One Month = BAD NEWS.

Also, will I ever get back to my normal self? With no pain... and have interest in what I used to love doing? Is there an end to this hell ride?

I have not experienced fistula's, but many of our members have and I am sure someone will be along soon.

To answer your second question, yes better days will be ahead. You just have to be a little patient right now until they find the right treatment for you.

Hang in there sweetie.

Hugs
Gail*Nanners*

Thank you all so much for your support. I feel better today but it always gets worse around the end of the day.

I can certainly understand how down a person can get from this disease. I too have a fistula with two different tracts. They will not do surgery to remove it because it goes through the sphincter muscles and they say I'd lose control if they cut. So, I've been living with it for years now. None of the meds have healed it.

I think that the fistulotomy should have removed the entire thing, but I've also been told that in the perianal area can be hard to remove. Is it possible that you've formed a new one?

This weekend I ran out of pain meds and was forced to spend a few days remembering how I "really" feel. I cried so hard... Sometimes I think that I'd do so much better with a temp ileostomy. I am just not ready for that yet.

it just seems sometimes like there is no end to the problems with this disease. After yesterday I've decided to start the Zoloft again. (Just quit a few days ago, but this reminded me why I need it.) Have you tried any anxiety meds?

Hang in there... We certainly get more than our fair share of rough days. Remember we call care and understand.

WhatDoIDoNow, welcome to the board.   I have been through precisely what you describe. I had a per-anal abscess which went on for over a year before I finally took it upon myself to find a decent surgeon. I am glad you have at least made the first step. Unfortunately, because my condition had been so neglected, my abscess and the underlying fistula were HUGE by the time I was operated on.   My fistulotomy recovery was very painful, and the wound it left was huge, I cried and nearly passed out when I saw it! But gradually it seemed to be getting better. Then, about 4 weeks after the fistulotomy, I started having extreme pain again, with walking, sitting, lying down, everything . I was working this whole time too so it made getting on the bus, sitting all day and walking to work excruciatingly painful.   I went back to see my surgeon. I was in pain again and it was getting black again underneath the skin and I knew something was up. And then I got the news I was dreading to hear, the abscess was making too much infection for it to heal properly, and the fistulotomy was only partly successful. I had to have a   2 nd surgery – just when I was thinking ‘it can only get better from here!’. I was devastated. I felt like I was in a hole and I didn’t want to let anyone in. I was absolutely miserable.   I had my 2 nd surgery, and they inserted a mushroom catheter into the wound. The tube they inserted came out of the hole which was left from the fistulotomy. The mushroom drain is a tube which is stitched in, and at the top of the tube there is this mushroom-shaped thing which keeps the drain in place. It helps facilitate drainage of the remaining sepsis.   The mushroom drain is very uncomfortable but thank god it does its job. I had to have it in for about 4 months. But finally it came out. and now I am on the road to recovery. I had to wait 12 weeks for approval for remicade, and it made all the difference in my health. This year has been hell for me, and very painful, and I know just what you are going through. I hope you get to see another surgeon soon to get some answers. The sepsis you have draining sounds like mine was before the fistulotomy, thick, yellow/bloody and bad-smelling. It is because it is infected. Please let us know how you progress and if you get any answers, and I hope this has been somewhat of a help. I know that you can get through this, it is trying but it can be done. I am now feeling 110% better and things are healing nicely, I still have my seton in but it should come out in December.   Things will get better, I promise you. Hope you’re feeling a bit better today,   P

That's great news to hear, I am so glad it's not another awful abscess, from the sounds of the discharge it sounded infected. That's fantastic news! Us Crohnnies heal a lot more slowly than 'normal' people ;) so that would have hindered me a lot too. Please let us know how you go at the surgeon, this place provides great support; I honestly don't know what I would do without it!

Thank you so much Phoebe and ChronieToo.

I am getting by, just so hard cause the pain can be so debilitating. I have lost interest in alot that I was interested in before. For example; I need to do so much Christmas shopping (And ALWAYS have LOVED to do so) but once I get into the malls I just shut down. Its sad :(

Sorry, I dont know if I am mis-understanding you sr5599...
Are you saying I will never get better? Or that this may never heal?
I have yet (hopefully never will be) diagnosed with Crohns.
What about if I get the fistulotomy to remove this whole tract? Will I get back to 100%? Or at least close to 100%?
I am scared :(.