So, after my 6th surgery for what started as an abscess and ended up as a fustula, that ended up a branch in all sorts of ways, I had a fistulotomy on 9/16. I took two weeks off work because it was "stressed" that I do this,  not only to "heal" in corporate terms, but also to prove a point for attendance policy. Guess they still don't believe me when I said it's a work in progress and I don't know when I'll be 100%. They seem to think all will be well now. 

The area where my surgery was done on 9/16 is healing nicely. I ended up with 6 surgeries because there ended up being a nasty breaching, complex fistula on top of the first. Now the doctors are leaning towards Crohn's, so I'll be having a colonoscopy, biopsy and blood work here soon. Guessing it wont be too bad considering my experience with the six surgeries and one self induced enema. 

My question for all of you out there is that in the last month, I've had nausea when I eat anything or a straight run to the bathroom and hope I can make it in time experience.  After the 6th surgery I had problems going number one and went a week to go number two which I figured was psychological, because I knew it would hurt with the new seton and huge wound. But I've never experienced an accident and now I've had two. Not good for 40 hours a week at a job and 15 hours a week at college. Is this just because I've had stomach issues since the last surgery and I can't keep anything down or in because of nerves? Or what? I've never gone to the bathroom this much! Especially considering I'm not really eating.

Sounds like you have been through the mill! I moved your post to the Fistula surgery sub-Forum, by the way.

Symptoms of Crohn's include nausea, diarrhea and loss of weight, among other symptoms. You mention that it took nearly a week for you to have a BM. This is fairly common (though a week is a little long), and it's NOT psychological, but rather due to the remnants of the cocktail of anesthesia in your body that stopped you from going to the loo...

If you're not eating, you need to at least supplement with something like Ensure, to build up your strength. I lost about 40lbs during the time that I had the worst of my AF, and having another disease that involves the immune system (Behcet's Disease), I know what it's like! It won't help your recovery if you can't eat, so do what you can about that. 

It does not sound as if you should be going back to working a 40 hour week and 15 hours a week of college, but that sounds like something you need to speak to your surgeon and GP about. It sounds to me like you are still in early recovery stage for a rather complex fistulotomy...

Here is a link on WebMD to a description of Crohn's Disease, though you might have already looked it up: http://www.webmd.com/ibd-crohns-disease/crohns-disease/tc/crohns-disease-topic-overview

There are also a few posts under the 'Crohn's/Colitis & IBS sub- forum thst might be of help to you.

Good luck, and do feel free to write as many posts as you want. We know what it's like!

So I seem to be healing nicely now. Most of the pain is completely gone bc they finally found the head of my abscess/complex fistula after the 6th surgery. I had at least a golf ball size mass that was fairly deep but could easily be felt when applying pressure where my surgeries and original abscess was located. Now that it's only somewhat swollen and tender it seems to have taken an enormous amount of my pain away. I assume that's bc there is no more pressure down there. I still have pain after a long day at work and grad school and after a BM but near as bad as it used to be. Luckily my BM's as of late are of the diarrhea kind, which is weird bc I'm going on my 5th day of being miralax free. I think I might have to get back in it bc when the stool is even somewhat hard it does cause me pain. In he next month I'll be having a colonoscopy (finally) bc my surgeon finally thinks I might have Crohn's due to the complexity of my fistula. I'll also have a biopsy and blood work done whe they do the colonoscopy which I'm guessing is standard procedure when diagnosing (or not) Crohn's. I'm still finding it tough to eat bc it upsets my stomach and usually has me running to the bathroom within 30 minutes. I still haven't changed over to wet wipes bc I hate the wet feeling it leaves behind but I find that using regular toilet paper snags my seton more often than not and it is extremely painful in an acute passing sort of way. I've also found that the gauze I have to fold up and put down there every day is leaving me feeling quite raw. But I have to use it bc I'm still having quite a bit of the yellow discharge. I guess I'm just starting to feel even more down bc it feels like this is a never ending ordeal. I'm especially happy the pain is mostly gone (the excruciating pain especially caused by my former mass) but I'm tired of the diarrhea, discharge, gauze, seton, etc., etc., etc. I'm sure most of you out there know the frustration. So what have you all done to get back to normal or what has helped you to accept/deal with this new normal? I'm hoping if I'm diagnosed with Crohn's medicine will help with the discharge and subdue my fears of a repeat or new fistula/abscess. What do yo recommend to eat that won't send me running to the bathroom. What can I do when I'm at work when I don't have access to my shower head and I've had a BM at work or grad school? I'm feeling like I'm at my wits end with thus chronic problem, a full time job and full time school! Any advice or words of encouragement would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

How are things going for you now Char?