First Fistula - normal experience?

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First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby EndlessSummer » 12 Oct 2016, 16:39

Hi,
I was travelling this summer and I had an anal abscess that burst. Saw a general surgeon at the end of Aug and he wanted to rule out Crohn's before we could do anything about the fistula. I had my colonoscopy today, and it's not Crohn's, but I still have to wait another 4 weeks to talk to him about what we're going to do about the fistula, and then to get it done.

I find that every time I have a bowel movement, it's excruciating. Even if I take a bath right after, and even with T3's, I spend at least the next 4 hours lying perfectly still on the couch. It feels like burning and electric shocks. I'm off work and am so very tired of having all this pain. Is this normal? Neither my doctor nor surgeon seem to feel like this is a big deal, but it's really having a big impact on my life. Any tips for managing this would be greatly appreciated.
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby dani2fani » 12 Oct 2016, 19:31

To me that sounds like you might have fissures, which are small tears in the rectum. I have both, and when my fissures were bad it was an excruciating pain. I would dread going to the washroom. I got a cream from the doctor, nifedipine 0.2%, which helped a lot!
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby EndlessSummer » 12 Oct 2016, 23:01

I asked the surgeon (general, not CRS) if it was possible that I also had a fissure, but he said no. However, I think I'll ask my GP about trying it out. Sigh - I'm SO tired of being in pain like this :-(
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby thedude » 13 Oct 2016, 14:09

You need to go see a CRS, because that does sound like an anal fissure to me as well. I first went to a general practitioner when I started having hours of excruciating pain after a BM, and he looked back there but couldn't tell anything, thought it might be hemorrhoids. He prescribed some some suppositories and then had me make an appointment with a CRS. It took the CRS 10 seconds to look back there and diagnose an anal fissure.

I developed a fistula and abscess while I had my fissure and the fistula didn't even really hurt at all. It was the abscess (before it was drained) and the fissure causing all the pain.
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby EndlessSummer » 25 Nov 2016, 13:24

So I decided to see about getting the fistulotomy privately. I saw the private surgeon and he said it looked like the fistula had completely healed, but there was a chronic fissure, which is totally what I thought as well! The surgeon prescribed diltiazem, which I think is helping. Also multiple hot baths per day (I never thought I'd get tired of taking baths...) and putting a hot pad on my butt seem to help. The private surgeon thinks I'll still need an LIS, but I'm hopeful that maybe the diltiazem will heal it up for me. For now just super thankful to be able to have less pain and more functioning!
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby EndlessSummer » 25 Nov 2016, 13:49

Hi Katie, yes the pain is unlike anything else! I never knew that a tiny little sore on the anus could have such a huge effect on the whole body!!
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby Katie » 28 Nov 2016, 14:51

I got a call today from the hospital they want me to have an MRI done to see the fisual :(
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby EndlessSummer » 28 Nov 2016, 20:59

That's great! That means they'll be able to really see what's going on for you. Hopefully that will help them give you the best treatment.
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby Katie » 29 Nov 2016, 15:09

Yes but scared as read you may need a few ops to sort fistulas out!!! X
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Re: First Fistula - normal experience?

Postby Katie » 18 Jan 2017, 15:41

Having open cut surgery tomorrow tomorrow on my fistula feeling so scaryed x
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