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Pain after having Seton surgery for Fistula

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 6/3/2011 6:35 PM (GMT 0)
Hello... just looking to find out if anyone else had setons placed for fistulas. I had 2 placed in February. These aren't the cutting type. Just the drainage type.  Where they are "tied off" on the outside, it rubs SO bad and is constantly painful and often bleeds. I had a 2nd follow up with the surgeon who told me that they are in good position.... now my Crohn's is flared really bad right now too, so pooping 15+ times a day doesn't help... but does anyone else have this kind of pain after having setons? They appear to be healed, it just appears to be the "Ends" that are causing me grief. Just wondering if this is as good as it gets... if so, I'll have them take them out.... at least that was sporatic pain, not every day...
Posted 6/3/2011 7:29 PM (GMT 0)
My seton is 5 yrs old. I had some discomfort for a few days after surgery, but after a week, i was back to working out. Mine does not bother me at all. Personally, I wouldn't put up with your surgeons answer. Is there another surgeon you can get a second opinion from?
Posted 6/3/2011 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
Thnak you!!! I was hoping that this wasn't as good as it gets... but when you don't know, you don't know, right? It was fine before.... was sore for 4 weeks post surgery... then I hardly knew it was there... now it's causing issues. I'm going to either have him fix it or see someone else. I just wanted to be sure that this isn't what I have to put up with. Thank you!!!!!
Posted 6/3/2011 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
No, please do not put up with it! :) Keep us posted, and welcome to healingwell!
Posted 6/4/2011 12:30 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with CrohnieMom. They shouldn't be that uncomfortable. Perhaps it's time for a second opinion.

Best wishes,

Ivy.
Posted 6/4/2011 1:30 PM (GMT 0)
I feel your pain. I know exactly what you're going through. I had 2 setons placed in Aug 2010 for recto-vaginal fistula. It was excruciating. I had the setons that look like big twist ties. They were so painful I had the dr remove them and replace with string in the office w/o any anesthesia. She just pulled out the old ones and strung in the new ones. However, I still could not sit for any length of time. It was unbearable. She sent me to a urogynocologist who diagnosed me with pelvic floor dysfunction. The setons had triggered never ending muscle spasms all throughout my pelvic area. Needless to say, in Nov 2010 I had the setons removed completely. I could not tolerate the pain they caused. I had severe rectal pain too...especially with bowel movements. Turns out the pelvic muscles pretty much encase/support the whole lower half. You might have something like that. It was quite frustrating for me because while they believed I was in pain, the surgeon saw no signs of infection or anything that would cause that level of pain. After a few months she sent me to a urogynocologists.
Posted 6/4/2011 10:47 PM (GMT 0)
Ow, firecracker, that sounds horrible. I'm so sorry you had to go through that.
Posted 6/6/2011 3:55 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks all for the advice and feedback. I was thinking the same thing- these setons are supposed to make life better, not worse. I see the surgeon for follow up soon. His receptionist said he'd likely have to go back and "fix" the issues. No kidding!
Posted 6/6/2011 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
Hi late to your post, but my perianal seton did not bother me much after the first few days. I was lucky and mine was in an area without much muscle involvement so they said that was why I had limited pain issues. It was irritating for a day or so after each follow up, but nothing excruciating.
Hope things are better soon!
Posted 4/17/2013 3:55 AM (GMT 0)

Bum_magnet

I had setons placed in January and still so uncomfortable.  Doctor on Monday and said it will get better.  I do have lots of block and I get very discouraged. Been fighting this since last April when had several abscesses. 

Posted 4/17/2013 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
I've had setons placed twice for my r/v fistula.  It was pretty painful for about 10 days, but then I barely noticed them.  I had 3 at one time and now I have 1.  The time I had 3 it was super painful, but I had also had a really bad infection that the surgeon "cleaned out" when he placed the setons, so I think that contributed to the pain.  The placement of the one I have now wasn't quite as bad.  As far as them hanging out or rubbing, I've never had that problem.  Mine feels tight and I think it's pretty thin because I've can't really feel it.  My surgeon said mine is made of thin, strong silk.
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