Hi Everyone,
I recently found this forum and have found it a very informative site.
I believe that I am suffering from a fistula and it has been at me for the last 7 months.
I had my appendix removed last September (09) and following that I got a stomach infection.
My bowel movements became very odd,I would often go to the toilet 3 times a day and the movements varied from normal to constipated to diarrohea .
Generally the first movement was hard the second normal and the third watery.
I was also bloated and full of gas.
Its during this time that I developed a fistula or fissure,I'm not 100% sure.
I was under alot of stress over the Winter and I think my infection festered.
I noticed a hard small lump near the front of my anus that would swell up and it was quite painful.
At first I thought it was haemhorroids but when it didnt go away after a few weeks I knew it was something else.
It would seem to swell up a few hours after a bowel movement and if I pressed on it ,it relieved the pressure and pus was discharged from my anus (not the lump)
It looked like a tiny pin hole.
I went to my GP in March and he diagnosed me as having a sinal infection and put me on antibiotics.
The antibiotics seemed to clear up my bowel movements which returned to normal .
I also stopped drinking alcohol and made a few changes to my diet .
I had to give up porridge as it was driving my stomach crazy and running through me .
I went on a course of probiotics which didnt seem to do much good.
My stomach eventually returned to normal but I had the odd flare up where I suffered nausea and bloating.
The lump in my ass would not go away though.
Its only sore after a bowel movement ,it seems to swell up and pressing it relieves it.
Its not sore passing stools and there is no blood discharge.
I do have a papillae at the edge of my anus .
I take warm baths every day ,use baby wipes and hydrocortisone cream .
It doesnt flare up as often now as it did a few months ago but there are days when it can be a real nuisance and swell up and be throbbing for a few hours.
In August I went to a specialist surgeon and he said it looked like a semi healed fistula or a fissure,he wasnt sure.
He said there was some scar tissue inside my anus ,I can feel it ,its pretty hard.
He said I may have Crohns disease and said I should go for a colonoscopy and he would have a look at the fistula/fissure/??? .
He said he could remove it if it wasnt in too far in the muscle or deaden it with botox.
Since that visit my stomach has been pretty good,very little bloatedness or wind and normal bowel movements.
I did feel bad for a few days allright but I traced that to taking Berocca tablets which are high in acid and can cause IBS .I stopped taking them and I felt fine again.
I am 32 years of age,male and pretty fit .
I play soccer twice a week,and play golf regularly .
I notice that the lump can swell up after a long round of golf as I sweat alot ,which seems to irritate it.
Most days I feel fine but every so often,perhaps once a week ,the swelling can get pretty sore,like a throbbing spasm.
I wouldnt say my condition is very painful or affecting my lifestyle but it is a nuisance ,as you could say "a pain in the ass".
I often think it is almost healed but then it flares up again.I'm getting fed up of it at this stage.
I am due to go to hospital in 2 weeks for day surgery but I'm wondering if I might be better off just getting the colonoscopy and foregoing the surgery ?
Does what I have described sound like a fistula or fissure ?
Would I be better off trying some topical cream like Diltiazem before surgery ?
I know my post is a bit long but I wanted to be as detailed as possible.
Many Thanks
Tedser