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For those that have a around anal fistula or abcess

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 10/12/2008 5:41 PM (GMT 0)
Just was wandering if you had a pimple at this area and did you have what feels like a lump under the skin? Did not have problems with that area so wandering how things sort of started out. Thanks. lol gail
Posted 10/12/2008 10:35 PM (GMT 0)

I actually just had a fistula break through today.  Such fun times...I've been in pretty good pain since Fri.   Mine was at the opening of my vagina. 

Mine starts with pain.  It is red, and swollen.  Way too painful to touch and feel around for a lump or anything.

Posted 10/12/2008 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks and sorry you got a fistula .I had trouble sitting Friday night so noticed a pimple and there is a lump under skin ,guess I should of kept a better eye on that area, hope it's not a fistula but got the feeling it could be a abcess. lol gail
Posted 10/12/2008 11:32 PM (GMT 0)
Haven't experienced this yet (at least not on the bum). Ouch! I did however have an abcess on my shoulder after I injured it some time back and it took several months to go away.
Posted 10/13/2008 12:49 AM (GMT 0)
For me it started like a sore area at the very beginning. The next day it was a little lump under the skin, that got bigger and bigger. Very apparent that it wasn't just your average pimple, but rather a boil or abcsess. After a week of soaking it burst, and left me with a hole that would never heal up. Also known as the wonderful fistula.
Posted 10/13/2008 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
Broom you are blessed no butt problems this is my first and was kind of surprised.I went to outpatients the next day as I found it at night.Thanks for being here.

Jen that's how mine is a pimple and what feels like a lump under it not very painful yet and feeling better since the baths . Great to have some kind of idea as to how long it taked to break but sure hope it's not a huge cap. Did you have the surgery? lol gail
Posted 10/13/2008 2:23 AM (GMT 0)
I LIVED in that bathtub for the week. Took a lot of Tylenol once it got big and the pressure was hurting it. I remember walking kind of funny too! LOL

Yes, a year after it burst I finally found a doctor that even knew what it was! They did a fistulotomy to fix it. Had this big gapping wound down there that healed from the inside out. It really was only uncomfortable for the first 3-4 days after surgery. But took FOREVER to heal completely, like a YEAR! I was told later that isn't really uncommon with Crohn's. But no problems with it since. I think if I get another one I might be more wanting to try some medications for it first before doing that again. I didn't know I had Crohn's in those days.

I'm sorry your having to deal with this, they are just awful.
Posted 10/13/2008 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
Once I had just a hole I didn't really have any more pain. It would feel irritated and sore from time to time though. Mine never closed up again, once it burst. So it didn't swell up anymore. But when it was just an abcsess, waiting to drain and become a fistula? Oh yeah, losts of pressure and pain.

I think that would be pretty common. Fistula holes have to break through the skin somehow. That ain't gonna feel good!

Posted 10/13/2008 3:54 AM (GMT 0)

Ouch!!! I have had many perianal abscesses and have a fistula. They can be very painful, and i have had four minor surgeries to drain them, some were the size of a grapefruit that welled up inside of me....my problem is that i know i am feeling uncomfortable, and take my baths, sometimes if it is a smaller one it may break, if not it i will suffer hoping that taking my baths and meds will allow it to drain  - then my butt cheek will swell up and i will start feeling sick (from the poison now infecting me) so i go the the hospital to get cut. But i must tell you, if you feel a abscess, or boil coming on the best thing to do is either sit on a sitz bath with table salt, the table salt helps to draw it out - epsom salts are to relax and promote healing mostly, like after a surgery you use it - thats where i learned a few good tips...i'd be going nuts using epsom salts and my pharmacist (who is great) says to me "use regular salt to draw it out" big difference!!! Also, i have tried it only once but if you have other stuff going on down there sometimes it can make it all surface...it is bread in milk as hot as you can make it - there is a name for it starts with a p (pulsics), but i am drawing a blank right now - years ago they always used this method to "draw" something out.  Well, good luck, get a good book and take lots of salt baths...last year was terrible for me - at least two irritations a month, two surgeries, then when i was hospitalized earlier this year i went on remicade as it really helps fistuals and abscess related to crohns, and "knock on wood" i have had one bad one, but took my cipro and flagyl and baths and...thank god it went away!!!  Take good care :)

Posted 10/13/2008 5:00 AM (GMT 0)
I didn't know I had a fistula until it was already open so I can't say whether or not it was like a pimple, but I did feel a lump under the skin where the fistula hole was. Which really didn't feel so nice when the doctor was poking at it to figure out if I actually had one.
Posted 10/13/2008 8:23 AM (GMT 0)
starts out small like a pimple, grows to the size of half and egg, very painfull then pops and everything drains out. feels better but never goes away. occaisionally clogs up again and repeats the growing and bursting cycle.
Posted 10/13/2008 12:30 PM (GMT 0)
Gail...my first fistula (I am in denial that there will be a second!) was before I knew what a fistula was so I neveer saw the starting signs until I had a lot of leakage.

I currently get what seems like pimples near the same area as the fistula was. But, they keep going away. I also have what I am guessing is an abcess as it seems like a small sac that is liquid filled. But, that comes and goes too. I found both stay away more the more often I clean in warm water and the less I use harsh wipes or wiping. I am hoping mine are actually just skin issues....hope yours are not a fistula, but get 'em looked at by a pro!

By the way I rarely had any pain with my fistula because it was in the "fleshy" part of my tushy-mostly fat, limited muscle involvement
Posted 10/13/2008 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone glad to hear the table salt will do the trick.Yes I remember years ago they used polises for cleaning out infection. I know my abdominal fistula took awhile to heal and hope this is going to be a quick healing.I was on Rem. for that one .I guess it's a matter of waiting to see how it goes. Was curious how it started when my intestines have no inflamation perhaps they take a long time to show up. Randy that egg thing don't sound too appealing . I will say one thing sure alot of good help here on this subject I'd probably been in panic zone if I wasn't already aware of this problem area, helped keep me calm.lol gail
Posted 10/13/2008 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
i had an abcessed fistula a few years ago. it started as a 'pimple' and grew and grew...i thought mine was a hemroid cuz i'd never heard of a fistula at the time. I went on Flagyl for like 3 months and it didn't help and i ended up in surgery. Most painful surgery I've ever had! It's truly amazing how many things you do effect your butt muscles. I've heard of Remicade and other drugs like that getting them better. I was on Immuran at the time of mine and it didn't help. My suggestion is to get a Sitz bath at your local drugstore. It's great! I used it all the time! I tend to get bladder infections taking a lot of baths so I can't sit in the bathtub for a long time. The Sitz bath was perfect for me.
I have 2 new fistula's right now one on each side of my anus. Also, I find now that if I put antibiotic cream on them now when they haven't gotten really bad, it seems to help a lot. They aren't extremely painful right now, but I definately know they are there. I'm going to go on Tysabri and hopefully that will take care of it.
Good Luck!
Posted 10/13/2008 2:15 PM (GMT 0)
My daughter had a double anal abscess that had to be lanced and drained. We had no idea what it was and she said it was quite painful. It was protruding out of the anus and appeared to be about the size of a golf ball maybe a little larger. When the anal surgeon lanced and drained it there was another one underneath. They put her on flagyl and recommended sitz baths. They brought great relief. Sorry you are dealing with this! Hope you are feeling better soon!
Posted 10/13/2008 9:43 PM (GMT 0)
Thank You How much do the sitz baths cost are they heated? lol gail
Posted 10/14/2008 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
I bought a cheap one at Walgreens last year.  It's a plastic basin that rests in the opening of your toilet.  There are small holes at the front and back that let any displaced water flow down into the toilet when you sit on it, instead of all over the bathroom floor.  It's only heated if you start with hot water!  I spent around $20 for mine.

Posted 10/14/2008 4:28 AM (GMT 0)
I recommend the sitz baths for the toilets at Walgreens or CVS. Or, if you are lucky enough to go to the ER, just ask them for one! :) They are usually happy to give you one, especially if you have an abscess or fistula.

But, what you describe sounds like an abscess. Typically, mine fistualize and then I find a small hole. I've been known to take a sterile needle and find the fistula part and put a needle through it. Yeah, probably not the smartest thing, but if not, it gets to the point of swelling up so huge that it hurts. But, I don't do that unless I know where the opening of the fistula is...typically it has a dimple effect somewhere. Once some of the junk and blood come out, it gets more comfortable. But, if the abscess gets to large, watch out.. it's one of the most PAINFUL things I've EVER experienced...next to birth! (Seriously! - not even the MORPHINE helped my first abscess).

Someone also told me if you are trying to get stuff out of it...PULL on the skin around it and don't push it like a pimple, if that makes sense. The warm compresses will DEFINITELY bring it to the skin. I would usually take a warm washcloth to bed and tuck it on the abscess and by morning, sometimes it would pop or be ready to pop. Not to be too graphic, but where I get mine, my underwear lines tend to pop them for me.

Ugh! Lovely fistulas and abscesses.... sorry you are battling this!
Posted 10/14/2008 11:14 PM (GMT 0)
Kaycie Sounds like you had them pretty bad. Mine is not painful now. When I go to the Dr. this week I will see if I can pick one of them sitz baths I find ita bit hard getting out of the tub . Getting old I guess. Probably would be easier then sitting in the hard old tub. How is that clinical trail going are you ready for it now? lol gail
Posted 10/15/2008 1:09 AM (GMT 0)

Hi all,

I have been reading the replies in this post and I just wanted to make sure that I understood what I read....I have CD and have never been diagnosed with fistulas and I am on Remicade (no other drugs cause I am trying to get pregnant).  I have been getting what I thought were boils on my bum. They usually get rather large, red and warm , feel like there is a pea or a marble under the skin and sometimes come to a head and pop and drain, other times just fade away. I figured they were like the absess I once had under my arm and I was treating them with old fashioned drawing salve and it seemed to help. I noticed that they have been turning up more often lately. Just had Remicade on Thursday which was probably about a week overdue and it just occured to me today that it could be a fistula or otherwise related to the CD.

So...from what I read...fistulas and absesses are fairly normal, probably something I should talk to the doc about when I go next month but there is no need to panic at the moment unless it gets really big or painfull?  Do all absesses mean there is a fistula underneath? Or are absesses just one more thing we get to deal with having CD? 

I appreciate any additional comments or answers you might have.

Thanks!!!

Posted 10/15/2008 7:33 AM (GMT 0)
hey daisibug,, i would mention it to the dr only because it worries you and he can get a better look at it than you can. he should be able to tell if its a fistula . if it is, the reason it swells is the fluid is coming from somewhere , either an abcess or a direct connection to the intestine some where. it may be all from one location that drains , then closes up then finds a new place to go and drains again etc... best to have a look see and find out for sure. if it is the remicade may help.
Posted 10/15/2008 11:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Yes I agree with Randy you should tell your Dr. and I also think we should be feeling that area for any lumps .Mine felt marble sized .I hope finding it when it is small will help but I am not sure it isn't getting any bigger anyway.lol gail
Posted 10/17/2008 2:25 AM (GMT 0)
does anyone find that they make them feel physically sick? like feverish and queasy? because i discovered one yesterday and i really don't feel well today, very queasy and weak and shaky.

Could this be an abscess or infection causing the sicker-than-usual feeling?
Posted 10/17/2008 1:19 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Phoebe I think it certainly could cause some fever after all a abcess is usually a infection. Did you check yout temp ? My temp is always low even when I am sweating . Are you soaking in warm water the table salt is great mine was barely noticable yesterday I also check it with a mirror everday as well, so far no openings so it is draining without causing too much trouble my PG said to go in if was draining puss which it isn't also find the soaks good on hemmies. Let us know how it goes.How big did the lump feel? lol gail
Posted 10/17/2008 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Daisibug you should at least soak if you don't have any complications that would prevent you from soaking I went to the Dr. right away and yesterday I could hardly feel it if you let it go it might become worse and cause alot of problems my idea is early help can prevent bigger problems . Good luck lol gail
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