Living with fistula
Posted , 4 users are following.
I have a history of anal abscesses. Now I have three small holes, 1 which is still draining very little pus, the other 2 are very close to each other and look like a healing spider bite. I can't get into my GP for 2 weeks and my mind is going crazy. My question, has anyone just decided to live with their fustula? I'm on antibiotics for folliculitus so that helps me worry (a bit less) but I've only read horror stories about surgery. My body heals very slowly, so surgery scares me as a working mommy. I do sitz baths, keep the area clean and take fiber and probiotics regularly. Please let me know if living with these is possible if I can manage the pain?
0 likes, 4 replies
kathy_64894 Really_anxious
Posted
I have been suffering for 2 years and have tried all the usual,fibre, stool softeners, sitz baths etc. I finally insisted on a referral to a specialist and been diagnosed with anal stenosis and fistula. I have decided to have the procedure to remove the stenosis (scar tissue). Won't happen for 10 weeks. Also am nervous but really can't handle this pain an d inconvenience any longer. In meantime are going to use Anurex to ease pain.
mmarcus151910 Really_anxious
Posted
I'm not so for sure on the fistula unfortunately. Here are some suggestions I have for you to help you through for an anal fissure. :
1. Try somee zinc oxide in the form of calmoseptine which has menthol to soothe the area down there as well. Calmoseptine can be bought at almost any local drugstore and can be bought online too.
2. Try squatting when going on the toilet instead of sitting. This is a much helathier position and the poop sometimes will just slide out, no pushing or straining involved.
3. I would definately take a fiber supplement, specifically metamucil is what I take evveryday, in ordr to allow your stools to be soft and to allow them to pass thorugh easily. THis being said, with any fiber supplemetn, you must drink lots of water when using them, or they will not work veffectively. Also, do not take too much as too much fiber can irritate your bowels on the way out and diarreah actually does worse down there.
4. I would recommend getting a sphicteronomy surgery if htings dont get better. I waited it out, gave up, had the surgery, and was able to heal within about two weeks. I had a chronic fissure, so I knew where you are ocming from with v all the pain and discomfort.
Try listening to music to distract your mind a bit, especially when going to the bathroom. If you are in writing pain, distract yourself with a movie or TV show right after. Also, to prevent myself from screaming and from putting more stress in the area down there, i bit down on a washcloth in order to make the tensions with my teeth instead of my sphicter muscle.
Hope this helps!!!
Best,
Myles
kathy_64894 mmarcus151910
Posted
Thank you. I just can't believe how this has taken over my life. I am going to get the procedure, just worried it might make it worse. Yikes.
mmarcus151910 kathy_64894
Posted
It could make it worse, I am not going to say that is not going to be a possibility. But, there is a possibility that it will work and you will feel so much better. In my experience, most of the people who post online about the LIS surgery are the ones who it didnt work for. I was like yourself when I had my chronic anal fissure. Most of the posts online seemed to be failures of the surgery and people who had been dealing with it for years and years. However, AND THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, if you have a good surgeon and a good doctor who is performing the surgery, your chances of sucess are much higher. Do a lot of research, find a very good and reputable doctor who has performed the surgery multiple times, and book an appointment with him or her. I had my surgery, and after two weeks post surgery, felt like a completelly different person. I am now about 3 years post my surgery and have not had any complications since. Mentally, getting over the anal fissure will take time. However, I believe that doing the surgery and giving yourself at least a chance of sure success is worth it over waiting 3 years of pain for natural methods that do not help. In my case, my fissure was chronic and the natural methods failed to work. In other cases that are not as bad, and the natural methods do work. You must be the judge as far as how bad it is, but I would definitlky reccomend the surgery.
If you have any addional questions or want words of advice, please don't hesitate to post or mesage me.
Hope you feel better and best of luck to you!
Best,
Myles