My story, first I thought or was told I had an abscess on my butt cheek about 3 inches from my anus I had been back and forth to the docs for several months until eventually referred to a consultant. He then told me I would have to have an op to drain it. The consultant said he didn't think there was a fistula. Think his words were 'you really don't want one of those'. So went for the op under general anaesthetic, when I come round a few minutes later he came to me and said that there was a fistula and it's quite a long track around 10 cm that crosses a lot of muscle wall so he has had to do a lay open wound that will have to be packed daily and put in a seton drainage suture.......I only know this because it all had to be repeated to me again when I had come round........What the heck! This was just the start of a year long, well over a year but a year since the very first op nightmare. I'm shortening this story because most of you no doubt know all the gory details of what happens with a lay open wound and a drainage seton. This thing has altered my life so much it's beyond belief. Each op I'm told the risks and the big one to me is losing control of my bowels, the consultant although specialises in this lacks in a bedside manner, but at least he tells it as it is I suppose. He said 'if we come out of this and you still have control of your bottom we'll be....we'll have done our job' I know he was going to say we'll be lucky. I'm told my fistula crosses a lot of muscle wall so he can't cut away too much at once.
I'm 5 ops on now, 4 of them were replace the seton and a lay open wound. The last one he put a plug in the fistula and said to me 'see if that works, they don't always stay put' It's 4 weeks since that op and haven't a clue if it has or hasn't worked. Still getting stuff leaking out and a little bit disgusting but if I pass wind it sometimes comes out of the wound hole, which feels extremely odd!
Note when I do need a bowel movement now I have to hurry up and go, holding it is not an option!
How many of you have had a fistula plug and it worked? How the hack do I know if it has or hasn't worked?
