skin and got super swollen and I couldn't sit down or walk. They lanced it and cut it open at the hospital. They left it open to drain but it didn't work right and I went in for another lance and drain and they left it open.

I remember my senior year of high school I had to ware maxi pads in my boxers to clean up the drainage. Very embarrassing being a boy of 17 buying maxi pads. But maybe that is why I now have no shame and am open with everyone about everything. I yams what I yams. It took a long time to heal, and with Remicade it finally cleared up and now it is just a bad scare right next to my anus.

The procedure was over 10 years ago, so I am sure some treatment options have changed since then.
 
Thanks for the response everyone! :) I'm not entirely sure if there's drainage or not. Everytime I've checked, it's been right after I've gone and cleaned myself up nicely. And anything that's ever on my panties, I've attributed to my lady bits doing their natural cleaning thing. (TMI?) So who knows... I'll find out Tuesday I suppose. I'll be certain to point it out to the doc before they push the ticket to LaLa Land into my IV. Until then, I'm sure I'll have a few more look-sees and scratch my head wondering what in Hades it may be. But trust me, I won't be trying to insert anything into them. The docs can do that ALL they want while I'm chillin in LaLa Land.

And thanks SO much for the recommendation of the Calmoseptine. I was gonna try Vaseline, but if that works better, awesome. Last time, the irritation was so bad I was dreading my trips to the toilet more than normal. It was absolutely tear-inducing.

Yay for this place.
 
Just an add on to the Calmo. We have never had a complaint until this week. One of us (I can't remember who - sorry!) said it hurt when they put it on. I think they were pretty torn up to begin with. So, if you are already super raw or have tears or whatever, just try a small amount. It has an ingredient that gives you that minty fresh feeling - and I guess that can sting if you are too raw.
 
If you are raw down there, after wiping with a cloth, let it air breathe, and then when you use Calmoseptine it will not sting. Minty fresh feeling...sounds like a toothpaste commercial.

BTW Vaseline is petrolium jelly, may help protect but doesnt heal it , Calmo does and takes the hurt away almost immediately!
 
Yeah yeah yeah!!! Calmo to the rescue!!
I think my fistula just looked like a lump. Not much to see really. I don't even remember seeing the actual hole that the drainage came out of. I think it was microscopic. You'd probably notice if you had drainage though. I could actually push on it to force some out.
I didn't take a picture - rats. I DID take a picture after they surgically removed it =D
Welcome to the forum, MD!
(Rats - I usually go for initials, but maybe MD is not so good. Maybe MyD.)
 
I get them internally. My guts seem to want to grow together for some reason. funny but I think I'm better off that way. At least in the short run :0
 
Nice to meet you too. :)

I know the screen name gets hard, but I always draw a blank when making them. LOL. So I refer to me default, a reference to one of my favorite songs ever.

But Jess works just fine. It makes life easier... well, until there are a gazillion and one Jesses like there usually are.
 
my.december said:
Nice to meet you too. :)

I know the screen name gets hard, but I always draw a blank when making them. LOL. So I refer to me default, a reference to one of my favorite songs ever.

But Jess works just fine. It makes life easier... well, until there are a gazillion and one Jesses like there usually are.
Click to expand...

My brother had a dog called Jess ;)
 
I'd be able to make SO much money off of it if I was the English speaking/writing dog who used the computer, surfed the net, and participated in online forums. Unfortunately, it seems I'm human (though I do question HOW human I am some days).

It would make it easier to see my bum, unless my tail got in the way. The mirror works fairly well for me though. Just a bit of a head rush from bending over far enough and long enough to get a decent look see.
 
do you have a little handheld makeup mirror? I've used one of those, while sitting on the toilet. A little awkward, but you get a decent look.
 
I do, and I've tried that. I've just found the bend over method gives me the best view. lol. Thank goodness for full length mirrors! Though I have stood on a bathroom sink/counter to check it out before. That required a bit more of a balancing act.
 

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