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Fistula surgery. It’s been a week. Seton! What is normal?

Posted , 5 users are following.

Lilly512
Lilly512

Hey everyone! 

So back in April I had an abscess that was drained. Then weeks later I started to feel pain and pressure but on the other side. 

After a check up visit my CRS said that I needed surgery. 

Last Tuesday June 12th I had surgery where the doctor scraped out an infection and placed a seton in. 

So there is still a wound ? I think he cut some out and then the seton comes out of that. It’s blue with like black knots. 

Anyways it’s been a week and I’m just uncomfortable. The wound is already healing but I think it’s the seton causing the pain and discomfort. 

Is this normal ? 

What has your experience been with a seton? 

Also, discharge instructions said to sitz bath 3 times a day which I’ve beeb doing. The first 3 days some blood and discharge would come out. Now a week later nothing comes out in the sitz bath? Is that normal ? 

When I change the gauze there is some discharge in it. 

I have my check up appointment in a couple days and I’m praying everything is ok and I can end this nightmare of a journey soon!! Idk how long the seton will be in for yet. 

Thanks in advance  for all the tips and advice! 

1 like, 6 replies

6 Replies

  • LKPE
    LKPE Lilly512

    Posted

    Hey there 

    Sorry to hear you are also going through this horrible process. 

    I also hadn’t surgery last Monday and had a seton put in. 

    The fact that the drainage has slowed down is a good sign, it means the infection is less. 

    I wanted to ask you what a sitz bath is?! I have only been told to bath in really hot water. Is that it? 

    I would love to keep in touch and compare notes as it seems there’s are very few answers out there to this problem! 

    smile let me know how it’s going. 

    • LKPE
      LKPE

      Posted

      Had surgery * typo
    • Lilly512
      Lilly512 LKPE

      Posted

      Hi there! 

      Thank you so much for your reply! 

      Yes there’s barely any discharge now even with the seton so I was starting to worry. 

      A sitz bath is when you sit in warm water sometimes people add Epsom salt and just soak there for 15-20 minutes. 

      They sell the little tubs you can put over your toilet to sit there. That’s what I’ve been using. 

      Are you doing those ?  

      Right now I’m just really uncomfortable than anything. There feels like a lot of pressure down there. 

      Do you know how long you’ll have your seton in for? 

  • LKPE
    LKPE Lilly512

    Posted

    Hi, 

    so everyone is very different, I hope that seeing as though your drainage is clearing up that yours will be a quick one. My surgeon does not discuss any of the other patients with me so i have no idea what is normal, thats why i am here, but i can tell you that this is my second one and i had the first one put in last year October, after 9 attempts at draining the damn thing.the seton was the worst, which is still in. i only had about 5 weeks where it did not drain in that time period. quite frustrating!!  

    The problem is that it clears and then gets reinfected so maybe the sitz bath is to prevent that. I am hoping to find one today but i cant seem to find a supplier in South Africa. Going to look today while on my rounds. 

    I also know that the pressure might be from the build up in the abscess again, so hopefully its not that the outlet has healed too quickly and stopped the drainage, in which case they will have to open it again for it to drain sad sad best meds for me is a DICLOFLAM which is a diclofenac potassium anti inflam. Works well. I can only imagine what you are going through and the stress it puts on your lifestyle. Do you have any other disease like Chrohns? or is this just on its own? Did they explain how it originated? I was told i had bad luck *sigh. 

    Please keep replying, maybe, just maybe we can figure a way to get rid of these things!! Heres to hoping! 

    x

     

  • ranjan2012
    ranjan2012 Lilly512

    Posted

    Hi everyone, so nice to meet people going through the same ordeal. I had the initial Abscess drained, which never went away and then more surgery 3 weeks later (yeaterday) to have a seton put in place.. it's the biggest stress I've had in a long time.. thank you for the pointers I may try this sitz bath out tomorrow. I went in via A&E and been advised that the seton would come out but not before an MRI and the root cause isolated.. I feel it's going to be a long NHS journey.. I wish you all well.. and hope we all get well again soon. Any pointers for pain relief welcome.. I have a desk job which is a nightmare..

  • ranjan2012
    ranjan2012 Lilly512

    Posted

    Hi everyone, so nice to meet people going through the same ordeal. I had the initial Abscess drained, which never went away and then more surgery 3 weeks later (yeaterday) to have a seton put in place.. it's the biggest stress I've had in a long time.. thank you for the pointers I may try this sitz bath out tomorrow. I went in via A&E and been advised that the seton would come out but not before an MRI and the root cause isolated.. I feel it's going to be a long NHS journey.. I wish you all well.. and hope we all get well again soon. Any pointers for pain relief welcome.. I have a desk job which is a nightmare..

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