Fistula plug procedure.. Help Please!!!

I can't take this anymore and i need some advice. I have been diagnosed with crohn's and have a fistula. They took out my seton last Tuesday and put in a surgisys fistula plug. Been in horrible pain ever since they did it. ***Warning it gets gros**** Bowel movements are alot of pain and shortly afte the BM the fistula area starts hurting like hell, then all of a sudden crazy drainage and it appears to have bowel matter in the drainage. but i get some relief when it drains. but up to the point before it starts to drain i am in so much pain. I'm taking two percocet and a BC powder and it doesnt even come close to stopping the pain. I'm also taking Flagyl 3 times a day, colace and fiber supplements. yesterday i stopped eating solid food and moved to juices and broths hoping to reduce the pain of a bm. I called my surgeons office and spoke to his nurse and described my situation and they pretty much said that there wasnt much they could do. Am i overreacting? is this normal for those of you who have had this procedure? i'm to the point of calling them and saying either you do something or i'm finding another doctor.

JD

Alot has changed in the last few days. Huge improvement and i'm feeling alot better now. I never want to go through that again and hopefully the pain was worth it.

I had a plug for fisula that failed. Got infected and I developed an abccess. Had to be removed and I was put on very strong antibiotic that killed off all of my good intestinal bacteria and I ended up with c diff! I took about a 6 mo to fully recoved from c diff, it kept coming back...Hope your plug woks for you!

I have read that drainage could last up to 12 weeks. I just had my seton removed and plug placed on June 12. The first couple of days was ok, except BMs I would have rather wrestled an alligator and the alligator win!!! I am still highly uncomfortable and have some spotting (bleeding) day 4 and 5 ..is this normal? I saw where miserable was feeling better a few days later its been over a mth are there any changes to you pain or comfort level??

miserable164 I am hoping that your recovery from the fistulotomy is swift. I just went in for either a plug or fistulotomy on 6/19 and they opted for the plug. I had a draining seton put in back in december and the first few days after that surgery were awful. BM's were terrible and even after a few months if any fecal matter got in the fistula I was in pain until it cleaned out... it could sometimes take all day and baths helped a little. I found the plug to be a huge improvement over the seton in the first few days. Planning for the worst, I started taking stool softeners 2 days before the surgery and the anesthesiologist I think backed off the narcotic as part of what put me out. I was groggier than the last surgery but no where near as constipated when using the bathroom 2 days after. Given the low success rate of the plug I am very interested to hear your experience with the fistolotomy. Also, if anyone has advice as to what to do, not do, eat and not eat to increase my chances of success I am all ears. I don't have crohn's which I think will raise my chances of success. Also, I am hopping up on vitamin C and zinc just in case that it helps.

Hi all. I have 2 fistulas which have occurred from very deep internal abcess last year. After MRI's my surgeon was confident that he could lay both open easily to heal. After the op, he was able to do this with one but not the other which is too complex and I had a loose seton inserted into this one. The pain from the first op was minimal and although I panicked about going to the loo it really didn't cause me any problems. Most of the issues were in my brain rather than my bottom!

I have now been referred to another surgeon who specialises in the plug, as this is really the only option available to me without making me incontinent with other surgery. He has advised that it is very simple and should not be excessively painful (the same advice that I got with the first surgery which was correct), but I am concerned reading this that this is not the case. I don't suffer from CD.

In relation to healing, especially after my abcess drain (6 cm deep hole, but only packed for 5 weeks) and after the last op, I took stool softeners (no laxatives as these irritate my IBS), vit c with zinc, selinium, vit B complex, probiotic and up'd my protein intake significantly. These are all supposed to help with assisting healing and to aid the effects of taking large dose antibiotics and to aid with the loo. I don't know if they helped but my healing seemed quicker than stated and I really didn't have problems going to the loo. I also don't seem to suffer from the pain that people are stating on blockage or build up in the fistula - mine does constantly drain, hence I would love to get rid of the seton and get this sorted.

If anyone could give some positive advice on after plug surgery, as I'm expecting some pain, but is this just going to the loo or constantly. It appears that "I can go back to work a few days after" as long as I don't heavy ligt, have a bath or swim - anyone have any other advice.

Wow! I have to say that there aren't much positive about the plug. 3 days ago I just had one put in a rectal fistula and I'm scared to face the reality now. I have CD and been stuggling with rectal fistula since I can remember. I year ago I wanted to try the fistula but my surgeon strongly advice me otherwise saying that my chances were less then 5% and suggests that having a colostomy bypass for a while to let the area heal and eventually try the plug while still having the bypass would better my chance. That what I end up doing and I have to say that so far a had no pain at all and haven't took any medicine for pain. No swollewing and almost back to normal. Did anyone when through a similar road?

Good day,

8 days post op from plug surgery. Initial bowel movement was rough, trying to eat better, and resting most of the day, off my feet. Pain was gone mostly, except if I walk a lot, then some from site and chafing irritation. Consistant light foul swelling reddish drainage. Doing sitz baths and baths a lot. Lots of people appear to have had this surgery as per above- what I would really appreciate is if anyone could relay their timelines for success or failure and how the plug failed, with details. Sould appreciate much.

I'll try and keep everyone aware of my progress.

Thanks

Guess no plug surgery survivers weighed in - whatever.

I'll share my experience so as to aid others in the search for information.within the fistula surgery information void:

As per above thread, had plug surgery foul drainage lasted about 2 to 3 weeks and eventually part of the plug came out at the external opening. CRS thinks the smelly discharge was the biodegradible plug degrading.....

Well, we opted to wait and see another 10 days or so with another 5 days of antibiotics. All pain went away and drainage returned to pre surgery amount, consistency, and virtually no oder.

Incidentally, previously closed fistula track swelled and drained again and due to time constraints decided to get another drainaing seton inserted.

So, my signs and timeline for a failed plug procedure were a smelly discharge and dislodging of part of the plug from the external opening just less then 2 weeks from the surgery date. Hope that helps and God bless.