Posted , 105 users are following.
I have read and heard many horror stories regarding anal fistula surgery. I have heard tales of incontinence, reccurence, severe scarring and infection.
Has anyone had sucessful surgery? Or natural medicine healing?
Stories would be appreciated.
Thanks
1 like, 185 replies
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MMartn tulip78
Posted
Just wondering, is there anyone managing anal fistula without the surgery intervention?
I've been diagnosed with low transphincteric fistula almost 5 years ago (I'm 45, active male, I swim, play basketball, cycle, etc). It's been ups and downs but never too bad, always manageable, it's is more inconvenience and discomfort with only some slight pain (I've been helped with it few times by Dermatologist). After the visit to the Colorectal consultant / surgeon (hospital appointment) back in December last year (approx 8 months ago) I've been told that the fistula track have formed the solid walls (its like the tube / pipe / channel) and, because it has formed, fistula might stay as it is now (won't get better but might be worse - no one knows). For the past good 6 months it was very quiet and didn't caused problems (only slight occasional puss, no blood, no irritation) apart squeezing out something left / trapped after almost each bowel movement, as the skin at the external opening of the fistula tends to close (after washing out the area gently squeezing / massaging the fistula's "tube" towards external opening). It is only a bit painful if something is getting trapped in this "tube" after emptying the bowels until it can been squeezed out. At the previously mentioned visit to see Colorectal consultant / surgeon I've signed a form to try to "fix" the anal fistula - to go for the surgery (not cutting, but scrapping the walls of the fistula and inserting collagen gel / glue or inserting a Seton if the abcess is found), thinking it might be good to have it done as a prevention ( in case it gets worse, despite not having problems / no pain with it now and managing with it reasonably well). After the long 8 months my scheduled appointment for the surgery is very soon now, but I'm very anxious that it is the right choice (is it worth doing the surgery when there are not a big issue (only as prevention), also, I'm self employed (no sick pay...), started job at new place couple of months ago - don't want to risk to be unable to work / do the job properly because of the pain (involves a lot of sitting almost all the day (graphic arts & design), need to come back to work approx a week / 10 days after the procedure, scared not be able to provide for the family (3 kids) not be able to go for activities in the park with my youngest kid, get anxious and depressed). Because of all these circumstances I'm really anxious and I still contemplating to call off or delay / ask to move to the later time the operation (unless it gets painful).
Just wondering, is there anyone who's "successfuly" (if it can be said about this condition) dealing with anal fistula without the surgery. Only thoughts that I don't want to have it cleaned / squeezed after each trip to the bathroom keeps me on the side of the surgery, everything else tells me not to have it / do not rush. Is it ok to leave it untreated surgically unless it's painful / infected? Your thoughts, experiences and advice would be appreciated. Many thanks!
AnalAbscess MMartn
Posted
Hello
This forum is not overly active with replies but you could try joining the closed fb group Fistula Support Group (Colorectal) and asking this question there you will get lots of replies on this very subject.
I would say trust your instincts on this and delay if you can but only of course if your surgeon thinks this is sensible.
The perianal abscess organisation website has my my story if you have time.
Take care of yourself happy to answer any other q's.
tulip78 MMartn
Posted
Hi! I had an abscess in Sept 2015, I had it drained then they put a wick (packing) in the wound.. It healed too quick on the outside before the inside healed and I had to have the wound made larger so it could be packed every day until it healed. It healed by end of Oct 2015, and was ok,, then last year a tiny hole opened. I stopped eating sugar all was ok but lately the hole opened again I think it's a fistula but don't want surgery. I can feel a tiny tube underneath my scar which I think is the tunnel of the fistula. It drains only occasionly. I don't want the surgery affecting my life, should i leave it alone? I bath all the time I have a little drainge only drainage after being to the bathroom.
I am 38 and female, it makes me feel dirty and manky, I am scared the surgery will be a botch job from what horror stories I've read. A seton sounds horrific and dirty.
I am slim, I ride, cycle, fell walk and conquered many mountains. I don't smoke or drink alcohol. Can't understand why!!!
Goodtiemking tulip78
Posted
First of all. I don't think anyone can guarantee you there is a cure for the abcsess or fistula. Its all depend on your body and your patience.
I am a transportation driver. I got the hemorrhoid for more than 20years.then 1year for the fissure. 3months for the abcsess. And about 2 weeks developing to fistula. Its a long chain reaction being suffered from this problem.
Secondly. I got surgery 2days ago for my lower fistula. I did a lot research before I made up my mind cause fistula will never healed by itself. The surgery the earlier the result better. My surgery took less than 20 minutes. They put me into sleep once I got on the surgery bed. But I felt a lot of pain after I recovered. They gave me 4 dose of painkiller by injection consistently. I wish they could tell me all the details after the surgery which they would never do. I took painkiller after I got home. And it took 45mins to get a p**s. I could barely sleep well first night cause I went to washroom every 1or 2hours.
Day 1. I got bowel movements around noon. Its really painful when I pull the dressing put. Its likely to tear the bandage off your wound inside your anal wall. And I did a lot anal exercise before I push the stool out.and had lax pills the previous night. its a bit dry. But feel better when you get it out. Afterwards pus come out from the fistula open cut which i did know and doc never told me. I was struggling to wipe out and try to contact the docs office. But I dropped the phone after I did more research on line.
Day 2. I kept using painkiller. Eat lots of veg avoid eat anything solid. Drink juice. Eat fruit....try to do everything healthy way. Had 2 bms already. Got pus consistently draining.
The reason I put my story here is just because we have been going through a lot pressures from everywhere. Sometime we suffer more from emotional stuff than the body pain. We need support from each other which we should get it from the professionals like doc. Unfortunately they would never give these kind of details.
I will update tomorrow.
Goodtiemking
Posted
Pus kept coming out inside and out of cut.
And I started to do some walking during the day..felt depression cause I never know when would be the end.
Got 1 sleeping pill from my mother-in-law which helped a lot.
Goodtiemking
Posted
Day4.. everything stayed the same more or less. I was able to get to the gym. After 1/4 work out of the regular day I felt so weak although I bypass all the movement cross the butt...cause I didn't eat well.
After I got hom. Found lit bit more pus came out on the thick paper towel which the wife used for cooking wipe...its really good at absorb the pus than a female pad...
I just kept eating some juicy food. The more liquids the less painful when I had the bms. I had 2 times today. And actually the second time just a kind of feeling to go..not really matter since I know it's gonna be soft and would not be too much.
I still stole one sleeping pill before bed. I didn't take the lax cause it would be necessary base on what I ate and what I had done during the day.
Thanks for reading...tomorrow would be the last day stay at home..the working days coming.. have to work for living....
drob154443 MMartn
Posted
I thought I would address the time off issue. My client was very helpful but I am hourly. It took me about 2 full weeks before I could drive in. I should have waited another week. I did work a lot from home in bed and came onto the client site more and more gradually. After a month was able to function fully.
Just thought I would reply.
tulip78 drob154443
Posted
lesley73855 tulip78
Posted
Lesley xxx
tom03991 tulip78
Posted
So I'm scheduled for a fistulectomy this coming Monday and of course I'm anixious. It all started about 2 years ago when I noticed a nodule just at the bottom of my anus and went to a doctor. She felt it and said it was nothing, gradually, I noticed it going towards the scrotum, it was kind of a hard tract, but I felt fine. several months ago I felt and abcess and went to the doctor. He didn't know what it was but drained it and sent me to the urologist, since it was close to my scrotum. The urologist also did not know and scheduled my to have a small surgical procedure to biopsy it (waste of time). Anyhow he came back and said it's benign and said he thinks it's an anal fistula. He told me to have my primary refer me to a surgeon, I asked if he could do so. My sister is a nurse to after telling her, she told me to ask him to refer me to a USC surgeon. After doing some research, I found a couple of colorectal surgeons but the hmo, gave me one of their own. I saw he had good reviews and after the visit, he confirmed the diagnosis. He told me I came to the right place cause he does this all the time. So we scheduled it for this Monday. So my symptoms include a rash and something i'm concerned about is my scrotum/testicles has been feeling weird. Sometimes one or the other feels like they are retracting a bit but the doctor doesn't know what it is and tells me to consult the urologist. I feel some swelling around the area so I'm hoping after the surgery, the feeling goes away. Has anyone heard of such a thing. I'm scared of the surgery but hoping to get it over with and get back to normal. Thanks for reading.
tom03991
dale2017 tom03991
Posted
Hey there. How did your procedure go? I've just had a fistulatomy and have been home for 8 hours now. Is the excessive bleeding normal? Like it's kinda scary. Its a lot.
tom03991 tulip78
Posted
So I had my procedure today with the colorectal surgeon. He scared me telling me the worst case scenario so I was nervous. I work up with not so much pain and surprising didn't feel bad at all. Almost normal. I am so happy today. Hopefully this will be my experience for the whole recovery. BUT I haven't take a poop...kinda nervous about that. I have a quarter size whole down there. Just want to share for those nervous. Don't be, get it over with so you can enjoy your life.
AnalAbscess tom03991
Posted
dale2017 tulip78
Posted
AnalAbscess dale2017
Posted
Take care.
dale2017 AnalAbscess
Posted
As we were leaving the hospital the doctor came in and out some kind of packing in to help control the bleeding. Then but gauze and a pad around it. Did not say packing it would be necessary. It has subsided some, but it was an awful lot. They made the site about a half dollar in size. Were gonna do a sitz bath this morning and the bleeding hasn't stopped we will contact the doctor. Just wanted to get someone's input and whether or not that have had something similar happen. Thanks for your reply.