Advice needed | Living with an anal fistula

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Hi guys, I'm new to this site and have just got back from the hospital.

I had an external abscess around Christmas time which my doctor prescribed a course of antibiotics rather than drain it. The abscess popped after 3 days and I assumed I was on the mend. However the abscess bursting has caused an anal fistula.

Since the new year I have been to the doctors 8 times, spent 8 days in hospital had and MRI and finally day surgery 3 weeks ago.

The surgeon took out 2/3 of the fistula but could not take out the rest due to it's position within the muscle and fear of incontinence. Completely understandable. he placed a cutting seton in (I think that's what it's called) but this came out 5 days after surgery. I called the hospital and they said to wait for my appointment 2 weeks later (today).

My surgeon says the seton shouldn't have come out already as there's no way it could have worked so quickly. He's also not sure why it came out. I did barely anything for the first week after my surgery so there;s no way I caused it to come out.

Anyway, I'm back on the waiting list to have it all done again. No idea when that will be though so quite frustrating.

What I'd like is some advice from anyone if they are able to offer it. My life has been pretty much put on hold all year and I've not done most of the things I normally would. What advice do you have for living with a fistula? Should I change my diet? Can I drink alcohol? (haven't touched a drop since Christmas just in case), How much can/should I do physically? My sex drive and confidence are out of the window since all this has happened. With the leaking from the fistula and having to wear pads, I've also lost my dignity.

I'm really down in the dumps and could do with some help. I'm a 38 year old male business owner. I'm usually very outgoing, socially and work wise. I usually love meeting new people and doing all sorts of things but now I spend my days working from my bedroom. My wife and daughters forget I'm here.

Any help or advice will be very, very welcome.

Thanks so much for reading if you got this far rolleyes

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  • Posted

    Hi guys, I've got a fistula and awaiting surgery. I don't have pain much at the moment however, the fatigue is very severe. Is that side effect? It's stopping me from working

    • Posted

      Yes I believe it is yes I'm in the same situation mine has settled down to my op is the 19th I'm not suffering with the fatigue but this is purely due to having adhd and my meds being stimulateds without them though I am

    • Posted

      I've got my op tomorrow

    • Posted

      Yeah op went well all done in 45 mins but still very sore and tender. Not as bad as I thought it would be though so very relived also it was superficial which is even better news so just a case of waiting for wound to heal then hopefully no more trouble
  • Posted

    EVERYONE LISTEN UP. I JUST STARTED TAKING OREGANO OIL TABLETS AND THEY DO WONDERS WOTHIN DAYS I SUGGEST EVERYONE GIVE IT A TRY THE STUFF IS REALLY AMAZING
    • Posted

      I had an abscess that turned into a fistula and I've been dealing with it since 2015 I never took the dietary change serious until a few weeks ago. Oatmeal in the morning lots of water salad with lots of vegetables lots of fiber. That alone helped dramatically, i use a teatree oil enema which helped also, then I started taking the tablets and the thing has gotten so much better I'd say I'm at 97% healed. The food you ingest affects it directly so eat smart the oregano oil gel tablets

    • Posted

      That's great to hear and has been what I have found also, we are what we eat.It took three months before I healed but everyone is different.

      How did the oregano oil help, I'm curious?

      When do you next go back to see your consultant?

    • Posted

      I haven't been to a provider in forever . It has basically taken away the pain and the drainage is so minimal I don't need a diaper or gauze or anything

    • Posted

      I have ordered for oregano oil tablets which will get to me in few days,I want to find out the daily dosage,my fistula does not give much pain again with little drainage especially after bowel movement I believe the oregano will help total healing,please can this lead to heart attack?just curious
  • Posted

    October 2016 I had a seton inserted for a fistula. Its tsayed in until January 13 2017. 26th January, I hoped on a plane for a short 10 day overseas trip and it flared again while I was away - Fiji - bit scary, almsot jumped on a plane and came home early. Doctor put another seton in about 11th February - it came out 29th March - guess waht folks - pretty sure its back. No discharge yet but very swollen and sore. I loved with this for probably 12 months before the first surgery - think I might just put up with it again. [frown]
  • Posted

    Hey moosecraftsman,

    I came across your post while searching for others and to find any answers that may help me out. I'm 42 years old and a man. My story started the week before Easter last year. I had been having a pain beside my butt hole. I had been having this pain for about six months and thought I had pulled or strained a muscle or something. It was more annoying at first, but then over time it became severe, to the point I couldn't sit, walk, or be comfortable in any position without being in severe pain down there. I noticed a large swollen area just beside my butt hole. I had my wife take a look and she made me a doctors appointment with our family physician. I went to see him on a Thursday. After I explained to him about the pain I was in he took a look at it, he said it looked to him like I had an abscess. He told me he couldn't do anything about it, but called a colorectal doctor and made an appointment for me the following Monday. He suggested sitz bathes over the weekend and prescribed pain meds and antibiotics to help with the swelling and pain. By the time I got to the colorectal doctor Monday morning I was extremely sick. While in the waiting room I had a seizure, pooped my pants, and was unresponsive. This is according to my wife as I have no memory of much of anything from that morning. The doctor made the receptionist call 911 and they took me to a room and removed my pants. She immediately cut into the abscess to drain it. My wife said she couldn't believe how much drainage came out and how deep it was. The EMT's arrived shortly after that and rushed me to the hospital. In the ambulance I faintly remember one of the EMT's calling out my blood pressure, 47 over 21!!! I thought at that moment I was going to die, so I made my piece with God and was ready to accept my fate. Fortunately I made it. It turns out the abscess was far worse than anyone including my doctor thought it was. The infection got into my blood and began to shutdown my organs, the doctor called it being "septic". My colorectal doctor met me at the hospital and surgery was performed to take care of the fistula she discovered after draining the abscess at her office. I had no idea on that day I'd still be dealing with this 6 surgeries and 15 months later. I'm scheduled to have another surgery in two days. My doctor calls it a "complicated fistula" due to the fact the tract branches several times, is deep in the muscle tissue, and crosses my "taint". I know "taint" isn't the medical term, but I can't remember the proper term the doctor used. It's the area between my butt hole and my ball sack. The surgery I'm scheduled to have in a couple days I'm supposed to get another seton. It's not the cutting seton, but it's supposed to help dry out the tract and help it close off. At the moment I have a hole about an inch and a half to the left of my butt hole that connects to my butt hole. I also have to wear pads for drainage. What's worse is that every time I have to poop, it comes out that whole. So after going to the bathroom I have to get in the shower to clean myself and then my wife has to flush out that hole with saline solution to prevent any type of infection in the tract. I'm struggling with the fact that I'm stuck at my house unable to be very active. I'm now on long term disability, and any hobby that I love to to, I'm unable to do because of this. I absolutely hate it. I had no idea something like this could take such a hold on my life and control it the way it does. I'm very fortunate to have a wonderful wife who is very supportive of me and what I'm going through, not to mention being my wound care nurse. Which is not a very glamorous job as you can imagine. The research I've done isn't very inspiring either. It seem that most if not all of the people with this condition seem to have to deal with it for years. I came across a man on another fistula form site where he stated he'd been dealing with this for almost nine years and currently had six setons. I hope and pray that my upcoming surgery is my last and I can continue to push ahead. I'm glad I've found others on these forms I can talk to and relate with as this can be an embarrassing problem to dicuss or explain to family and friends. I wish you the best of luck with your recovery.

    • Posted

      Been there damit had shoulder surgery caused my colon tear misdiagnosed for 1.5 years of pain went to therapy tore open again never really healed found out later after my dr and her colorectal husband admitted he missed it first scope job fired her and him got a top guy surgery then released back to er 3 hrs later bladder lock cathed for a month this all started 5-13 and had shoulder 10-13 colon 9-16  and now prostate Turp 6-17 now I think I have torn my colon again in the same damn spot shooting pain after three huge movements and I am scared to death, hope it is just swelling left top side of my hole, called dr on call Sunday he showed no mercy take a bath buck up call the office Monday fk I pray it is nothing pain has gone way down knock on wood have taken sith bath tripping big as I am still healing from Turp surgery 70 day ago Dr said with what I took out of you in a 1.5!hr operation expect 4-6 months recovery now this! I suffered greatly when I had my first fistula not knowing it was not a hemoeiad? Spelling sorry

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