Advice needed | Living with an anal fistula

Hi I've had a large abscess drained through emergency surgery it grew so large in two days that I had to be rushed in. It's been just over 6 weeks now and it started to heal but then feel I've gone backwards with the healing and Am experiencing a sore/itchy anus. My doctor has put me on antibiotics and I go to see my specialist in a weeks time. Can any one tell me if it's a fistular or if this is normal after an abscess?

I haven't gone back to work as I just don't feel up to it and my original wound still gets sore at times as still drains lightly every now and then. I'm a mother to a three year old so life doesn't really stop and think I probably do more then my body can handle right now, so not sure if that is putting a strain on it all.

Any help would be great I'm praying it's not a fistula and trying to stay positive. Thanks

Hi guys, i have been through my worst nightmare when diagnosed with fitsula in ano. Gone through many blogs to read about home remedy as i was not comfortable getting operated, after learning that it cannot be fully treated and has more than 80% recurrence. I have tried many remedies including sitz bath, glycerine, essential oil, antibiotics and pain killers. I was giving up but something miraculous happen, my dad was diagnosed with herpis and it is very painful, my mom put fresh aloe vera lotion on the herpis and we noticed that his pain was gone in a day and herpis also vanished in couple of days. She used to put fresh aloe vera on the infected area every 5 hours.

Then i researched about aloe vera and understood it is very healthy and we can consume it as well. So from next day, i started applying it on the outside opening which had continuous smell, some blood and pus after cleaning the area. I realised i had less pain and that bad smell was gone, then from that day i started cutting the fresh aloe vera leaves from my garden and take out the pulp from it. I inserted that white jelly pulp in my ass using my fingers, and to my surprise it healed my pain in a day.

I started putting that inside and outside everyday after every motion. And in just 5 days my pain and swelling and blood and pus all gone. It completely healed.

I thought of sharing it here as these blogs helped me during my tough times and now i am healed and have no pain or opening inside or outside. This is safe and you also can do little research about fresh aloe vera leaves

Hello all!

Last November i had a huge abscess in the perinanal region ,it one of the most painful experiences of my life . This developed into a fistula that was relatively high and passed through quite a large preportion of the sphincter muscle so my consultant couldn't perform a fistulotomy and instead inserted a drainage seton . It really hindered my life and what made it worse was that I couldn't find many success stories online that it would even get better (just hundreds of people saying how long they have had the condition for and it wasn't improving) I am very active and like to excersise every day but with the seton it was very tricky indeed (but not impossible) anyway I promised myself that as soon as I was fixed I would post on this board and here I am ! After the drainage seton was removed it was replaced with a Cutting seton which cut through within 7 days and voila ! It was fixed . The whole process took 9 months and it was a long drawn out affair but I'm pleased I am out the other side ! Anyway I just wanted to share to give people hope that it is quite common for it all to be ok and time and a good consultant is all that it takes 

Kind Regards

Rossyboy1 

Long story short I had an abcess drained years ago and the doctor in the ER left it open to heal on its own.... it would heal swell up a little A reopen for a bit but then it seem to heal eventually forming a fistula track. Months later a new abcess formed in the same/similar area I went to a rectal doc and she drained it. I went back and had surgery and got a Seton Put in.... took a while to stop the draining/ uncomfort maybe around but a few months later I was back to normal  around March 2017......minus this hideous string hanging out of me. I met to go back to get it tightened but busy life Took over and it didn't seem to bother me To much. Then all

Of a sudden on Sunday I felt pain and swelling down there I knew I had an infection. It killed I took Advil, iced it and took a sitzbath it opened and drained a bit but not that overwhelming relief you get when they slice it open. It's still painful swollen and slowly draining out of the SETON area. Will this heal on its own? Or do you think it maybe a new abcess with another second deeper fistula track? I'm moving next week and have lots to do trying to heal it before than. Does anyone with setons in have like yearly random flair ups? Oh and I don't have chrons disease.  Thank you!!!!! 

Fistula/abscess I had a cyst removed near my anus in 2013 the stitches came loose leaving a hole which drained for months finally healed over then after a few months started swelling and bursting about once a month. 

After about a year the surgeon said it would probably not heal without surgery which I almost scheduled but kept putting off. 

I started drinking ice water with a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar with mother twice a day and haven't had any occurances. Not sure if the vinegar did it or not? I will continue the vinegar unless it causes other problems. 

So far so good-😊

I’m new to this - had two anal abscesses- one size of tennis ball. Bleeding and pus continued to leak for ages. Eventually a surgeon said I had a fistula- I had to wait two further years before getting a seton. Almost 4 week’s have passed and still I get exhausted from pain. I have heard of CBD oil - either drops or vape liquid. Does anyone know about this for pain relief? I’ve ordered a vape stick as I’m a smoker and know this can slow down healing. Walking is uncomfortable but apparently beneficial. I’m not yet tested for Crohns but this could all be postnatal- 16 years ago!!! Didn’t realise that having a seton is major surgery and can require several further operations until referring to this site - very informative.

Hi everyone!

I had a big abcess last year. They surgically drained it which caused a fistula. I used antibiotics. Nothing was working. Then I used homeopathic medicine and went for Chinese acupuncture regularly. My fistula closed after 4 months of treatment. I changed my diet a lot. No processed foods, no sugars, no gluten, no cow milk, instead I used goat milk, cooked everything at home from scratch, walked regularly, took sitz baths regularly. For sitz baths, I often used Chinese herbs called 'the three yellows'. I have changed my diet and lifestyle a lot since then and I am constantly trying to improve it. Changing diet and lifestyle takes time so one has to be patient. I pray that this information helps someone.

Hi all

I live an active life but recall a painful stool back in August before a road race. This developed into a fistula diagnosed in January this year. 2 weeks now since a seton was fitted and I am desperate to run/ play soccer again but am fearfull of the seton snapping

My follow up is in a months time and I feel great apart from the seton and a funky smelling clear discharge which seems to come from my bum . Any advice please?

I am a bit concerned about some of the recommendations in this thread around herbs for "treatment" of fistula. I just wanted to share what I have learned.

I had a perianal abscess starting December 3, 2017, "healed" but identified a fistula from a pinpoint opening -- had the E.R. surgeon say to come back in 4-6 weeks to check (he said it was still healing) and so I got a second opinion. This surgeon "bet the house" it was a fistula -- and it was.

Here is what I have learned:

1.) Please consult a colorectal surgeon to diagnose an abscess of fistula. It is worth seeing a specialist who understands the colorectal system. An MRI or fistula probe in the O.R. is typically required for fistula diagnosis.

2.) You didn't do anything wrong. This isn't your fault. It can happen to anyone -- the young, the old, the healthy, those with co-morbidities, athletes, those living with Crohn's disease...it runs the gamut. In my personal experience I think stress lowered my immunity and my body wasn't able to fight the infection that lead to the abscess.

3.) Know the facts. 50% of perianal abscesses end up as fistulas. You can't prevent it, it is the luck of the draw. If you end up with a fistula, it isn't because you did something "wrong." Some surgeons will try to minimize those rates probably to comfort patients but providing inaccurate data isn't helpful. Do your research in selecting a surgeon and understanding your condition.

4.) Understand your options when it comes to fistula surgery. All fistulas are different -- simple, complex, high, low, horseshoe, where they cut through muscle, etc. A draining seton will allow for continuous drainage to help prevent an abscess from reforming. This also buys you time to consider surgical options such as:

Fistulotomy (cutting open of the seton; > 90% success rate but risk of bowel incontinence)

Fibrin Glue or Collagen Plug ( < 50% success rate but no risk of bowel incontinence, can start here and move to other procedures if it fails)

Cutting seton (I don't have stats on this but my surgeon recommends against them)

LiFT Precedure: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4678674/

Advancement Flap: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4155133/

PERFACT -- I just recently learned about this and it sounds incredibly promising: 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4385552/

5.) Know fact vs. myth. The cocktail of fiber & stool softener is a good choice to move your stool through your bowel without strain and helps to prevent fissures, etc. Herbs and supplements should be used in consultation with your surgeon -- there is likely little to no medical evidence supporting these methodologies. You can not heal an anal fistula with herbs. Herbs and supplements may help you feel better but only surgery can remove a fistula. 

6.) Baths help! In consultation with your surgeon, find out if and when you can do sitz baths (goes over the toilet and you put your bum in it -- can find them for $10 in drug stores on Amazon) or regular baths can help soothe you and keep things clean. I use Epsom salts and a few drops of tea tree oil (anti-bacterial). Don't go overboard with tea tree oil -- I gave myself a proper chemical burn the other night putting a few capfuls in the tub!

7.) Keep things clean. I tote around a cheap perianal irrigation bottles (a few US dollars on Amazon or from your drug store) as a sort of bidet-to-go and 2" x 2" sterile gauze pads to wedge between my butt cheeks to absorb any pus/blood/stool discharge from the external opening. After my seton placement, I switched to Tucks pads (witch hazel pads) for blotting clean before using gauze. It helps with any discomfort or itchiness. I used Percocet after surgery and switched to Motrin to alleviate discomfort and pain after bowel movements.

8.) You aren't alone. I am a 34 year old woman, married, have never been diagnosed with a bowel disease. I often feel embarrassed and have missed so much work for doctors appointments and surgeries. I try to learn as much as I can about my condition (in my case a low, complex intersphincter fistula in the anterior position resulting from a perianal abscess), ask questions of my surgeon along the way and advocate for myself. I often feel down on myself, humiliated, desexualized. My wife is incredibly supportive and once I wasn't in pain after surgery, we returned to having sex with the blessing from the surgeon. She is so supportive and affirming and understands that this stuff is embarrassing and scary for me because I don't have resolution yet. Identify people who can help support you whether online, family, friends, whomever. This stuff is a bummer (pun intended) and hard to navigate solo!

I wish you luck on your journey to healing.

Hey guys I am a 28 year old male, diagnosed with Crohn’s disease at age 8. About three years ago I’ve been having a lot of pain when going to the bathroom. Turns out I’ve had a fistula the last 3 years. I’ve had Botox injections, steroids and antibiotics. Nothing was working, now I am going to get my first surgery next week, for a setion procedure.? I’m a little worried about it, I’m so tired of my life revolving around this. I miss events/ activities with my wife and kids becouse of it. I really hope this works out 

HI,

I have recently had an  operation for a peri-anal abscess. This seemed to heal well until about two weeks ago when i was told i had a peri-anal fistula. I had two holes from the abscess which have both now seemed to heal and close but this results in puss and drainage coming from my anus. I am petrified of fistula surgery but at the same time am very concerned with the drainage coming from my anus? I have read the site and from what I can understand most of the fistula's are draining externally and not internally like mine. Any advice?

Hello,

My name is Mehmet from Turkey / Istanbul.

First of all, please accept my apologies for my English. However, I’ll write down here what I’ve lived and I suppose that no one cares about the grammer as everyone has a big problem like a fistula.

In the summer of 2014 I had a very painful time which ended with a discharged pus, I went to the doctor and the diagnosis was a perianal fistula. I lived with that fistula for 3 years and refused to go to the doctor again and never thought to have an operation. I read many forums, read many comments and depressed each time.

I must say that my fistula was never a very disturbing one. Once or twice a month at the mouth of the fistula an abscess was formed and it was drained by itself. At the regular time, I was feeling a very tiny leak which caused some bad smell and itching. 

At the end of 2017, a doctor friend of mine suggested me the Ozone Treatment, which I started in December 2017. At the moment ( May 2018 ) my fistula is completely closed for two months.

While the treatment, I promised myself to come back that forums and share the process if it succeeds, as I know that how I feels to be hopeless. Briefly, the doctor had me totally for 20 sessions.

At the end of the 20th one, I had a MR and the report said that “the possibility of an active fistula tract and a formation of an abscess was too low”

Each session consist of two treatments:   a) Major Otohemotherapy ( they take one unit of your blood, add some Ozone to your blood out and give it back to your body and which takes around 20 minutes, and no pain.  b) Fistula Insufflation ( with an injector nozzle they apply ozone gas into the fistula, again no pain which was about 2 minutes )

Each session is around $60. I went to the doctor twice a week.

This is my doctor. ( http://www.ozontedavi.com.tr/ )  Unfortunately, the web page is in Turkish. However, I suppose that around the world at the many of the big cities an ozone treatment center would be found.

As a conclusion, before taking the surgery decision, you may consider that ozone treatment as an option.

Each day of my life at the recent years, I was always thinging about my fistula about how would I live with it. For two months, I never think of it. I guess how pessimistic you feel, I just wanted to share my experience. I hope it works for someone. I wish all you health, a good treatment and luck.

Greetings from Istanbul.