I need to drink more water too Hope, and I recalled occasionally having constipation and hard stool before the surgery, but mostly I had the opposite problem...or maybe I just didn't notice as much. To answer your question about blood and discharge, I still get a tiny amount of whitish or off whitish discharge and I have bleeding with a BM, but it stops quickly after I am finished going. Today was actually the first day that I didn't really have bleeding. I went twice and both times were pretty clear. Keep your fingers crossed.
Do you take stool softeners? Do they cause a lot of gas? I feel like I have more gas than before the surgery too. Unfortunately, I have some incontinence in that area...luckily it's not loud gas, but it's still embarrassing. I know before surgery he said my muscle tone wasn't "as strong as he would have liked" but he said that might be because my resting muscle tone was high. Do you think it will get better? It has improved since surgery, but some days are worse than others, and I get worried again.
For those of you with a fistula, did they say what caused yours? I went to a new gastrointerologist (sp? lol) and she said I was an "interesting patient" ermmm not what you want to hear! lol She said this because I have mild ulcerative colitis, but at the time of my surgery and the colonoscopy, there were no signs of active colitis...so it was in remission. So she is wondering why I had a fistula and thrombosed hemorroid. She was going to call my CRS to see what he really felt like the problem was. Is it possible to have a fistula, without underlying disease? Now she has me worried about that and some other things. I know she is being thorough, which I appreciate, but it just made me feel anxious now that something more is wrong or that I am some freak of nature for having a fistula without maybe a major underlying issue. Ugh! lol So, do you know why you have yours? I had a fissure and badly inflamed skin tag for months, so maybe I wasn't cleaning well enough due to the pain and that caused the infection? I don't know. She was also very concerned that I still had bleeding with BM's. It stops quickly, but it's still there.
Usually I am feeling fairly positive, but today is a bit of a not good day and I am tired of worrying about my butt! :(

Hey Summergal! There are many reasons for fistulas. Mine was caused by the incision from my LIS healing the wrong way and forming an abscess. They can also form from a wrongly healed fissure. In both of these cases, the healing forms a 'roof' over the original wound. Fistulas are very commonly caused by abscesses (I read 30-50% of abscesses will develop into fistulas, but don't quote me on that!). Abscesses can form for no serious reason. I don't know if UC is a major cause of fistulas. From what I've read, where IBD is associated with a fistula, it's usually Crohns more than UC. Basically, I don't think you should worry about anything sinister just yet. Of course, I'm not a doctor, so it is a good thing that your new GI is being thorough. I think that her being concerned is much better than her being indifferent and negligent. :D
I'm also still producing some milky white exudate, sometimes it's a bit tacky. There's not a lot, and it is diminishing, but I'm not sure what to make of it. I've also been bleeding, pretty much for three months now. It's not a lot of blood - just a wee bit on the TP after a BM, and it also seems to be diminishing. But yesterday I had to strain a bit and boy, I bled more than I have in two months! It was like a nosebleed! I called my surgeon, but I won't hear from him until Tuesday at the earliest because it's a holiday weekend up here in Canada right now. I'd be very interested to know what your docs say is going on in your case because it sounds like we're having similar experiences, but I don't have UC or Crohns or anything like that (so my CRS said!).
I'm not sure what explains our exudate and bleeding, but let's compare notes when we can. You're not alone! I'm SO tired of worrying about my butt too. Soon we will have figured out what's going on and we will be back on track with the healing. Try not to worry too much. Everything going on with us may very well be normal, if a bit slow, as far as healing goes. :D

It's a bummer you are still having some problems too, but like you said, hopefully it's a normal part of healing. I know how you feel about the bleeding too. Like yesterday, was the first day I didn't have any, and then today, back to the drawing board! lol And I am like you, if I have to strain even a tiny bit, I have some bleeding. It's frustrating, isn't it? I am not sure what it is, since I had so many things done and also I had a small fissure, which it sounds like he didn't fix at the time of my surgery...so the bleeding could be from just about any of my issues I guess. I will be curious as to what your doctor says, when he calls back.
The amount of exudate has been less the last two days too. I haven't had that much, but the last few days I have had some times where I didn't appear to have any. I still use a little 4x4 gauze everyday, so I am able to see.
I also notice I have a very slight achey feeling on my left butt cheek, like muscular achey, sometimes. I had my fistula on the left side. I wonder if it's connnected. It's my lower cheek, but more towards my leg. This surgery stuff makes you question every little ache, pain, twinge, etc. Ugh! lol
Good luck and let me know what your doc said. I will do the same when my gastro doctor calls back and tells me what my CRS said. Let's keep our fingers crossed! I still feel much better than pre-surgery though, so that part is still a positive. :)

Hey Summergal - I'm glad that you are still feeling better than you did pre-surgery. So am I, so I can't complain too loudly. I just want to be healed now and get on with my life! Arg! I also get the minor muscle pain in my left buttock - and my fistula was on the left side a well. It's not big-time pain. It's more like an achy feeling, as you described. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. I'll let you know what I learn, if I hear back from my surgeon! :D

Hi Hope! I was wondering if you ever heard anything from your surgeon? I hope you have nothing new to worry about!

Hi Summergal! I have an appointment on Wednesday, so I'll find out soon. Meanwhile, things are actually pretty good (KOW!!). No jinxing! - the exudate is all but gone now and the bleeding has diminished quite a bit (there have been a few days of no blood at all). Maybe the Evil Ass Demon is just messing with me. Wow - I never used to be superstitious! I'll let you know what my doc says after my appointment. :D
How are you doing these days? Are you feeling better? I hope so!

Ohhh that sounds good Hope (KOW for you lol)! I am interested to hear how your appointment goes on Wednesday...hopefully it will be a great report!!
I still have a little exudate and bleeding with most bowel movements, but I would say the past week, it's been a little better. However, I do feel more itchy, but not sure if it's the wound or I also have psoriasis.
I was having trouble with some gas incontinence, but I would say the past week and a half I have turned a corner on that issue. It's much better now, and that has been a weight off my shoulders. I was so worried I would have that forever. I did a few Kegel exercises and that has helped.
I don't go back until December, but sometimes I wish he would take a peek sooner. Maybe I will call, if I am still worried about the issues. All in all though, I am feeling much better. It has been a slow process, but I can live with it as long as I know I won't slip backwards! Good luck with your appointment Wednesday!!

Hi Summergal! I just got back from my surgeon's office with good news! (no jinxing!) :D I explained to the doc that I was still having some blood on the TP, and that I was getting milky exudate, but that has diminished dramatically (it's almost completely stopped now). I told him that I had two episodes where I bled quite a bit, like a nosebleed. He took a careful look and poked around pretty thoroughly and said that I'm healing very well. He was very pleased. He told me that there was a bit of scar tissue, but after a year or so, it would be pretty much impossible to tell that I'd had any surgery. The bleeding that alarmed me came from irritated hemorrhoidal tissue, which is a bit delicate from all the trauma in the butt. So he basically told me that I need not worry about a bit of blood with BMs. It'll take a while for the tissue to get stronger down there. Otherwise things look like they are healing very well.
I hope this information helps you, since it sounds like we are having very similar experiences (as is Adam).
I was also passing gas quite a bit for a while there - I could hold it for the most part, but there were a few escapees. Before my LIS only dogs could hear me f@rt. Now, my f@rts have a nice deep, rich tone. I think all the fiber I'm eating caused the gas. But now that my body is getting used to it, I'm tooting less and able to hold it, or at least I'm able to produce the quiet "poofs" (silent, but deadly!)
How are you doing now? I hope you're having a great day! :D

Hope I just wanted to say Good fou You!! You've been such a wonderful support to so many others, I am really glad to read your god news. God Bless!

Thanks so much Rosa!