Advice needed | Living with an anal fistula

hey there, when did you start on the veggies? I had this a few years back caused by a not so good diet. 2-3 months of eating alot of veg, I mean alot, and it cleared and thankfully has never come back. I drink veggie juice now to keep topped up with lots of vitamins and minerals. My advice though is to stick with a colorectal surgeon. Hopefully they will give you the MRI this time to properly check what is there and what is not.  have a read through the other replies here. Lots of good advice. hope you are better soon.

Hi, thanks for ur reply. I am not on a strict vege only diet, I still eat like normal and to be honest, it's not that healthy. It's just that I make sure to eat fruits daily (papaya is really good to soften stool, and eating apple right before u sleep helps ease BM the next morning), yogurt, fish oil before sleep, lettuce. However, I am planning to start a healthy smoothie diet, to see if it helps.

I will have consultation with a general surgeon, hopefully he/she will refer me to a CS. But the last CS I met in February was very relaxed to see my condition. I had two check up with two outpatient doctors, and both doctors told me that it's not fistula, and I shouldnt be worried. I was given coaxcixilin (spelling?) for 2 weeks and it didnt work. Im hoping this is not fistula. How did urs started? Did u have surgery done? Thanks for ur response!

Additional info:

1) 1st GP doctor said it looked likea small pimple, and no fistula hole detected. 2nd GP also said he couldnt see any fistula hole, and the excess skin might have caused the swelling/pus. He then referred me to general surgeon to have the skin removed (my upcoming appnment). I doubt their verdicts, and will explain throughly abt my condition to the general surgeon and hopefully get referred to CS.

2) Contary to what the CS said, that this has got nothing to do with lifestyle, I strongly believe the abscess is a result from not taking care of cleanliness and poor diet few weeks prior to the first abscess. I had constant constipation at that time. This was when I was not working for a while and was having time off frm work b4 starting a new one. I am now working again and trying to watch what I eat and consume a lot of water.

1. Re lifestyle - even cancer doctors are coming round to the fact that diet has an affect so why would a PA be any different? 

2. I worried was my cleanliness not up to scratch somehow and my GP said it is not to do with this. Personally for me it comes from inside. I have chronic ibs and go from constipation to dirrhea and I think that started an infection and I didn't have enough in my immune system to fight it off. 

3 they gave me anti-b's too but they don't always work. Eventually ended up with emergency surgery and had 5 ops in total over 18 months until I said enough and started eating veg. My draining seton finally fell out and my surgeon was gobsmacked. He thought he would be seeing me for years to come. the extra veg was the only change I made. 

4 smoothies are good but watch your fruit intake. So much sugar in fruit. Water great as well. What I did might not work for everyone but I wish someone had been around to tell me try veg, might have saved me a few ops and a lot of pain. 

Hi can you tell me more about your change. What veggies you ate and how often? I to think you may be onto something with the healthier eating especially with fruit. Thanks in advance.

Hello

I really was eating alot of veg pretty much all day. lots of romaine lettuce, carrots, broccoli, celery, green beans, strawberries, pumpkin, sunflower and sesame seeds. Really at most a 80% veg 20% fruit because of the sugar content in fruit. liver once a week, no cakes or alcohol. I did this for at least a couple of months but I was really in a bad way so someone else might not need to do this for as long. It is not the easiest thing to do but it worked for me. I would have done pretty much anything to get rid of it, was amazed that it worked. there is a new study that found the fiber in veg is effective helping colon cancer patients rather fruit or oat fiber. I am beginning to wonder if this is what was the driver, I had more fiber in my diet from the veg and this is what helped my system heal itself.

I am new here. I had hemorrhoid surgery 4 years ago. Then, on May 2017, I was experiencing terrible pain in which turned out to be an infection. I had surgery last month and the I infection resulted in a superficial fustula. So about 3 weeks after the surgery I was experiencing aliy of discomfort near my rectum, I went to the general surgeon again and it turns out to be another fistula. He lanced it to relieve pressure, but told me I will need another surgery in order to remove all of the fustula. Meanwhile, while I'm waiting for a surgery date, I'm in more pain than ever, surviving on Oxycodeine, and I am pretty depressed. I can't work and I am just tired of being drugged up all the time. I try to lay off the meds, but the pain is too unbearable. I just hope this surgery is the last. It seems that Pandora's box is open now with rectal problems and it's going to haunt me forever. I'm trying to think positive, but any of you know that rectal pain (or fistulas) are straining on a daily basis. Any encouraging advice out there or words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated!

If you can take some time to read the posts in this non-dental abscess forum. There is lots of good advice here and you will find you are not alone. any questions please ask.

 

Hey michael im in the same boat i have been dealing with my fistula for 4 years now i have had 4 setons put in to drain i recently had my 4th one put in last week its sux as i have a family everytime i go into surgery recovery is at least 7-8 weeks , best pain relief would be to get a seton put in to drain the fluid it can be annoying sometimes but it works , i know its frustrating cause you cant do normal things without being in pain like going for a run going to the gym all im doing now is eating good no junk food alot of greens and oregano oil tablets to try minimize this fistula hang in there mate ??

I need to make the switch. I Really am struggling due to my love of food. I'm just wondering... as I find going to the toilet does not help with the infection at all. And when I eat healthier I tend to go more then once a day. Did you have a problem with this? I'm sorry I have to even ask but I literally get scared when I have to go as I know it will result in more pain and more infection and the more I go the worst it gets. So if I'm eating more fibre I can only presume I will be on the toilet more. Thanks for all your info it's great

I understand we're you are coming from. I have chronic ibs so can go anywhere between 1 to 15 times in a day. I had a fistula and a seton drain so I used the shower head every time to stay clean. Sitz baths help too. Maybe I was lucky but my wound never got worse from bowel movements. But I also was not working during the 18 months I was being operated on.  I would pretty much stay horizontal in bed for the first two weeks to let the wound heal as quick as possible. I couldn't take pain killers because of the ibs as they make it worse. The pain was horrendous so I tried to sleep through the first two weeks as much as possible. Not everyone has it this bad and my threshold for coping with pain is pretty low.  

Try to keep to veggie fiber rather than fruit or oats or wheat fiber but yes the fiber will make you go more but really I think it's the fiber we need to help heal this. So the pain will hopefully be worth it short term for the longer term improvement. 

I hope this helps. Happy to answer any other questions I can. 

Sorry about my spelling. It's late here.

This is so helpful thank you so much. I'm being booked in to have most likely the seton surgery I'm so nervous I'm lucky enough to be off from work still from having my abscess removed but have a little one home with me. Did you ever try the oregano tablets people are talking about? I've started eating more veggies and feel better physically already. Did you do any juices? I really am not a fan of veggies but am willing to try and experimenting with them to keep it interesting.

Haha I have the worst spelling and grammar so I didn't even notice at all

Thank you again your time is so appreciated😊

Hello, no I haven't tried oregano tablets but they do sound interesting will wait though until I get a chance to read more about them before trying them. That is really good you are already feeling a difference hopefully that is a good sign for you as it took longer for me to notice a real difference. I drink veg juice most days, Romaine lettuce heart (sometimes 2), celery heart and 5-7 medium carrots.This makes about 800ml. To start I would suggest way less than this - enough to make say 100ml and gradually increase from there. Ebay sell second hand juicers relatively cheaply if you want to go that route. I can pm you with the brand I use if you like. The carrots give it sweetness so I do not need fruit as I cannot digest the sugar in the fruit properly but there is no reason you cannot add an apple or pear or whatever fruit you prefer. 80% veg and 20% fruit is what is advised. There are loads of juice websites out there to get good ideas from this one I know works well for me but it is like wine, it takes a wee while to get used to. The juice is a good nutrional hit, no major digestion needed as it is juice and so quickly gets the nutrients into your blood stream to give you a boost. However it really only gives you about one third of the nutrients you would get if you ate the vegetables but that takes alot of time to eat the amount you really need each day so it is trying to get a balance and only you will be able to tell what works best for you. I suggest lots of veg while you have the seton, I know it is not easy but just initially as it sounds like you are finding they do help so you might find it is worth persevering with them for even a month and see how you go. It took nearly three months before my seton fell out but I think my nutrient levels were extremely low and you may not be anything like this. I hope your surgery goes as well as it can and you are back to being super mom asap. Good luck. hopefully hear how you go. take care.

 

Hi - looking for some opinions!

Had an abscess back in Nov 2014 whilst heavily pregnant! Operated on and then packed daily for a few weeks. All seemed healed ok.

Fast forward to Sept 2016 - thought abscess was back. Antibiotics and sitz baths seemed to sort it out but GP sent me for a MRI. This showed a probable fistula. Saw consultant in Jan who was worried about it as I wasn't unwell at all, no lump anymore and no discharge.

A couple of months later a small lump appeared again. Sitz baths sorted it but I called for a second consultants opinion. Waiting until Sept to see someone.

And here is the current problem - sorry if a little TMI for anyone... just got back from holiday, whilst away the lump came back. Bit this time there is discharge. A little bit of red blood at first but now small bits of yellow discharge . Not in any real pain - feels more like an uncomfortable cut. Seems like the scar area has opened up perhaps?

So do I just monitor and have regular sitz baths or go back to my GP to get them to have a look. Can't see my actual GP so it will be luck of the drawer who I see!

Anyone had similar symptoms who can shed any light?

Hello

Apologies, I have just seen this. The website has been undergoing some changes and I was not notified of your message. Usually it is very good at doing this.

Yes it sounds like you have another abscess that is open. Go back to your GP, any GP should be able to look at your notes and contact the surgeon to ask if they can move your appointment forward before september and keep using the sitz baths and use the shower head on the area to help keep it clean and where a cotton gauze pad to cover the area until they can see you.

My mantra is also to eat healthily. You may already do this but my advice is do it more. Eat as much veg as you can, carrots, romaine lettuce, celery, or drink vegetable juice, 80% veg, 20% fruit. If you don't take a multi-vitamin start taking one. It might help your body to fight the infection.

Let us know how you get on please.

Thanks for the reply :-)

Got to see my GP on Friday after seeing a nurse the week previously. The nurse gave me a dressing draw out anything from the opening which seemed to work well - it is called Duoderm. It can be worn for a few days and worked well.

By the time my GP saw me everything had calmed down and he said it looked like a very low level fistula.

He doesn't think the consultant will want to operate on it when I see them in September because of the risk of making it worse - which I understand.

Thanks for the diet advice - I've been eating better lately anyway (unrelated to the fistula) but will be continuing you improve it.

Looks like this could just be something I'll use to live with in the background now...

Great, glad you are feeling better. Someone here put me onto the following private group on Facebook if you are interested. The people on it are pretty incredible and have lots of advice and information. Search Fistula Support Group (Colorectal). The group page says Fistula Survivors Guide.