sorry to hear this diamond
i can only use ibroprfen and paracetamol,
is a nurse doing the packing ect
i see a nurse every day ,
just try to keep soft ,eat well ,

thx :) i guess it just eventually had to happen!
yes, a nurse is coming by every day
i was actually told not to use ibuprofen due to bleeding risks. i've sent my family doc an email to ask about this. i've used over the counter tylenol but it does nothing for the pain.
hope you're doing well - speedy healing! :)

yea im not to bad ,my abscess wound is healing ok ,2 1/2 weeks now,still get drainage ,the seton is sore sometimes ,
here to great healing

good to hear it's healing.. what procedure are you having next?
this is only day 5 for me so telling myself to freak out just yet :) i have two openings and the nurse mentioned the smaller one appears to be healing - it doesn't bleed and appears to be very dry.. the larger one appears to have been "traumatized" by this weekend's issues and i've seen both blood and pus - hope it settles down

hey diamond
well im going to see my surgen on the 9 nov
think he was to have a look under a general to see how things are ,
at the moment ,i have the drainage seton going in through my abscess wound then out of my anus ,its very close to my anus ,and i just hope its not a high fistula,
i hope it can be delt with with one op,
i still feel sore ,but it is an open raw wound at the end of the day ,just have to keep it as clean as possible,im proberly going to be seeing a nurse daily for another 2 weeks so they can keep an eye on it to which is great ,i still get drainage from the wound ,more so on days when im more active

hi richibeno! hope you're feeling better and the healing is coming along. do you still have lots of drainage?
just an update on my healing - tomorrow will be 2 weeks since the surgery. overall, i feel okay. the pain has subsided for the most part, i mostly just have discomfort now. the packing changes can be a little more painful, so i'm still taking a percocet pill an hour before the nurse comes over. the packing has started to fall out on it's own sometimes as well. the nurse did some measurements yesterday and the larger opening is now 1cm shallower than it was right after surgery. that gives me hope :)
the nurse is actually now using packing soaked in betadine (iodine solution), does anyone else have experience with this? they mentioned it helps the wound heal "right" and possibly speeds up healing as well.
i started working from home yesterday and plan to do so next week as well. i'm lucky that i'm able to do that - i opted to do this so that i'm more relaxed and not stressing about commuting to/from my office.

Hey diamond 'im not to bad thanks
I went to my cars today to talk and for him to have a look he said it looks great healing well closing up nicely, still get some drainage and some mess after a bm even after a good shower an clean up can be sore and uncomfortable ,he said come back in 3 weeks then look to do the op in Dec hope that's it then
The Seton stays in till then draining

Diamond think we should start a fresh thread under thinking o having an op

i find it hard to navigate this site :) are you able to set it up and can you please send me a personal message with the link to the thread?
i dont seem to have much drainage from my seton so i really wonder what's next? it appears to be right in the middle of the two tracts.

It's great to see some postings on here with some positive advice and and a realistic non-horror theme for post op details. I have tried to keep off forums as I have found them depressing and not helpful to assisting with my fistula surgeries and healing, but have decided to share my advice to help others positively - apologies for length of post!
I have had 2 low fistulas laid open and only suffered a couple of days of mild pain and they had healed in 2 weeks. I also have a high fistula which had a seton put in with a following surgery to have a plug repair, which unfortunately has failed during the 4th week. I'm due to have a seton put back in so I can decide my options.
What I want to say is, everybody is different. Please don't be scared of the surgery or the healing. Yes I know that we all have to endure the worry of going to the loo for the first time, but get prepared - put yourself on a high fibre diet a good few weeks before the surgery and continue well after (if not for the rest of your life - it's good for you), take stool softeners and buy wet toilet wipes (they are my saviour). I also found that a bath was the best way to relax and stay clean, but ask for advice on this (you can't have a bath with a plug repair and some wounds may not be ok with being in a bath). I also haven't found pain to be a massive problem, the main pain has been from feeling my bum has been held open wide for a long time, but that's probably because it has. Most proper pain has dispersed within a few days and has been kept under control with over the counter pain killers. Mild discomfort has continued for up to 2 weeks, but nothing that would stop you doing anything.
I have had several surgeries, but this is due to my surgeons wanting to deal with me properly, being passed to more expert surgeons and decisions that I have had made. I still have more surgeries to go, but that is because I have a complex fistula - these are apparently rare and all my consultants (who treat a LOT of fistulas) tell me that most heal after the first surgery and there is no recurrence - that is the usual course of action. I am just unlucky (wish I wasn't, but I just have to deal with it). Please remember that most people who post in forums are probably complex cases looking for help, the majority that just have the one successful surgery don't.
I wish I didn't have the complex fistula left, but on the bright side I don't have crohns or a chronic condition that will effect me for the rest of my life.
If I can give anyone some advice I would say make sure you ask lots of questions, make sure your surgeon is used to treating fistulas and ask what types of repair they can perform and what the plan is during the surgery if they find it is not at the expect. I have found I am more relaxed if I know what the options are going into the surgery, what to fully expect when I come round and to give the surgeon boundaries on what you will allow them to do. The problem is until you go through it you don't know what to ask - here's my list of questions I wished I'd ask before my first surgery (for my original abcess):
1. What is the best way to keep myself clean after going to the loo.
2. Will my wound be packed and if so how often will it need to be re-dressed.
3. If I need to go to the loo with my packing in/dressings on which may cover your anus, what should I do. This is actually funny now, when after day 3 my surgeon asked if I had had a BM I pointed out my fully taped up bottom and asked him how I actually was meant to do this!!
4. Can I have a realistic timescale for healing (this may change after your op, so be prepared for change in plans)
5. What is normal to expect after the op - will I have blood, puss, drainage - what colour/type is normal - the posting at the beginning of this thread is very helpful advise over this.
Just listen to the advice you are given, as it's applicable to you. Remember surgeons probably know more than someone posting on the internet, but never be afraid to question your surgeon if you are unsure, nervous or not sure of what is about to happen. They may not always understand what it feels like to go through it (although I tell them a lot) but they should be able to explain what will happen.

Hi All! So happy to find this site and know im not alone in this terrible affliction! Special thanks to Ever the Optimist and thisfissurecankissmebut for your detailed accounts and positive thinking!!
I'm doing a thread diary of my post op experience and would be delighted to hear any comments or advice
http://anal-fissure.org/t5582-anal-fistula-post-op-diary-fistulotomy