Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

My journey -

Have you had surgery for a Fistula and would like to share your success with others on the board who might be worrying about their surgery? This is the place, snd we would be happy to hear from you. Also, if you want to keep a Fistula diary, feel free to do so.

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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby Manitourose » 13 Dec 2016, 09:17

Hi qwerty123,

Hello! I hope you are recovering OK. I did have some of the particles after the sitz bath. I just soaked long enough and 3x a day. I want to say a bit further out, maybe a week, I used a soft washcloth to pat the area gently while in the bath. I also worried about infection but I was told and read that this part of the body is used to fecal matter and as long as you follow post op standards it usually won't result in infection. It didn't for me.
I'm doing well! I did suffer from fissures after the surgery about 5 months out but it was due to undiagnosed celiac disease. Now I'll occasionally bleed from a tiny retear of the fissure area (separate from fistula) but it's minimal and likely due to soft scar tissue.
It took me a long time to become comfortable that the surgery worked and I still have my panic moments. But so far so good and I've had plenty of follow up visits with colorectal and gastroenterologist doctors.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to help! Wishing you a smooth recovery. :)
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby qwerty123 » 13 Dec 2016, 09:23

Thanks so much for your reply. Was hoping u were still active on this chat as uve obviously got a lot of knowledge thats useful to all of us. Thanks the support means a lot.
Do u need surgerys for ur fissures or do they heal up on its own? Also do u know if there are other complications that can arise post fistulotomy?..either few months or few yrs down the track?its just so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel after experiencing this condition. Really feels never ending doesnt it? And im worried that i may also have some underlying undiagnosed gastro issues that are predisposing me to fistula &hemorrhoids. My CRS never stated that there are any risk factors for fistulas... only said it was badluck.. i think thats a load of crap though. There are alway physiological reasons behind why our body presents with conditions they do! Thanks again for your reply.
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby Manitourose » 13 Dec 2016, 11:51

I did not end up having surgery for my fissure, even though it had become chronic. I had seen a doctor at Columbia University who suggested surgery, but then suggested a new gastroenterologist to get a full picture. So we found my celiac disease. Fissures and fistulas were not considered a normal symptom but they were one of my many problems. Though with celiac anything can really occur I learned. However, once being treated I immediately began healing after many years. I think having undigested food move through me and lack of nutrients over the years had something to do with it. We did rule out Crohns and UC with a colonoscopy as well, since they can cause the problems I was having. All the doctors felt it wasn't likely Crohn's or UC because the presentation was different than in those conditions. Overall, whether on it's own or caused by celiac it was "bad luck" as you heard. What luck right!?

To answer your questions more specifically, I don't know of any complications that can arise later. My surgeon said that for a low lying fistula that the surgery works in about 97% of cases. Of course I always panicked I was in the other 3%. Mostly, I found healing could just be annoying. I had my surgery in summer and by late summer walking around in the heat felt uncomfortable at times as the sweat and rubbing of clothes was more noticeable. But as time went on it was much easier and now it's as if I never had the surgery.

I completely agree that it can be so hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. This board was a lifesaver for me because people "got it". I felt so isolated having these problems and worried often. If it was bad luck why didn't more people deal with it? Though I did learn people had overtime -- the nurse who did my pre-op and then one of my primary care doctor's wife.
Finally, I just continued with trying to get answers because in my case I knew something was wrong with me even if my symptoms weren't typical. I'm glad I did not though because there were answers after all. Because I still occasionally deal with a tolerable minor fissure, I feel I'm a loyal and lifetime member of this club. :)
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby qwerty123 » 14 Dec 2016, 19:48

Im glad things have seemed to improve for you since then even without the need for another surgery. So from what i gather, fissures arent that serious then? U can have some tears without needing surgery? and do they just heal on its own over time.?

Im on my 3rd day postop now... and it seems the sitz baths are starting to sting / burn more than they did initially! Did you experience the same thing? Is that just the tissues healing?

Thank u

Ann
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby Manitourose » 29 Dec 2016, 15:12

Hi Ann -- How are you feeling now?

My fissures were considered deep, but I never experienced severe pain though loads of discomfort and sharp twinges. Surgery was recommended but my CRS had me see the gastro doctor first and my diagnosis with the gastro found the problem. So no surgery was required.

Are you in less pain now?
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby alishka_e » 19 Feb 2017, 14:43

Manitourose - any possibility that we could chat on the phone? I have a very complicated similar story and would like to hear more about your story and what ended up happening. My cell phone number is 954-288-6877, you can call me anytime...my horror story is below, and I am looking to speak to someone who has experience and can help.

Hi All,

My name is Alicia and I am a soon-to-be 34 year old this month. My story is as follows, and I am in DESPERATE need of advice, recommendations, and help. I had anal skin tag removal (3 of the tags were removed at once and cut very deeply into the muscle and then sutured up) surgery for purely cosmetic reasons back in July 2014, and ever since then, my story has been an agonizing one. The stitches all came undone within 1-2 weeks, and I was left with 3 massive surgical open fissures, which, as one can imagine, was excruciating to deal with. As the weeks and months passed, the two fissures on the side closest to my vagina slowly turned upward inside, and new skin tags formed, which was the body’s way of protecting against those open wounds. The last, and what was originally the smallest skin tag on the side of my anus that is closest to my tail bone / bottom of butt crack is the one that has now, over time, developed into this superficial fistula tissue. Basically, because that side of the anus gets very little blood flow, the open fissure caused by the original doctor would never close (plus add on the pressure of sitting on it every day, causing that open skin to stretch), and eventually that skin started to try and fold over the open fissure, basically creating a small pocket of skin, which looked like a hemorrhoid. Over the last year or so (Dec. 2015-present), the sac of skin which is visual on the outside, would become inflamed and swollen, and I always thought it was a hemorrhoid in there. The swelling and discomfort would come and go, and, over the course of a few days, it would usually subside the ugly status quo. However, about a week ago, it became inflamed in a way that I had never seen before, and eventually go to the point where it looked like a bulge of puss, and it opened up slightly at the bottom, where the pus started to drain out. I went to the ER as I was freaked out, and they gave me a course of antibiotics, which has enabled the pus to subside, however, I still have the huge pocket of skin, which is just a ticking time bomb before it becomes infected again. After the ER, I went to two different colorectal surgeons for their opinion, and both have said this is a superficial fistula/excess skin which needs to be opened up (skin removed), and that they would not sew it at all afterwards, as the stiches are likely to come open anyways. As my original skin tag/fissure on that side of my rectum never healed to begin with (whereas the other two did, not in a great way but not ever infected), I don’t have any reason to believe that a second operation would help, especially if the skin is left open and not sewed, and you have to go #2 on a regular basis afterwards, thus not really giving any time for that skin to mend. When I try and explain this whole situation to anyone who hasn’t ever dealt with this issue, I liken the tissue/skin to the cartilage on an ear lobe. For example, the thick cartilage is such that if one were to rip an earring out, splitting the cartilage into two pieces, those two pieces will never mend back together without stiches. And thus is the way I view this area – the two pieces of split skin caused surgically at the time anal skin tag removal NEVER mended back together. Instead, the two pieces of skin just sat very close to each other, open in the middle, and the skin eventually tried to fold over itself (unhealed in the middle) to protect that open fissure. And I guess over time, that skin has collected debris and bacteria and has been fighting infection, to where the superficial fistula was tunneling itself just under the skin further back towards my tailbone.

I would really like the advice of someone who has gone through something similar, and hopefully some positive news or outlook that I can take – I am feeling at the depths of depression right now, not knowing what is the right path to take, and that I may end up permanently with a colostomy bag if the skin down there never heals and continues to deteriorate and spread to other areas of the anus (as I feel there is another ripple of skin developing right next to the main sac/fistula and that pus could eventually start eating it’s way under that section of skin too.

Someone please help! My cell phone number is 954-288-6877, and anyone can call me directly if it’s easier than posting back on this forum. I need help so badly.

Desperately,
Alicia
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby qwerty123 » 19 Feb 2017, 18:54

hi Alicia
im in Australia
not sure how to contact you because not sure what country youre in?
u can email me to discuss contact info
[email protected]
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby alishka_e » 19 Feb 2017, 19:12

I just emailed you with contact details...
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby alishka_e » 19 Feb 2017, 20:21

I emailed you again--I need the country code...I couldn't reach with just that number. Would love to talk to you...
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Re: Simple Fistula Surgery 2014, Now Fissures :-(

Postby Savaici » 20 Feb 2017, 08:08

You really should take the advice of your CRS. Sadly, an abcess will NOT just clear up, even after the antibiotics. Do not just leave it and hope for the best.

If the surgeon said it's a 'simple superficial fistula' I would take him at his word. Also, leaving it open is common treatment for fistulas. Read the information on here and it may help you to understand the ins and outs of the surgery.

Sorry you are feeling bad, but hopefully things will soon improve. :smilyhug:

P.S. Sorry Manitourose for hijacking your post!!!
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