Seton...not sure I can cope with it much longer! HELP REQUIRED!

Hi

Have been reading through some of the of the threads but not really found what I was looking so here is a new one. I had a seton put in a month ago and having some problems with it and wanted to see if anyone had felt/had the same.

I was told by my surgeon that the seton will never fix my fistula but it will manage the symptoms and in 97% of cases there is no problems with it, just mild discomfort. As I would like a family, we agreed that this would be the best course of action as if I was to have the fistula cut out (along with some of the muscle) when I have children there would be a very high chance of incontinence and for a 30 year old woman that does not sounds appealing, it doesn’t sound appealing no matter what age and sex in any case!

So it has been 4 weeks, the first week was fine, I mean I didn’t really notice it. I had had a procedure before in that region to drain a tract which included a little muscle being cut and honestly I thought the seton was a walk in the park compare to that – not sure that is true anymore.

Then, night 8 after procedure, I was unable to sleep as it felt like razors were cutting in the area, went to GP and she prescribed pain relief and recommended Vaseline? (ANYONE ELSE USE VASELINE?) This helped a bit but think it was more the pain killers.

Sadly, the pain killers are now gone and I am regularly very uncomfortable/in pain which is leading to not being able to sleep. I am also constantly feeling constipated/a lot of pressure down there even if I have been to the bathroom. I have been taking stool softener but that doesn’t seem to be helping. To me it feels like the area becomes swollen and sore and the seton almost disappears and cuts my skin, then it will subside, has anyone else felt this? Is this normal? Any recommendations for when this happens? It also, sometimes feels like there is something very sharp down just prodding, prodding, prodding….

I am seeing my surgeon next week again, but would be very grateful if anyone has experienced the same and recommends anyway to deal with it?

I want to try and stay positive but I am exhausted as not sleeping well, embarrassed by how many times I am going to the toilet in work and altogether run down both mentally and physically!

Thanks!!!

I sorry you are having so much pain. Are you taking sitz baths? The area needs to remain very clean. Also what type of seton did your surgeon use? I remember feeling a sharp poking feeling for awhile when I first got mine, but I told the dr and she switched it to a much thinner and shorter seton. I've had mine for 10 years. Hope you get some answers and relief soon!

Here's another thing to check on or ask about. The setons I used to have were like a hard plastic rubber band tied together with a knot. The knot was of course thicker than the rest of the seton, and it was sharp. After one of my seton surgeries (not done by my regular doctor), the knot part was left on the outside of my butt and kept scratching my other butt check and the fistula hole. It was so painful and I wasn't sure what was causing all the pain. My regular doctor took a look and realized it was the knot and rotated the seton to put the knot inside. All better and it stayed that way. He also pointed out that I could rotate the seton by myself. If you are able to do that, give it a try and see if makes a difference.