Has a seton worked for anyone?

My husband is suppose to have a seton drain placed for a peri-rectal fistula and I feel like I have only heard bad news. I know he needs it, but is it going to cause him more harm than good? It just seems like a bad idea- cutting into that area that is already all scared and abscessed, and opening it up, making it susceptible to infection (which being on imuran chance is higher). But I guess I need to just put my trust into the doctor and stop worrying. I would just really like to hear a success story, or two!

Well thank you! So good to hear, for my husband and for you! What meds are you on? He just switched from asacol, which he was comfortably taking for about 14 years, to imuran. Which he HATES. He is suppose to be taking 3 pills a day (total 150mg) and he says it makes him feel terrible. He gets very nauseated and bad headache, and lower abdominal pain. His GI gave him an antispasm pill that helps a bit. But he just takes takes 2 pills a day instead of the 3 he is suppose to. Which then causes us to get into a huge fight, because I get so angry and worried. He can't just self medicate to his liking! UGH! Sorry to turn this into a vent! He wants to change meds but Im trying to talk him into just giving the full dose of imuran some time to adjust. It takes time. He's being stubborn.

He has called his doctor to discuss it but still waiting to hear back. He's one of those "head of the dept, very smart, but bed side manner isn't so great" kind of doc's. Yes, he's been on flagyl cipro combo several times, the last time the cipro caused c-diff. So then just flagyl alone a few times, for the c-diff and for the abscess/fistula. Then clindamycin, which may have caused another round of c-diff we are thinking. Again- waiting to talk to dr. He had suffered with this abscess/fistula for about 8 years off and on. It comes, he takes antibiotics, it goes. No one wants to do a fistulectomy because they are afraid it will cause too much scarring. He has problems with strictures, skin tags, so he doesn't react/heal well to things. Thats his main problem of his disease. He was dx'd at 14 with obstruction and had surgery, small resection of the TI, then a few flares throughout the years, another surgery at 24 (I think?) subtotal colectomy for stricture and some diseased colon. No bag. Suffers from pretty bad diarrhea from that surgery. But about the imuran, I just think if he took the full dose for a few weeks, then still felt terrible, then he should consider changing. I just think it can be a great drug, I just want him to give it a chance. Remicade is out of the picture for him, I dont want this to be out too.

Also Ivy, what was recovery like for you after the seton was placed? How long before you were back on you feet? He cares for our small kids during the week and works on the weekend, do you think he will need to take any time off work? I appreciate all of your help and wisdom. Im new to the site, its nice to have the support. I thought about joining a support group in my area but I am so busy!

What about Humira (adalimumab)? That's the next version of Humira - a very similar medication, but made with human antibodies instead of mouse ones.

You might like to click on the "abscesses and fistulae" link in my signature for lots of our members' stories about seton etc surgeries.

My seton hurt like billy-o for a while when it was first put in, but I was sick anyway, and that abscess had been driving me mental with pain. The first week or two was the hardest, but things improved from there.

Remember, the abscess already hurts, and the seton is there to help it.