Hi all,

I'm new to this forum, but finding it very helpful! I hope some of you can offer me some advice!

For about 6 or 7 years now, I have been suffering with bum problems. First it was an anal abcess, which I had to have surgery to remove, then about 2 years later i had developed a fistula, which I have had 2 surgeries to remove and I'm still suffering with issues. Basically I keep getting these infections, I get constant rectal bleeding with most BM's, pain in the bum, at the base of the spine so have been living on antibiotics! I also get a little abcess like lump that appears. Have been referred to a specialist CRS and have had an MRI & sigmoidoscopy- both come back clear. They have now decided that the bleeding must be coming from a fissure so have put me on Diltiazem cream twice a day for 6 weeks.

Does this sound familiar to anyone? I don't have any confidence that this cream is going help.... Can a fissure become infected and cause an abcess? By the way, this fissure I have apparently got, is internal, it's quite far 'up' so i don't get any pain with BM's - I just feel like they have not diagnosed this correctly....

Thanks for reading

Wow Lucy. It sure sounds like you have had a tough time with things for a while. I really don't know much about fistulas and abcesses (thankfully) but it sounds horrible. I am sorry you have had to suffer so much. I was wondering if you have had any assessment on your immune function. Sometimes autoimmune disorders (like Crohn's or colitis) cause troubles with recurring infections.

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply. I assumed the sigmoidoscopy would indicate crohns or colitis, but it came back clear so they are no longer investigating those possibilities. I just feel so annoyed with the whole the thing, I'm always wondering in the back of mind, when im going to end up in hospital again.

Hi Lucy, I'm not sure if a sigmoidoscopy can rule out crohn's as I believe a sigmoidoscopy can only assess the lowest part of the colon and crohn's can be higher up? Maybe someone else can chime in on that. I bet you do feel annoyed. It must be very hard to to live in fear all the time. Just wondering, do you take anything to boost your immune system like probiotics?

That's interesting. No I don't take anything like that at all.

Hi Lucy ... Welcome to the site there is a lot of info on here ... Sorry to hear ur having trouble ... I do believe a fissure could be the cause of the bleeding as I have read other posts on here that have said that it can be very bad ... As for a fissure leading to an abscess I think it could be possible ... I had an abscess when drained turned fistula ... I think abscesses can be caused by many things ... As for the sigmoidoscopy .. I too had one while under for my fistulotomy and seton procedure and I was told I was clear for crhons or colitis .. So I think that test is correct ... If not we both are misguided lol ... Have a look around in other sections on the site there tons of info here about fissures ... Hope I get some relief soon :)