I have a suspicion I was having the majority of the pain from the abscess developing into a fistula and not the fissure at all because the antibiotics helped within 48 hrs (with pain and inflammation, the drainage was persistent) and the topicals never really did much of anything. Also the kind of pain didn't ever change. I'll Also, I finally had a scan at the hospital yesterday and the abscess didn't show up on the scan, but the MD could visually see the pus coming out. I wonder if some people who have this sort of pain and have been told it's a fissure actually have an abscess as well...my doctor was adamant it was soley a fissure until there was so much pus he could see it with the naked eye. If it hadn't been draining during that particular exam, he'd still be attributing my symptoms to a fissure and I'd be walking around with an infection! It might be worth trying a course of antibiotics just in case. I know antibiotics are hell on the body and should not be over-used, but I just wonder if they could help people who have had no luck at all with fissure treatment...

I wonder if a fistula is like a boil but inside the anus?

Better to never learn how it is on your own body

Obviously.

But I had boils once. Turned out I was anemic. I needed iron supplements. That and low dose doxycycline taken for a couple of months solved the issue pretty quickly. I'm just wondering if a fistula may be caused by anemia as well?

This is what I had: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-con ... c-20352306

Sane sort of thing, although I never got them under my arms.

A bit of doxy, some bactroban ointment in the nose (where the bacteria is), along with iron pills helped cure it. I'm free of it now thankfully. Just a suggestion on treatment, that's all.

@okaybum: I have HS too, and unfortunately antibiotics didn't do much for me in terms of long term control. It's the reason I had a fissure in the first place, because the skin inflammation was in the perianal area, leading to muscle tension and antibiotics ruined my digestion, creating a perfect storm. I had to get surgery to remove the inflamed area on one side. I'm glad you were able to get it under control. It's one of the worst skin problems a person can suffer from.

Okaybum, I am anemic. Maybe I should take iron...?
I followed your link and that condition looks like a nightmare! I'm so glad you were able to heal! Also, my doctor said I likely have an anal gland that got blocked (didn't know we had glands up there) and caused the abscess and then the infection created a tunnel to the outside of my body to get rid of the pus. Lovely.

If you do, look for iron chelate or non constipation iron. Ask the chemist. We have it here in Australia. It's just a low dose but it may help. Mine is combined with zinc and vitamin B. But it doesn't cause constipation. You don't need the big iron pills.

As for condition, it was hell. I had 4-8 boils a week and was constantly applying cool chamomile tea bags, poultices, found I'm allergic to turmeric on my skin. I was in more pain and could barely move. The doxy helped but not 100%. The doctor was all oooh diabetes. But no. Finally I got a student female doctor who did extensive iron tests. Mine were less than half of what it's supposed to be because I don't eat much red meat. I had the choice to eat steak or take a pill. I take a pill. It wasn't a magic cure. I ended up getting pregnant, so no more doxycycline so I switched to Australia plant oil soap and used bactroban in my nose. Cleared it up.

The soap is key. If I switch, I may get a boil. But not 2. Or 8. And it goes away in 2-3 days without doing much to it now. Just some neosporin.

My sister upon reaching 26 (about the same age I got it) also came down with it. Definitely genetic. I ordered her Australian plant oil soap on Amazon. She's doing much better now.

Sadly the soap is very drying on my legs but maybe that's hypothyroidism. I'll find out next week.

This is the iron I get.

https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy ... nc-60-caps

If I stop it for more than a couple weeks, I get nasty pimples but starting it again helps them to go away before becoming boils.

Abu I ment atleast that's one positive referring to their comment that their fissure has healed some people on here have both so it's lucky the fissure is no longer active.