I was originally posting and suffering with what I was advised to be a Fissure. (I still believe firmly that I did suffer a fissure in my "earlier weeks") but following my second EUA on Weds, I had a bit of a surprise...!
Following the diagnosis of the AF, back in December 2011, I had some set backs with an abscess in the following March, which came and went but left behind a tiny bump, which developed an open head on it and started to pus intermittantly and itch and hurt on flare ups. It never went away and whilst waiting to go back to my CRS, I went to my GP, worried about infection. At this time, they prescribed anti-biotics, several times and 2 GPs confirmed a Pilonidol sinus. When scheduling my second EUA, the CRS suspected a fistula....so I was a bit confused to say the least as to what I had for quite a while!!!......
Well the EUA on Weds showed some very interesting developments. The whole procedure went really smoothly and I woke up after the GA to speak to my CRS. I had indeed had a tiny superficial fistula tract, positioned at 6 o' clock, which they immediately "de-roofed" and am now a bit swollen, stitched up and sore! but feel great that I have some answers at last. It was not pilonidol and pleased to say the CRS advised a full recovery rate of 95%, said it was a very simple case and that I could be back at work next week! (We'll see! NOT so sure)....
Prior to the surgery, they had advised me they would also do BOTOX on the AF if they needed to and we joked about the flatulance side effect!.......Well, I then asked about the fissure and the CRS said there was no evidence of it!!! He advised that it had either healed 100% or it could have been a recurring abscess!...but there is no longer nothing there.
Well, very shocked, bit confused, relieved...think I want a few more answers but just happy things have finally progressed and I now know what I need to do to continue in my healing...
So I'm here now, wanting to share my whole experience with a Fistula now! and hope I can offer support to others and in turn, you might be able to reassure me with any queries on my "healing" with it all. Not so knowledgable about the Fistula as with the AF as I was never really sure whether I had one or not!!...
I'm 3 days post op and touch wood, so far so good. The tract was very tiny, so the CRS was very happy and confident with the outcome. He said it was a single simple tract, advised it would be sore for the first few days and with BMs but should heal within 4 - 6 weeks with no issues...
Day 1 was great. Felt pretty much nothing due to the continuing effect of the anasthesia and I had a relatively first pain free BM. It was at the end of Day 2, I started to feel sore. I even dared peek and to be honest, nowhere near as bad as I had feared...Just a bit of swelling, bruising (I think it must have been how they positioned me!!) and a red area where the fistula roof had been removed and left a little "groove"
I spent most of my time in bed or on the sofa just relaxing and being generally careful. I was also shattered! This stuff is incredibly draining!
Today (Day 3) no more pain than I had yesterday and none of that post BM pain that came with the fissure. Managed to go OK...bit uncomfortable but I kind of "pant" through it, which really helps (like when I had my little girl!)...A lot of the fear that I had going with the fissure has gone, which makes it a lot easier!!!.....Still continuing to bleed a little, infact a little more this morning, but think CRS said that was to be expected. Not seen too much pus yet, so not sure whether that's to come or if there maybe wasn't that much initially as the thing was quite small and only a few weeks old....Not really sure what to expect to happen to be honest!
I had some stitching and I think the end of a stitch dug into me earlier, making me yelp, but advised that these should dissolve in about 10 days....
I had a lie-in, bathed/ showered after, dressed and then went out shopping for an hour and it was all OK!...some discomfort of course and still hard to sit properly though. More troublesome now is a full blown cold, sore throat and chesty cough, which developed after the surgery!! Infact, I've not had to take ibruprofen yet for my bum but did this morning for my pounding head!...
Anyway, this is how I'm doing right now and wondered if any of you others out there are at the same stage right now or have successfully healed within the few weeks after? ...
Also, can anyone advise on granulating? Is it the tissue healing?...The one end of my fistula tract was too narrow to deroof, so CRS noted he had left it to granulate?? Not too sure about that...
Final question! The fistula surgery is to the left side of the anal opening at the 6 'o clock position but I seem to have pain radiating more from the right? Can anyone comment on this either? Bit baffled...
Many thanks for reading, any advice gratefully received and sending healing vibes to everyone out there suffering any of these anal issues!!!
