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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moins29953 tulip78
Posted
I have suffered with fistula for over 2 years, 9 in-office procedures and 3 surgeries under general anesthesia with ZERO progress. Colorectal surgeons are incompetent and arrogant. They're an embarrassment to all professionals worldwide.
monika68761 moins29953
Posted
I had 4 surgeries but the last two were done by dr Cathel in Portland Maine. maybe reach out to him? I feel so bad for you
scotch23066 tulip78
Posted
Hey, I think I have the same condition that you described. I had an abscess 8 years ago and it got very painful. I had to do an outpatient surgery to drain the abscess and I was packed with some stuff. I then did sitz baths for a month or so...then I had on and off some few drains.
For the last 3 years or so, I totally forgot those episodes, coz I thought it was completely healed.
When I hit the gym hard, I started feeling a pea sized lump, then it pops and bleeds. But no pus though. I noticed this happens again and again only when I put pressure in the anal area like heavy shoulder press or so...or a cycling, or constipation.
This month, July 2019 the pea sized lump came after gym workout and popped with blood and leaves a cut like thing on the skin...
I met a colo rectal surgeon and she said this is a fistula and almost healed with a little portion left. She said she can easily fix it through OP surgery.
I was wondering, for a little area is there any other option other than surgery? I dont want to end up in aggravating a small problem either way. Suggestions please...
g84240 scotch23066
Posted
Hi Scotch. Surgery is required and its best to do it as soon as possible. In the meantime avoid constipation (lots of fiber and drink plenty of fluid) and anything that strains it like heavy lifting. Keep the area as clean as you can (frequent showers or preferably baths, especially after bowel movements). This is a serious issue and you are doing the best thing possible by seeing the colorectal surgeon.
scotch23066 g84240
Posted
hey Gabe, hope you are doing well. By the way how was your CAT scan? just read your posts. Hope your post fistulectomy is healing well.
by the way, I'm also considering non surgical treatment, someone recommended to travel to India and checkout Kshar Sutra techniques. Seems like it has high successful rate since ancient ages...
dimitri30317 tulip78
Posted
Cutting seton worked for me. Natural medicine unfortunately DOES NOT work for perianal fistulas. I wish it did.
patient28942 tulip78
Posted
How long does it take for anal fistula to heal (no more drainage) after surgery? It's been 9 weeks for me and I am experiencing a lot of pus drainage, sometimes blood and the wound is still open. I did not have fistulotomy but it was another procedure.
monika68761 patient28942
Posted
Are you seeing a rectal surgeon?
you should not have drainage at all after two months. you should be scarring up nicely and proceeding to physical therapy. please get a referral to a colorectal surgeon for post op care.
moins29953 monika68761
Posted
Ummm most colorectal surgeons don't have the time of day for post op care, are you kidding me? I have been operated on by three different "supposedly great" colorectal surgeons. Their surgeries failed and they were too busy to see me after surgery and just laughed me away when i was concerned that I was not healing properly. oh but they are really good and precise at billing you for their failed surgeries.
monika68761 moins29953
Posted
That is terrible. I feel bad for you, you need a good support system in this terribly depressing time. I had no idea how lucky I was. both my colorectal surgeons saw me several times for post op care. I ended up having succesful surgery with my latter surgeon, it's been a couple years now since I healed. It was the first surgeon i ended up doing physical therapy with. He was wonderful. He saw me for several months until my post op stenosis went away. (my surgery area healed but I kept on getting cut up when going to the bathroom) I had electric therapy and he gave me several exercises to do daily which I still do. He restored my muscle to its almost normal shape. He is based in Waterville, Maine. It was worth the drive for me. Dr Jerald Hurdle. The latter surgeon who performed succesful set on surgery but was a little dismissive of my post op pain (he still saw me and checked me over though) is dr Cathel Mc Leod in Portland Maine.
patient28942 monika68761
Posted
I am seeing a colorectal surgeon for it.
delbe123 tulip78
Posted
Hi Tulip
I have had 8 operations now and am finally making progress.
My recipe would be to get yourself active (i bought an electronic bike and a gell seat) and to take whatever supplements that work for you, look at the amazon reviews definitely vitamin c and reversatol. What I also found very good is to use sudocrem with some germaloids cream mixed in with a silver stirrer as silver kills all germs use pure germaloids if pain is bad.
The pain should be moderate and with ibuprofen and paracetamol cocodamol keep pain within reason. Coco is good but addictive only use if realy necessary and be aware ibru and coco can bung you up so take a mild laxative. If the pain becomes excruciating you have an infection and need to get antibiotics imeadeatly. Incontinence I have heard can be an issue although what I find is slippage happens and I need to return and use wet wipes a couple of times.
I hope your ordeal gets better soon.
All the best
Derek
delbe123 tulip78
Posted
Hi Monika
I have to agree with mons2 there has been no after care, I have still some seepage but not as bad as before. I have now been referred to St Thomas's in London however the success rate only goes up from 40 to 60‰ so not great, there they have machine that does mri whilst your having the operation.
Unfortunately some things in life you just have to grin and bear.
All the best
Derek
hassangbs tulip78
Posted
i had an intersphincter fistula for 6 years highly located, i've been very worried to to the operation but recently it became very painful and it's size became 5+cm.
i did some research before going to the colorectal surgeon who wanted to do a fistulotomy but i wanted to do VAAFT for 2 reasons 1 fast recovery 2 not to cut the sphincter muscle. he told me the VAAFT wont work for me and it has low success rate generally. so i did the operation 10 days ago i have pain and i bleed almost every BM but by time it gets better. what concerns me is my control over the muscle is not good the dr told me it gets better by time ... i'm pretty much worried of incotinence. is it early to judge or should i get worried ?! worst case what do i do if this happened ?
monika68761 tulip78
Posted
Hi. ask your gp for a referral to a colorectal doctor for physical therapy. I had lost some muscle function post surgeries and regained it almost fully. they do a sort of electrotherapy, a machine would zap you know where to get it to wake up and work. it was ok. people were nice.
2 years later I also still daily do my rectal exercises the doctor gave me - take a breath in and clench then breathe in and out like normally you would do while keeping it clenched, only after that : relax. Repeat.
btw I only needed 3 PT sessions! Worked super fast.
Nowadays whenever I feel like I'm getting slightly cut or aggravated down there I start up clenching exercises thrice daily and within days I'm fine again.
I was told the worst thing patients are doing is what Iwas doing - try not to use the muscle when going nr2 and relaxing, do not do thay! the muscle starts forgetting its function.
hassangbs monika68761
Posted
how long after your surgery did u start the electrotherapy sessions ? and is it painful ? because i am just 10 days post surgery.
i agree with you i should use the muscle during BM but maybe a bit later because right now it hurts a lot when i try to use it.
monika68761 hassangbs
Posted
If I were you I would wait a few more weeks and see if your muscle acts anywhere close to normal.
It seemed like ages to me as I was in pain but I think it was no more than a few months after the succesful set on surgery. I was losing weight rapidly as i was afraid to eat. the prescribed miralax messed me up even more. at one point my intestines were so used to miralax liquidy poo that when miralax wore off it felt like my intestines are being cut up. at that point i made another appointment with my portland surgeon and he said everything looks fine and blah blah. so I called my previous surgeon to whom I had a referral to in the prev years and I got super lucky as he got me right in, started the therapy about a week after he diagnosed the post op anal stenosis. so I'd say just make post op appt and if you feel like you re not getting good care ask for a referral to a different surgeon or ask for a doctor who would have rectal /anal physical therapy on offer. we pay for this we really should push to get good care! the pt was very low pain compared to the post op pain. the first zap was a little more than i could handle so the doctor dialed it down. it was really a breeze. nothin to be scared of. you can also research by yourself where such things are offered and I think you can specifically ask for a referal to that doc office. at least someone told me we are entitled to pick our own pt which not many people know. i was lucky that i already knew my previous colorectal surgeon who didnt play down my pain and took great care of me.
good luck and ask away if you need more answers. its such a hard time for you but it can and will be over!
ps did i mention valium/cyclobenzaprine? it helps at night with the post op scar tissue pain if used sparingly. (your scar will fill out and grow for about a year, another fact i didnt know and i stressed about why is it filling up if its an abscess or what)