I was on the Adkins diet on June 23rd before a motorcycle track day. I wanted to slim down a bit more so that I could fit in my leathers. I decided to go on the Adkins diet for a week. The only problem was I did not consume nearly any fiber at all. The night before friday I had a hard stool. I thought to myself, wow that hurt a but. After that it I felt a bit of discomfort while walking but continued to even take my dogs for a walk that night. Upon awakening the next morning, I felt a very large discomfort in my anus the kind that wakes you up out of bed. I quickly got dressed and noticed I was unable to sit down. Later on that day I tried like hell to go #2, but it barely would work feeling like the hole was swollen shut.
I later spent the next few days in sitz baths and trying just about every over the counter hemmeroid/anal relieve medicine i could find. I was constipated for two whole days, having to take a fleet enema to relieve the pressure. Which I might add hurt like hell.
A day later I decided to throw in the towel and go to the doctor. He said it was a hemmeroid and that I should go lay in the bath and lay flat and it would go away on its own. I respectfully disagreed, but given his wall of diplomas's, I tried my best not to argue. Three days passed and the bump I thought that was on my anus started ballooning. To the point where I was waking up in cold sweats, feverish, and feeling like crap. The next day I got in with a GI and he proclaimed it to be a perennial abscess. He gave my antibiotics for a day and scooted me off to a general surgeon the next day who decided to lance it in the office, just using a local numbing agent. That hurt like hell i might also add. After he did that, I was good to go for a week. I finished my antibiotics and ate high fiber to keep everything in order.
To my dismay the abcess that was nearly drained a week and a half ago decided to get a little bit bigger (AGAIN) and emit puss and blood. I quickly made in apointment with a very good colon surgon in town. She violated me 10 ways until sunday and said I had a fistula. She did not think it was too bad but still had to cut in to the muscle a bit to lay the track out. They booked me for surgery a week later. That was was a bit painful as I was so just sit there and wait- not really getting any better still in pain.
Surgery day was July 30th. Nervous as can I had my girlfriend cart my happy ass to the hospital. The nurses were really nice and my surgeon was awesome. They put me under and I did not feel a damn think. I awoke an hour later feeling like a million bucks. I more than likely spent 2 hours at the hospital and they discharged me after the specatcular tylenol PM's wore off. The doctor told me girlfriend while performing surgery she discovered a; fissure (that was healing on its own), and the fistula had branched out a little deep however she placed two setons in and laid out the "Mother ship" fistula and I should be ready to rock and roll.
Moral of the story: The tear in my anus was more than likely caused by the lack of fiber in the Adkins. I've been doing this diet on and off for 3 years and it finally caught up to me. I work out 5-6 times a week, 25 years old, NO health problems, No crohns/IBS problems. I suppose it can happen to anyone. I am ready to be done with this. It's been a month and some change and I am ready to get back to my regular life!
Questions
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#1 How long did it take you to recover?
#2 Bowel movements? Mine seem to be watery from the miralax and cause a lot of pain where the incision was cut. Once I complete the first BM of the day it hurts for about 1.5 hrs (8/10 PAIN) and then goes away. My next BM's do not hurt. It is almost if my anus is still trying to expand but I do not have anything to discharge.
#3 When i take sitz bath it stings where the cut it is. Is this normal?
God bless everyone I hope my experience can help other people going through a similar one. I was mortified to have researched online and find they really don't have jack crap on this topic.

I have mine on Thursday, I plan to drink a lot and stay passed out, How many days should i stock my bar for?

Good luck Paul. I am feeling much better have the setons still in me. They plan on yanking them in two more weeks.
I stocked up on Tito's vodka. 1 handle a week will suffice. Make sure they dont give you Flagyl.

How does the seton thing work? Do they just pull it out?

Instead of cutting deep in to you they put the setons in. I havent seen it used much on the forum when doing a fistuelotomy, BUT my doctor is confident. She laid the track open and put a 2 setons in where the original fistula branches off deep in me. Suffice to say, It's been two and half weeks and I'm about to hop on my motorcycle. The setons are made of rubber and chafe me and bowel movements are still a little uncomfortable. However, it feels to be about 80% better. I'm very pleased with the results of this.

is the seton a permanent thing?

No it is not. It allows your fistula to heal from the inside out. Once the fistula and in my care the fissure is good to go, they simple just pull the rubber cords out and were good.

hows your recovery and bowel movement? it's been about 3-4 days for me, and each passing day, the pain is alot better, but bowel movement contractions are rather painful.

OK I just cleaned out, my surgery is tomorrow at 6 am, I am enjoying a beer right now with a raw butt. What should I expect tomorrow?

Go easy on the boos tonight. You don't want them to make you reschedule due to the sleep stuff. Just relax and when you wake up it'll be all good. I was surprised how it really didn't hurt as bad as I thought during and
Immediately after surgery.