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Healing from Anal Abcesses and Fistulas?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 2/20/2012 12:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hello!

I've had a fistula for about two years now, darn thing won't go away :( It wasn't healing so my surgeon gave me an ostomy in order for it to close because the pressure of pooping was making it open.

Just keep it clean, stay on your anti-biotics, and try not to put pressure on it. I have a 'donut' pillow that I like to sit on when there's lots of pain (though that's hardly ever anymore).

I think I have you all beat! My abscess was operated on 9 times.

I've had two setons in there and he's just leaving them until the end of March, then he'll take them out and we'll start daily packing of the wound to let it shut.
Posted 2/20/2012 2:31 AM (GMT 0)
My heart goes out to you. I know these things are seriously no fun. When I got my abscess I wasn't diagnosed with Crohn's yet. So I was just treated like someone that just happened to get one. Unfortunately I didn't see the best of doctors at the time. The first doctor I saw just told me to go home and take lots of baths. So I did that, and it opened up on it's own. Now I wish I would have gone to the ER so they could have drained it and cleaned it out.

My fistula, luckily (if it's ever lucky to have one), wasn't too complicated. They were able to do a fistulotomy on it. Laying open the whole tract and letting heal from the inside out. I was grateful to not need a seton. However because it turned out that I did have Crohn's, it took a solid year for it to heal up. Which it thankfully did.

My poor brother is going through this right now. He also hasn't been diagnosed with anything. But thankfully I told my Mother to take him in to the ER where they did clean it out (even though it did rupture on it's own). As of now the hospital said they don't think he has a fistula, that it wasn't too deep of an abscess. He's on a ton of antibiotics to help heal it up. Wicked things they are!

But don't give up, they do heal eventually!
Posted 5/27/2015 8:38 AM (GMT 0)
I had 2 years of operations at which time I had a lot of time where I couldn't warlk. All in all I had 21 operations including a seton. It is a very painful operation and after effects, and in my case a long time to heal. Unfortunately I'm nearly 4 years now and I still feel the repercussions of those 2 years. I no longer have the abscess and I can walk nearly normally now, though a imaginary limp still reappears now and then.

Unfortunately I visit the toilet between 7-14 times a day. I always have the urget to go to the toilet, its so bad that if I want to leave the flat I have to fill up on codeine and Imodium, though I restrict these methods as codeine makes me stupid and Imodium really hurts after a couple of days.
After 3 years of this ive gone from a normal size to overweight and that's also effecting my walking lol.

After all this that has happened and what is still happening there is one simple truth, youll get through it and you'll find a way, I'm still looking but at least I don't have that abscess anymore. You just have to remember that on the particularly down days.
Posted 6/17/2015 1:55 AM (GMT 0)
Hey, I'm 44 and this March I had an abscess, I had aloe of pain and it was so hard and larger,
when I decided to go the e.r. my abscess drained for about 2 days, but I stilled had alot of pain and a large knot between my vagina and rectum, so they did surgery and 4 weeks later I find out I have a fistula...😱, I had another surgery May the 29, called the advancement flap surgery to help the fistula heal from the inside out and to help the home close from the 1st surgery..well I silk have drainage and some pain, I found this blog because I just didn't know what to do are what to expect because I never had this happen before.my doctor told me it would take a while for it to heal but he stated my surgery went well and was surprised that I still have drainage, my fistula wasn't that deep, I'm keeping the faith , without my faith I would be crazy.. I feel nasty .. Any who thanks for all the good information it really helps, so next week i'll get me a gi doctor to help add in this process.. Once again thanks and God blesd
Posted 6/22/2015 3:01 AM (GMT 0)
All,

reading this blog makes me feel dreadful and anxious as to what I am going to have to face soon... Kudos to you all for being so open and well, positive!
I have had just one fistula operation (simple fistula) 3 months ago which was apparently downgraded after the op to just an abscess and now after an MRI it is clear that it is a fistula (the original one) and the new one goes through anal muscle and is "complex" whatever that means. Seeing the surgeon tomorrow. I am reading up to prepare myself and as of today I am not diagnosed with any underlying problems, but from what I read here, I think Crohn's is the obvious underlying problem. The thing is that I asked after the first operation what holistic approach we could use and I was given a multi vitamin tablet....
What I dont understand is that I was not referred to a colorectual surgeon for my first operation, although that seems to me a very logical move, the general surgeon whom I had was very dismissive and couldnt understand why I wanted his office / nurse to pack the wound (not every husband makes a good nurse and somethings should really remain a mystery...)
The worst thing is that I get teary about this almost every day. Have any of you had counselling for this? Does that help or is it just a matter of hardening up and getting on with it?
xx
Posted 6/22/2015 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Kay!
It's better for you to make a new post.
This one is really old and I missed your post completely.
Fistulas are heartbreaking and never really go away.
It sounds like your general surgeon is incompetent. Never let them touch you again and always see a colorectal surgeon.
Counseling has helped to a limited extent, but so does alcohol.
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