Post Fistulomy - 2.5 months post Op......
Well, I returned for my follow up today with my CRS following my Fistulomy 2.5 months back and I'm not really sure how to feel!....
Firstly, I saw the third member of the CR team, a female I'd not met before, who I felt, needed to rush me in and out of the appointment asap because it seemed to be a busy day for her! She was pretty thorough in her questioning and equally thorough in her internal examination of my bum, which bloody hurt! and yes, my bum is a bit tender at times still - but her probing would have been enough to make the least sensitive non-anal sufferer, suffer!!!....Grrr.....so it was actually pretty hard for me to tell exactly how sore things are in there as I'm certain she created a lot of the pain!....
I explained that Yes, I do suffer some discomfort with some BM's but not all and that Yes, I do sometimes have a little itching and soreness but it tends to pass quickly and it really isn't a major deal but she has insisted on a further EUA!....
She confirmed the fistula site is no longer visible and everything looked good and everything sounded generally good (No discharge/ blood/ severe pain etc...) but insisted she wanted final confirmation that everything has healed properly and there are no other issues creating the very mild lingering discomfort I am still having at times.
Well, I'm relieved that everything seems to be OK and today I can honestly say that I really feel I am getting closer to full recovery, with no pain in my BM's and very minor discomfort after, so in one respect I'm happy that the CRS is being thorough and just doing a double-check. At the same time however, I'm now thinking OMG I really hope there's nothing underlying again. She also told me at this stage there should be no pain at all anymore but I've also heard and read of accounts where it's taken others with similar histories to mine, months to completely feel normal again.
So, not entirely happy that I have to repeat the whole EUA process again when I just hoped that I would be told it's all still normal but happy that at least they're being thorough!....
Hope anyone reading is healing OK themselves and I'll be updating again sometime soon!

Another EUA seems rather intriguing! I had a similar experience on the NHS with an examination, which persuaded me to go private! I am still having quite a bit of pain after bm, but it only lasts 5 minutes and if I sit for a long time I am having some pain. Still got something below my coccyx going on so intend to get that checked next Thursday. But hope the new fissure I suspected on the right is healing - have some rather strange tingling going on there (not where he operated but the other side). Not totally unpleasant so I'm not too bothered - it beats pain!!!
Went for my private dermatologist appointment yesterday and success! She has recommended some patch tests (basically stick some plasters on my back and see what happens) and if thats clear I'm being put on very low dose antidepressants which are used for pain relief. Going back to the NHS for this though. She thinks I have developed vulvodynia following my operation, stress and over-use of creams so has advised using nothing more that my moisturiser and wash stuff and has confirmed in writing with my GP. Finally feels like something may be sorted there, I have hope. Gives me hope with the anal issues and makes me feel I can cope with those if the other gets sorted. So it's all moving in the right direction, fingers crossed for next Thursday with the CRS, he can check out the fistula site, and hopefully shed some light on the pain between my bum cheeks at the top. I have looked on the internet (probably not a good idea!) and it keeps saying pilonidal cyst which I hope it isn't (eek!), but there is nothing to really see. If there is one, my CRS will find it. The dermatologist said she couldn't see anything yesterday, and my GP (the good one) has also checked it out and said he couldn't see anything - they can all be wrong can they?!
Anyway, I'm sure everything will be ok for you and that this is a precaution from the NHS! If you're an unusual case and not right then neither am I!!!! What an odd bunch we are eh?! Nah seriously I'm sure it's nothing :)

i wanted to ask, about when does draining fully stop?
i'm having my examination tomorrow. i still wear a small guaze pack and day by day the drainage lessens.
i'm just paranoid and worried.
it's been just about 3 weeks for me. post fistulectomy.

Hi Owie,
Try not to be paranoid and worried (So easy to say I know!)
That pus and drainage sounds absolutely normal to me and it's decreasing - great sign.
It really depends on what the state of the fistula was to begin with, how large it was etc. Some posters on here were still at the draining stage up to nearly 9 months post-op and once the draining stopped, they were pretty much healed a few weeks after. I'm not saying it's going to take that long for you but it can seem to take a long time for some people but it all seems to be completely normal. It's good you have an examination tomorrow to put your mind at rest again.
I'm the opposite!!!
My draining stopped within a week or two post-op, so I'm now actually worrying that my fistula might have healed but too quickly or something! as I'm getting discomfort but everything looks OK!
Good luck - let us know how it goes.

So an update at 2months 3 weeks post Fistulomy.....
Since my CRS follow-up a week and a half ago, it's been tough mentally. I've been incredibly anxious, jittery, trembling first thing in the morning, actually been quite depressed about it all and suffered a bout of severe chills over the weekend, like shaking uncontrollably. Well my first thought was INFECTION or abscess! I was scaring myself silly again, so back to the Docs today and she was probably the best GP I've seen ever! She was sympathetic, kind, weighed up everything I told her (and I was in floods of tears in her office, pleading her to tell me when it was going to end and that I was going to be OK!)
She performed an extremely thorough, yet extremely gentle internal examination quite unlike the CRS at my follow up. It was uncomfortable but not that painful.
She advised me that the fistula had completely healed, looked good, she could feel nothing whilst examining and advised that it seemed extremely unlikely an abscess was present because it's just not painful enough and the symptoms have really been the same and not increased. She did advise that it could be possibly scar tissue that was causing my current discomfort. She was honest when I asked her what might be causing the soreness and discomfort with BM's and after and said she didn't know but to leave it in the hands of the CRS. I respect an honest opinion.
So no visible infection, although she has sent me for blood tests to ensure there's no deeper infection.
Unfortunately, the whole thing has just affected me mentally again and she advised me to get my stress levels down through relaxation techniques and also increased my dosage of the current anti-depressant I've been having to take. I do agree with her in that she believes I have to get control over this again and start to feel stronger and more positive again in order to deal with it.
Seeing her has made me feel so much better since. Guess we just need that constant reassurance whilst getting through this. I go back to her in a couple of weeks because she wants to keep an eye on me and check all is OK. What a great GP!
I also called my CRS today, who confirmed they've scheduled the EUA for Weds 7th November - it just seems too far off!!
So, in a nutshell, Fistula healed but possible scar tissue issue. My discomfort is staying the same - Mild discomfort with some BM's (not all) and some daily on and off disomfort, itching, twinging. Nothing major but enough to "notice" and get irritated by!!.....As long as it doesn't worsen, I feel I can now get through it, especially with the GP's support. Got to go work on my meditation techniques now and maybe join a Yoga class!.....
Wishing you all reading - continued healing x Take care all x

UPDATE at 3 months, 2 weeks post Fistulomy.
Hi to anyone following this... & I will continue to post my progress as I know how important it still is even at this stage to gain some reassurance from other people's experiences following these horrible anal procedures!!
So, right now, I have nothing major or different to report other than the anxiety is better and I am a lot calmer again!!....The fistula site is visibly healed, nothing to see but even now, I am still experiencing discomfort still (not pain) sometimes with a BM but generally just after - sort of a "heavy" irritated sensation, which feels exactly like I felt in the past, if I'd passed a huge stool, which would have stretched the area a bit!....I've no doubts now, that I'm still not 100% there and still believe scar tissue to be playing a role especially since these sensations are now directly connected to a BM and most of the time, my bum feels pretty normal! I return for a further EUA on the 7th November, so at least this will be confirmed then I hope.
In the meantime, if anyone has similar experience with the scar tissue thing, then please share! I have no idea now if I have to live with this (and hope it will normalise with time) or whether further surgical intervention is required?
No discharge, no pus, no bleeding & very soft BM's with very little straining these days!!
Good luck to everyone reading and hoping you are doing well in your own recovery :D

Eta that's been great to read .I'm just recovering from a burst peranal abscess.this has causes a fistular .crs says it has touched the internal sphinker but is OK .so am writing to heal this hole that he has cut our the infection then talk about the fistular

Hi Rich,
Nothing can be more painful than that abscess just before it bursts!! Ah - I remember the pain. The fistula is no where near as painful! Just a bit uncomfortable and irritating at times I found. So, your CRS cut out the abscess is that right? or just drained it? and they're going to work on the fistula next?? What surgery do they have planned for you? Guessing a Seton will stay in place being so close to the sphincter muscle? How are you feeling in yourself about it all??? Did you manage to sort out the cleaning process?
I was lucky I didn't need a Seton, my fistula really was small and superficial, so different in that respect to you, but healing is still ongoing BUT it's nowhere near as bad as it was before pre-op!.....Hoping you get all the answers you need and we're all here in the meantime :)

Hi eto .yea he cleaned and cut out the bad stuff .got the Seton in .to help drain.hope this heals good .he said it goes through the internal sphicter a bit .but he said it would be OK .bit down in my self. .I was only having botox an polyp removed .and now this .so its been hard .
yes i soke to the nurse to dasy about cleaning ect ,
what i have been doing is fine ,bm clean up as much asou can then in the bath and use shower head to clean it all out ,the packing normaly comes out then to ,but hey ho ,then dry as best i can then i use the hair dryer to finish off ,does this sound ok then put some gauz in not packing it in though,
i am seeing the crs on fri some will get some more idea of what he will do next

Rich,
Sorry to hear you're so down. Can understand why when you think you're going in for one thing and then it turns out to be another complication! I started with a fissure, then developed my abscess, then the fistula. I can't tell you how much that stressed me out and depressed me (to the extent, that I started to take anti-depressants to cope with it all) Honestly, it affects so many people mentally, it's just horrible. BUT you will be OK....just take it day by day and that relief in that you now know what's going on, you sound like you have a great CRS and you WILL get better. It's just having to be patient and mentally get yourself through it in the meantime. It sounds like a lot of the fistula work has already been done with the abscess sorted and an initial seton placed, so you are on your way to healing already!...Keep us updated and it's hard to imagine right now, but it does all get better... :)