Anal Fissure Support Forum

[Ever the Optimist]

It's good to hear you are coping OK back at work!
I completely echo Diamond above & if you can take a few breaks by getting up and moving around a bit at work, that can really help too :)
Don't ever be afraid to call your CRS up if you need some reassurance. After my op, I went to my GP quite frequently just to get them to check the wound was healing OK and there were no signs of infection - this was just for my peace of mind and it was also really reassuring at such a stressful time. There's going to be a few things you notice as you go through your recovery. It sounds like all is normal though, so stay strong! You'll get there :)

[PetrifiedEm]

Hi, I had what sounds like exactly the same thing as you on the 28th nov. I have had two infections since the op and with both I just went to see my normal doc. She gave me two lots of antibiotics and now for the first time I have been infection free for over a week. If you can't sit up yet it could be an infection. It's worth getting it checked just in case. My normal doc knew loads more than I thought she would. I'm in England so I guess it might be a bit different but my doctor was fab!

[Dewlilly]

Glad to hear ur infection free Petrifiedem ... I could went to regular doc just to be sure but things honestly didn't get that bad I think it was more my own thoughts that made me frantic... I'm sitting very well now although driving is still uncomfortable but I'm sure it will come like the rest has.. Today was a lil tender and I've been noticing a neon greenish discharge on my dressing. The only place that's still got yucky stuff coming out seems to be the part right beside my rectum where I think the deepest cut was as we originally had to removed packing that was stuffed in it ... When u all say CRS u mean a rectum specialist right? ... My surgeon is not one of those but he is the chief of surgery so I think he should about all this ... Next week I go see him for my first visit since the surgery and he might take out the seton .... How will he know if the seton had worked and can be removed? ... Or does he remove it and "now let's see" if worked?

How are things going ur way Diamond?

[Dewlilly]

Tomorrow I oh for my first doc visit since the procedures were done ... Kinda nervous for it but has to be done I guess .. I just hope the seton has worked and no future procedures are needed ... I doubt they will know if it had actually worked until it's been removed and some time has passed ... The one thing I have learned about this type of health issue is patients is a MUST ... It's a time sensitive healing process ... Hope everyone is well and I will post back tom after my check up

[Dewlilly]

not sure if anyone reads these anymore but I had my check up with the doc and he removed the seton ... wow i was so terrified of that procedure that i had lots of pressure building up like i needed a BM so i warned the doc that i might pass gas when he was down there he says ah i have seen worse lol ... so he gets me to hold up my butt check as i am laying on my side and my husband is sitting accross from us and all of a sudden i feel this like release of pressure ... doc gets up and says all done and holds the seton up .... me and hubby look at each other and are like "is that it?" ... Doc is like ah yes .. were you expecting more .. we said yeah we didnt know what to expect like was it gonna hurt etc ... Doc says sorry to disappoint you but thats it all done ... Hubby says "pinch her or something would yah" lol .... I was so terrified of the not knowing and it was totally nothing at all ... so now we wait to see if the seton has done the job and if not then he will send me to a colerectal specialist (not sure on spelling) and see if they can take a crack at it ... he siad i will have still some leakage over the next few weeks but in about 2-3 weeks we should know if a fistula will form closer to the rectum .... i know they have to give you worse case serinos and he said that IF it cant ever be fixed and i live with the fistula but I would not have the pain that i did before as the exit is closer to the rectum and less to travel for the drainage and no chance of it trying to heal closed and what not .. he said he had a patient who he operated on 3 times and then had to send to a CSR and they did 3 surgeries and it was not working so they had to tell him to live with it .. but i asked had he done others like mine and it worked and he said yes ... so i guess i am 50/50 lol ... i pray that the seton worked and all will be done but only time will tell and what will be will be ... i will say this though since having the seton removed i feel 100% normal again even though i have a bit of leakage still im ok with that ... i will continue to post updates and hopefully eventually post in the success stories column .. thanks to everyone who has talked to me and helped me through eveyting ... I can honestly say i would have been lost with all of you ... althought the doc did the cutting part you guys helped me with the mental and emotional part which to me is more important. Chat soon and hope everyone is still in good ways ..... hope things are good your way Diamond

[scared ann]

Hi dewlilly ! I've read all your posts and your progress.i have a question how did you get your abscess/fistula? And why your dr told you that you might have to live with it.is that possible?

[Dewlilly]

I developed an abscess they think from a clogged anal gland and when it was drained it turned into a fistula... 50% of abscesses turn into fistulas and I think that where I had mine drained that path they used turned into the fistula track.. The doc said that in a bad case not all fistulas can be corrected depending on how much sphincter muscle is involved. The more muscle they cut the greater chance if becoming incontinence ... No doc really likes to risk that so I think they try other methods but if none work without cutting the muscle there isn't much more to be done... I think it's odd that it can lead to not being fixable but my doc is not a colorectal surgeon so maybe they would have a different take on it ... I hope and pray what was already done works

[Dewlilly]

Hello everyone .. not sure anyone reads these anymore but thought i would give an update. Tomorrow will be 4 wks since my seton was removed and I dont want to say i am 100 % healed as im scared i will jinx myself.. i know sounds stupid .. just scared of getting my hopes up and then having something resurface. Since taking out the seton things settled pretty quickly .. i had leakage for about a week after it was removed and then it just stopped .. Doc said that if things didnt work (the seton) i would know within the 2-3 weeks after the seton was removed ... knock on wood **knock knock** i havent had any leakage for a while ... i have finally pulled away from sitz baths and no longer where a pantie liner ... whipsering .. I think im kinda normal again lol .... I do notice that getting 100% clean after a BM is tricky .. i still use baby wipes but seems a lil bit squeezes out afterward and i have to re-clean a lil .. its almost like my anus has a lil knot in it and the stool gets stuck there and works its way out afterward ... i do have a question if any does read this and might know this ... where they actually sliced the anus it is possible for it to heal with a lil knot or like heal in a different way then the typical circle anus we are used to? and it still seems a lil sensitive where it was sliced ... will that get stronger over time or will i like not notice it as much as time goes on ... I just find the part that was sliced to feel different during and after a BM which i kinda understand considering it was cut apart .... I go back to see the doc Mar 10 and hope for good news .... I must admit i did not think i would get here EVER ... this type of issue is so life changing and its a thing that needs time to heal or several procedures to correct and its hard to keep the end in sight ... Thanks to everyone on here for your support .. dont think i could of made it here in a good mental place where i am today :)

[richibeno]

Hi did they do a fistulotomy '
If you had a Seton 'the fistula looks like it went through you intetnal sphincter muscle'
So when you Had it cut out and Seton cut out they cut the muscle to remove the fistula tract 'ik had this and has left a gap in thgd muscle which does trap some debris after a bm and I have to have a clean up after an hour or so 'im about 14 months after my last op 'ij get a ach and some soreness Now and then '

[Dewlilly]

HI Rich ... yes i had a fistulotomy and a seton put in. if this is what i live with from now im ok with that :) if i might ask Rich you said you are 14 months post op and have you had any other issues other then the clean up part and lil aches?